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This tale doesn't have a happy ending...

<< Mmmh,
This is my diary. The diary of an old man now. I can't even remember when exactly i started to scribble on it, but it feels like an age ago. That worned-off journal today, is the last thing that keeps me sane... And my fervent companion too, Horsey the horse. That old sack of bones, always complaining, always rummaging my backpack to eat my carrots while i sleep. Damn you, Horsey !... Damn you... I love you.

To whoever finds this journal, here is my story.

All began when i was born, in a seemingly lovely small village. As soon as i was born, my kind mother took great care of me, fed me, clothed me. She gave me the name of Latroy Jo. She taught me everything i needed to survive, live and thrive. She was a wonderful caring mother. Bless her soul.
I spent all of my childhood in the kitchen's village, with my mother. I observed the only other person that was also here : The cook, working tirelessly and endlessly making pies, pies, pies.
I was a curious boy and did not want to stay in this kitchen one more minute, watching this kind automaton making pies. I was avid to discover my village and its inhabitants. So, when i was old enough to walk on my own two legs and able to use my both hands and work, i wandered and visited the town with my mum wishing me good fortune.

I walked for a bit and came to a deprecated stone building. I was fascinated by the tools and machinery made of steel in the city's forge. they were so elaborate, made with great attention to the details. I'm pretty sure the black-smith was building some kind of car, or maybe even a flying machine. Incredible !
I wanted to become a blacksmith apprentice, learn everything from him and maybe one day, build together his wooden box with wings and fly above the clouds.
But i never found him.
So i wandered somewhere else.

I wandered for quite some time, walked along a long street, badly maintained, saw the beginning of the construction of some houses, but weirdly enough, i just encountered only one person, building his lifeless home. I observed him for a little time, doing the same routine : pick rock, chisel it, make a block, store it, pick rock, chisel it, make a block, store it... On and on, and on, and on... He reminded of the cook. A kind lifeless robot. I chose to not disturb him, and left him to his routine.

I ended up being hungry, i decided to go wander near the big farm of the town.
Eureka !
Finally, i saw and met a few people there, I probably found where all the inhabitants were. All of them, those three or four people, chatting, working, eating. But i was quite shocked at the state of the farm. It was in such a bad state, seeing all of those bushes deprived of water and fertilizer; quite a few empty wells with just one remaining half full; not a lot of new crops planted; and even saw the last batch of carrots being harvested.
I decided it was time to help here, starting with the simple task of bringing some new fertilizer. We desperately needed that good soil.

In my quest for the soil, i found a horse with a few baskets in the cart he was carrying. He was there, alone, attached to a fence. The poor fellow probably was sitting there for a while with nobody passing by to even say hi to him. Nobody was around, so i took the horse and we went venture nearby, collecting the precious and nutritious soil.
We did this for a few years with hard work, at last, we saved the bushes.
Without noticing it at first, but i became a lifeless robot doing the same routine too, like the cook, or the possessed builder. Grabbing dirt, bringing it back, bushes, water, rinse and repeat...
But it was fulfilling. I finally understood the appeal of doing the same little routine again and again. I also started to bond with Horsey. With time, i gave him that name Horsey, and a few carrots too. He loved his carrots. He didn't care about his name, only cared about his carrots. But he was a good horse. Damn you, Horsey.

On my 25th birthday, i tragically realized something. There were not a lot of people left, but more importantly, there were no more women (fertile anyway).
The village is doomed, and its inhabitants didn't even seem to realize that fact.
Back in the day, I wasn't sure if i should disclose my unfortunate discovery. But after another year of hard thinking, i couldn't let my family, friends, and neighbors, living in ignorance.

I wanted to tell the sad news to my mother, but i found her dead, near the tomb of my grandmother. I didn't have the chance to tell her goodbye too.

I therefore continued and went to see the tireless cook, and told him the news. I never thought the cook could speak, after all, during all my life he never said a single word. I thought he was a mute. But surprisingly, he opened his mouth and yelled a simple big "NOOOO", following with an "it's impossible, are you sure? this is not possible!".
For the first time, he left its kitchen and ran around the city. Probably hoping i was wrong.
Sadly, i wasn't.

I went to tell the news to the other automaton : the builder. however, obviously, in a small village, with a tiny community, and a crazy, but kind chef, running everywhere while yelling "Have you seen a woman around? ANY woman?! There are no more (fertile) women around!".

The news spread like wildfire, everyone started to gather nearby the farm. When i joined them, i could see it on their faces, the same face : Despair and Renouncement.

We all knew what that report meant. The village was doomed to certain death. we were living-walking corpses.
Following that, the cook went back to his kitchen, the builder to his house and the remaining two farmers stayed in the farm, talking to each other. I went back in the company of my only friend there, Horsey.

I was done with this place, done with this life, i thought of ending my life, starving myself... But then, i looked at Horsey, his eyes glimmering, and in his way, he comforted me.
I stopped being a defeatist, and took the decision of leaving this town and go way beyond the great north forest, in the hope of finding another town, filled with life, people that could help us ! I wanted my neighbors to join me in this adventure, and so, i went to ask to each of them.

I went to meet the chef, he was still in its kitchen. I asked him to join me and go together to venture in the grand north to seek help.
But the cook, once again, stopped talking. Fell into a deep silence again. Then suddenly, took his clothes off, removing them one by one until entirely naked, opened the door of his kitchen for the very last time, and walked, toward the great and arid desert, in the south. I never saw him again.
He probably realized that all of his work, all those pies, all of that, was for nothing... that all of that was going to rot, that all of its hard work... Well, you can catch my drift. Perhaps, he couldn't handle the chock.
I took a few pies with me and placed them in the cart of Horsey.

I then went to see the builder at his barely built home, but unfortunately, i couldn't see him anywhere, no one, nothing, except his tools laying down there and a bloody knife... I refused to imagine what happened there. I still took his knife, it still could be useful in my journey against evil bears, boars or sneaky snakes.

Continuing, i went to the farm, but couldn't see the two farmers. They were an old lady and his son. But i heard faintly their voices, near the cemetery. I approached quietly and spying a little. The old lady was asking her son if he could bury her, here, when she'll soon die. He accepted, with tears in his eyes. After those words, she fell, and stayed there, immobile.
I approached the son, asked if he wanted to join me in my adventure, after he buried his mom, of course. He replied with a simple and frank "No, thank you". Just that. No. Thank you.
For a moment, i wanted to convince him to come with me anyway, that there was nothing left here anyway, no reason to stay, alone. But that was exactly that that he wished. To remain alone, with his mom. The lone last ghost of this town.

Decided, i mounted Horsey, and together, we went beyond the grand north forest, with the only mission, seeking help... Any help.
Full of hopes we left the village. Back in those days, i truly thought that we would come back, with the help of some villagers from another town, and revive my lovely little village... How foolish i was...

And so, with Horsey, for many many years, we ventured, straight north. In the beginning, i truly hoped to find life. But after a decade, and such a long distance we traveled... Hope was long gone. just like the carrots in my backpack, that's roughly when i started to realize Horsey liked to steal my carrots during my sleep too.

Horsey and i, we both knew that now, we would never come back to the village. We knew that we would find no one. Now... now we were just two adventurers, wandering endlessly in the grand north.
Many scorched deserts we passed, many humid jungles, savannah,  plain meadows, high mountains and so on...
Many dangers we crossed, sneaky sneaky snakes, dumb and fast boars, and evil bears always trying to eat our asses...
Many wonders too, the beautiful view in the top of a mountain, the lovely ponds in some random incredible meadow, we also crossed a weird relic of some sort, a tall monolith with three holes in it. When we saw that with Horsey, we thought that some civilization nearby built it !. but we searched in vain, we saw no one... Probably another civilization long gone too.

So many years have passed now, so little time left, my journal is in quite a bad state, i lost a few pages, many pages, many tales, and my shoes... Well, i don't have shoes anymore. Too much walking and a horse that chewed them when i didn't give him some wild carrots.

I can feel it in my bones, i'm not as young as i used to be. My back and feet are killing me, and i'm damn bald ! Also, Horsey steals more easily my wild carrots in my backpack, Damn you Horsey, my dear ol' friend. It seems that i sleep more and more often. I need to rest more and more longer. >>

With those words, Latroy Jo closes his journal, wishing to continue his adventure and write them later, he yawns, find a nice little spot to take a long night sleep near that funny rock that looks like a face, closes his eyes, wishes a good night to his friend Horsey, and fall into the realm of dreams, and never wakes up again.

Latroy Jo, 57yrs old, traveled 6.9 Kilometers.

TLDR : village dies, i take a horse, i leave, trying to go as far as possible, and end up traveling 6.9 kilometers... I only realized afterward that i traveled 6.9... Damn you, my perverted subconscious !