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badly_knittedTitle: Deserted
Fandom: The Fantastic Journey
Author:
badly_knittedCharacters: Willaway, Varian, Liana, Scott, Fred.
Rating: PG
Written For: Challenge 497: Ghost Town at
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drabble_zone.Setting: After the series.
Summary: The travellers stumble across a deserted settlement, but what happened to the people?
Disclaimer: I don’t own The Fantastic Journey, or the characters. They belong to their creators.
A/N: Quadruple drabble.
The travellers were never sure, when entering a zone, whether there’d be people; not all zones were inhabited, and of those that were, the inhabitants weren’t necessarily human. Some appeared human at first glance but turned out to have distinct physiological differences. Other, like the Arusians, although humanoid in form, were visibly alien.
This zone had a temperate climate, plenty of trees, but open grasslands too, and a river along whose banks the travellers were currently walking. It seemed very pleasant, with birds singing overhead, butterflies flitting among the abundant wildflowers, and squirrels scampering about, drawing Sil-El’s attention, although Liana didn’t put the cat down. She didn’t want him running off into the undergrowth in case there might be something larger and more formidable than a squirrel lurking somewhere out of sight. Better for everyone to stick together.
As they passed a bend in the river and came out from the trees, they saw a sizeable settlement spread out along the riverbank, but as they approached, they couldn’t help noticing how silent it was. Following the path, they walked slowly through the streets, between houses and stores, all of them with the same air of desolation about them.
“This is even eerier than the carnival,” Willaway muttered.
“I know. The whole place is deserted,” Varian said as they approached a central square. “From the looks of it, nobody’s lived here in a long time.”
“Where d’you think they went?” Scott asked.
“Maybe they decided to do what we’re doin’, Scotty,” Fred said. “Head for Evoland and home.”
Varian took in the empty streets, fallen walls, broken windows, doors hanging off their hinges, the grass growing everywhere. “I don’t think so. I’m not sure they even left. Perhaps some of them got away, but not everyone.” He put one arm around Scott, steering the boy away, the others following him, sensing his disquiet.
“What d’you think happened,” Willaway asked quietly.
“I think… there was a flood. This town, built so close to the river, in a narrow valley… If there was enough rainfall in the mountains, in a short enough time…” Varian shook his head. “Chances are, they wouldn’t have even known what was happening until it was too late.”
“You mean they all drowned?” Scott sounded horrified.
“Perhaps not all, but a lot, yes.”
“Maybe we should get out of this valley,” Willaway suggested.
Varian nodded. “That might be wise.”
The End
This zone had a temperate climate, plenty of trees, but open grasslands too, and a river along whose banks the travellers were currently walking. It seemed very pleasant, with birds singing overhead, butterflies flitting among the abundant wildflowers, and squirrels scampering about, drawing Sil-El’s attention, although Liana didn’t put the cat down. She didn’t want him running off into the undergrowth in case there might be something larger and more formidable than a squirrel lurking somewhere out of sight. Better for everyone to stick together.
As they passed a bend in the river and came out from the trees, they saw a sizeable settlement spread out along the riverbank, but as they approached, they couldn’t help noticing how silent it was. Following the path, they walked slowly through the streets, between houses and stores, all of them with the same air of desolation about them.
“This is even eerier than the carnival,” Willaway muttered.
“I know. The whole place is deserted,” Varian said as they approached a central square. “From the looks of it, nobody’s lived here in a long time.”
“Where d’you think they went?” Scott asked.
“Maybe they decided to do what we’re doin’, Scotty,” Fred said. “Head for Evoland and home.”
Varian took in the empty streets, fallen walls, broken windows, doors hanging off their hinges, the grass growing everywhere. “I don’t think so. I’m not sure they even left. Perhaps some of them got away, but not everyone.” He put one arm around Scott, steering the boy away, the others following him, sensing his disquiet.
“What d’you think happened,” Willaway asked quietly.
“I think… there was a flood. This town, built so close to the river, in a narrow valley… If there was enough rainfall in the mountains, in a short enough time…” Varian shook his head. “Chances are, they wouldn’t have even known what was happening until it was too late.”
“You mean they all drowned?” Scott sounded horrified.
“Perhaps not all, but a lot, yes.”
“Maybe we should get out of this valley,” Willaway suggested.
Varian nodded. “That might be wise.”
The End
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Date: 2026-04-13 11:18 pm (UTC)