Time Remaining: 37 Days, 06 Hours. Location: The Rust Wastes (Sector 1: The Flatlands).
Night in the Rust Wastes wasn't dark. It was orange.
The atmosphere was so thick with oxidized dust and suspended metal particles that the moonlight scattered, turning the sky into a bruised, glowing haze.
Inside the Iron Horse, it was loud, hot, and smelled like boiler fumes.
Arthur sat in the driver's seat, his eyes glued to the track ahead. The high-beams (two massive spotlights salvaged from a lighthouse) cut through the dark, illuminating the rusted rails for about 200 meters.
Clack-clack. Clack-clack.
The rhythm was hypnotic. At 90 mph, the rails were a blur.
"Shift change," Arthur announced, his voice raspy. He rubbed his eyes. "Zack, you're on the wheel. Keep the pressure at 85%. If it hits 95%, vent the steam, or we lose the gasket."
"Me?" Zack looked up from his map. He looked exhausted. "I don't have a driving license, Arthur. I ride a bicycle."
