26 August, A-M 17

...So, land isn't what I reckoned.

We shored today, coming in on one of the paddlers that came on the ship. When we actually ported it was fascine, there were all these empty boats up on the piers. Not on the water, or even beached, but on the piers, next to all the docklands. We even saw one leant against a lighthouse! All that was pretty sig, but Rothe and the others wouldn't let me look at the ships for long, or even in any of them. We had to keep moving, they said.

When we got into the town, we headed for the local shelt, where they'd have kept all the important supplies, including orbs. Rothe wanted me to stay near the boat, in case they did find an orb here and we could just go back today. The others said that was dumb, though, so I came with them anyway. I think I know why dad didn't want me to go now.

We walked through the town, and I node it was what I thought it would be, from the pics I've seen of the old world, but it was weird seeing it up close. Glass was all over the floor, even places where there were hardly any windows, and crashed autos were everywhere, sticking in buildings and upside down in shops.

We stopped to eat at a field (the first grass I've ever sat on) with a few water pools in it, which I guess might've been nice if there were people around, or even some noise. It just felt kind of empty, and I didn't feel like we belonged there. The big stone man in the middle of the field was dressed real weird, all buttons and buckles, with a really weird hat that seemed to be turned sidewards. He did have a wickt blade, though, it was kind of like the one Rothe has, but sharper.

The shelt was only a few mins away, so we headed there. And that's when it got bad. I'm not sure if the elds actually know how the old world finished exactly, but I know why they don't wanna go back to it. I saw my first body today. And my second, third, fourth...I couldn't count them. They were skelts, really, but still. They were people. The closer we got, the more there were. Rother said they were all trying to get to the shelt in time. For what? He just shrugged.

When we rounded the corner was the worst, cos I wasn't esxpecting it. A mound. I'm telling you. All trying to pile into the shelt, they were jammed at the door. Rothe told me to wait with Nate back round the corner while he and the other two went. No need for all us to go, I guess. I just closed my eyes and waited for him to come back, so he could tell us we can go home now. That there was still a working orb. Didn't hap. Came back after maybe three mins, but it was so much longer in my own thoughts.

They crunched bones under their feet when they came back, there was that many. I looked at Rothe, and he just shook his head in that way when he doesn't wanna trib me, but when he also can't say.

They gave me the walkie to call dad and tell him the obv, and he sounded like he hadn't heard me in years. They told us which town to head for first, and Nate put it on the map. We headed out of town along a cliff, and we're putting up camp now so we can still see the ship.

Even though it seems like a much better home than this does now, I'm still glad I'm here on the open land.

Nel