286 Contingency

The streets of the bustling port town, once teeming with life, now lay empty and silent. The usual vibrant atmosphere had given way to an eerie stillness with the group navigating through these desolate urban avenues.

Their footsteps echoed softly, reverberating through the silence as if the city itself had withdrawn into seclusion. The buildings that flanked the streets stood as mute witnesses, their windows dark, doors tightly shut, embodying the city's collective retreat.

Yet, amidst this ghostly emptiness, there were intermittent signs of life in the distance. Squinting against the haze, our group discerned faint figures slowly converging on the port. These distant shapes gradually came into focus, revealing purposeful travelers with various burdens.

Some carried bundles, others pushed loaded carts, and a few guided horses burdened with cargo. Their determined strides cut through the eerie silence, a stark contrast to the deserted city streets.