The Blackout

Barrad, 29.07.1107 ALB

Four days of wandering through Barrad. Four days of compass going crazy and map not leading them where it should. Four days of exhausting march with little supply of food and water left. And four days of doubts and losing hope. But it was also the day when Evening spotted something in the distance and it aligned with a point on a map.

"It’s Cygnus-4, I am sure. Part of RivCom relay." he pointed his hoof at the radio masts visible in the distance. "It is too specific to be mistaken for anything else. That’s Cygnus 4-2, a communication relay."

"If you say so… I am still not sure." Radio tried to align the compass with a map but the needle was just turning around. "But it looks promising, maybe some electronics survived the Blackout."

"Let’s just move there… I must rest…" Said Morning quietly, she was still weakened and the harsh environment of Barrad wasn’t helping.

As soon as they started their journey to part of the Cygnus-4 communication relay it was obvious that something was wrong, more than usual. Grass turned from its sick-green to complete grey, same with trees and other plants. There was no wind, it just suddenly stopped, the air became completely still, even the storm clouds went quiet, Not a single sound. But that communication relay was their best hope, what if someone survived here? What if they find working radios? What if they find so much needed supplies? So the journey continued but the problems and concerns were only growing. First Morning just lost all her remaining strength and was unable to move on her own, complaining on a headache and feeling very exhausted. Then when they reached a hill that was halfway to Cygnus-4 buildings Radio noticed something very strange.

"That’s their power plant, right? Didn’t it explode according to reports?"

"You know that readings weren’t perfect, especially right after the Blackout. I wouldn’t be surprised if that registered nuclear explosion was just some error." Responded Evening and sighed. He was feeling weaker and weaker too and he knew that this walk shouldn’t be that exhausting, he was a soldier after all, trained to endure more than a simple walk. "Let’s hurry, this whole place is making me uncomfortable."

They spent another hour walking towards buildings and with every minute passing it was getting worse. Morning just lost her consciousness, her brother tried to lift her and fly but he was too weak for this. Situation was getting worse with every passing second, they didn’t know how long they will be able to walk and how big was that strange area where was no single sign of life, as if this whole place was frozen in time. Evening realized that they didn’t see any animal or monster from the moment they entered the communication relay area, as if nature herself was avoiding this place at all cost, surrendering it to some other force that was there. It was over and he soon knew it, they were simply too far into this territory to escape its claws, they will lose strength before escaping this dead zone. Finally he accepted it and just laid down on the ground, Radio Silence following him.

"So that’s how it ends? We will just die here, close to home but still too far away? And not from bullets or monsters, just from… being here." Evening’s voice was quiet, calm, he was just looking at the clouds above. "I wish that I saw the stars and moon one, final time."

"You were a great friend, Evening. Thank you for everything. If we are going to die here, know that it was an honour serving with you." Radio Silence grabbed a bag with things that caused them to go through all of this. "It’s a pity that we won’t deliver them. You think I should destroy them?"

"It doesn’t matter now… plus no one will ever retrieve them from here, at least not now. Just leave them…" he put his hoof on the bag preventing Radio from getting to the drives. "I am sorry that we didn’t make it. We were really close…"

Then both of them become quiet, just laying on the ground waiting for the inevitable, for end of their suffering and the end of their task, which ultimately failed. Evening didn’t know how much time have passed, it could be minutes or hours, he was barely conscious at that point, he just started hearing something but was too weakened to even look at that direction, it was probably his brain playing with him.

"You see them too?" No, he really heard something. Someone was approaching.

"Yes! They are wearing our uniforms… get medics over there!"

"Sir, we must escape this place ASAP!"

"You were given an order so shut up, I am the one deciding here!"

Evening’s vision was blurred but he was a silhouette appearing right above him, then checking something on his uniform. Someone approached Radio and Morning too.

"They are alive! Sergeant Evening Star, Corporal Radio Silence and Corporal Evening Star! RFMC!"

"They were under Direct Fire, they shouldn’t even be here! They were sent to Rijekograd!"

"Stop making theories and get them on the truck now! Let’s go away from there."

Thestral felt someone lifting him and moving to some vehicle. There was still that one silhouette above him, he thought he saw a red cross on their helmet. They were talking something to him but he couldn’t understand it or even force his body to respond, he was just staring in the sky, images of clouds passing by as they started driving. Then after some time he suddenly realized that there were no more clouds, they were under a clear, night sky with stars above him. And the Moon was there too, shining brightly, filling Evening with so much needed hope. He smiled and closed his eyes that started filling with tears, they were saved… They were really saved.