Author: Chris Lodwig

The hardroad did not plunge directly into the heart of Rowe. Instead, it traveled, straight as an arrow, along the top of the low hill that defined the town’s northern … Continue reading Arrival in Rowe

The professors’ caravan stayed on the hardroad and their progress was swift. A few hours after she had watched the last white wall of the last familiar house in Orloton … Continue reading The Road to Rowe

From the Compiled Journals of Partner LemDay 7, 0 NE Apparently, we’re supposed to write.I don’t think I’ve done this since I was a child learning the alphabet and simple … Continue reading Lem : Day 7, 0 NE

After breakfast, Lem’s Erasa-delible pen sat poised over his empty notebook, its tip twitching as he practiced scribbling out his thoughts. The blank page was as desolate and full of … Continue reading Eryn and Lem Make History

“Where you going Reyankaiya?” Tom’s familiar eager voice hurried along behind her trying to keep up. “Away,” she said over her shoulder not slowing down. She knew it would be … Continue reading Reyan Leaves Orloton

Three days after the end of the systemic era, Lem was sitting on a rotting log on the shore of Lake Armory. The sun had been a white-hot spot near … Continue reading Eryn and Lem Return Home

That year, the snow arrived before the professors. As far back as Reyan could remember, it had always been the other way around. The professors only came to Orloton in … Continue reading The Professors Arrive

Maik emerged midway through the explosion, just after the flash, his senses slammed beyond their limits, reeling. The whiteness precipitated into a soup of intermingling colors and smells and sounds. … Continue reading Prologue – The heart of the System

Eryn was sitting at the kitchen table. Her plate was scraped clean, and her mug of water was empty, but she’d not yet cleared them. Instead, she sat looking out … Continue reading Lem and Eryn Return to Prower

From the Compiled Journals of Partner LemDay 253, 0 NE We spent the winter at Thomas’ homestead reading the big book, looking up useful bits of knowledge as needed, or … Continue reading Lem and Eryn’s first winter

The next morning Reyan woke to the rustling-mouse sounds of Avalina preparing for work by the light of a single candle. Reyan sat up and pushed back her hair. It … Continue reading Leaving Rowe

When it was time to leave for dinner, the girls took a lantern from the stand by the front door and headed to the caravan to meet up with Kavi … Continue reading Dinner with the Keepers