Raven watched them get in the van and drive off. He stood there alone in a sea of snow, the threat of thieves wandering the area running through his mind. He pulled the collar of his coat up around his neck, took a dirty wool cap full of holes out of his pocket and pulled it down over his ears. With his hands in his pockets and no idea of where he was, he began walking, leaving a trail of footprints behind him. He walked alongside the meandering tracks left by the van and then decided to go in a different direction.

  After walking for two days, his own thoughts as his only company, he couldn’t imagine ever again having the strength to survive this kind of solitude. He knew he was in a sparsely populated area since he hadn’t seen any footprints in the snow—not even an animal’s. Raven figured it was just as well he hadn’t run into anyone. His short chat with the two men who’d saved him only served to remind him of how poorly equipped he was for social interactions of any kind.

  Raven’s destination was, as always, unknown. He was guided by something pulling him from down deep inside, and it had gained in intensity over the last few months. At times, he felt as though he was not even making decisions of his own free will. And now, not knowing where he was headed, something inexplicable—perhaps his intuition—was telling him that when he got to where he needed to be, he would understand why he was there. And hopefully, once he was there, the succession of inexplicable events of his unsettled life would finally come to an end. Maybe then he’d somehow understand, for example, how he could walk into a radioactive field without protection of any kind and walk back out of it unharmed.

  He’d spent so many hours walking that his boots were completely drenched and his feet were soaked. Thankfully, though, the boring monotony of the landscape was finally changing slightly. There were more trees now, and he saw in front of him what appeared to be a small forest. Raven surveyed it carefully as he got closer. This might be the best refuge he’d find for awhile, so he considered looking there for a hollowed-out tree trunk or something else he could take shelter in. He couldn’t explain it, but he had the absolute certainty that a terrible storm was coming and he didn’t want to be out in the open with no shelter when it hit. This was not the first time that Raven had been struck by his ability to sense phenomena that no one else seemed to perceive. Trusting his instincts, he decided to cross through the wooded area and see what was on the other side. If he didn’t find shelter there, he would just have to stay in the woods.

  As it turned out, the wooded area was not actually a forest. He crossed through it in just a few minutes and, to his surprise, found a row of one- to three-story buildings on the other side. Raven looked at the snow around him and saw footprints he hadn’t noticed. He’d been completely focused on finding a place to take shelter from the imminent storm.

  Moving more quickly, he left the woods behind and went into the small town that rose up in front of him. Some of the buildings were partially destroyed and there was a thick layer of snow on all the roofs. Raven saw no signs of life as he crossed what appeared to be a main road judging by the number of tire tracks in the snow. Arriving at a five-way intersection, he took the widest street he came to among his limited options. He assumed that the bigger it was, the more traveled it should be, so he’d have a better chance of finding someone whom he could ask where he might spend the night.

  It seemed odd to still not have seen anyone after walking two blocks. There were a few cars parked on the sidewalks—very few, in his opinion. In front of the entrances to the buildings were mountains of snow that had been piled up, which meant that the inhabitants must have been keeping the paths to their doors clear. He thought about knocking on some doors and asking for shelter, but he decided instead to keep walking a while longer. Sooner or later he would find someone outside that he could ask. That would be less awkward than asking someone to board him in their own house.

  A few minutes later, he heard the sound of a female voice coming from half a block up on the other side of the street. He made his way toward the end of the street and saw two people in the middle of it. A woman was kneeling on the ground in front of a child, buttoning up a coat that was far too big for her. By her size, she couldn’t have been more than ten years old. As Raven approached them, he could see they seemed alarmed by his presence.

  “Hello,” he said, walking more slowly and raising both hands up to show he was not a threat. The woman quickly stood up and looked all around her. It wasn’t clear if she was checking to see if anyone else was there that Raven might be talking to or if she was going to ask him for help. “Excuse me,” Raven continued, “I don’t mean to bother you, but is there somewhere I could get something to eat? I’m not from here and, to be honest, I’m not even sure where I am.”

  The woman took hold of the girl and protectively pulled her behind her. Raven took off his cap so they could see his face. He was aware he didn’t look exactly presentable. His hair was a matted, filthy mess, and the multiple days of growth on his beard indicated that shaving was not his top priority. His eyes were dull with fatigue and did not convey an affable expression. But all things considered, he still thought that showing himself would help make his good intentions evident.

  “I’m just looking for a place to take shelter and to eat something. I have no intention of causing any problems,” he said in a calming voice.

  The girl stuck her head out from behind the woman and said, “You’ve got a big nose! Doesn’t it get cold?”

  “Maya!” the woman scolded, still looking distrustfully at Raven.

  “Don’t worry about it. That’s how children are.” Raven smiled at Maya, who never took her eyes off his nose. She was fascinated.

  “Three blocks up there is a pub where you can get something to eat. You can’t get lost; it’s just up this same sidewalk,” said Maya’s mother indifferently.

  “Thank you much, ma’am. And by the way, I know it isn’t any of my business, but you should get home as soon as possible. A storm is approaching, and it’s a dangerous one.”

  “That may be, but we’re used to storms,” answered the mother, unconcerned.

  The woman turned and took hold of her daughter, ready to walk away. Raven took her by the arm and once again, he saw an alarmed expression on her face; her eyes opened wide.

  “No, please listen. It’s definitely coming,” he warned. “The storm will be here soon, and I don’t think you’re prepared for anything like it. You should take shelter right away.”

  “Let go of me!” The woman yanked her arm forcefully and broke Raven’s hold on her. “Leave us alone!” She turned and walked off, pulling Maya with her. The little girl kept her head turned around, her eyes on Raven’s nose until she tripped and her mother made her turn around and watch where she was walking.

  Raven continued to watch them for a few seconds, disappointed he wasn’t able to convince them. It wasn’t the first time that someone had refused his help. Uneasiness was clouding his mind, and now he was adding to that a distrustful woman who was in imminent danger. He reminded himself that she was not his problem. He put his hat back on and continued in the direction of the pub she had recommended to him.

  Following her directions, he got to the pub without seeing anyone else on the way, though he did come across a pack of scraggly dogs. A mailbox covered in snow stuck out of the front wall of the building. On both sides of the door were huge windows that were so steamed up he couldn’t see inside the establishment. Raven closed his eyes and concentrated. He didn’t perceive any danger. At times like this he had to admit that these strange sensations of his were quite helpful. Satisfied, he opened his eyes, went up to the door, and entered the bar.

  “The door—you’re letting all the heat out,” said a voice as Raven was shaking the snow off his clothes. He reached out his hand and quickly closed the door.

  The place was actually quite spacious. The bar was located opposite the door and ran all the way down one wall. A few bottles were on the shelves behind it. Raven gazed longingly at a pool table that was off on the right side. It had been ages since he’d seen one and he was overcome by the sudden urge to play a game—which was rather strange given that he didn’t remember ever having played. The rest of the place was packed with tables and chairs, making it look crowded and disorderly.

  Raven acted normal, trying to pretend he was not the center of attention. Some fifteen people were split into several groups and Raven noticed that every single face was turned toward him, staring. He felt uncomfortable under their intense scrutiny. He hoped that this was just typical behavior of the people who hung out in this pub and not something his appearance had caused. Either way, distrust and rejection were the emotions he most frequently inspired in people, as had just happened with Maya’s mother a short while before. In the few years he still retained in his memory, he hadn’t made a single friend, hadn’t taken part in any conversations lasting more than a few minutes, and most definitely had not been able to create a close bond with another human being. He felt different than everyone else. Everybody counted on someone, whether it be a family member, a friend, or simply an acquaintance who could help you through the hard times. But he was alone.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  Raven would sometimes imagine that he was in an invisible prison in solitary confinement that prevented him from connecting with other people. It was the only way he could handle the emptiness he felt inside; an emptiness that at times actually caused him physical pain. It was easier to blame an imaginary wall for his solitude than to blame himself. Eventually he discovered he didn’t just feel different; he really was different. All his memories from before the Wave had vanished, but they’d left an empty space that was filled with a number of senses and abilities that no one else had and for which there was no scientific explanation. Nonetheless, solitude was now his way of life, and being among people he didn’t know and the bull’s-eye of all those stares shook him to the core.

  He went up to the bar and waved clumsily.

  “Hello.”

  No one answered and no one took their eyes off him. No music was playing, and the silence increased his state of agitation. He moved closer to the man behind the bar, guessing that he was the bartender. He was a middle-aged man, dressed in a red, raggedy sweater, and he was wearing glasses that were too big for his face. He was holding a glass pitcher and was drying it determinedly with a dish towel.

  “I hear you can get something to eat here,” he went on, hoping his voice sounded friendly and polite.

  The bartender didn’t answer, but instead continued staring at him as he methodically dried the pitcher.

  “Where are your manners, Frank?” said the voice that had ordered him to close the door when he’d come into the pub. It belonged to a stocky bald man who was sitting to Raven’s left. “Our guest is asking if you have anything for him to eat.” Turning to Raven, he said, “You’ll have to excuse him. He’ll recover from the shock momentarily. It’s been a long time since he’s come across anyone who wasn’t from our town.”

  Frank reacted before Raven could answer.

  “I can get you a plate of stew and a glass of wine . . . That is, of course, if you show me your money first,” said Frank without an ounce of tact.

  Raven took out a wad of wrinkled cash from his pocket. Frank eyed it and nodded, satisfied. He put a bottle and a glass in front of Raven and went into the kitchen after telling Raven it wouldn’t take long.

  “I’m sure a solitary traveler would like to have some good conversation to go along with his meal. All you have to do is invite me to have a drink,” said the bald man. Without waiting for confirmation, the man reached for the bottle of wine, intending to serve himself.

  Raven pulled the bottle away in one swift movement, without so much as looking at him. He poured himself a glass and drank it down. He filled it again.

  “I prefer to eat alone, thanks. I’m not looking for conversation.” He held the glass in his hand and, with an air of disinterest, took a sip.

  “Come on, Adam. Don’t bother him,” interjected a long-haired blond woman who was approaching the bar. “He just got here. He must be hungry and cold.” She then spoke to Raven. “Don’t pay any attention to him. My name is Rose. Sorry about Adam; he isn’t terribly tactful with newcomers.”

  “Don’t butt in, Rose. I just wanted to talk to him. It’s pretty rare to see someone come into our town alone, not to mention on foot. He hasn’t even told us his name. Who knows what he’s doing here? He could be scouting out the area for the looters.” He was talking to Rose, but he kept his gaze fixed on Raven.

  “Don’t start this again. I know you too well.” Rose stood between the two men and pushed Adam away from Raven. “Look for some other excuse to let off steam.”

  Mumbling under his breath, Adam walked off toward the pool table where two men who had been following the conversation with great interest were waiting. The woman settled in next to Raven, seeming quite at ease. Raven was a little disconcerted by the little exchange that had just gone on in front of him. He wasn’t sure what they were talking about when they mentioned looters, nor did he understand why Adam had pointed out that Raven hadn’t told them his name. Even though he wasn’t an expert at relating to other people, Raven went over in his mind how to behave in a public place and he was relatively sure that people didn’t usually announce their name when they went into a pub. Not being able to keep himself from feeling nervous, he poured another glass of wine and waited for his food, trying hard to act as if he were the only one there.

  “Don’t worry about him,” said Rose reassuringly.

  Raven did exactly the opposite of what his instincts told him to do and offered a glass of wine to the woman. He could see he was not going to be able to avoid talking with someone while he ate.

  “Why is he so nervous around me?” Raven asked cautiously. “Who are the looters he thought I was with?”

  “Thieves.” Rose accepted the glass of wine and took a long drink. “Two weeks ago a rather well-organized band came and robbed the town. They didn’t get away with a lot, but they killed three people. As you can imagine, outsiders haven’t been very well received since then. Now you, you’re an unusual case. A thief on his own doesn’t have much of a future,” she added thoughtfully, as if she were saying it more for herself than for Raven. “On the other hand, it is a bit difficult to understand why someone would be traveling alone in these times. Don’t you think?”

  The bartender returned with the stew. Raven smelled the aroma and his stomach began growling impatiently. It had been a long time since his last hot meal. His spoon dug into the stew the instant the plate was placed in front of him.

  “You can relax,” he said with his mouth full. He swallowed hard. “I’m no thief. My name is Raven and I’m just passing through.” The spoon resumed its movement between the plate and his mouth.

  In spite of the continued stares from the other clients in the bar, the atmosphere relaxed and the chatting among the various groups started up again. At least now that there was some conversation going on around him Raven didn’t feel like they were all hanging on his every word.

  Raven hoped Rose believed him when he said he was not a looter. He had the impression that she was testing him, and that she’d pass her conclusions on to the rest of them. It would be a problem if they took him for a thief.

  “So, where are you headed?” Rose asked him.

  “To the South. Can you tell me what’s in that direction?”

  “Why would you go that way if you don’t know what you’ll find there? That makes no sense,” she concluded with a frown on her face.

  Raven could see that history was repeating itself. The bars of his cell of solitary confinement were going up again. With just a few more sentences he’d surely be increasing the sense of distrust he was creating in her. He searched for some reason that would justify his intention to go to the South. Feeling drawn by something he didn’t understand wasn’t going to sound like a very credible reason. Lying about his destination wasn’t a good option, either. Since he didn’t know where he was or exactly where he was going, he couldn’t risk naming someplace that didn’t even exist. He swallowed hard and pushed his half-full plate away.

  Since nothing else came to him, he answered flatly, “It’s my path and I have to follow it.”

  “I see. That clears it up.” Rose rested her head on her hand as she looked at him more carefully. “You should really make more of an effort. Nothing personal, but Adam was right. Those thieving bastards have the habit of sending someone in to spy before they attack. If you don’t convince him you have some other reason to be here, he won’t let you leave. There are lives at stake. I thought you’d prefer to talk to me before you talk to him.”

  Now the bars of his prison cell were locked fully in place. It didn’t matter how hard he tried, or what his intentions were. He’d gone almost a year with no human contact and was incapable of putting together four sentences without calling attention to himself.

  “I just took a short detour to get a hot meal. I have nothing to do with those thieving looters. I know I can’t prove it and you may not believe me, so do whatever you need to do.”

  Rose hesitated. His story was certainly short and to the point, but it was absurd. Anyone traveling alone, not even knowing where he was, had to have lost his mind. She’d seen this type of thing in other people ever since the world had been turned upside down. It was generally a case of utter despair. But Raven’s attitude, although unusual, didn’t fit with that of someone who’d lost his sanity. It was more like he was terribly apprehensive and desperately insecure.

  Raven could discern the doubt on her face and decided to tell her what had really brought him to this town. He figured her opinion of him couldn’t get much worse.

  “Listen, I know you don’t trust me. I would gladly walk away from here now, but a storm is approaching—a storm so strong I doubt you’ve ever seen anything like it in your life.” Raven’s breathing was faster now, and an expression that resembled guilt cast a shadow over his face. “You have to seek shelter immediately. If you can, alert the rest of the town; there’s no time to lose.”

  Rose frowned, confused. The theory that something wasn’t working quite right in Raven’s head just took on more credibility.

  “A very dangerous storm, and you know it’s coming,” she said, going along with him. “So, you must have consulted your crystal ball, then? Now you listen to me. You don’t seem to understand the situation here. If you don’t convince these people that you’re not a spy, things will go very badly for you.”

  Raven regretted having mentioned the storm. Once again, someone thought he was crazy. Would he never learn that people don’t trust what they can’t understand?

  “Don’t touch me!” shouted Raven out of the blue without turning around. One step behind him was Adam with two other men. They stopped in their tracks, surprised that Raven had sensed their presence. “Your idea to beat the truth out of me isn’t the brightest one you’ve ever had.”

  Adam vacillated only for a second. Then he went up to Raven and grabbed him roughly by the shoulder, forcing him to turn around. Raven lost his balance and almost fell off the stool as Adam leaned over him threateningly.

  “I don’t know how you heard me coming.” Adam was obviously irritated. Frank and the rest of the crowd were lying in wait, but from a safe distance. “But that fine-tuned hearing isn’t going to help you now. I’m going to give you one last chance to explain yourself. Two weeks ago I lost my brother at the hands of those thieving looters. I don’t intend to take a chance that you might be one of them, too.”

  Rose looked the other way, knowing what was coming next. Since his brother had been killed, it took very little for Adam to lose control. He was shorter than Raven, but he was twice as wide and could count on the help of his two buddies, though he wasn’t going to need them. Raven looked older to her, probably around fifty, and he was slim. She seriously doubted he’d know how to hold his own in a fight. No one would have bet on him in a boxing match, or would even have thought he’d make it through round one, for that matter.

  Raven swore under his breath. He hadn’t done anything to deserve this. He’d only tried to warn them about the danger of the storm, and now three thugs were about to jump him. He was getting tired of it all—of being threatened, of no one ever trusting him. He fought to control himself. Otherwise, the pent-up frustration from past rejections would be unleashed on this damned fool.

  “I’m warning you, I’m not looking for trouble so just leave me alone,” he said, unable to hide the fury rising in his voice.

  A chorus of dogs started barking frantically near the door to the pub. Judging by the sound of it there must have been at least a dozen of them. Adam ignored the dogs and drew back his fist, taking direct aim at Raven’s jaw. “You asked for—”

  He never finished his sentence.

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