Day 47

Churchill Downs Day 47: I woke to the sound to rustling steel. Everyone around me was dressing in plated armor for our journey. I opened my eyes wide to where I could get a good look at everyone and sat up. "We got new threads huh?" I said looking at the shiny metal plates on my brothers bodies. No body said anything as they were to busy putting the rest of their armor on. Ted got my attention by whistling at me across the room. "Put it on" He said sternly. I looked down at what was thrown to me. It glistened with the light that was beaming through the open window. It had markings that were engraved in the metal. The markings looked like symbols and letters, but I had never seen them before. I looked at all the others sets and they had the same markings. "What do these symbols mean Ted?" He glanced over at me from where he was helping Andy put his armor on. "They all mean the same thing, they're just in different languages all over the armor." I almost ignored his answer and jumped to my next question. "Where did all these sets of armor come from anyway?" He looked at the floor a little as Andy got the top part of his armor on. "They belonged to the people I landed here with. We made them right after they got here with me." I dared not ask what became of them. I could assume nothing good, seeing as there were no original bodies filling these sets of armor anymore. It seemed like we had all gotten our armor on, and were ready to start our march. Our new member, Jake, stood with us covered in metal just like the rest of us. We all looked like medieval soldiers now, but the armor was more modern, and made us all look like formidable foes. "Here" Ted said as we all stood together, "These should keep your faces pretty." He threw us helmets all with the same symbols and crafting style. The helmets went on and had splits where our eyes were, horns that curled to the back of our heads, and masks that covered our mouths with holes in them for breathing. We looked deadly as we put them on. Even I would have been hesitant to challenge anyone wearing one of these suits. "Thank you Ted" we all seemed to say in our own way, and he smiled every time he heard the words from us. "You're all welcome. Now let's go over where you're headed."

          Ted went to the back of his longhouse and into his bedroom. He stepped up to a chest that he unlocked with a key around his neck. He grasped something from inside and brought it out. He walked back into the room we were in and spread out what he grabbed on a table. It was a complete map of the entire apartment. We were all flabbergasted. How did he have this???? We all barraged him with the question at once, but mine was the one he got to answer. "Ted, how in the hell do you have this????" He looked at me with a smile and said, "When I got to this village for the first time, the people had drawn this up for me. Apparently they had been here longer than any of us. So far this map has been exact, so I'm hoping that this will take you to the heart." I looked at the outstretched map and saw the center of the apartment. "Here" Ted pointed. "That must be where it is." Ted pointed at the center, and it didn't make any sense at all. My bedroom was where the heart was. Casey spoke, "But we would have to go back around the mountain, and down it to the other side again to get there!" Ted looked over at Casey and said, "You would" he paused and smiled, "Were it not for the path through the wall of the kitchen." He pointed his finger along a winding trail not far from where we were that led right into my bedroom. "What's that?" Nate asked. It was peculiar. The path was marked on the map with an X and scrawled with panicked messages in another language. "That" Ted started, "Is the problem. Through the wall lies something terrible. The map calls it Kongulo, which is an Icelandic name. I have no idea what it means, or even how it got the name. I've never been that way before, and I do not plan on it. Whatever has a den there though has killed many men, wolves, and even giants. Do not tread lightly through there. After that the trail should lead right out into the bedroom and to the heart." We all looked at the map with intent and none of us had to tell the other, but there was no going back. We were unafraid. "Take the map with you, and do not lose your way." We thanked Ted again for all the gifts he had given us, and we all suggested we get to the gates.

          We briskly walked to the entrance to the village with our new helmets in our hands, and there to meet us were all the villagers. They all cheered and thanked us for our brave fight with the two T-Rex that surely would have destroyed their village. Then we got closer and the cheering died down. We could hear whispers throughout the crowd in their language that no one among us could understand. They all stared at us with almost fear in their eyes though. It was strange to watch them look at us with eyes that screamed stay away. We all noticed, but even Jake who had been here since the beginning of the village had no idea why we frightened them so much. The crowd seemed to get quiet now, and one by one they came up to all of us and shook our hands, gave us food for the trip, and even tried to kiss a few of us on the cheek. Then the crowd split and Ted walked through to say his goodbyes. We all shook his hand, and told him we would come back for him, and take him and all his people to the exit. He approached Jake who lived in the village and gave him a hug. "It will be different here without you my friend." Jake smiled back and said, "I'll kill some wolves and giants for you buddy." Just like that we started to leave. We all threw on our helmets, and the crowed all went wide eyed. Some even gasped in fear. I looked at Ted through my helmet and asked him, "What is wrong with these people? Why are they so scared of us??" Ted looked back at the crowd, then back to the steel engravings on my chest. "They fear you all, just as anyone who will see you in those suits will now too. That steel was made in heart of that mountain, and bathed in the hottest fires it contained within its belly. It was made almost impenetrable from arrows and swords, and put to the test many many times. They fear it because they've seen what happens to the enemies of those who wear it." I looked at the cold steel gloves and chest piece I was wearing, and at the engravings all over them. "You never told me what they meant." Ted looked at the symbols we were wearing on our chests. "Death" Ted paused and looked seriously at all of us. "They mean death. In every language spoken in this apartment." I looked back to my brothers and they all looked as serious as I did. "Good" said Andy, "That's all our enemies will ever find."

      

Day 46

Churchill Downs Day 46: I opened my eyes to the sight of a ceiling. I sat up in a hurry to look around the type of medical room I was in. There were bandages and types of medical tools in the nearby trays close to the mattress I was on. The room was empty. I looked down at my torso to find it wrapped in several bandages. It seemed like I had been operated on. I rubbed my head to see what I could remember right before I passed out in the village entrance. I had thought I saw my comrades looking back at me before it all went black. What a grand thing it would have been if it were true. I threw my feet over the mattress and attempted to stand. I could feel the pain starting in my mid section again. "I had better take it slow" I whispered to myself. I walked toward the door to examine what was on the outside, and was beaten to the punch from the other side of the door. Stepping through the door was Andy. "You miss me?" he said humorously. I couldn't find the words to describe the reunion with a brother I never thought I would see again. I moved as fast as my damaged body would let me, and hugged his neck. "Soooo" said Mitri standing behind Andy smiling as he continued, "What's it like to come back from the dead?" From behind Mitri stepped Casey and Nate from the door. "It's good to see you again brother." Casey said grinning. Nate said nothing. He didn't have to. I could see the look on his face, and I knew he was happy. My brothers all stood before me, and I couldn't have been happier. "What happened when you fell brother?" said Andy, "We had thought you dead." I didn't waste any time sparing details. "After the giant grabbed me we fell through an ice cave. It must have lost its grip on me during the fall through the cave though. It dropped me on a ledge, and it fell right through the floor of the structure. I don't remember anything after that though. I was awoken by Jake. The cave started to collapse and he was there to save me." Judging by my brothers lack of surprise at the fact that Jake was here in the apartment showed me that they had already went to talk to him about everything. "Where is Jake?" I asked my brothers. As soon as I did he walked through the door. "Glad you're awake Wes" Jake said, "We need your help." As he finished his sentence another walked through the door. The one in the armor. "Good to see that death can't even stop you Wes."said the man. I looked at him one last time before starting to speak. "You've got to be kidding me... TED?!?! You're the chief!?!??" He smiled and started to laugh. He walked over and proceeded to shake my hand. "It's good to see you again buddy." I looked back with a big smile and said, "Lemme guess, got sucked in here when you tried to visit." He laughed and didn't give me an answer, I already knew it anyway. "I hope you guys have enjoyed your reunion, because we have a bigger matter at hand right now" said Jake as politely as he could. "Come on Wes, we will need you and your friends help."

          We walked into Ted's longhouse and over to a sort of balcony over looking the gates of the village. Ted looked over at Nate and the others. "You remember what I said about wolves not being the only thing out here?" The group paused and remembered his comment, but didn't think it true. He stretched his arm out and pointed in the field we were over looking. As soon as he did something that made my eyes double guess themselves walked out of the forest. A T-Rex waltzed away from the trees and out toward the village. I kept wiping both of my eyes with my hands, trying to get a glance of what was really out there. But the image did not change. I looked back at my brothers and their mouths were all wide open, staring at what they couldn't believe was on the clearing. "There is no way that's real" Casey stated, and we all agreed with him. Except for Jake and Ted staring at the beast with war like glares. Ted spoke with his eyes fixated on the giants, "They decide to attack every now and again. They come for food." It was real alright, and coming this way. Or should I say they. Out stepped another one that seemed to have the same idea as the first. attack and eat whatever was in the village. They both began to start striding toward the village. "Ted and Jake, I have no doubt in your abilities, but how in the hell have you been defending these people from... THAT???"Ted and Jake paused trying to answer my question. "Well" started Ted, "There usually aren't two of them, and they usually are not as big." Mitri seemed to be the first one to break the silence with an aloud "Crap." It seemed we were in for a fight. My body hadn't healed enough to be in the battle field, but it wasn't going to matter. I had to fight wether my body would let me or not. "We all need to get to the gates." Jake informed us. "Get ready for a fight gentlemen." Ted told us. The group readied their gear and ran to the entrance of the village. While the rest sprinted to the entrance to defend the village, I grabbed Ted and stopped him. "I need a weapon." He smirked with a confident stare like he expected the words from my mouth. "Not going to let some injuries stop you huh?" I nodded and he led me to a back room in the longhouse. He opened a secret door and stepped inside. He turned around to face me while I was looking at the walls lined with swords. "Here you go." He handed me a long, thick blade with what looked like wolves bones lining the hilt. The blade was sharpened to a point, and as big as it looked, it was light. It was an amazing craft. "It is one of the best the village has to offer, the blade makes flesh seem like warm butter." I looked at Ted in appreciation. "You won't find anything sharper than that Wes." We both grinned and then started to head for the gates.
          We all gathered together and waited anxiously on the coming threats. We could see them close to a mile away, and getting closer with every stride. I looked around at my fellow warriors and saw no trace of fear. It was amazing to see their resolve in combat. Casey stepped forward with his bow drawn. I could hear him whisper to himself, "Just a little more..." I figured he was talking about the range of the beasts from our location. His bow would be of great aid now. He planted his feet firmly as the gigantic T-Rex got in range more than 200 yards away. If he could even manage to make it to the thing this far away I would be impressed. He drew an arrow and smiled evilly. He pulled back the string from the bow and aimed high above the target. He let go and the arrow flew like a bullet. The dinosaurs were approaching more rapidly with every second, and just like that the one on the right stopped and let out a cry so loud we could hear it from where we were. Casey had shot it in the eye. He drew another arrow and fired again. The beast wailed as the arrow entered his other eye. The group stopped and looked at Casey with surprise. "Why didn't you say you were that good of a shot??" Mitri asked loudly. Casey looked back and whispered. "You never asked." Casey took aim at the next one and fired twice back to back. Direct hits in both eyes again. "Do we even need to fight these things??" Andy asked the group watching Casey hit them with ease. Casey looked at Andy and calmly said, "They can still smell us." We looked back at the dinosaurs and could see them shaking off the pain. They took a second to smell the wind in our direction, and began to run toward us once more. "This is going to be interesting" I said with hesitation. They were close now, and only getting closer.
          The dinosaurs charged at us now. We all dodged and were ready to fight for our lives. The second one snapped behind us and roared as it tried ram us all with its head. "ME, JAKE, AND ANDY WILL TAKE THE UGLY ONE. YOU GUYS TAKE THE OTHER UGLY ONE!!!" Ted shouted across the battlefield. Mitri, Casey, Nate, and I  began to split off and try to kill one of the dinosaurs, while the others dodged and began to handle the other. Mitri charged at the foot of the monster and slashed at its leg. It didn't like that. It looked down and swatted him away with its enormous tail. Casey took advantage of the dinosaur being turned around to face Mitri and fired volley after volley of arrows into the back of its neck. It turned around to face Casey, and as it did I took the opportunity to run under its legs and swing my new sword at the soft flesh on the inside of its thighs. The dinosaur let out a roar of pain an began to sway back and forth from the gashes in its legs. "GO FOR THE LEGS!!!!" I yelled to the other team dodging the beasts stomps. Nate slid under the monster and sunk his wolves teeth into its soft thigh. The giant cried out in pain and tried to shake Nate from its leg, but Nate wouldn't let go.  Mitri picked himself up off the ground and ran back under the beast to cut him on the leg one more time. He dodged the dinosaurs attempt to try and bite him and Casey picked two arrows from his back and shot them both into the side of the other leg. The T-Rex swayed heavily and finally collapsed on its side crausing the ground to rumble. It laid on the ground trying to snap at me as I dodged the falling giant, and as it opened its jaw, Casey fired three arrows back to back in the roof of its mouth. The giant stopped biting the air around it and laid its head down dead. The other team began slicing its legs to get the same effect. Andy ran under the beast and swung as hard he could at the back of the beasts leg. The ax was so big and powerful it nearly cleaved the entire limb off. It must have struck a tendon because almost immediately the leg buckled and it fell on its side. Ted dodged the wild snapping of the beast, and slashed at its neck leaving a big bleeding cut. The beast opened its mouth gasping for air and Jake saw the opportunity to throw his spear as hard as he could, to where it went through the roof of the things mouth, and out the top of its head. The T-Rex laid its head down, and stopped moving for good.
          Jake walked up to the head of the creature and pulled his spear out. "Filthy beast" he said with a disgusted look. We all caught our breaths and marveled at the giants that laid dead at our feet. "I would have put money on them." Said Mitri still keeled over breathing heavily. We all chuckled a little as we sucked the air into our lungs as hard as we could. There was only one without a bead of sweat on his brow, and that was Casey. He placed his bow on his back once more and proceeded to walk to the gate. We all turned to look at him walking away like a champ, and the dinosaur that I was in charge of handling started to move again. Andy, Mitri, and Nate all stepped back terrified because they were so close to it. It looked around and roared once more. We all readied our weapons and stared at the now moving head of the beast that was starting to pick itself up on legs we thought were more than useless. An arrow flew like a blur straight into the monsters mouth. It landed with a hard thud in its throat and pierced through the back of its neck, covered in fragments of bone from its spine. It laid back down. If it wasn't dead before, it was now. We all looked back at Casey who stood with a straight face. He lowered his bow and turned his back once again. We could only hear him say "Don't let your guard down." 
          We dragged the carcasses into the village. If two dead giants were useful for anything, it was food. The sun slowly started to descend over the far wall of the village, and I began to become exhausted. I ran my hand over the bandages on my chest. It took a lot of energy to fight those things. Energy I didn't have. The villagers began to carve up the giant and start a fire in a large hole in the ground. I was starving, and more than ready for something to be on my stomach. Ted walked over to my side. "You and your friends fight very well" he looked pleased with the display of bloodshed that he was speaking of, "I have no doubt you and your team will be able to destroy the heart Wes. I can point you in the right direction tomorrow morning, and you can be on your way. We all deeply appreciate what you and your friends have done here for us." I looked back and smiled at him. I nodded than we walked over to the fire where the meat was being cooked. Nate, Casey, Mitri, and Andy walked over beside me. "Good to see you can still handle yourself bud." Andy said in a sarcastic tone. I didn't have the energy to answer, so all I did was smile back at him. They all grinned back. The meat from the dead giants was being passed around to everyone and we all dug in when we received our shares. Jake walked over and addressed me. "Hey Wes, I was thinking. I maybe if you had another guy watching your back, the journey to the heart wouldn't be so difficult. I could be of help. I'm good in a fight, and know my way out of a bad situation." I looked at him with a mouth full of meat. "I would be honored if you came with us." He was pleased to hear my answer and retorted with a "Hell yes."
          The beasts were stripped to the bone, and all of the villagers had their own fill of food. I was stuffed, and couldn't eat anymore if I tried. My brothers and I all started toward the longhouse making jokes about how we were invincible as a team. For a second, I started to think so. I had cheated death, and a few days after that, I plant a T-Rex in the ground. It felt good to know about how many challenges we faced and over came together. It felt even better to realize that this apartment was losing at its own game. We walked through the doors of the house and walked over to what I never thought I would see anywhere in this hellish place. Actual beds. Enough for everyone. I waltzed over to one and fell onto it. It was like a dream to feel a mattress again. I looked over at my brothers and they all looked the same way. I almost couldn't wait for tomorrow to begin our march to the heart. Whatever lay in our way would die a long with the rest of the monsters we faced. I closed my eyes and thought all about what it would finally be like to go home after this was over, and slowly, I fell asleep.

Day 44

Churchill Downs Day 44: "Come in and sit" Ted said in a very welcoming voice. Nate looked around at the longhouse. "So you rule these people?" Andy asked. Ted looked like he couldn't really answer the question, but was going to try. "When I arrived here after being sucked into this place at the door, I landed on the snowy mountain. I was with others when I came here, but they died days after we landed. Seems there is a wolf problem here. After the deaths of my comrades I decided to walk in the only direction that was away from the wretched mountain. I came across these people and they were not exactly inviting when I did. I fought for my right to be one of them, just so happened that I ended up beating them all." Nate stopped Ted before he went on. He was impressed with the story, but only had one question. "So you landed on the mountain?" Ted paused. "Yes. I don't exactly remember the day, or even how. My companions and I were all in a group." Ted looked at the floor. "The mountain is where they are buried." The four looked at Ted and understood the pain that was losing someone to this foul apartment. Ted looked back up at the group. "But it's alright. Three times as many wolves are buried there too. I made sure of that." The brave four all looked at Ted and could see in his eyes that he had seen death. That he had seen a lot of it. That he had cause a lot of it. Mitri sighed as he got Ted's attention. "We had to bury Wes up there." Ted had suspected something like that. He knew that the lack of their fifth member was probably not going to be happy tale. "I want to know everything" he said, "I want to know how you all arrived here, and I want to know how my friend died." The group began the long string of stories that was their journey. They all conversed for hours, speaking of who they all were and how they came to be trapped in this place. They made sure to leave no detail out either. Ted had earned their respect with the loss of his friends, they wanted him to know everything.

          "So" Ted answered, "That is what's been happening." Ted took a moment to absorb all that he was told. "The plan with Emma and Sam doesn't seem half bad. It is true that there is an exit to this place, and maybe we can all leave here." Nate and the others looked confused. "You knew about the exit??" Casey asked. "Of course." Ted answered, "As the head of all of these people, I kind of have to be aware of these things." The group fell into even a deeper confusion. "But if you knew, why aren't you trying to get there yourself??" Mitri asked as though he was mildly angry at all the knowledge that Ted had collected. "I couldn't leave these people alone. They needed my guidance to defend themselves from the outside." Nate didn't like Ted's answer. "From wolves?? These people seem to be more than capable from just defending themselves from wolves!! They nearly killed us!!" Ted looked over at Nate and calmly stated, "There are more than just wolves in this valley." The group looked at Ted and decided there was probably a lot of truth to what he was saying. They knew there were deeply evil things other than just wolves in this place. They knew that they were a lot harder to kill too. "Than what will you do Ted?" asked Mitri, "Stay here forever?" Ted looked at the roof. "That's where you four come in. I will leave once the apartment has died. Maybe I can save some of these people. I will tell you exactly how to get to the heart. How to kill it is beyond my knowledge though." The group stood as not to waste anymore time. "Than when can we leave?" Nate said impatiently. "Tomorrow" Ted answered, "After a nights rest, and a full belly." The group looked at each other quickly and decided Ted was right. They would stay there for the night, and leave at dawn.

          "How did you come to be here?" I asked Jake from behind him as we walked through the jungle. "I landed in the valley ahead. Never touched the mountain other than to go look for wolves meat. Which is how I stumbled across you laying face up and unconscious of course. By the way, what the hell was that thing through the hole in the cave's floor that had obviously left you on the ledge?? Must have been huge." I looked at the ground remembering what had happened that day. "It was an ice giant. It surprised me and the others I was with. It grabbed me and we fell through the cave. That's all I remember." I told Jake all about my adventure with the people I was with. I told him everything I could. Who they were, what we were doing, how we came to be here. Everything. "So Emma and Sam are headed to find an exit huh?" I tried to keep my pace with him as I walked. "Yeah" I answered back, "It's the only plan we have." Jake glanced back at me and smiled a little. "It's about time someone tried to beat this place. Feels like years since I got here and started living in that village. We don't try and leave it much. Our chief and I are the only protection we have to the things outside. We can't afford to leave the people defenseless." I understood his cause. If I was in his position I would want to save the lives of as many people as I could too. "We're almost there" Jake said calmly to me, "Just a little further." I gripped my chest in pain. I figured my lungs would soon be full of blood. I spat red on the ground to clear my throat. "Good" I said, "I can't cheat death twice." I looked around at the forest that was starting to clear, and the ground that started to descend into a valley. I looked at the smoke rising from what seemed like houses. "Guhhhhhhh...." I sounded behind Jake and spat up some more blood. "Damn, just a little farther Wes, come on, stay with me." He tried to encourage me as best he could to keep away from my second death. "Only a few more yards friend."

          We entered the village like we had just gotten back from war. I was only held up by my arm being around the back of Jake's neck. "SOMEONE HELP!!!! I HAVE WOUNDED!!!!" The villagers began to pour out of their houses and rush to our aid. I could see the peripherals of my eyes start to go black, and start to slowly creep toward the center of my vision. The people gathered around me on Jake's shoulder to look at my damaged frame. I must have been a sight to draw so many alarmed faces. "Get back!!! I'm a doctor!!!!" shouted one of the villagers. I could see him slipping through the crowd in our direction with what seemed like a type of mattress. "Cheif!! Come see this man!!!" One villager shouted. An armored man slipped through the crowd that looked almost familiar. I dropped to my knees in pain, and right before I slipped into blackness again I looked up once more. Behind the man in armor stood Nate, Casey, Mitri, and Andy. I could see them stopping in their tracks, and staring at their once dead brother, now right in front of them. I tried to get words out, words that would express my happiness in seeing them again, but only managed to spit up more blood at their feet. My knees no longer able to support my body buckled. I fell on my stomach, and passed out in the warm dirt.

          

Day 43

Churchill Downs Day 43: It was dark. So this is what it was like to be dead. It was strange... Like being asleep. I thought of my comrades I let down. I thought about the fight with the giant, and the loss of gravity all before it went black. I remember my fall. My brothers and loved ones were all gone now, and replaced by a silence. It was so dark. What would become of me? I wished I could get back to my team and help, I knew they needed me, I could feel it. I can't let this happen. I must get back. I must get back. I will get back. I must get up and travel back... but nothing. No I wasn't going to stop. I had been so resistant. I wasn't going to let this apartment kill me. Not like this. "wes..." What was that?? It sounded again, "Wes...." Andy? Maybe Casey? "Wes!!" The sound wouldn't stop. "WES!!!! GET UP NOW!! WE HAVE TO LEAVE!!!" The voice sounded... familiar... and just like that I could feel the cold breath enter my lungs once again. I could feel my blood start flowing in my veins. I could hear my heart start to beat again. I took a long inhalation of the cold air, and slowly, opened my eyes.

          I looked at the figure above of me shouting. "WES LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!!! THE WHOLE PLACE IS CAVING IN!!!!!" Without wondering anything else, I took his out stretched hand and was yanked to my feet. "CAN YOU MOVE??" I struggled to get the word out. ".....yeah..." He threw me over his shoulder and as I was being lifted to his back, I looked and saw the massive hole in the roof of what looked like an icy cave. The giant must have fallen through that. Then I looked through another hole in the floor. The giant went straight through and must have tossed me to the close ledge looking over where it fell through by accident. "WE'RE ALMOST OUT, DON'T STOP BREATHING NOW!!" I wasn't about to. We saw the light of the entrance of the cave, and exited quickly. The cave entrance behind us collapsed in on itself to forever seal the beasts tomb. I was placed on the soft snow looking straight up into the sky. The man that saved me gave a great sigh, and walked over to the side of the mountain to look out at the mist. "Jesus Wes, what in the hell did you get yourself into that time?" I sat up to get a better look at the friendly and couldn't imagine who was staring back at me. "...ugh.." I grabbed for air, "How are you here...?" The man looked over and simply gave the answer everyone else gave. He came to my door and was sucked in. "Auburn was having a lame weekend, so I came to see what you guys were up to here." He chuckled "You didn't disappoint." "Oh" I said in an amused voice, "Then It's good to see you too Jake."

          Jake McPheeters was like another one of the already many brothers I had. "How did you survive?" I took no time to get straight to the point. He looked at me almost smiling. "I found a village not far from where we are in a jungle valley" he said "The people there are friendly... for the most part." I stopped and only really paid attention to one word he said. "JUNGLE?" I asked amazed. "Yeah" he retorted, "Right below this mountain." I thought of my brothers on the journey for the heart. They were probably days ahead of me anywhere else but that village. I wondered when I would see them again. If I would see them again. The thought of their own deaths turned my stomach. I cannot wait here. I slowly placed one of my hands on the ground, and tried to raise myself up to my feet. "WOAH BUDDY, I don't think so. You're not going anywhere for a while Wes." I looked at Jake as seriously as I could through the pain of what I was sure was all types of contusions. "I have to go. Anywhere but here Jake. I have to find everyone." Jake took a moment to pause. He didn't ask me about what had happened, or who I was with, he just said, "Not without me." Jake picked up a type of spear with wolf skulls fashioning the handle. "I'll tell you everything Jake, but we need to get to that village first. I think the warm feeling in my chest isn't just from seeing you." I coughed up a bit of blood on the snow. "I don't know how good I'll be in a fight Jake, I'm sorry." He simply smiled helping me up. "Than get behind me." 

Day 42

Churchill Downs Day 42: "Keep a look out" Nate voiced behind himself to the rest of the group. "Be ready for anything". There were strange and unfamiliar noises all around the dense forest of the jungle. It sounded like tropical birds and monkeys. Nate was too busy with the moment to wonder any more about how there was a jungle at the foot of this mountain. Let alone where exactly they were. One question was answered however. Where they were in relation to the apartment. It seems as though they had passed the main living room, where the tundra was, and were now on their way into the kitchen. It was the only place that could remain so warm after the thermostat turned everything to ice, because it was so far away from it. At least Nate had that answer. "Wes would have known" He thought. Every step made him remember the unfair end that his brother had received. It filled him with rage. It filled them all with rage. They marched in the only direction they knew, the only one that went away from the mountain. Nate looked around as he walked and marveled at the hundred foot high trees all around him. How did this place ever get so out of control. The foliage was so thick, it was harder to navigate through than the fog of the mountain. Nate held up his fist like he did on the mountain, and the group halted. They grabbed their weapons at the ready in reaction to this command, but it seemed Nate stopped every one for a less sinister reason than wolves or giants.

          Up ahead was something that he hadn't seen since the start of their journey years ago. A small village stood at the foot of a valley clearing, no less than one thousand yards away. "We will travel there, and see if they can help us" Nate commanded. The group agreed. They began to walk in the direction of the village and hoped that whoever resided in those houses was friendly. If not, than the four would take what they wanted from it. It didn't seem to matter anymore to Nate and the others. They walked for hours before they reached the end of the tree line stretching into the village. It seemed while the four were looking at the village, the village was looking at them. A crowd of people came out to meet the group head on. They did not look friendly. They circled the group and singled them all out, and the four drew their weapons and stood back to back. "Well come on then, we don't have time for this" Andy taunted the crowd. It appeared they spoke English, because one said "Very well." They started to charge at the group. The brave four grasped their weapons, waiting for the right moment to start bathing the valley in blood. "STOP!!" A loud booming voice shouted from behind the crowd. The group stopped, and so did the crowd. "What the hell" whispered Mitri. One man shuffled through the crowd of people and stood dressed in what looked like improvised armor from head to toe. "Let them live, I've seen the one with the wolves teeth somewhere before." 

       Nate slowly stepped toward the man. "What is this, a trick? I've never seen you before, and you've never seen me" retorted Nate. "Ahh" said the mysterious man, who looked like a college student, "I've never seen you alone though." The man puzzled Nate. "Tell me" said the man, "What has happened to Wes?" Nate and the others stopped and stared no longer at the sharp points on the spears of the crowd, but instead at the man. "How did you know who my brother was?" Casey said demanding an answer. "We were friends a long time ago. I knew him through two women." Emma and Sam, Nate thought. But he still didn't know who this mysterious person was. "Enough games!" shouted Mitri, "We don't have time for any of this! We need to get to th.." The man finished Mitri's sentence "The heart?" The group stopped. He knew exactly where they were going. "You won't reach it without my help" said the man. "Oh yeah" said Casey, "Why should we trust you?" The man paused for a second. "I guess you can't. But if you do, I can put you in the right direction towards the heart." Nate and the others looked at each other for a minute, and then decided. They put their weapons away and Nate simply said "Ok, but on one condition, dick. You point us in the right direction, and you and your cronies stay out of our way." The man disliked the tone in Nate's voice, for just now saving the group from a hard battle, but even more disliked Nate for his insult. The man didn't even acknowledge what Nate had told the him to do, and began to walk away into the crowd. "Hey wait!" Said Nate trying to get the mans attention back. The only thing he said loud enough to where the group could here him was, "My name, is Ted, and I would appreciate it if you used that to address me from now on. Dick."

Day 41

Churchill Downs Day 41: Nate and the rest gathered around Wes's grave in the ice one last time. They made the monument the day before, and had mourned the loss of one of their own all night. Wes's sword was stuck in the ice, hilt toward the sky, near the ledge where he fell. It was the only thing Nate could manage as far as a grave site. Nate looked at the sword with unbelieving eyes. They all did. "Goodbye, my brother" Nate muttered to him self. "Hard to believe he's gone." Andy voiced aloud, "He was too strong too leave like that." Nate looked back at the group with a more determined face now. "If there was one thing he would have wanted us to do, it would have been finish this job." The others started to look like Nate. Casey looked over to Nate past the grave, "You're right Nate, and you should lead us to destroy this thing." His brother who had been there every step of the way with Nate was now gone, and if there was anything on Nate's mind beside the last words he exchanged with Wes, it was revenge. Nate looked to the group and nodded. Slowly, paying their last respects, they began to head down the peak. Vengeance was Nate's weapon now, and have pity on whatever was dumb enough to get in his way.
          The fog was thicker than they thought down the peak. They could see nothing as far as the bottom of the mountain. It was strange. Before it was clear when they were fighting the giant but had no opportunity to look, but now... it was thicker than storm clouds. The apartment knew what it was doing. It knew that the five had been after its heart since they reached the mountain. Nate wondered what was at the bottom of the accursed glacier like mountain. It could be anything. But that was alright. The four were ready for anything. They were ready to kill anything. Nate looked down the path, and strangely enough, the snow was getting thinner on the ground. "Do you guys see this?" He asked the group. They only looked and nodded with the same puzzled look on their faces as Nate. Whatever the cause, it would be a while before they reached the bottom. Something was happening to the mountain. They could feel it.
          Nate held up his fist to the group behind him. They knew it meant stop. They readied their weapons and their nerves. They waited. The sound of the mountain air and falling snow didn't fool Nate. Something was there. Behind the curtain of the fog. They waited like they were for someone to make a move. He looked back to Casey and flicked his head to the path ahead. Casey knew exactly what it meant and headed to the front. He readied his bow and grabbed an arrow from his back. He drew back and aimed at the fog to wait for anything. A smell, a shadow, that was all it took. Everyone waited for Casey's shot patiently. For a split second he saw a dark figure move ahead and fired. The arrow disappeared into the darkness ahead and high above the shadow, way to the right... Nothing. No noise, no cry out in pain, no more movement. The group was not fooled though, they only readied themselves that much more. From out of the mist stepped a solitary wolf. Then three. Then eight. Then fifteen. They were treading through a den the entire time.
          They could see the wolves jaws dripping with what looked like blood. They were staring at the group and were ready to pounce as soon as they moved, or smelt the smallest amount of fear. But there was none to be found. The group stood stone like, locking eyes with the wolves as they stared back. Casey smirked a little. In fact everyone did, and then started to laugh. The only one that kept his resolve was Nate, staring coldly at the wolves with a look of death. The side of the mountain started to have a sort of collapse. Small rocks were starting to fall, and then boulders made of ice. An avalanche was starting right above the wolves. Casey's arrow had landed in the side of the mountain above the wolves and broken the support of a gigantic rock. The wolves looked up at the rocks pouring on them like rain. Bigger and bigger was the snow and ice that piled on them. Everyone burst out in laughter at the sight of the helpless deaths of wolves, except Nate. Finally the rock slide stopped, and Nate rose as if to waste no time, and the group raised with him. They began to walk over the snow and rock mixed with crushed wolf carcass. Nate walked calmly over their burial site. As he walked, one wolf crawled towards him with the only two legs that weren't crushed by the rocks. It snapped at the air by his ankles violently. Nate glanced down with his still stone stare. He picked the half alive creature up by its throat with one hand  and snapped its neck swiftly. The wolf stopped biting the mountain air, and he threw it aside with its dead kin. "Lets go" he motioned back, and the group still chuckling at the sight of the wolves followed.
         The four brothers continued down the mountain to whatever lay ahead of them. Walking briskly now with the fury of losing a comrade to this place. Whatever was ahead of them couldn't possibly beat them. They were going to find this heart, and even they were afraid of what they might do. The apartments blood bath was coming soon. They saw that the ground was becoming level again, which meant they were near the bottom. The fog started to clear, and they could finally make out what they would face next. The group stopped, and were surprised and more confused than they had been this whole trip. They didn't know what they were looking at, and how it was even here in the first place. "The apartment must be getting more clever" was the thought on Nate's mind. But with his new found courage from the loss of his brother, he looked back at the others, "It doesn't make any sense, but we must keep going." They all nodded, and slowly picked up their pace again. The group all turned and looked up at the mountain once more, and continued into the warm jungle.   

Day 40

Churchill Downs Day 40: The mountain must have stretched all the way to the roof of the apartment! When would we stop walking was the only thought in my head. We were walking for a whole day straight and something strange was happening we weren't used to. Silence replaced the noise of this place we were so accustomed to. It was almost... peaceful. The sky became more and more clear the higher we walked up the trail. It was like nothing we had seen before, but it did not cause one of my group members to speak. They were right not to. As pleasant of a sight that this was, the apartment was evil. If I ever remember anything after all this, I would only want to remember this sight.
          It seemed the ground was becoming flatter now. If that meant anything, it meant we were at the plateau of the mountain! Maybe we reached the top now! Casey stopped the group suddenly. "Look!" He shouted. It was the peak. We had made it after all. My brothers and I dashed towards it as fast as we could. Nate was the fastest, and we all raced after him. What was on the other side? We would find out so soon I could feel it. This journey was ending. The peak was the most beautiful sight I'd ever laid my eyes on. It marked our victory. We would finally win, and as we were racing toward the peak to look over the mountain... something more sinister walked slowly through the remaining fog. 
          We all stopped to look at the figure coming toward us slowly from the fog at the peak. As it drew closer, the very ground began to rumble under it."What... is that...?" Casey asked as he let out a frighted breath. "Nothing good." Andy retorted just as scared. "It smells.... evil" Casey slowly uttered. He started to slowly walk backwards. We all did. The ground began to vibrate even more now, and just like that, it slowly came out of the fog. "Guys... I don't know if a sword is going to hurt that thing" stated Mitri in a ghastly tone. The beast emerged covered in gigantic slabs of ice. It seemed it's what its whole body was made of. Spikes of ice lined its legs and back. Its torso was a solid brick of ice formed to the shape of a chest. It stood no less than 35 feet tall, and the span of its legs over the ground were covering 20 yards with every step. "What now?????" Nate yelled. "Yeah... what now?" I replied.
          The beast was upon us swinging its arms at the ground, trying to crush the intruders. Dodge was the only thing we could do. Casey fired arrows at the beast to just here them ping of the goliath's icy hide. We swung our swords at its feet in an attempt to harm it, but nothing. The ground started to crack under its weight and swings. Was this the end? Would we all die here? I dodged once more to my right and looked at the peak of the mountain we were headed to. An idea started to form in my head. "Everyone! Run for the peak!!!" I shouted as loud as I could to get my brothers attention. They all looked at me and nodded in agreement as though they found my plan out. The giant raised its fists again for another blow, and we all dodged in accordance. As soon as his fists hit the ground we sprinted for the peak. We got as far out on the side as we could. "Now we've only got one try at this, so make it count!!" I yelled. Everyone nodded. Casey fired another arrow at it for its attention. "HEY DUMB ASS!!!" Casey screeched as loud at he could. Oh he got his attention all right.
          The beast jogged toward us furious almost as though he understood the insult. We waited as patiently as we could. "Ready..." I said to my brothers. The giant raised his fist to slam it down again right on top of all of us. "NOW!!!" I shrieked. The giants fist came down and we all bolted under him toward the other side of the peak. The unstable ground began to shatter, and the giant realized the mistake he had made. It worked. We ran as hard as we could past the falling ground and suddenly, at the worst time imaginable, I tripped. The falling ground was catching up to me, and so was the giant. I got back up to my feet as fast as I fell and ran as hard as I could. At the last second when the rest of the ground crumbled, I jumped as far as I could over to the only ledge left on the side of the mountain. My brothers stopped and looked back, and realized that they were a man short. "Wes!!" cried Nate. He raced over to edge and slid just enough toward it so he could grab my hand to pull me up. "I got you!" he yelled at me, "Don't let go!!" He started to pull me up, and then, as if from the air below me, a gigantic icy hand grabbed my body. I looked at Nate for the last millisecond I had on the mountain. Time almost slowed down as I looked at him and whispered, "I'm sorry" with a terrified glare in my eye, and I let go as the giant pulled me down with it. I could see Nate look down with his arm still stretched toward my falling body, and hear him yell my name one last time.

Day 39

Churchill Downs Day 39: I awoke to the smell of something being cooked at the fire. Whatever it was, it was delightful. It seemed my company was already in the front of the cave crowded around what smelled like cooked wolf. I had forgotten what it was like to wake up to a meal being cooked. Mitri yelled down the cave in my direction, "Are you coming or what? Cause if you're not, I'm eating yours." I stood with a hint of stiffness in my bones, got to my feet, and stretched from the slumber my brothers and I had be denied of since our journey had started. "Don't you even think about it!" I yelled back to Mitri. I had a feeling that morning that I hadn't gotten since I came here. The cave felt like home, and I had family here.

          I walked over to the still hot wolf meat and fixed myself a plate. I sat and just looked around at all of the faces that before were all but lost to me. My company didn't speak a word, mostly because of the food they were shoving down their throats like it was their last meal. For all we knew it could be. I glanced over at Nate who looked the exact same as I did though. It was nice to have friends by our sides in the worst situation imaginable. Our eyes met for a second, and I could see the moisture build in his eyes. I smiled back connecting with the same thoughts he was having. We both thought we would die here, and never be thought of again, and through all odds we accomplished something that even defied all logic in our situation. We made the best of the worst times. We struggled for survival and came out on top. But even more importantly than all of that, we found family.

          We stripped the wolf to its bone. We ate until we could eat no more. It was lovely. We gave all of our plates to Emma and Sam who were more than happy to receive them, and they put them in what seemed to be a small crater of the cave filled with water to wash them. "When will we get back on the trail brother?" Asked an almost impatient Andy. I looked at him and spoke, "As soon as Emma and Sam decide they want to go and find the exit. We will leave soon enough Andy. For now enjoy the warmth of the fire, and your first time to sit down since we started walking from your camp." He simply nodded in agreement. Casey looked at Emma and Sam collectively, and pondered, "If you don't mind me asking, why help us in the first place? For all you know we could have been bandits or thieves with Nate and Wes held captive." Emma and Sam answered the question while staring at Nate and myself. "We knew that wasn't the case because of how we saw you all walk together, and besides, we used to do this kind of thing for Nate and Wes all the time, so why stop now?" Casey sat back down and had a look on his face like he was impressed. Obviously Sam and Emma learned much faster than we did from this place. 

          Emma motioned for me to get up and come over where she was. I walked and stood beside her by the small crater. "Sam and I are almost ready to leave to look for the exit, but I wanted to ask you about something first." Her tone lowered so no one could hear but us. "If something happens to one of you, or one of us, this whole effort will be good for nothing. We're all scared of this thing Wes, how do you plan to keep anything from going wro..." I stopped her and looked at her calmly as I could. "Nothing will happen. You and Sam will go find the exit, and my brothers and I will go destroy the heart. It's as simple as that. Everything will be ok. I promise." She looked at me and her worried face turned into smile. She didn't have to speak for me to understand that she believed me. I meant what I said too. Everything would be ok, one way or another.

          Casey picked up his bow along with his other gear, and the rest of us followed suit. He would lead us to where we needed to go. He could smell it. Mitri picked up his massive sword and slung it over his shoulder. Andy was already outside and growing impatient. They all started out of the cave entrance and waited on Nate and myself. We hung back to say our goodbyes when Emma and Sam readied their equipment to go. I looked at Nate and said, "Did you really ever think we would have seen them again?" Nate looked back to calmly exclaim, "Shit yes." We both chuckled a little while we waited. Emma and Sam stepped out from the darkness of the cave ready to leave. Emma was covered in what looked like war paint, and so was Sam. "You've got to be kidding me" I giggled. Emma and Sam stared daggers at me. "Helps scare the wolves" Emma said like she was my mother. "Yes ma'm" I said as I looked down at my boots. "You ready?" Asked Nate. "As ready as we'll ever be" answered Sam.

          We all gathered outside of the cave looking at one another. My group all seemed to say at once, "Be safe!" and both of them nodded. The real start of our journey was about to begin, and for some reason I was more ready than I had ever been in my life. Sam and Emma both approached Nate and I. They both gave us hugs as tightly as they could manage. Emma walked over to me once more and hugged me again. I wrapped my arms around her and spoke in the side of her face. "We'll come back Emma." She only replied with a soft "I know." Just like that we were parting ways, waving to the party behind us. We all looked at the mountain trail once more in front of us, and started up it. We were ready. We would put a stop to this evil place. The five brave souls that had come together to begin this journey were going to end it.  

Day 38

Churchill Downs Day 38: How. It was the only question that seemed to matter at the time. How did they end up here, and why? Emma and Sam invited all of us to sit by their fire and eat an actual cooked meal. I hadn't had one in years. Their introductions to my fellow companions was a long one, but we had time. Who they were, how they knew me, where they met me. Every answer to every question they could have asked. Except one that seemed to fester in my mind, and mine alone. "How?" I asked with startled look. Emma delicately paused for a moment then looked at Sam. "We don't exactly know. One minute we were knocking on your door, the next we wound up on a mountain. So we took shelter here and built a fire." The only other question that really mattered to me would maybe bring a more defined answer. "How long have you and Sam been here?" I said with a hint of demand in my voice. "If I knew I would tell you, but we have no idea. It feels like more than a year. We've had to fight just like you all have had to. Tooth and nail for every little bit of survival we get. We made weapons and learned to use them." 
          She went on about it all. How they managed to stay fed, and how they even made clothing and other supplies. I was almost a little embarrassed by how much better they were doing than us. It seemed as though Casey couldn't hold his tongue and promptly stood and said, "We're on our way to find out whatever secrets this place has, and we all think that they're beyond these mountains." My company looked at him funny for mentioning it so soon. "We know." Said Sam smoothly. "We've known the entire time to be more precise. Even before you approached the cave." Andy stopped her right there. "We've had to kill spies before, I got no problem doing it again." She smirked and reminded him, "Because you did so well trying to sneak in our cave a second ago, were it not for Emma asking me not to, I would have killed everyone except Wes." I pulled Andy down by his arm. I'm pretty sure that Sam wasn't kidding, and we have Emma to thank for it. "How did you know?" I asked in a far more polite tone than my younger brother. "We didn't need to spy the entire time, I just kind of guessed. I didn't think you and whoever you had with you would die so easily. Was I wrong?" 
          It seemed there was truth in Emma's voice, we weren't about to let this place have our last breaths. "Will you come with us?" It seemed that the wooden pipe that Mitri had been smoking out of could no longer hold his tongue. Emma looked at Mitri as politely as she could. "No. We have another matter to attend to. If you all are successful on your journey to destroy this place, and actually manage to kill it, than this whole place will die with it." My company looked surprised at her answer. "Well that is the point is it not? So why will you not join us, we could use skill like yours." Said Nate with a tone in his belly. Emma went on, "That is the point, this place will die and everything in it will be destroyed. Not with a whimper either. Quite violently." I started to understand what she meant a little more clearly now. "You're looking for a way out" I stated. Emma looked over at me with a smile I had forgotten years ago, and all I could do was smile right back. 
          "That's more like it Wes." Emma said softly in my direction. I started again, "What will you do when you find one? Leave?" Sam seemed to be staring at all of us and spoke, "We will wait for you all, and once you've killed this thing you return to us. We will help you escape and put all of this behind us." Now we had a plan. We would do as they said and it would save us all. I trusted them with my life. They would go find a route to esca... "Wait, where exactly is this exit?" I brought it to their attention, and again they both were far more prepared than us. Sam stated with ease, "How do you think those wolves got in." Just like that for the second time, my group and I felt completely unaware to what was going on. They always managed to make me look a little dumb, even before all this. They were doing it again dammit, even in the apocalypse. My company and I laughed our ignorance off, but Sam and Emma didn't find it so amusing. 
          Emma once again began to talk, "We will go and find this exit, and you and your team will go and destroy the heart." We were more than willing to go with her plan, obviously we would need an exit. "One more question" said Nate with a polite tone, "After we've dealt with the apartment, how will we find you both to leave?" As good a question as ever, but it was only met with a cryptic answer. "Don't worry" Sam stated, "We'll have a way to get your attention." The fire started to die, and with it we all became tired. Sleep. Something my brothers and I hadn't had in days. We were always having to fight, and there were never any breaks. The foulness of this place never slept, so we never could.
          I sat by the fire that was close to death while everyone retreated into the blackness of the cave for warmth. I started to think that maybe this could end now. We have a plan and it was going to work. I looked up and saw Emma walking toward me, then sit down beside me. "You know, for a second there, I really didn't think we would see you again. I know what I said earlier, but I thought you were gone." I kept looking at the fire that seemed to be as resistant to letting its last flame go out as I was. "For a second there, you might have been right." I didn't know if that was what she wanted to hear, but it was the only answer I had. 
          "Come on Wes, it's time to rest for a bit, you earned it." We both started back into the cave that became warm. She walked toward an empty spot on the ground with what seemed like hay covering it, and I laid down in another I found next to my company. "Goodnight" she whispered. "I can only hope" I whispered back. Then as easily as I laid down, I fell into a deep sleep. 

Day 37

Churchill Downs Day 37: Up we climb. Into the thick fog and mist of the mountain, unaware of what we would encounter. It has been three days since the start of our climb toward this apartments black heart. We are warm from Mitri's fur, and our stomachs no longer growl because of the various animals we've hunted and killed. We are all quiet now though. All of us must be on our toes at all times, not knowing what we will encounter next. The last thing we came across almost had us all killed. 
          On the first day of our expedition we were passing a cave, and all the sudden a giant hammer was swung straight at all of our heads, and it would have been able to kill all five of us in one blow just from its immense size. Were it not for Andy's reflexes we would be minus all of our heads. We readied ourselves, and out stepped an abomination. Thirteen feet from his scalp to his toes, covered in what seemed to resemble bear pelts, and very angry. It had no words for us, just another swing from his mighty hammer. We all dodged for our lives. Nate rolled under the giant, jumped as high as he could up the giants back, and sunk his razor sharp chin into him. The giant let out a monstrous cry that echoed through the mist blanket of the mountains. I took the sword crafted from Nate's braces and swung at his leg, leaving gash after gash, dodging stomp after stomp. Casey raised his bow and shot the foul beast in both shoulders. The giant was distracted just long enough for Mitri to roll around the giant to his back and climb up Nate who was stuck in the creature like a thorn. He then jumped up to the back of its neck, jumped again from its shoulders, and behead the once mighty giant on Mitri's way down to the ground with one swing from his sword. His body fell soon with his head, and we taunted the creature viciously as it lay dead at our boots. Before we got too full of ourselves, I reminded the group to keep their eyes peeled, it was not as though we didn't almost just die earlier. 
          We continued our journey, and would without interruption for the next day. We would have to make camp by nightfall, and it was approaching quickly. We stopped in a nearby cave. Wood would have to be gathered to make our fire. On our way up earlier we noticed some trees, so Andy and I started back while the others stayed in the cave. The first tree we found was short. It would make good kindling, but that was all. No, we would need to find a large oak. Andy tapped my shoulder and pointed directly at one hanging off the mountain. It did not take long to get to it, and as soon as we did it only took one hack with Andy's ax to completely sever it from its root. Andy was only as strong a thirteen year old girl, but the braces around his ax were crafted by the finest orthodontist in all of Hoover. We noticed something odd however... Whistling. 
          It wasn't any of us, and it couldn't have been Nate and the others, we were too far from our cave... Andy and I were entranced by whatever this was, so we picked up the lumber, and started towards it. Maybe it was someone like us. Trapped in this forsaken hole. We slowly approached a cave. It seemed to be the source of the noise. I would have never believed what I saw were it not for the look upon Andy's face as well. Two women were in the center of the cave around a fire whistling as they worked on what seemed to be clothing. But it wasn't ordinary clothing. These women, whoever the were, were making clothing out of wolf pelts. They were fighters. Andy and I slowly backed away from the cave to go inform our comrades what we had seen. We were upon our own cave in no time. We began explaining our encounter to our company. We put our lumber aside and headed for the cave once more. 
          Using as much stealth as we could, we silently approached the entrance. Before we looked at the only woman in our gaze, I told Casey that whoever she was, she must be another one of the apartment's tricks. No more surprises. He raised his bow and drew back an arrow. He looked at me once more and whispered "I don't know about this, that one smells... human." Before he cast his gaze once more on the unknown target, the woman turned toward the entrance where we stood out of sight and unexpectedly said, "You all can come in if you'd like." We stopped and our stomachs dropped to our feet. We were caught.
          I slowly stepped out into the light, and so did the rest of my company. I shouted into the cave, "For all I know there are only two of you, and five of us, what is to stop us from killing you and taking your belongings?" I could see a smirk come across her still unrecognizable face due to the fire. She calmly exclaimed, "You are unarmed, and we are not." My brothers in arms and I almost started to laugh... and then we looked down for our weapons. They were gone. Even the only things left in Nate's mouth were his gums. He looked over at me and tried to say "Damn that was fast" except it sounded like a dog drinking water. Just like that, I knew that she had been more than three steps ahead of us since Andy and myself peered into the cave. Who was she...? Her friend walked out from the darkness of the cave from behind her and dropped all of our weapons and gear on the hard cave floor. I could see her smiling again. Mitri looked at all of us and said, "This might be weird, but am I the only one with a boner right now?" Nate looked over at him and just said "Nope." I looked to her and her friend, and slowly exclaimed, "You've successfully made fools of my company and I, you have us unarmed and you have the upper hand. What will you do now? Kill us and leave us in the snow?" They both looked at each other from what I could tell from over the fire, and the woman sitting down with a welcoming tone simply said, "Feed you." 
          My fellow man and I looked at one another puzzled. "Feed us?" I asked in an unbelieving tone. We all stopped when the woman by the fire rose and her unknown friend started following behind her. We raised our fists for the only defense we had. The first woman gracefully walked out to where I recognized her immediately. She strutted over and I dropped my fists in amazement. She grabbed me as tight as her frame would let her and whispered behind my neck, "It's good to see you again Wes." 
          Emma Pitts and her friend Samantha Lentz were more than pleasant sights for our tired, battle worn eyes.

Day 34

Churchill Downs Day 34: In front of us lay the base of the mountains, behind us, a war path. Too many wolf and giant corpses to count. Glorious is what it was. Not to mention the dragon guarding the base of the mountain. Were it not for Andy's extremely crooked smile from the lack of braces, the dragon wouldn't have started laughing hard enough to not realize Casey drawing out an arrow that landed directly between its eyes. We've fought and sacrificed much to get here, the only problem is, where now? Where would we climb? All of the sudden Casey started to state that whatever we were looking for was the way he would lead us. 
          Casey was gifted with a nose so big and powerful, that he could make a dog look like Voldemort. So onward we tread, deeper into the heart of the mountain where Casey was leading us. As we started to descend into the mountain, just like that we were outside staring up a path that seemed like it went all the way to the peak. We were just about to start walking when all of the sudden Casey stopped us. "Goblins" he mumbled as he raised his bow. We all stood in a circle with our backs to the middle. Sure enough not even one minute later we began to see them swarm out of the cave we had exited. They began to charge. They crashed on us like the ocean, but we were cutting them even easier than water. Head after head rolled onto the ground. Goblin bodies fell upon our swords and axes, now stripped of limbs. They were no match for us, and it felt good to realize that everything the apartment had thrown us was now dead at our feet. The goblins soon realized this, and retreated back into their cave. 
          The blood glistening off the snow was a marvelous sight indeed. But I was at no point ready to take a break and absorb the pleasant sight. No. We must go up the mountain. We only had one problem. All of our clothes were torn, and warmth from them was non existent. I brought this problem to the groups attention, and like that all of our spirits were dampened just a bit more. Except one. Mitri promptly took up his stone sword and hacked off some of his chest hair. Before it hit the ground, it grew back again with the same thickness as though he had never touched it. "We will make clothes" Mitri told the group. It seemed he was so hairy, that I had thought that whatever fur he was wearing was a wolf pelt before, but it all seemed to be his own. It was either make clothes, or freeze. We each took clumps of his hair and fashioned them into long pants, long shirts, hats, and even shoes. It even stopped Nate's extreme BO that had caused us to tear up the whole way here. It smelled like something had eaten a whole bunch of onions right before it had died on him, rotted, and had enough life to come back and fart. 
          It seemed like hope was showing through on this journey. We started up the mountain, and we all thought that this would finally be over. But even before we could start a pace, we faced a high wall of stone. We had to climb it for any more progress. Just like that Nate stepped forward. "I got this" he told us. He jumped as high as he could, and forcefully jabbed his pointy chin into the ice. Of course! His chin was so bony and pointed that it acted as a type of ice pick. "Climb up one at a time!" he yelled down. So we did, and like that we were back on track again. 
          Up into the sky the mountain stretched. It seemed as though we had a few days hike in store for us, but that was no matter. No more running, no more hiding. Whatever this place is, or has in store for us, we will meet it with sword in hand. We can beat this place at its own game. We will out live my apartment, or die by its hand.

Day 32

Churchill Downs Day 32: For the first time since we moved into this mysterious place, our bellies are filled. The wolves were no match against the cold steel of Nate's braces that I fashioned into a type of sword. Their pelts will keep us warm in this abyss of the blizzard. Nate even used one of the sets of wolves teeth as a pair of false dentures that he can now eat and talk with. But the wolf in our stomachs will only last us so long, and the tundra is becoming fiercer by the days. We walk toward the ever stretching gaze of the mountains. We walk to sure victory over this forsaken place. Our travel has brought us even deeper into this blistering cold, and were it not for the fur, we would surely freeze to death. We had become sure that this was our luck, and like it or not, we had to play the hand we were dealt. So we walk. During our walk we heard something rather odd though. It was not elk, nor wolf, nor pirate, nor any sound we had heard since our visit into the kind village. It sounded like voices headed our way. Nate and I were all but ready for whatever was tracking us, braces sword in hand, and Nate's new teeth ready to bite down on whatever threat the apartment would send. We waited what seemed like hours, and then suddenly two figures emerged from the depth of the ice storm. Two sights that were even more magnificent than any mountain peek in the world. My brothers had come for us. There stood Andy Hassett and Casey Hassett. They looked battle hardened, as though they had been put through the same hardships as my fellow companion and I. What a glorious sight to see! A part of the family I thought would only be my last memory. They greeted us like we had come back from the dead. According to them though, we had. They told us of their visit on one weekend, and as soon as they opened the door to come in, they were some how sucked inside of this evil place. They said that it tested them till breaking, but some how the three of them held on.... Curious. There are only two of them. They told us of another, that had become trapped with them. They motioned that they wanted us to follow them somewhere, and Nate and I were more inclined to follow them, than simply sit in the open. We walked for a whole day, until finally we reached their camp. They had made tents, and even had a fire! How????? I begged my brothers to explain their way of coming across tents and building a fire. How?? They simply did what we did, but got luckier. They survived. Then I asked of their third companion, and even before I got the words from my tongue, a man I had not seen in decades emerged from the darkness of the tent. A man that I knew would be of great aid in our journey. Mitri Salman Shatara was a pleasant sight for eyes that had seen nothing but falling snow and struggle for the past what seemed like years. We sat around the fire and talked about every event, every hardship, every time we thought we would not see the light of day again. We conversed until our voices were hoarse. Then Nate and I told them of our journey, and how the blistering frozen tundra had us all by the throats. We told them of the answers we sought from the mountains, and how we must travel there to find out more about this whole ordeal. They more than agreed to come with us. When we all stood at the ready to leave, it seemed that they had made some things that were slightly more advanced than our own. Weapons. Casey stood, and grabbed a bow and arrows made out of the wood from the mighty oak in the forest near their camp. Mitri stood and picked up what seemed to be a sword made from the strong stone of the tundra. Finally Andy stood and grasped a steel battle axe, made from his tough and indestructible braces that he had ripped off his teeth. I stood and clutched the sword made from Nate's mouth that had slayed so many wolves, and Nate rose smiling and showing our company the power that is a wolf's bite on any prey he would set his gaze on. We brave five that stood unbroken by all the challenges that the apartment had thrown our way, and we were going to beat this hell. We started toward the mountains, more ready for anything than we had been in a while, and suddenly I got a feeling of fire in my belly. We will go to the mountain, found out what is going on, and beat this devilish house at it's own game. We have adapted and survived, now we will win.

Day 30

Churchill Downs Day 30: It has become a dark winter. It seems the temperature here has created frozen mountains and tundras. We have no idea where we are in relation to the apartment anymore. A giant blizzard blocks everything but the gargantuan mountains from our gaze. As dangerous as it would be to venture out into the icy storm of the tundra, it is even more dangerous to stay in place. Nate and I agreed that we would journey to the mountains, and maybe we will get a better idea of where we have ended up. And so we did. 
          It feels like we have been walking for days on end now. Nate has completely stopped communicating with me. It might be the survival instincts activating in us both, only setting our focus on one goal, or it could be the ceramic coffee mug he tried to eat earlier that we found, and has completely severed his vocal cords in doing so. During our travel we came across a type of village. They offered us what little food they could spare and warm beds to sleep in for the night. The next morning we gave our thanks, and we had to set off again on our journey. Before we left I asked them how they came to be here. They said that they were an indigenous people that had settled in that spot over 100 years ago... but that cannot be true...
          What is this place? I wagered that we would find out soon enough. Maybe those mountains held more than just a view, maybe they have answers too. The only things we have in our possession are a wooden spear crafted from a coffee table leg, two torn blankets that we had made into vests and pants, the remains of Nate's braces that perhaps I could make into snow shoes, or climbing equipment, and our will to go on. We are set on the journey, and nothing can break our spirits, though often Nate will start crying like a little girl, and remind me of how badly he just wants to see his truck again. It's all he ever speaks of since the dementia set in from all the sheet rock we had to eat. On a side note, it appears that there is a herd of elk somewhere in front of us. We can hear their cries and we constantly see their tracks, which means one thing, food. 
         We will eat tonight. But we must be quick, we must reach them before the wolves do. Both I and Nate are tired of them always getting to the herds before us, so tonight we will be ready for them. I don't have any problem with changing the menu from elk, to wolf. One way or another, we will eat tonight.

Day 29

Churchill Downs Day 29: The fire has completely gone out. We have fixed the air conditioner, but it may be for the worst. The temperature gauge has been broken, and it has brought about a fierce cold. Everything in the apartment has been frozen solid. 
Nate and I huddle together with the torn blankets we salvaged from the closet earlier before it completely caved in. Nate's mouth has completely frozen shut from his lack of teeth, and he can only mumble now. It seems as though the icy weather here has affected both of us. We have started communicating in a type of cave man language. Nate even crafted a wooden spear to fend off the other dangers that have made their way into the apartment. It seems as though the icy temperature has attracted a group of wolves that have made their den in my bedroom. We dare not go in there on fear of death.
 Nate is certain that this semester will be our last, but I will make sure that we come out on top of this bleak situation. We have been abandoned by all who could have helped, now all we must do is survive. We will survive.

Day 26

Churchill Downs Day 26: We have little oxygen left in the apartment, and Nate has gone mad from the lack there of. He tried to eat a can of spray paint the other night and told me it was spray cheese. There is no food left, and our only entertainment is putting bets on who can hold there hand over the already dieing fire longest. Nates braces have completely rusted shut, and he's now losing teeth every day, but I guess that's alright, because you don't chew spray paint anyway. 
          Our neighbors have all resorted to cannibalism, often Nate and I will listen to the screams while we try and eat what little furniture we have left, or haven't already fed to the fire keeping us from freezing. I fear that soon we will resort to cannibalism too, Nate keeps looking like a baked chicken the more I glance at him. The plumbing has stopped too, and the corners of the apartment have all filled up. Maybe if we crafted a sort of signal flare the strip might see us... I believe help will come, maybe some day. It must.

Day 21

Churchill Downs Day 21: Have successfully started a fire in living room for warmth 

after power has failed. Nate seems to be suffering from 

some sort of hallucinations brought on by the burning of the styrofoam we used for the last of the fire. I do not think he'll make it through the night. All I can do is hold on to the thoughts of home, and the last cans of rock soup we have here. Maybe help will come. I can only hope...