Djellrin and Hrilleae were intentionally out of contact with civilisation for fully the last three weeks, having spent this time hiking along the formidable eastern slope foothills of the Cjresna Mountain range in east central Nporahar.

This had been their dream trip, one talked on, fantasised over, and planned for years. While societal doings all around them were increasingly ominous, their personal doings were in the best place ever, something that might be the high point of their lives. Jahrae was a fine young woman, moving through college. She was married to an equally fine young woman, and the Khentavras welcomed their new daughter with all the love and warmth and family any human being could ever desire.

Though the hiking was over, the trip continued for another several days. Hrilleae and Djellrin had successfully traversed the Cjresna foothill trail, which ran the length of the generally north-south mountain chain. They had no interest in scaling the peaks which loomed high above them. Sometimes the peaks were obscured by clouds which surrounded and choked off the peaks from view below. And so they wished to share on the periphery, enjoying the unique flora and fauna of an alpine area, as well as interacting with the people indigenous to the region and villages they passed through.

Now they were on their way out, slowly moving back toward the hustle and bustle of their regular lives. Now the trek was by bicycle, an appropriate methodology, given there were a lot of down hills to take advantage of. The coasting provided a feeling of exhilaration not unlike that of being in a sailboat, silently enjoying the feel of the moving air, the natural splendour of the surroundings, the muted whooshing sound, the sense of motion and tranquillity wrapped tidily for one’s own enjoyment. .

For fully two days they rode the hills downward, with rarely a slight incline upward. No sooner would they reach a crest, they would begin a descent twice as long as the ascent. Slowly the hill inclines became shallower, a signal that more level terrain lie ahead.

As the sun set across the rather imposing and formidable mountains lying to their backs, the Khentavras rolled into Hajharpur village, technically the first town in the Cjresna Mountains Autonomous Region. After this, they would be saying their goodbyes to this wondrous land.

On this night they planned to indulge and pamper themselves, reacquaint and fall prey to the amenities of civilisation. Within an hour, they were checked into a rather modern and elegant hotel, in a room with one wall of all glass, offering a view of the mountain range. On the outside deck lie a sauna tub; they fully intended to make use of this particular amenity after lengthy showers and dinner.

Hrilleae and Djellrin moved to the shower together, already bereft of clothing. As they played in the soft clear spray, technology was busily at work. Their phones had long since lost a charge; both were now dutifully sucking in power and moving toward rejuvenation. The phones were charged well before the showering was complete. As the charging cycle completed, the phones automatically activated and began to download messages.

Message 19 was a frantic call from M’traliel. When the Khentavras played the messages, as 19 began their faces fell in horror. Looking at the terror showing in each other’s faces, their thoughts were scattered and universal, a million issues, a million things to see to, and family… most importantly family… to connect, comfort, and care for. As the message played on, the bad news kept on coming.

First, their daughter in law, the love of Jahrae’s life – hell their second child – llhaesa t’yaeli was dead. Jahrae was missing. Oh, fuck… those MONSTERS have our daughter? M’traliel went on to fumble through an explanation of why the call had not come earlier; she could not track down the correct numbers to call. The Khentavras barely heard this element of the message.

Their trip was at an end, now a distant memory oozing through cracks in space and time, giving a fuzzy glimpse backward of another lifetime. And that happy period in life they relished? Sealed shut and locked away forever. Survival mode was nigh, and woe to any who messed with family – their family. One daughter was lost – for llhaesa was most assuredly their daughter along with Jahrae – and they were not going to lose another without a fight. If that was how things were to be, they would go down together.