[MD 1, 5:20PM, Laporte, PA]

>"Hank's from Forksville, too," the waitress explained. "But how would you
>know? You're passed out drunk by nightfall."

Newt couldn't suppress the chuckle that assailed him at that. Kate gave him a warning look and he gulped a bit but the waitress chuckled along with him. "I think this one knows you, Hank!"

The man huffed, "Scrawny little runt don't know nothing!"

Newt shrugged, "Well I don't know you, sir. But I have to admit it sounds very like my Uncle Rex. You see my mother and his wife are sisters. And they were both raised with a .. contempt, so to speak."

Now it was Hank's turn to horselaugh loudly. "Prohibitionists and Prudes!"

"Pretty much. Anyway, Uncle Rex liked his drink .. He saw many things when passed out drunk by nightfall .." Newt shook his head, "It was an amazing phenomena."

Betsy chuckled, "I'll bet. So can I get something for you and your friends, young man."

"You know I'd really love some Beef Stew." Newt told her.

She grinned, "Well we make the best Homemade Beef Stew you ever tasted."

She began to take orders from the rest, as Hank continued to tell them about what he saw. It mostly sounded like puffed up tails of UFO's and secret government projects .. all of them had heard those before. How many of them actually panned out .. Newt suspected none of them. And it was pretty clear that Hank was enjoying spinning his yarns.

But still they were getting dinner and an enjoyable tale.

***

[MD 1, 9:48PM, World's end]

Newt had just laid down to sleep when there was a knock at the cabin door. He was going to get up, but heard Flynn grumbling, as his feet hit the cabin floor. So instead Newt buried his head in his pillow. He couldn't believe how tired he was .. guess there was something to what they said about emotional exhaustion. The plane incident was catching up with him.

He'd thought about calling his mother. Kate mentioned that their excursion had been on the news. But he decided it was better he didn't .. she'd only take the opportunity to remind him that there were several firms in the Chicago Loop that would certainly like to hire him. But he wasn't ready to give up this adventure yet.

"Newt," Flynn grumbled, "Get out of bed. We're going .. hiking."

"Hiking?" he asked.

"Yep, guess the girls aren't tired."

Newt nodded, "All right. I'm in."

***

[MD 1, 10:00PM, In the wood's around World's End]

>The night sky was clear, and it was already getting cold. What they heard
>at the bar seemed to be true, as they were entering the woods past the
>last cabin, they started hear a strange muffled sound.
>"It looks like someone is doing some pumping out there...", Newt remarked.

>"Pumping, out of the dam, you mean" Sharlyn said.

>"No, just like if they were doing some mining."

Newt started to move closer wanting to get a closer look at what was going on. The sounds of a motor were clear .. standard diesel engine associated with some type of generator. The sounds of digging were also becoming clearing. "Are there large mineral deposits in this area?" he turned to ask.

He didn't ear an answer as a bright light shown in his face and a horrible screech sounded in his ears .. then everything went black.


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