Beyond Earth

New Friends

The sound of a knife striking meat and bone slowly pulled me out of my sleep.

I opened my eyes and found myself lying on a mattress in what looked like an old warehouse. A man wearing a sleeveless shirt stood beside a wooden table, chopping through a large pile of meat, while behind him, a fire burned in a metal container with two women and a young boy sitting around it.

I slowly sat up, and the chopping stopped.

"Took you long enough," the man remarked, glancing over his shoulder before returning his attention to the meat.

I rubbed my eyes and looked around. The warehouse was enormous, but almost every opening had been sealed with wooden boards, metal sheets, or whatever materials they could find. There were a few small lamps scattered around, although most of the place was illuminated by the fire.

It was nighttime.

"How long was I out?" I asked, getting to my feet.

"Almost nine hours," the man replied casually, continuing to work on the meat as though my question wasn't particularly important.

"Nine hours?" I repeated, surprised by how long I'd been unconscious.

"Yeah. You were practically dead when we found you."

I looked towards the fire and noticed Marie sitting with the others.

"Thank you for saving me," I said, turning back towards the man.

He briefly stopped chopping and pointed his knife in Marie's direction.

"You should thank her. She saw you barely walking and decided to bring you here. That good heart of hers will be the end of her one day, I tell you."

Marie rolled her eyes, clearly used to his complaints.

"Don't listen to him. He's always complaining," she said with a small smile.

The man chuckled before returning to his work.

"What's your name, anyway?" he asked.

"Albert."

"Michael," he replied, wiping his hands on a piece of cloth before gesturing towards the others. "You've already met Marie. The one with the little boy is Sarah, that's her son, Noah, and the other woman is Grace. She's our resident musician, cook, and occasional troublemaker."

Grace laughed from beside the fire.

"Don't forget that I'm also the reason you people haven't starved," she called out, giving Michael a playful look.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say," he replied, waving her off.

I smiled at their exchange.

"Nice to meet you all."

Marie raised her hand in greeting.

"Welcome back to the land of the living," she said cheerfully.

"Thanks for bringing me back."

"Don't mention it," she replied, shrugging as though she'd done nothing special.

I walked towards Michael and examined the meat on his table.

"Need a hand?"

He glanced at me, then at the knife in my hand.

"You know how to butcher?"

"I can learn."

Michael studied me for a moment before handing me another knife.

"Alright, let's see what you've got."

I stood beside him, and he showed me how to separate the meat into smaller pieces. It wasn't particularly difficult, although I had to be careful not to cut myself.

"So, Albert," he began after a while, glancing at me as he worked. "Where did you come from?"

"New York."

"Before that, I mean. Where were you staying?"

I hesitated.

"Just around."

He looked at me briefly, perhaps sensing that I wasn't interested in explaining myself, but he didn't press the matter.

"Fair enough. We all have things we'd rather not talk about."

He continued working while telling me about the people in the warehouse.

Michael had been a mechanic before the world fell apart. He used to work at a repair shop in New York, fixing everything from ordinary cars to heavy machinery, but when the Xaryth invasion began, he lost his workshop and spent several months moving between abandoned buildings with a small group of survivors.

Marie had been a volunteer at a local medical centre. She wasn't a trained doctor, but she'd learned enough first aid to help injured people, and she'd spent much of the apocalypse looking after those who couldn't defend themselves.

Sarah had been a teacher before the invasion. She'd lost her husband during the first wave of attacks and had been travelling with Noah ever since. Grace, on the other hand, had been a street musician who played at restaurants and public gatherings. She'd managed to keep her flute with her through everything, and apparently, it was one of the few things that still brought her happiness.

Michael explained that they'd been travelling together for several months, searching for places where they could find supplies and stay safe.

"What about you?" he eventually asked, turning towards me. "What's your story?"

I kept my eyes on the meat.

"It's a long story."

"Well, we've got time," he replied with a faint smile.

I almost laughed, but the thought of explaining what I was made me reconsider.

I didn't want to scare them away. They had already taken me in, fed me, and helped me when I could barely stand, and telling them I was half-human and half-Xaryth might change everything.

So I remained silent.

Michael noticed my hesitation and gave a small nod.

"That's alright. You can tell me whenever you're ready."

I appreciated that he didn't force the matter.

Once we finished cutting the meat, we carried everything over to the fire. Michael placed a large, flat stone over the flames, and we spread the pieces across it while the others made room for us.

The smell of roasting meat quickly filled the warehouse.

While we waited, Grace brought out her flute and began playing a gentle tune. The sound travelled through the enormous room, giving the place a strangely peaceful atmosphere despite the world outside.

Noah sat beside his mother, watching the flames dance across the stone.

I found myself looking at Marie.

"By the way, I never properly thanked you," I said, turning towards her.

She looked at me with an amused expression.

"You already did."

"I know, but I mean it. You didn't have to bring me here."

She shrugged, briefly glancing towards the others.

"You were hurt. I couldn't just leave you there."

"Even though you didn't know who I was?"

"Does that matter?"

I thought about it before shaking my head.

"Most people wouldn't take that risk."

"Well, maybe most people are terrible," she replied, smiling.

I laughed.

"That's one way to look at it."

She turned back towards the fire, and for a moment, neither of us said anything. Then she leaned slightly closer, looking at me with curiosity.

"So, what happened to you out there?"

I glanced at her.

"You mean before you found me?"

She nodded.

"Yeah. You looked like you'd been through a war."

"Something like that."

"Are you always this mysterious?" she asked, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"Only when people ask too many questions."

She burst into laughter, and I found myself smiling too.

It felt strange. After everything I'd been through, sitting beside a fire and having an ordinary conversation with someone felt almost unreal.

For a while, I wasn't thinking about the Xaryth, the destruction, or the people I'd lost. I was simply enjoying the moment.

Eventually, she asked me about New York, and I told her a little about the city before the invasion. I also asked about the red hair I'd noticed when she removed her mask.

"Is it natural?" I asked, nodding towards her hair.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Are you asking because you like it?"

I chuckled.

"I'm just curious."

"Yes, it's natural," she replied, running a hand through it.

"It suits you."

Her smile widened slightly.

"Thank you."

I looked away, pretending to be interested in the fire, and she laughed at my reaction.

"You're not very good at giving compliments, are you?"

"I thought I did pretty well."

"Well, you'll have to work on it."

I shook my head, laughing.

We continued talking while the meat roasted, and before long, I found myself telling her a few harmless stories about my childhood. She teased me about some of them, and I did the same whenever she shared something embarrassing.

It was strange how comfortable I felt around her.

I'd only known her for a short time, yet talking to her felt easier than I expected.

Eventually, everyone settled down to sleep.

---

A few hours later, Michael approached me while I was still awake.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, noticing me sitting on the mattress.

"Not really."

He glanced towards the others before lowering his voice.

"Come with me. I want to show you something."

I got up and followed him towards the far end of the warehouse.

We passed several stacks of wooden crates before reaching a metal door partially hidden behind some old shelves. Michael moved the shelves aside and entered a code into a small keypad, and after a brief pause, the door clicked open.

Beyond it was a narrow staircase leading underground.

"What's down there?" I asked, looking into the darkness.

"Something that might make our lives a little easier," he replied with a grin.

We descended the stairs and entered a small basement. There were several old machines, electrical cables, and shelves filled with tools, while a generator stood in the middle of the room.

Michael walked towards it and inspected the controls.

"Let's see if this thing still works."

He tried starting it, but nothing happened.

"Come on," he muttered, tapping the side of the machine.

He checked a few connections, adjusted something beneath the control panel, and tried again, but the generator only made a weak clicking sound.

"Not now. Don't do this to me," he complained.

I chuckled.

"Maybe it doesn't like you."

He shot me a look.

"Very funny."

After another attempt, the generator suddenly coughed before roaring to life.

A moment later, the lights came on.

"Finally!" Michael exclaimed, throwing his hands up in satisfaction.

I looked around as the basement became fully illuminated.

"That was impressive."

He grinned proudly.

"Never underestimate a mechanic."

We returned upstairs, and the difference was immediate. The warehouse was now brightly lit, revealing just how much space it occupied. The old shelves, stacked supplies, and makeshift furniture were much easier to see.

Everyone had woken up.

Grace was sitting up with her flute in her lap, while Sarah was helping Noah down from the mattress.

"What happened?" Marie asked, rubbing her eyes as she looked towards us.

"Nothing," Michael replied, brushing his hands together. "Just got the generator working."

"About time," Grace muttered, earning a laugh from Michael.

I was about to respond when I heard something outside.

At first, it sounded like distant footsteps, but the noise quickly grew louder, accompanied by what sounded like several heavy objects moving across the ground.

I turned towards the sealed windows.

"Can you hear that?"

Everyone looked at me.

"Hear what?" Michael asked, glancing towards the entrance.

"There's something outside."

They all listened, but nobody seemed to notice anything.

I moved towards the nearest window and carefully looked through a small gap between the boards.

My stomach dropped.

Xaryth.

Dozens of them were moving towards the warehouse. Some ran on all fours, while others walked upright, their bodies moving through the darkness as they approached our location.

I stepped away from the window.

"We need to leave. Now!"

Michael frowned, looking between me and the window.

"What are you talking about?"

"Xaryth! They're coming straight towards us!"

The others immediately got up.

"How many?" Marie asked, her expression changing as she hurried towards me.

"Too many."

Michael grabbed a bag and began throwing supplies into it.

"Everyone, pack whatever you can carry!"

I turned towards him.

"Where's the truck?"

"Out back."

"Then let's move!"

We hurried towards the rear exit, gathering whatever supplies we could carry. Sarah picked up Noah while Grace grabbed her flute and a small bag, and Marie quickly collected a few medical supplies.

We were almost at the back door when a tremendous thud shook the warehouse.

Everyone froze.

Another impact followed, making the metal door at the front bend inwards.

"They're inside!" Grace shouted, her voice trembling.

"Keep moving!" Michael yelled.

We rushed towards the rear exit. Behind us, the front door finally gave way, and the sound of Xaryth rushing into the warehouse filled the air.

Michael pulled open the back door, and we hurried outside.

The truck was parked a short distance away.

I stayed behind long enough to make sure everyone reached it before climbing into the front passenger seat beside Michael.

He inserted the key and turned it.

Nothing.

"Come on!" he muttered, trying again.

The engine refused to start.

I looked through the rear window and saw several Xaryth emerging from the warehouse.

"Michael!"

"I know!" he snapped, turning the key once more.

The engine only made a weak clicking sound.

The creatures were getting closer, and I could already see them running towards the vehicle.

"Come on, you piece of junk!" Michael shouted.

On his next attempt, the engine finally roared to life.

"YES!" he yelled.

Everyone cheered as he slammed his foot on the accelerator.

The truck sped away just as the Xaryth opened fire. Several shots struck the rear of the vehicle, but we continued moving until the warehouse disappeared behind us.

We were safe.

At least for the moment.

---

The road ahead was almost completely covered in dust, and the occasional abandoned vehicle forced Michael to slow down. We took turns driving whenever someone became too tired, although I mostly sat beside Marie in the back.

I reached into my pocket and brought out the compass Daniel had given me.

Marie noticed it immediately.

"What's that?" she asked, leaning closer.

I looked at the device.

"Just a gift."

She stretched out her hand.

"Can I see?"

I handed it to her, and she examined the cracked screen, turning it around to inspect the back.

"It looks broken."

"It is."

"What does it do?"

"Nothing much anymore."

She turned it over once more before returning it.

"That's a shame. It looks important."

I slipped it back into my pocket.

"Yeah. Someone gave it to me."

She studied me for a moment, perhaps noticing the way I spoke about it, but she eventually looked away without asking anything else.

Michael glanced at us through the rearview mirror.

"Don't worry about that thing. I know someone who can help you fix it."

I looked towards him.

"Really?"

"Of course. The man is a genius," he replied confidently.

"Who is he?"

"My father."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Your father?"

Michael chuckled.

"Yeah. He's a brilliant scientist and inventor. Actually predicted the apocalypse long before it happened, but nobody believed him. Even his own son called him a fool."

I looked at him in disbelief.

"Wait. You called your own father a fool?"

"Hey, I was young and stupid," he defended himself, shaking his head.

"Well, at least you admit it," Grace called from the back.

Michael laughed.

"Anyway, we're going to see him. He has a place where we can stay, and I promise you, we'll all be safe there."

"Your father sounds interesting," I said.

"Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet."