This group is for keeping the whole story in one accessible place to facilitate going from chapter to chapter easier. Comments can be left on the individual chapters, but no comments in group to keep everything tidy.
The Pilgrimage Epilogue
On the table by a recliner there was a document. It was stamped and marked, bearing the letterhead of the Central Intelligence Agency. The paper was worn, its edges frayed, from being held too ofte…
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The Pilgrimage Chapter 10
As the three men made their way back from the plateau, the sage turned and walked toward his dwelling, a modest, worn structure built into the rocky hillside. The exterior was simple, blending into…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 9
The figure turned slowly to face them, and as they drew closer, they took in the details. The sage was younger than they’d expected, maybe in his early forties, his face partly obscured by a scragg…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 8
They approached the outpost slowly, each man scanning the surroundings, taking in the weary faces of those moving about. This place had the look of something permanent, or as close as anything got…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 7
The SUV rattled along, covering miles that would have taken days on foot. They were finally making real progress, but the hours were long, and the silence heavy. Julio’s leg, though bandaged and nu…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 6
The next morning, the desert greeted them with a harsh, unyielding glare. Julio’s injury was worsening, despite their attempts to keep it clean, and the infection was now a gnawing concern for all…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 5
Morning broke over the desert, casting a muted gray light over the landscape as they roused themselves from restless sleep. Shen stretched, his muscles sore from keeping watch through the night, wh…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 4
They moved cautiously along the ravine, the jagged rocks looming on either side. Each step was heavy, as if Greg’s memory weighed them down, pressing them into the earth. The desert was silent but…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 3
The midday sun beat down on them, oppressive and unrelenting, as they sat in the scant shade of the rocks. Julio’s breathing was labored, his face ashen, but he kept his jaw clenched, forcing hims…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 2
The truck rolled on, cutting through the desert landscape as the morning light grew stronger. They were miles from Carlsbad, with Greg in a steady silence, Julio leaning back with his eyes scanning…
The Pilgrimage Chapter 1
The three unlikely acquaintances silently looked out the window of the beaten old ford F250 that was taking them to Nevada. The pilgrimage was something that became almost a necessity for those tha…
