SUNSET

THE STEADY CLOP of hooves on the street filled the empty silence as Silas and Deacon walked, leading their horses behind them. A grating screech howled from a misaligned wheel on their supply cart. They both stared ahead, admiring the natural beauty of the sunset. The fiery sky had dimmed as the sun teased the horizon.

“Two horses,” Deacon said with giddy enthusiasm. “Can you believe that? She gave us two. It’s like she was on our side. Heck, I almost forgot about the whole death to all humans thing.”

“She’s not on our side. She’s just more on my side than she is against yours. She can’t bring herself to kill another simmi.”

“I don’t care what the reason is. All that matters is that we’re safe. The horses, the gas, the oil, the generator, the water, the horse feed, we have all of it thanks to you. She even threw in this nifty cart so we don’t have to carry everything.” The screech from the back wheel grew louder as the horses pulled forward. “Speaking of which, oil that bad boy up. That noise is almost as bad as your oil gauge.”

“We shouldn’t be wasteful just because we have a surplus now.”

“Who said anything about being wasteful? I didn’t tell you to dump a gallon on it. Just a few drops will do. I don’t want the screeching to ruin this moment. We have an audience to look cool in front of.” He glanced along the sides of the street. Clunkers had gathered in small crowds, watching from the sidewalks. “It’s kind of creepy, the way they’re looking at us. What if they attack?”

Silas swiped a red jug from the cart and dripped a few drops on the axle. “They won’t attack. They’re under direct orders from Riley.” He tapped the antenna on his head. “I can hear it right now.”

“What you’re saying is, they desperately want to kill me, but Riley won’t let them.”

Silas nodded, tossing the jug back on the cart. “As long as we’re still in range of her broadcast, they can’t touch us.”

“Good enough for me,” Deacon said, sticking his tongue out at a clunker to his left. “So, now that we’re done with New Valley, what next?”

They reached the end of the street, where the highway twisted out of the city and into the desert. They soaked in the vastness of the path ahead. It was one of endless possibilities. One that would lead to more hardships and triumphs. Victories and defeats. Friends and foes. It was impossible to know exactly where it would take them, but they both knew they would face it together.

“Now, we go somewhere else,” Silas said. “Any suggestions?”

Deacon considered the question. Was there anything else he wanted? “You know, I could really go for a Fluffernutter.”

Silas stepped up onto the cart and sat in the front seat. “Then it’s decided.”

Deacon nodded, pulling himself up and sitting next to Silas. “Boston-bound ’til the Fluff is found.”

They shared a brief but meaningful silence, watched the last rays of sun dip below the ground…

…and into the desert, together they rode.