Shadows of JiangXi

[Jansen]

The rain didnt stop, it was raining since she arrived at the planet, it felt like she was here for more then a week already. The lightning revealed a large tree which was lying on a narrow part of the canyon. "So thats the second line... doesnt look too trustworthy" Most of the tree was covered by moss, which would make it dangerous to go on the tree. Marcia looked at the map again, the other line over the canyon was far away and there didnt seem to be any other option to get over the ravine. She checked the radiation meter once more, still not dangerous.

Marcia decided that she would need a little break and sat down under one of the bigger trees nearby to have at least some protection from the rain. It would have been good to drink something, but she wasnt sure if the water was really clean, could as well be contaminated, she thought the same about the few food rations she had.

Seven minutes of break had to be enough, she pulled the knife out of its bracket and rammed it into the tree, then she sat on it and tried to slide step by step, always having the knife as some kind of security. Reaching the middle of it she nearly lost her balance, but everything went well and she arrived at the other side of the canyon. Moving over the tree took her twenty minutes and a lot of strength. Now she had to eat and drink something.

She opened the food rations under another big tree, so that at least the rain couldnt reach them. This time the break took nearly forty-five minutes, but she felt a tad bit better after it. She was able to see the roofs of many higher buildings in the next valley, something that might have been the capital or at least another big city before the attack. Looking at her map she didnt find any remarks about those buildings.
"The guy that made this for sure wasnt an artist or cartographer..." Another check of the radiation meter and she walked nearly ten more kilometers into southern direction without any other traces of life crossing her path.

And again it was time to sleep, the second night in this hell. Searching for a hideout was a lot harder here, the forest wasnt as dense as on the other side of the canyon and even though there were a few isolated houses here, she didnt want to go into them. She didnt want to meet another 'friendly' citizen. She walked for another hour and then she found a small house with a separated basement. The flashlight was turned on as she opened the door slowly. It was filled with shelves, where people had stored their vegetables, which were now not much more then soil.

The previous owners also had some tools in the cellar, Marcia used one of them, the crowbar to keep the door closed. And yet agains she checked every corner to be sure that there was no other entrance then the steel door she came through, so she could be sure, that if something would want to enter the basement it would have to break through the door. She laid down a bit away from the door, the AK ready, just in case she would need it. "Good night wonderful place..."

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