The Wood-Gate Camp

Lucas looked at both of them. They stood there, not the slightest bit of fear in their eyes. The woman reached into her pocket and pulled out a little yellow and black object. It had a trigger.

She pulled it and two prongs shot out from the front end of it. They pierced through his jacket and cling to his skin underneath. He felt his muscles contract as an electric wave of shock coursed throughout his body.

He hit the ground, but the shocks didn't stop. They didn't stop until his vision faded and he went unconscious.

Stella watched in horror as the woman kept pulling the trigger of the taser.

(Stella: "STOP!")

(Man: "Calm down little lady. Your man will be just fine. We have somewhere to take you guys.")

He spoke with a mocking tone. He set down her crossbow and crouched down in front of her. He looked at Jonas, who was crying softly.

(Man: "What's this little guy's name?")

Stella didn't speak to the man. He reached toward Jonas with one finger to touch his face, but Stella slapped his hand away.

(Man: "Woah, what's with all the hostility. You guys were the ones intruding on our camp.")

He stood back up and faced the woman.

(Man: "I'm already tired of her. Let's just bring them back to Allen and let him deal with it.")

(Woman: "What if he doesn't want to?")

(Man: "Are you kidding? Of course he'll want to! We've got an immortal with a baby. If that isn't interesting, I don't know what is.")

The woman sighed and pulled the prongs out of Lucas.

(Woman: "I'm not carrying him.")

(Man: "Fine, you watch her. She's got an attitude though.")

The woman approached Stella. She didn't have her gun pointedly. She simply stood above her and spoke.

(Woman: "Follow us.")

(Stella: "Why would I follow you?")

(Woman: "Oh, I don't know—")

She looked back at the man who was picking up Lucas.

(Woman: "—maybe because we've got your boyfriend. Come on, you're in the front.")

Stella sighed and stood up. The two women were the same height. They stared at each other for a couple seconds before Stella broke eye-contact and walked ahead.

The woman raised her eyebrow as she watched Stella walk ahead.

They traveled north. The man carried Lucas on his shoulder while the woman kept tabs on Stella. The sun began to set and the sky started to turn into a vibrant red.

The man and the woman talked the whole time they were traveling. They were very clearly close friends. Maybe even a couple.

(Woman: "How is it carrying the immortal?")

(Man: "He's lighter than expected.")

(Woman: "Really? He looks heavy.")

(Man: "Looks can be deceiving.")

The man looked at Stella and nodded toward her.

(Man: "Her, for example. She's got a pretty face, but her personality leaves much to be desired.")

(Woman: "You're so mean!")

They laughed with each other. Stella put on her gas mask. Jonas suddenly sneezed. The two fell silent behind her. They whispered to each other behind her back. She couldn't understand them, but she could hear their whispers.

(Woman: "Was that a sneeze?")

(Man: "I don't know. Why would they sneeze?")

(Woman: "Allergies?")

(Man: "There isn't anything out here to be allergic to!")

(Woman: "Could they be sick?")

(Man: "Nobody gets sick anymore. You know this.")

They speculated as to how the baby sneezed. They didn't come to any answers, but they did come to a clearing.

They came to an open area, grassy plains for miles. The dead grass was various shades of yellow and brown. It almost blended into the color of the sky during the day, but the setting sun made the dusty, cloud-covered sky red.

In the distance smoke could be seen from multiple areas. There was a dry river. It was wide and mostly flat around the middle. In that river, there were walls made of giant logs perched upright. They had barbed wire lining the top, and watch towers were set on each corner of the walls. Stella could see at least one person in each of them.

Stella looked back at the two. The woman made eye contact with her again. Stella averted her gaze. She continued to look upon the structures in the distance.

As they approached, a spot light was directed at them. It completely blinded Stella, she couldn't see a thing with that light in her eyes. It also affected the man and the woman behind her.

(Man: "What a dickhead. He knows it's us.")

(Woman: "He does this every time. This is why we shouldn't come back near dusk.")

(Man: "Well I wasn't going to stay the night with the immortal and the girl.")

The man waved his hand at the light, yelling at the person controlling it to turn it off. The light was finally taken off of them. The man shook his head.

A gate at the entrance opened revealing a camp on the inside. The river was very wide, which allowed the camp to be huge. There were big tents set up everywhere. There was a medical tent with a Red Cross. There were men, women, and children running around on the inside.

As they passed through the gate, Stella could see figures of people in the watchtowers staring her down.

As soon as they got inside, the man told someone to go fetch someone for him, and he passed Lucas to another person, and he was carried off to somewhere else. The man followed them into a tent.

The woman finally walked in front of Stella.

(Woman: "Follow me this way.")

She directed Stella into a tent. It had rows of bunk beds on one side, and rows of cribs on the other. It was a housing unit and a nursery in one tent.

(Woman: "Get comfortable, this is all we have. Welcome to the women's tent.")

Stella didn't react. She didn't even look her in the eyes.

(Woman: "You're still worried about the immortal? Is he really your boyfriend?")

(Stella: "No.")

(Woman: "Good. I was about to say you had bad taste.")

Before she could ask any questions, the woman left the tent. She had been watched so carefully all this way, and they just stopped? It was strange. What was going on?

She sat down on the lower bunk of a bed. She looked around. There were windows cut into the tent. She could see the red sky fade into black night.