City of Masks (Chapter 10)

The wind gently passed us as we fled away from the cathedral. We’ve gone beyond the cemetery now. An overwhelming sensation of freedom gripped us as we walked. The cathedral looks rather tiny by now.

The sunlight would’ve bothered us if not for the constant breeze in this plain. The grass rustled as we walked. The wind carried some leaves from nearby trees adding to the peaceful noise.

“Sure you know where we’re heading?” I asked.

“Of course I do!” Renei replied. “It’s that way!”

She pointed. There was a tone of uncertainty in her voice. Her hand slowly lowered and she started looking around. The sack of canned goods she carried rattled as she turned.

“I thought you found a familiar route” I said.

“I thought I did.”

Turns out that she was mistaken. The path only looked familiar. But it wasn’t it. We’re lost.

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We sat underneath a tree near the woods after walking for an hour. Renei raised her hands up as if to map the sun’s passage. I stared at her curiously.

“If the sun rose that way” she muttered to herself. “Then…”

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“Trying to figure out where my base is. Based from my calculations, it should be that way.”

I chuckled. She didn’t even use numbers. I stood up and stretched.

“I’m gonna look around” I said. “Be right back.”

The area seems untouched by the masked people. Walking further, I found a spacious field on the other side. Far away, I could see a mansion standing on a cliff. I was dazed. It looked… familiar.

“What are you looking at?” Renei sneaked up behind me making me jump.

“Don’t scare me like that!”

“Sorry” she giggled.

“There’s a mansion over there” I pointed.

“Neat!” Renei looked like she pretended to be interested.

“There’s something about it. I’m not sure what.”

“We can check it later” Renei suggested. “We need to get back to my base and recover first.”

“Alright” a sad tone escaped me.

I followed as Renei lead the way. I looked back at the mansion telling myself that I will return.

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I coughed as dust floated inside this cottage.

“Not too shabby, huh?” Renei proudly said.

“It’s clean by dust bunny standards” I coughed again.

Renei’s base. At long last. I didn’t know what to expect. Then again, it makes sense that she would take an abandoned cabin as her new home. And not bother to tidy it up.

We looked at our remaining supply of food and what Renei kept around here.

“We need to restock soon” she said.