The Work is Complete

John’s House - Bighorn Basin, Wyoming

Perrine silently toiled at unloading the wagon of its supplies. He was grateful for the assistance. Normally mutants would have been there to meet him topside and they would undertake the unloading. It was strange that they weren’t there and it made him contemplate what must be happening down below.

They unloaded all the supplies into a designated floor space inside an adjacent barn to the main house, save his camping gear and shotgun which was placed inside the house. The staging area in the barn would then be lowered by geo elemental mutants downward like an earthen dumbwaiter. Once unloaded down below the ground would be put back into place. For now though, it seemed like they would just leave it there.

Once they were done, Perrine reached into one of the boxes to retrieve something and closed the barn doors behind them. He got Sophia’s attention with a whistle and tossed her a milk chocolate candy bar as a thanks.

He then called to Luna and led her to the stable. Whisp had already perched up in the stable rafters to take a much needed rest. Though the Barn Owl would most likely soon be out again looking for a snack. Perrine tended to the stall for Luna and made available feed and water. He then neighed and blustered goodnight, their foreheads affectionately pressed together as he rubbed her neck.

He then made his way back to the house. “Follooo mee. I tik yu dwn.” Perrine had been hoping someone would have come up to take Sophia off his hands. He preferred not to go down to the subterranean community unless it was necessary. His usual process was to arrive, unload, spend a night or day recovering, and then he would be off again.

Perrine waved for Sophia to follow him into the house to where the secret trap door was. He knew how to open it. Upon accessing it, he took point to go down first. He would lead down until they go to the earthen wall dead end; the main entrance.