Chapter 17
The dark clouds ahead loomed ominously. After two grueling days of driving, the Glasgow Gang finally reached their destination—Mandel City.
It was still afternoon, but the sky had darkened unnaturally. Signs of human habitation began to emerge along the roadside: makeshift houses, scattered remnants of settlements, and abandoned villages that had long succumbed to time and disaster.
Dilapidated structures lined the horizon, their roofs caved in, walls crumbling, and streets eerily silent. From a distance, the remnants of civilization resembled the ghost towns often seen in horror films. Mandel City must have once thrived; the sheer number of ruined villages along the way suggested a past prosperity now lost to history.
Yoren gazed silently out the window, his thoughts heavy. The dim light and ruined landscape painted a picture of despair.
"It takes generations to build a home, yet a single catastrophe can erase it all," he murmured.
Kate, focused on the road, remained expressionless. "There's nothing we can do. Once a natural disaster strikes, the land becomes uninhabitable. Mandel City has already fallen. If its people wanted to survive, they had no choice but to abandon it."
Yoren sighed. "I get it, but seeing it with my own eyes... it's different."
Vina patted his shoulder. "First time entering a place this dangerous, huh? Don't overthink it. Just stay focused. We're almost there."
Yoren nodded. "Yeah."
The road began to incline, flanked by towering, leafless trees. The convoy pressed forward, accelerating as they climbed a long, winding hill.
Five minutes later, the terrain leveled off. Kate pulled over to the side of the road, and the other two vehicles followed suit.