The idyllic impression lasted about half way down to the town, when we were met by most of the the menfolk of Leah, armed with shotguns and rifles. As pretty a place as it was, the residents were still wastelanders, and justifiably touchy about strangers. It took us a little time to convince them that we meant them no harm, and longer still before they'd allow us to come into the town. Once Chasity'd convinced them that she was looking for her family, they all got real quiet.
"You say yer lookin' for Heida and Roy?" said their spokesman, leaning his shotgun over his shoulder, the way she used to.
"Mm hmm," said Chasity, with a smile, because she hadn't quite twigged to their expressions yet. Something was wrong.
"I hate to be the one to tell ya," he starts, then pauses, glancing around to see if anyone else would finish. When no one said anything, and he caught the furrow in Chasity's brow, he sighed and continued. "I hate to tell ya miss, but yer kin... well, they're gone."
"Gone?" Chasity's voice trembled in what could be the beginnings of tears, or rage. "What do you mean gone? Are they dead?"
"I don't rightly know, miss," he replied, glancing back toward the ruined city behind him. "They were..." He trailed off, glancing around again. Still, no one else seemed willing to brave the outburst they could see building in Chasity.
"They were taken."
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