Jake's mind was a storm of thoughts as he left the brothel. The morning sun was higher now, the air warmer, but he felt a chill deep in his bones. He remembered his life before the canyon... the city, the noise, the faces of his colleagues. He remembered his mission to arrest Dirty Joy, the sting operation that had gone wrong, the moment he'd realized he was trapped.
He walked through the settlement, his eyes scanning the faces of the settlers. They moved in slow, deliberate patterns, their eyes dull, their voices low. None of them called each other by name. None of them remembered who they were.
Jake found Miya sitting by the well, her hands clasped in her lap, her eyes distant. He sat beside her, his heart aching.
"Miya," he said softly.
She turned to him, her eyes wide with fear. "Why do you keep calling me that? I don't know that name."
Jake reached out and took her hand. "It's your name. You're Miya. And I'm Jake. We're police officers. We came here to arrest Dirty Joy."
Miya's face changed in an instant. Her eyes widened, her lips parted, and a strange, wild light flickered in her gaze. For a moment, Jake thought she might remember. But then she screamed, her voice sharp and piercing.
"He's also a cop! He's a cop!" Miya's words echoed across the settlement. "He is a police officer!"
Jake stood motionless, stunned. He hadn't expected this reaction from Miya. The settlers, drawn by her cries, turned toward them, their faces twisting with suspicion and fear. The air grew thick with tension.
"What did you say?" Boyd's voice was a growl as he stepped forward, his scarred face grim.
Miya pointed at Jake, her finger shaking. "He's a cop! He just told me! He's here to arrest Dirty Joy!"
The settlers murmured among themselves, their voices rising in anger and confusion. Jake tried to speak, to explain, but the words died in his throat. He could see the fear in their eyes fear of the outside, fear of the law, fear of being taken from the only home they remembered.
"Catch him!" someone shouted.
Miya, her face flushed with excitement, joined the others as they surged toward Jake. He backed away, his hands raised, but there was nowhere to run. The settlers closed in, their hands rough, their voices loud. Jake tried to resist, to push through, but there were too many of them.
Someone grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back. Another struck him in the ribs, making him gasp. He struggled, but the settlers were relentless. They dragged him through the settlement, past the inn, toward the back room where the traveler had been locked.
Jake's head was spinning. He could taste blood in his mouth, feel a sharp pain in his side. He realized, too late, that someone had stabbed him. The wound burned, the blood soaking into his shirt.
"Let me go!" Jake shouted, his voice hoarse. "You don't understand! We're all trapped here!"
But the settlers weren't listening. They shoved him into the room and slammed the door behind him. The lock clicked into place, sealing him inside.
Jake collapsed onto the floor, his breath ragged. He pressed a hand to his side, wincing at the pain. The room was dim, the only light seeping in through a small, barred window. He could hear the settlers outside, their voices fading as they walked away.
He called out, his voice weak. "Help! Someone help me!"
But no one answered. The settlement was silent, indifferent to his pain.
Jake slumped against the wall, his mind racing. He tried to make sense of what had happened. Miya had turned on him, had betrayed him. But why? Was it the device in her ear, the alien influence, or something else? Had she ever really been on his side?
He looked around the room, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. In the corner, the traveler sat watching him, his face expressionless. The man was thin, his clothes ragged, his eyes dark and unreadable.
"Who are you?" Jake asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
The traveler didn't answer. He just stared, his gaze steady and calm.
Jake tried to stand, but the pain in his side was too much. He slumped back down, his head spinning. The blood was still seeping from his wound, staining his shirt and the floor beneath him.
He closed his eyes, trying to focus, to stay conscious. He could hear his own heartbeat, loud and slow. The room was cold, the air thick with dust and the scent of old wood.
Jake thought about Jeremiah, about Lila, about the device in his ear. He thought about the aliens, about the experiment, about the loop that kept them all trapped. He wondered if he would ever escape, if he would ever see the outside world again.
The traveler shifted in the corner, his movement drawing Jake's attention. The man's eyes were still on him, watching his every move, his every breath.
"Are you one of them?" Jake asked, his voice weak. "Are you an alien?"
The traveler's lips twitched, but he didn't speak. Jake couldn't tell if it was a smile or a grimace.
The minutes stretched on, the silence pressing down on Jake. He tried to stay awake, to stay alert, but the pain and the blood loss were taking their toll. His vision blurred, his thoughts growing foggy.
Just as he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, he heard the sound of the lock turning. The door creaked open, and a sliver of light spilled into the room.
Lila stood in the doorway, her face pale, her eyes wide with fear. She put a finger to her lips, signaling for Jake to be silent.
Jake tried to speak, but Lila shook her head urgently. She glanced over her shoulder, then back at Jake, her expression pleading.
The traveler in the corner sat up straighter, his eyes fixed on Lila. Jake could feel the tension in the room, the air thick with danger and uncertainty.
Lila took a cautious step forward, her gaze darting between Jake and the traveler. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, folded cloth. She held it out to Jake, her hand trembling.
Jake took the cloth, his fingers brushing against hers. It was damp, cool to the touch. He unfolded it and saw that it was a makeshift bandage, already soaked in water.
Lila pointed to his wound, then to the bandage. She mouthed the words, "Don't speak."
Jake nodded, pressing the cloth to his side. The pain was sharp, but the coolness of the water brought some relief.
Lila turned to the traveler, her eyes narrowing. She studied him for a long moment, then shook her head. She turned back to Jake and mouthed, "Be careful."
Jake nodded again, his mind racing. He didn't know if he could trust Lila, but right now, she was his only hope.
Lila stepped back, her hand on the door. She gave Jake one last look, her eyes filled with fear and determination. Then she slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
The lock clicked back into place, sealing Jake and the traveler inside once more.
Jake leaned back against the wall, his breath shallow. The traveler was still watching him, his expression unreadable.
The room was silent again, the only sound the distant murmur of voices outside. Jake closed his eyes, his mind drifting.
He wondered if he would ever escape the canyon, if he would ever see Miya again, if he would ever remember who he really was.
And as the darkness closed in around him, he clung to the hope that somehow, someway, he would find a way out.