33. Stop

The really thrilling thing on this little adventure would be what happened after a kilometer, because nobody had ever gone there. But nothing seemed to have changed in the scenery, after many kilometers it was still all the same, the dilapidated buildings and nothing suitable for a hideout.

"What would be a perfect place, which is easily defendable?" Jack asked.

"Let's see, maybe a big office building with a labyrinth-like structure?" Hunter turned his head to Jack.

"Or a school? Big space, many exits?" Jack mused.

"That would be good, but there are many windows... How about a huge supermarket? We can live in the storage place, and water and food is near at hand."

"Oh that would be nice, that's our ultimate goal now. Ah yes, in which city are we?"

"I would say City S, but that would be where I was twelve years ago." Hunter uttered. "I think I don't even need to ask you...."

"Hey, that's discrimination against full amnesiacs." Jack looked at him with exaggerated hurt.

"Ok, where are we then Jack? Please enlighten me." Hunter asked earnestly.

"No idea. We should have asked the others, but nobody said they recognized anything here. This damn sand. Everything would be so much easier if we could see wider."

Hunter bent down and looked at the sand carefully while going. "This doesn't seem like real sand."

"Hm? Let me see." Jack came near and looked at Hunter's hand.

The taller man explained, "It looks like it, but it feels much finer, and if you rub it for a while it disappears."

"Then don't rub it" Jack chuckled.

"Are you really 18?" Hunter's lips twitched as he turned away.

"Yeah you saw my ID. That's just the charm I got from puberty...probably." He said blankly and continued "What could this sand thing be?"

"You don't go near Momo in the future, so as to not corrupt him with your sense of humor. It isn't ash either, it's firmer, what exactly- no idea."

"Yes sir. Now we should have already walked 4 hours." Jack looked around. They had walked for so long and hadn't found anything, it would be time to go back or begin looking in the sidestreets, till now they only went ahead in worry of losing their way, and because it was the easiest way in the fog. He took his chalk and began to mark here and there, just for being safe.

"What a clever boy," Hunter remarked. "You can go near Momo again."

"You his guardian now?"

"No, everyone has to protect the younger generation."

"Then why not protecting me, I'm just a Baby." Jack said as he walked. Without them realizing, the fog got out of hand and they had problems seeing their shoes. It was first slowly and now it couldn't be dismissed anymore. Jack was a few steps ahead of Hunter, so when he stepped into emptiness right before falling he yelled "Stop!".

He fell but only for a moment before his foot was caught in something.

Jack didn't fall long. He yelled again. "Don't come closer there is a slope!" He looked around and finally saw the sun again. The sky didn't look clear, it was foggy, but you could at least make out the direction of the sun. He looked around, he could finally see clearly here, he fell from a cliff, he couldn't even see how deep this gigantic crater was. His foot was caught in this rock wall and he was hanging there head down, with his backpack swinging from his shoulders in the direction of the Abyss.

"Can you hear me?" Jack called again.

"Y-Yes Jack? Yes I'm here!" Hunter walked slowly ahead, the fog wall shielded the cliff accurately. When he bent down he could see clearly, if he backed away a little bit, he was again enveloped in it.

He could see Jack, he fell only four meters. But his heart was in his throat when he saw that only his shoe was stuck in the wall and was holding his whole weight. Hunter paled in fright "Throw away the backpack!"

"Mhmm... I have good news and bad news. Bad news, if I move a little bit, I will fall."

Hunter's lips trembled "No...no...."