Chapter 9: A new friend.

In the morning the adventurers continue their journey. They cross a rare ghost town, of round buildings linked by drawbridges. On the way they are attacked by obese beings, without eyes, their heads like a ball. These beasts called Obstacons, feed only on raw animal meat, a consequence that the contamination left them. Upon stopping them, John notices a strange sadness in the expression on their faces.

"I think they need help" he is right to say, approaching them in a friendly attitude.

"It is that we have nothing to eat -answers their leader -That is why we attack them. We have nothing against you; I know they are travelers, but if we don't eat we will die."

"We're heading to Neo Genova," John says. "I'm sure we will find a cure for their disease, but I understand that they must satisfy their hunger now, so in the meantime, they can eat from our food," he says offering them all the meat they kept. Grateful, they calm their hunger and now better disposed, they start a conversation more than interesting for them.

"How do you know that they can cure us of our disease?"

"In Neo Genova there is a scientist who can treat diseases caused by radiation. He's a friend of my father. I need your leader to come with me so he can treat his genes."

"If so, I will accompany you." I'm the second leader, and my name is Slok" said one of them, taking a step forward.

"Well, you will come with us, and for the time being, I am giving you this bag with enough money, enough to buy meat to eat for a while, until we get to Neo Genova; that yes, they will have to retreat towards the north. There you will find a town to stock up. Then come back and you will find us if you move a little faster than us. Otherwise we will look for them when we return."

"Even though we attack you, you help us! ... We are deeply grateful, young adventurer."

"Go ahead quick, we have to get to Neo Genova!"

Despite his appearance, Slok is a passive being; appearances lie even in a world doomed to destruction.

They cross a swamp, the only path, according to Faust, that will allow them to advance to their destination. The wasps and mosquitoes had mutated, but this time they have Slok, who has the mental power capable of controlling the actions of that enemy. The hand of destiny is sometimes generous and supportive, putting in our path what we need to survive.

The mud and the depressions make it difficult for them to advance, until finally, tired and dirty, they enter the plain, where black clouds presage storm and must take refuge in a cavern to wait for it to pass. They find on one side of the entrance a spring that supplies them with water to drink and also to remove the mud. They are immersed in this task, when night comes almost without them noticing. The storm outside continues with intensity, so they light a bonfire and decide to spend the night there. They do not dare to leave the safety of that refuge.

Sitting very close to each other, Lorraine and John see their silhouettes drawn on the wall of the cave. For a moment they evade the situation, hold hands and dream of a future together, but they cannot escape from that reality forever. He tries to explain why he feels so restless and at the same time gratifying that the closeness of Lorraine produces in him. At times he would like to hold her in his arms and never let go of her again, he thinks, closing his eyes

"John Didn't you wonder why you have so many skills, so much strength?" -Lorraine asks him

"Actually, yes." But all I remember is that I woke up in a laboratory, in the mountains where we met. However, I don't care, because now I have friends and I have you..."

"Yes - Geranio says, interrupting - Geranio love John very much."

Suddenly they feel a presence.

"Freeze! Warns John."

The shadow of a creature is drawn on the walls of the cavern, it is a giant spider.

"An Obstac髇, a cyclope, a dog and three youngsters, they look tasty!" Said the arachnid. John is on guard but the spider throws a web at them that they all fall into. The fluid that covers them is so sticky that they cannot be released.

Suddenly Slok uses his mental power for the second time, and time seems to stop when the whole place freezes in barely three seconds and the terrified spider picks up his sticky threads one by one, frees everyone and runs away. No one can explain what happened, although they do feel relieved to have left that moment, and very grateful to their new partner.

"Why do you have those powers, Slok? "Asks John

"We believe in the tree of life. He is the one who provides us."

"The twenty-two paths to understand God?"

"Exactly. With radiation, we were born through the waste of human skin, radiation mixed these molecules with the principle of thought, but man's grudges developed in our mind causing that we could only feed on raw meat since any vegetable or fruit is toxic to us. Investigating our creation, we found the paths that lead us to God, and we understood that his will made nuclear radiation the way."

"Fascinating! Well, the storm is over, we better keep going, "John says, and everyone gathers their things before leaving.