Twenty Miles South (Continued)

We stood for several minutes, examining the skies together, I tried to look for the familiar forms and shapes I had seen in other encounters, while he seemed to be searching for something on an entirely different wavelength. His eyes scanned with more precision and purpose, while I randomly looked around, playing games wondering what I would recognize next. After a few minutes, I noticed that the shadows in front of us had begun to lengthen, just enough to be noticeable. It didn't seem to have much of an effect on the skies above us at first, but as the sun moved towards our right, it changed the heat which slowly dissipated, becoming less onerous with each moment. The breezes became less frequent and the hot bursts of air more bearable. The ground seemed to cool as well, hardening and firming beneath our feet. I continued to look into the clouds, but would glance around to see if anything had changed. I wondered what he had done with his machine to rouse the strange otherworldly forces unfolding far above us. Capturing the light disrupted, shook and loosened the previously tranquil skies. His experiment had worked almost too well, and accidentally created the intersecting, shifting lines. I couldn't be sure how or if his elaborate movements, catches and experiments were the primary cause, but there was an unmistakable connection. The wind began to pick up, blowing in strong gusts until it sustained a consistent speed. As we stood transfixed by the experiment, we didn't notice that the afternoon shadows grew steeper while sun began accelerating overhead. In what felt like moments, it accelerated past its apex towards the horizon at a sprint. It began heading straight downward, moving inexorably westward, before slowly sinking beyond our position. As the skies darkened, the lines dissolved and subsided, collapsing into indistinct forms until they dissipated completely, vanishing from view.

I was surprised by this reaction, but he seemed to expect it on some level. I felt disoriented, but he remained unflappable in its face. He motioned with the machine, taking measurements and issuing commands without concern for the surrounding events. He seemed to concentrate on something and spent a minute or so focusing on a specific portion of the sky. I couldn't see what had engaged the machine, but it began to hum and shift with forcefulness, inferring something that I didn't understand. I watched him closely until I heard a loud beep coming from the machine. This seemed to startle him and his expression suddenly changed to one of concern. It didn't take long for him to decide what to do next. He quickly placed the machine back in his jacket. Even though he had gotten lost for a moment, he seemed to remember that I Waa there and seemed to have come to a sudden realization about something. He walked towards me, and began pointing upward at an unexpectedly frantic pace. He waved his arm and pushed his hands upwards quickly. He didn't need to explain anything. I had already noticed that one section of the sky was darkening considerably faster than the rest of the atmosphere. It seemed that a storm had formed suddenly and without warning. I wondered what exactly we would do to get out of its way. I felt a bit nervous but he became increasingly agitated as his efforts fell short.

He pulled the machine out of his pocket and scanned the clouds with a pattern and technique I hadn't seen before. He was moving it around rapidly, thrusting it diagonally, to little effect. The distant clouds encroached from the distance, slipping through the horizon. They began to expand slowly, covering more sections of the sky. Darkening the atmosphere, their slow expansion challenged the hot sun, diffusing and weakening its power. I began to get nervous. He placed the machine as far as he could into the air, extending his arm straight outwards and began turning it so its energy was entirely focused, aiming it directly into the clouds. A few dials were turned and t began to shake and buzz, but only for a few seconds. Its power drained ever more quickly with each attempt.

He aimed it in the opposing direction and tried to capture additional light from the diminishing sun, but there was very little energy to siphon. He attempted to gain as much as possible, but there wasn't enough to fully charge the machine. It sputtered to life, and he rapidly turned it back towards the clouds, spinning it around so it faced them directly. He aimed and configured the beam carefully but his efforts produced only a fleeting burst of energy that elicited nothing. The machine was drained, its surface nearly out of energy. I looked beyond him and had a sinking sensation as I watched the clouds intensify. Even from that distance, I could see the distant storm creeping towards us from the south, growing in size and strength with each passing moment. He remained focused on his machine, seemingly oblivious to the precarious situation we found ourselves facing. Its green edges dulled in the darker skies, it seemed to have lost its power and seduction, unable to conjure the same spells it had previously. He desperately waved it around several more times, searching for another burst of energy but nothing he did made much difference. The retreating sun was too weak at that point, it was unable to provide enough light to use, so it sputtered and shook but only for a brief time.

Scanning the distance, he noticed he encroaching clouds from the south, carefully measuring their distance with his fingers, He extended the machine outwards in their direction, attempting to somehow capture their energy. I stood behind and observed him from an odd angle. I couldn't precisely see what he was doing, but noticed his fingers seemed to moving with increasing speed and urgency. He began spinning the machine in different directions, turning it over while maneuvering its dials. Walking a few steps closer to the clouds he seemed to veer away from me, concentrating on their billowing forms. They expanded slowly, and gradually filled the atmosphere. Watching with increasing nervousness, he turned back towards me and motioned that I should come closer. I was still on the other side of the barrier and didn't want to cross it. I pointed towards it but he confidently dismissed my concerns with another wave of his hand. I reluctantly walked across the barrier, and nothing happened. Much to my relief, it didn't affect me negatively. He made his way back towards the encirclement of rocks, and walked around it toward the other side. Standing just outside the circle, he waited for me for a few minutes, signaling his impatience by pacing back and forth. I walked quickly, not wanting to hold him back, and felt the my feet begin to move instinctively, covering the surface quickly. The ground felt a bit harder than it had, the sandy surface uneven and rocky, making it more complex to traverse. I watched him looking at me, tracking my every step and felt a bit safer, and maintained a good pace. I found myself walking through his strangely serene watch, his silent observance filling me with a strange confidence as I breached the unseen barrier.

Taking a direct path, I effortlessly navigated the relatively straightforward landscape, its flat surface throwing no impediments in my path. He watched me as I moved and seemed to take step back, when an unexpected wind gust blew. I stopped for a moment and felt an unexpected warmth. It seemed to occur just as I reached his position, telling me it was time to stop. At that point, I was only a few steps of him. I held back at that point, since I didn't want to intrude on his position. We held back, maintaining a respectful distance from each other but I was able to take a rest, It had been a long journey and I needed a respite. I stood there for a moment and took in a deep breath. It was a relief but after a few steps, something strange occurred. I had the strangest feeling, the air was harsher and choppier than I'd expected. After a few more breaths, I felt a strange burning sensation. I looked in the distance and noticed that the formations didn't resemble typical storm clouds, but had the look of something else entirely. I watched the billowing funnels and they became increasingly threatening as they drew closer. The distant smoke had begun to permeate the air, burning through the atmosphere. I felt the ground around us beginning to heat up rapidly, the surface seeming to buckle as the heat built beneath our feet.

He sensed this change as well, and I saw his demeanor evolve from one of distance to a stronger sense of impending calamity. Under the pressure or dread, he seemed to quicken in his decisions. Using the device became a little redundant, its function and powers made useless by the coming storm, He began walking towards the circle and looked back towards the skies. They were filling with smoky plumes, which covered the retreating sun under a hazy shroud, settling rapidly over our position. There was no obvious place for us to escape, the flat land revealing no cover or safety. We were stranded and there was no way either us could reasonably expect to get out its path. He began to move back towards the inner circle and jumped inside the path, moving towards the center.

The smoke began to filter downward, thickening with each passing moment. He motioned for me to join him within the inner circle. I moved closer and felt the ground underneath begin to shake just as I reached the outer edge. I hesitate for a moment before jumping over the sides. I felt there was little choice, joining the strange man seemed to be the only good option. I closed my eyes, jumped clumsily but landed just inside. It took me a minute to regain my balance but  I felt relatively safe for a moment. I was relieved and he watched me carefully. It felt that I had managed to redeem my earlier missteps, but this didn't last. Before I could bask in my accomplishment, the ground began to give way. It felt like the desert floor was trying to push us backwards. The ground beneath our feet slipped and shook, shaking and rolling with ever increasing intensity. This made it difficult to stand up and stay balanced. I tried to stay calm but the release of force was overwhelming. He didn't seem nearly as unsettled about this as I was and instead reacted without fear or emotion. He took a step back, dusted off his shoulders and shook his head for a moment, maintaining his steadfast composure throughout the disruption. He finally had enough and gave up on his machine. Wiping its switches one final time, he snapped it shut, quickly folded its back inward and clasped its lock firmly before quickly placing it back inside his suit pocket. He seemed confident that we'd be able to survive the impending onslaught without it.

A darkening gasp of dust swept over the desert floor, covering us in thick black smoke. It blocked my view and I couldn't see anything around me, the blinding smoke converged over our position. We had no defense, finding ourselves stranded in the center of the inferno. I felt the ground beneath us starting to burn under the hot wind. I brushed my eyes and saw tiny embers bouncing off my feet, marking small holes beneath, cluttering the surface with small indentations, aiming directly at us. I crouched downward, almost sinking into the ground, unable to move in any direction. The wind began to howl loudly until it was nearly screaming into my ears. I glanced around quickly around to try and locate his position but he'd vanished from sight. I stayed in position, barely moving. I tried to limit my breathing and would only inhale the burning air sporadically, attempting to limit my exposure to the burning air. It felt like the entire world would be consumed by its flaming wind, but there was little I could do to prevent its advance. I felt another gust of thick, diffused air, with ever sharper, hotter edges twisting between its waves. It felt like it was directly aiming for us, its cloud spiraling and chopping relentlessly like churning blades. I found myself lying almost flat on the ground at that point, desperately attempting to limit the damage it would be able to inflict. There seemed to be no way of escaping its fury, the fire would burn right through us like we weren't there. I closed my eyes for a moment and took another cautious breath, trying to find a deep enough air pocket that was safe enough to use. I choked on the thick ash, accidentally taking in a little too much smoke, but was able to catch enough air to move a little further down, almost sinking into the ground.

Despite my best attempts at creating a shelter, I was unable to protect myself from the onslaught. I felt burning embers bouncing off my back, singeing tiny holes wherever they landed. The intensifying inferno left no place to hide. I wanted to run away, but there was no place that seemed to offer safety. The thick layers of smoke became increasingly difficult to navigate, brushing everything in their path with a gray hue. Deciding to keep a low profile, I kept my head down and withstood its attacks, having no other choice. Getting through each minute of the onslaught was a struggle, but I managed to protect myself, repel the fiery assaults and persevere. I learned how to anticipate and dodge the burning ash, and was able to get out of their path once I figured out their rhythms and pacing. I tried not to breathe too deeply and began to cover my mouth with my hand, careful not taking too much dust inside. It was frightening and unexplainably disorienting. I had no idea where anything was, even as I felt my body sinking underneath the falling ash, burying my body and everything else ever deeper beneath its ash-laden surface  I maintained my calm focus and still had enough energy left to move between the waves of dust. The wind came up from the opposing direction, breaking the ash plumes apart, their residue streaking into the atmosphere. I used the chance to take a look around. Everything was dusty and I couldn’t see that much. I heard something clasping on the ground, following by a thunderous noise. It seemed that something had risen up. It seemed to be coming from behind, and I turned around, squinting my eyes and noticed a familiar, yet strange figure moving towards me. He'd finally located my position and as he moved closer, it was obvious he hadn't avoided confronting the fiery vortex, either.

He took a moment and brushed off his suit, caked in the dusty debris, forming a bit of a stand on the ground. Raising his foot, he shook off the encroaching dust, knelt down and wiped his shoes. He looked dour, moving almost apologetically over the ground towards me. As he got closer, the wind seemed to subside, and the dust broke apart. It wasn't immediately knowable if the worst had passed or if it was just a transient break between assaults. He gave no indication if he knew what would occur. I took a few deep breaths, releasing the pressure I'd felt. The air felt cleaner but there was residual dust that made it hard to keep going. The ground rumbled and growled as the forces roiled underneath. Its energy was haphazard and violent, kicking up streams of dust and smoke, covering the surface before settling on the ground. I remained nervous but he retained his calmness and serenity. Surveying the surroundings, he waved his arms around and seemed to declare that the danger had passed. I was relieved to have gotten through and somewhat proud that I hadn't panicked and succumbed to fear. He motioned for me to rise, which released my fears somewhat, I nervously stood up and looked around at the transformed surroundings. Everything looked grey and flat, the ground, air and surroundings were saturated, covered in every direction, the thick ash permeated the desert from its lowest points, to the highest points. He looked directly in my direction, watching me carefully, remaining somewhat distant.

Everything felt different, and to make matters worse, daylight was beginning to fade. Standing across from each other, our eyes looked past towards the horizon. Intersecting in the night, there was nowhere for us to go. I took a few steps towards him and stopped to see if would do the same. He didn't move an inch. I wondered why he'd stopped mirroring my movements, but couldn't quite understand what he was up to. He stood still for a moment, not flinching or revealing what he had in mind. The wind blew up more clouds of smoke, blinding me for a moment. I had to close my eyes to protect them from the gritty particles. The wind continued to blow around me and I stumbled back from its force, blown backward by their sheer force. After a minute, the wind subsided once more, allowing me to regain my composure and balance. I blinked my eyes open and looked around. The dust covered everything, stretching out towards the mountains behind me. I looked closely, examining the atmosphere for anything that might have changed. Looking towards the south, I could still see flaming embers shooting upwards into the night sky, propelled by some unseen force. It wasn't clear if they were the result of an explosion, fire or some other mysterious cause. I walked a few steps in that direction and felt the ground beneath me shake again, a cutting movement that undermined my balance and determination. Something was rolling beneath my feet, which was slightly frightening. The quiet that followed was even more unsettling, but I walked a few steps forward, determined to find out what was occurring just beyond our position.

The were no apparent signs of what caused the sudden onslaught, but its effects were visible in every direction I walked. Mounds and pilings of dust covered the surface, making it difficult to gauge the distance and safety of each steps. I looked ahead an the path in front of me was covered in dust and debris. The landscape seemed to shift with every gust of wind, making it difficult to navigate a path forward. I moved cautiously over the uneven, murky dust but maintained a decent pace that allowed me to progress consistently. I was fortunate that most of the flat desert land offered little in the way of impediments, and I traced my steps through the ash consistently, thinking it was probably a good idea in case I needed to backtrack. My feet worked more efficiently than I thought they would, almost reflexively like engines. I decided to keep looking straight ahead, focusing on the destination and wondered what secrets it might hold. The dusk slowly faded and the light surrounding us dimmed, until it was dark in my immediate area. Light from the burning energy in the distance acted as a beacon and I concentrated my energy on its glow, ignoring the dusty air and condensing dust beneath my feet. There was no time to waste on contemplation, the encroaching night added to my sense of urgency. I continued walking in a nearly straight line, trying to avoid detours and distractions that would slow me down.

With surroundings that had been transformed, everything felt different. An uneasy silence permeated the atmosphere and despite all the time I'd spent there, it still wasn't exactly clear where I was. There were no familiar landmarks or places to guide me. This didn't bother me at first, but the increasing isolation of the place began to weigh on me. Lengthening my steps, I didn't understand what that man wanted with me, why he seemed to know more than I did, and was unwilling to give me and clues that would point me in the right direction. I was getting increasingly nervous as the shadows in front of me gathered and darkened. I remained attuned to the wind, which took on a sharper, colder edge as I drew closer towards the immolating, glowing fires in the distance. The air deepened and thinned, clearing out the desert of its dust. Increasing my pace, I ran towards the increasingly vibrant flame, watching its unwavering intensity only increasing my determination to discover its origin and function. I settled on a good momentum, running towards it without taking too much effort, or time. Eventually, I reached a curve in the horizon, and found myself around half-way between the spot where we met and he mysterious object in the distance. Slowing down, I decided to take a look back and see how far we'd travelled. I looked around and didn't see him nearby. I was surprised but not worried by his disappearance. I assumed he was lurking around the corner, perhaps a few steps behind me, standing just out of sight. I took a quick glance to look back, but saw nothing. I watched for any sign of him, but the unaltered darkness seemed to have consumed the desert. I waited for a few minutes, but there was nothing. The moon was not visible through the thick clouds, there were no stars to navigate and the mountains had slipped underneath the horizon. I scanned the visible area for any sign of him, but he wasn't visible. I wondered how he'd managed to slip so far behind, vanishing silently without me noticing.

I paused and waited expectantly, somehow hoping that he'd show up or give some sign of his presence. There was nothing. I looked around in circular motions, hoping to locate him. My eyes went in all directions, looking through the thick clouds of smoke and dust, finding nothing. I turned back towards the burning, fiery beacon in the distance and it slowly began to diminish. Its flames gradually burned themselves out. I walked closer to keep myself within its light, but couldn't get there fast enough. It was shutting down faster than I could walk, seeming to crash down with the last light of the desert sun. I felt another cold breeze. It seemed to blow right through me, like I wasn't there. In one last desperate maneuver, I took a leap over some of the thicker dust and jumped towards it. I went a smidge closer but was still far from my goal. The distant flames wavered and sank back into the night. The beacon appeared to slip back into the darkness, collapsing and draining the light. Watching nervously, it looked like it was sinking under the ground, almost like it was being washed away. In its place, another cold burst of wind came up from the surface, seeming to come directly from its source, aiming its fiery attack squarely in my direction. I wandered closer towards it direction, unable to give up on the task I had made for myself. Its diminished form quickly vanished back into the night. Marching forward might have gotten me closer, but probably wouldn't have revealed much. I turned back, and soaked in the endless void behind me, and realized I had no other good options. 

I stretched my shoulders back and readied my feet for the remaining journey ahead. There was no one there to guide me, the light had flickered into the darkness. The eerie smoke and cold wind saturated the previously tranquil horizon, its suddenly cold atmosphere seeming to taunt me. Its surface grew harder and sharper with each step. I seemed to have lost my way but wandered forward, walking through the diminishing light without any guidance. I tried to keep walking in a straight line, but it was difficult to judge my progress or accuracy. I looked above me, hoping for the moon, or even a few stars to reappear, but they were nowhere to be found. I looked left and right, but could only see vast areas of clouds and dust. I felt that I was getting closer to the beacon's former location, but I couldn't know for sure. I walked silently over the surface, not knowing what was ahead of me. I knew no matter how fast or slow I went, there would be no escaping the encroaching smoke and the long night ahead. I closed my eyes and reached my hands out, hoping that somehow, someone would be there for me to grab onto. There was nothing there. I looked around and found myself standing alone. I knew there was nobody lurking in the darkness who would  come to my aid.

I opened my eyes and looked around. Night had completely taken over, increasing its hold on the land. The atmosphere, thick with smoke and dust, seemed to confine me even more with each step. I felt my feet start to slip under the dust until I stopped completely. I found myself stranded and completely alone. The forbidding area surrounding me felt like it was slowly closing in on me, the ground felt unsteady. Everything began to sink, the surface slowly collapsing underneath me. The surface felt like it would collapse at the slightest touch. I was paralyzed by fear, and found myself afraid to risk moving in any direction. I stood there and watched the entire world as it seemed to slip and sink beneath my feet. I lacked a special machine and no one was around to save me. My feet sank further beneath the surface and each wind gust blew colder than the last, until I felt the desert's sharp teeth sinking into my body. I had no protection. It seemed to sense this and the atmosphere began circling, its vicious wind aiming straight at me precisely when I was exposed and vulnerable. Before I realized what was happening, I was completely surrounded and there was no way to escape.

- Michael Palisano