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Novelo Rectangle

&nbsp;Evangeline walked over to the computer terminal holding the heart-shaped locket in her hand and looked at the indentation of a heart on the panel. She then looked at the monitor once again, if you want to change the world place heart into indentation was still flashing on the screen, “What can happen?” she thought to herself as she slowly reached for the panel with the locket between her fingers and placed it in the indentation. She stepped back not knowing what was going to happen when the locket started to light up and then projected a holographic map above her head she quickly retrieved her data recorder and made a copy of the map, then she lay in the sand below it so she could get a better look.&nbsp;&nbsp;As she gazed at the hologram above her, she noticed that it was the earth as it used to be hundreds of years ago with the blue oceans and green vegetation everywhere but next to it was the planet now, all brown and shadowy with patches of green here and there and deserts where the oceans used to be. As Eve looked at the old earth, she noticed a light flashing and it was also flashing in the same spot on the now earth globe, she noticed it was the north pole when a message appeared before her. Take the key to this spot where the earth will become new. The message flashed for a few minutes and then vanished before the entire hologram vanished and she was left in the dark with a faint glow coming from where the locket was as she walked over, removed it from the panel, and placed it around her neck once more. Placing her hand upon it, she looked around and all the old computers were quiet once again and she wondered if it was just a dream or hallucination when she reached for her data reader and flicked it on an image of the map and two planets appeared, “So it wasn’t a dream and it looks like I’m going on another quest to save the earth,” she said to herself as she looked at the map and prepared to settle in for the night.&nbsp;Over the next few days, Eve salvaged what she could from the old computer equipment because it was not going to be cheap or easy to get to the North Pole and there were many dangers on the way. When she left the computer room, she made sure that her tracks were covered so no one would be able to find the room while she was gone because there were still many artifacts there that she could not bring with her, and they were worth a great deal to the right person.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Salvage Yard&nbsp;Eve made suitable time over the next couple of days and was quickly approaching Wasteland Salvage, which was the main buyer of salvage in the area with other smaller yards scattered around the wasteland. Eve was hoping that it would not take exceptionally long to get things sold, so she could get resupplied and get on her way north. When she entered the yard, there were scavengers lined up at the entrance waiting to be seen and she knew that she was going to be here a while. She watched the other scavengers as they came and went, some happy, some angry and sad because they figured they would have gotten a better price for their scrap. After a couple of hours under the scorching sun, it was finally her turn to go. Otto looked out at the scavengers and when he called out the next number a smile came across his face when he saw Eva approaching. She was known to be able to find the best salvage and she never brought in junk occasionally some trader would try to rip her off and at the end of it, they would be a finger or ear short. “Eva my girl, it has been a long time since your last visit,” he said smiling. “I was out around the wastelands and the forbidden desert, weather was crap,” she replied. Everyone within hearing distance then just turned and looked at her, for it was suicide to go to any of them places. “You're pulling my leg, no one in their right mind would go to any of them places, right,” he said while Eva untied her scrap. “Well, you tell me then?” she said as she threw an old laptop on the counter. “Where do you think I got this from?” she finished as she cocked an eyebrow. Otto did not know what to say as she continued to put old computer parts and components on his table when a tall overweight scavenger came up to her. “Where did you steal that salvage from girl, no one has ever returned from the forbidden desert, so you must have stolen it,” he said as he grabbed for the laptop. Eva’s hand came down and drove the knife through the back of his hand and then twisted. Turning with all the strength she had, kicked him square in the groin, and as he fell, pulled the knife from his hand, wiping it in his jacket. “Do not ever touch my stuff again. If you are too big of a coward to go there yourself and then accuse me of stealing. I never want to see your ugly face around here again,” she said as she kicked him once more before going about her business.&nbsp;Otto smiled and went to work sorting out the salvage Eva was stacking on his table, occasionally a curious salvager would come up and ask her about her travels and then go on with their business. Eva was finishing with Otto when a young girl came up to Eva stopping her in her tracks, rubbing her eyes and staring at her when she spoke. “Are you alright?” she asked. “I am terribly sorry; you look like someone I have seen before. What is your name?” Eva asked. “Isabelle, but my friends call me Izzy if I have any,” she replied, lowering her head. Eva walked up to the young girl and raised her head. “You have one now,” she said, as tears fell from Izzy’s eyes. The little girl then wrapped her arms around Eva and a smile came to her face when she looked at the girl once more. “Where are your parents? You must only be thirteen or fourteen years old,” she asked. “They were killed by raiders as we crossed the wetlands. When they saw them coming, they told me to run and not look back, so I ran till I could not anymore and could not hear anything. It took me almost two weeks to reach here and I have been waiting for my parents ever since,” she told her. “How long have you been here?” Eva asked.&nbsp;&nbsp;“For almost a month now begging from the scavengers to get by and Otto has been very nice to me,” she said with a smile looking over at him.&nbsp;&nbsp;Eva went over and sat at Otto’s stand and watched as he tended to the other salvagers and then looked at Izzy who was sitting next to her. “I must get some supplies, would like to tag along with me?” she asked the young girl and her eyes lit up, “Yes please,” she said as she jumped up grabbing Eva’s hand. They traveled from stand to stand as Eva haggled with the vendors for the best price and by the day ended, she was stocked and ready to leave in the morning. She went over to where Izzy was huddled up by a small fire and placed a blanket over her shoulders. Izzy looked up at her and smiled and Eva sat next to her. “So, do you have any plans? She asked her. “I do not know what to do, I don’t think my parents survived the attack,” she said as moisture built up in the corner of her eyes. Eva put her arm around her, “How about you come with me? I am leaving for the north in the morning, and if you like you can come along with me, then you do not have to be alone,” she suggested. Izzy dried her eyes and hugged Eva, staying there till they were both asleep.&nbsp;

The Quest

KCKeats

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