Henry's eyes locked on hers, his expression serious. "If you just take a look around, you'll understand what I mean," he said, gesturing to the desolate landscape. The team looked around, taking in the vast expanse of dry land and bush.
"That we are in the middle of nowhere," Henry finished his voice barely above a whisper. He threw up his hands in exasperation. "No signal, no civilization, no nothing."
The team erupted into panicked whispers, their faces filled with fear and uncertainty. Frank paced back and forth, his eyes scanning the horizon. Nora clutched her bag to her chest, her eyes wide with fear.
Henry's hands rose, trying to calm them down. "No, no, I didn't mean to frighten you guys; that's not what I mean. What I meant is that we can't get an automobile engineer here. This place is...is a bit uninhabited."
Adam spoke up, his voice laced with concern. "Sir, do you know that the compass can't geolocate today?" he asked, lifting the compass in his hand above his head.
Henry's eyes narrowed as he walked over to Adam. "I believe your name is Adam, right?" he asked, a hint of attitude in his voice.
Adam nodded. "Yeah, I'm the new guy who got transferred months ago into your department."
Henry's expression turned thoughtful as he muttered, "Adam Richard..." He looked at Adam with a hint of curiosity. "Well, Adam, I did not notice that the compass can't geolocate today."
Adam's voice was laced with concern. "Time keeps fluctuating, not accurate."
Henry's eyes widened in alarm as he pulled out his phone to check. He looked at Adam with a serious expression. "I admire your significance of observation, Adam, but do me a little favour," he said, drawing his face closer to Adam's ear. "Don't scare the crowd."
Adam nodded, and Henry turned back to the team.
Frank's voice was laced with concern. "I don't like this."
Henry's eyes scanned the horizon, his mind racing with possible solutions. "Circular routine, bad signal, compass, and time fluctuating," he muttered, exhaling hard. "I'm getting terrified now...a little."
He turned to the crowd, his expression serious. "Get the valuable stuff you'll need during this journey. I don't know how long we're going to walk...hoping for help."
Nora's voice was laced with fear. "But what if we don't find help?"
Henry's eyes locked on hers, his expression firm. "We will find help. We just need to stay calm and keep moving."
The team reluctantly began to gather their belongings, their faces filled with fear and uncertainty. As they set off on foot, the desolate landscape stretched out before them, seemingly endless.
The road stretched out before them, a desolate ribbon of asphalt that seemed to swallow the silence whole. The only sound was the sweet, melancholic trill of birds, their songs echoing through the stillness like a mournful sigh.
As the team trudged along, their footsteps seemed to grow heavier, their breathing more laboured. The sun beat down on them, relentless in its ferocity, draining the energy from their bodies.
After a mile of walking, the team finally collapsed onto the grassy verge, exhausted. They sat there, panting and sweaty, their eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of rescue.
It was then that they saw him - an old man, his face a map of wrinkles and age spots, his eyes twinkling with a hint of kindness. He was dressed in a long, flowing tunic made of coarse, woven fabric, cinched at the waist with a leather belt. A worn, woollen cloak was draped over his shoulders, and his feet were clad in a pair of sturdy, hand-woven boots that seemed to be made from a thick, woven fabric.
The old man's attire seemed to be from another era, one that was ancient and forgotten. It was as if he had stepped out of a dusty, old history book, and into the present.
Henry approached the old man, his eyes scanning the old man's attire with a mix of curiosity and caution. At first, he thought the old man might not speak English, given his unusual clothing. But Henry decided to take a chance and greet him.
"Good day, sir!" Henry said, trying to sound friendly and non-threatening.
The old man's eyes narrowed, his expression unreadable. "Do I look amusing? What's with the smile?" he asked, his voice low and gravelly.
Henry's eyes widened in surprise, relieved that the old man spoke English. "So you speak English," he said, the words slipping out of his mouth before he could stop them.
The old man's eyes sparkled with amusement. "I do," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Henry's grin faltered, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I guessed my crew and I are lost," Henry said, attempting to laugh off the awkwardness.
The old man's smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with cynicism. "You are," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Henry's eyes widened in surprise. "We are?" he asked, trying to conceal the growing sense of unease in his gut.
The old man's gaze swept over the team, his eyes lingering on each face before returning to Henry. "Don't you know?"
Henry shook his head, feeling a sense of trepidation. "No... well, you don't mind showing us the way home, since we're sort of lost?"
The old man's eyes seemed to bore into Henry's soul. "It's amidst you," he said, his voice low and mysterious.
Henry's confusion deepened. "Sir... um... by chance, do you know your way around?"
The old man's smile grew wider. "Know? I live around. I might look old, but I'm still strong as a youth. How did you get here?"
Henry hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I think I led my team in the wrong direction. It's all due to a situation..."
The old man's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What situation?"
Henry took a deep breath, launching into the story of their circular journey and the mysterious, uninhabited town.
The old man listened intently, his expression unreadable. When Henry finished, he nodded thoughtfully.
"You won't be able to make it home tonight," he said, his voice cavernous.
Henry's eyes widened in alarm. "We can't spend the night here!"
The old man's smile grew wider. "It's getting dark... I can afford to accommodate you all for the night. Don't worry, I'm not a bad person. Just some jokester walking down this road."
Henry's eyes narrowed, unsure what to make of the old man's words.
"Okay, let's get this clear: I'm not forcing you to. If you feel like you can find your way home on your own, well, good for you. As for me, I'm leaving.
The old man turned to leave, but Henry's voice stopped him. "Wait... give me a minute to brief this over with my team."
The old man nodded, his eyes glinting with amusement. As Henry returned to his team, Frank's eyes locked onto his, filled with concern.
"Anything?" Frank asked, his voice low.
Henry wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief. "He lives around here... he's offered to put us up for the night and show us the way home."
Frank's eyes narrowed. "Are you okay with that?"
Henry's expression turned wry. "Do I have a choice? It's going to get dark soon... we need a place to stay."