Chapter 27 - The Approach

                                    

                                          
Leah led the way in silence down the trail. Wide enough for one person, they walked single file. Denton was relieved to get away from the open field. Although it still rained, the canopy of the trees surrounding them, sheltered them from the worst. It made progress more comfortable, and it wasn't quite as depressing. Of course, in the end, they were still wet and miserable. Less rain wasn't going to dry their clothes anytime soon.
                          
They continued through the woods for about an hour. The trail snaked through the forest, up hills, and down valleys. It followed the shoreline of a small lake, its surface pocketed by the falling raindrops, and then the stream that supplied the lake with its water. When they finally emerged from the woods and onto an old, paved road, Denton could see abandoned houses in the distance.
                          
"Is that it?"
                          
"Yes, the outskirts of the town. Most of those that live in this area live in the few high-rise apartment buildings in the center of town. It makes it easier for them to pool resources. Let's find a place to rest for a while before we make our final approach."
                          
Leah led the way across a field to what appeared to be an abandoned subdivision. Single-family homes spaced evenly around cul-de-sacs and streets were dark, their windows smashed, gaping open like the eyes of a skull or covered with plywood by hopeful owners anticipating a possible return. Leah picked a house, apparently at random. The house, a two-story house with an attached garage, was overgrown with vines. The windows were covered by plywood, the siding on the walls peeling in places and the shingles of the roof missing in many areas. The yard wasn't much better off. The grass had given way to weeds, and only rotten pieces remained of what once had been a white picket fence.
                          
Leah tore off the plywood from a side door that lead into the garage and kicked in the door. A cloud of dust was thrown up in the air as the door crashed to the floor inside. They waited for a brief moment and then entered the darkness inside. Leah lit a flashlight and quickly examined the garage. It was full of junk. Old bikes, play equipment and dozens of crumbling cardboard boxes.
                          
"Looks like they left in a hurry," Denton said.
                          
"Many did. This whole area experienced quite a bit of social unrest a long time ago. Riots, stuff like that. Many planned on returning but, as you can see, it never happened. Instead, it turned into a safe haven for those that society has rejected in one way or another."
                          
They continued into the main house. Most everything looked as if the house had just been abandoned the prior day. The kitchen was clean, the living room tidy. Photos and other memorabilia decorated shelves and tables. Only a layer of dust revealed the truth that the house had been empty for a long time.
                          
Leah dusted off the kitchen table and sat down on one of the wooden kitchen chairs. She converted her flashlight into a lantern and picked out an energy bar from her backpack. Denton sat down across from her and proceeded to take off his jacket. He wrung it out and hung it on the back of the chair next to him.
                          
"How are you doing?" Leah asked, a concerned look on her face. "You look a little cold."
                          
"Cold and wet. This weather is terrible."
                          
Leah grinned. "It's pretty typical for here. That's why all these degenerates are drawn here. The weather is a protective shield of sorts."
                          
"Great news," Denton said sarcastically.
                          
"You should grab one of the bars from the backpack. You need to keep your energy up. We still have a lot of work to do."
                          
Moments later, Denton was chewing on some sort of bar. A mix of nuts and fruit, he figured. Whatever it was, it tasted pretty good.