"Brrr it's getting cold" yelled Jed over the windy noise.

He wasn't the only one exposed and strapped to the front of a damaged big rig truck. Mule drove the tanker that previously had a cab at high speed. Bits of the vehicle had been ripped off by a charging mutant moose earlier on the attack. Together they still hauled their precious cargo that would make them wealthy upon delivery.

The multiple full moons overhead lit the desert in light. They had descended into a canyon lined with orange iron rich rocks. The truck kicked clouds off the dusty roads barreling past cactuses, and shrubs. A wolf stood somewhere on the overhead cliffs. Howling echoed throughout the night. Mule shivered, taking his eyes off the road, and scanning for more of them to respond to the call of the wild.

"Well when you reckon we ought to stop for a while?" yelled Jed.

The vehicle slowed to a crawl.

"I'm hoping to get to higher ground before taking any naps unless you are frostbitten," said Mule.

"No, that's a good idea alright and when we get out of this gravel pit build a fire with you getting the first round of shut eye, or me taking driving." said Jed.

“I think I'll take my chances closing my eyes while you drive to keep time as long as you don’t freeze. I'm a high risk animal” said Mule.

“Well everyone has their physical limits before things break down to a complete stoppage” said Jed.

“True, well we will adjust to the situation as we go. Remember the two of us are tough animals” said Mule.

The truck began to accelerate, but a sharp corner lurking ahead slowed them down again. The road was becoming increasingly bumpy, and narrow to traverse. It was lined with little toothpick wood stakes strung with barbed wire flossing. The far drop into the dark below looked deadly. A large shadow swooped overhead momentarily blocked out the lights above. Jed immediately spotted the culprit as a vulture flying through the sky. It nested on a platform of bones in a haggard tree over top eggs as big as tires.

The wind howled and rattled the truck with a large gust threatening to blow it over. The road got bumper, and strained to continue. The small reflective construction sign standing in the road was ignored until it was too late. It crunched, compacting underneath them, as the truck thrashed, and rumbled under a ruble filled road. Another obstacle in the way caused Mule to slam on the brakes skidding forward. They skidded to a stop with the sign crammed directly into their faces. A metal painted plate reading: The Empire has construction in progress: BRIDGE OUT.

“That was another close call” sighed Jed, dusting off his armor.

“Yeah, I guess we might as well break here, but first let's get out and scout out where the bridge is gone,” added Mule.

“I know the empire lies about everything but unfortunately I suspect this might be the only time they tell the truth about a situation” theorized Jed.

"Well there's always a chance to find out something interesting" finished Mule, unfastening his seat belt.

They equipped their weapons. The man with a sword, and rifle while the donkey had a shotgun strapped to the saddle.

"Let's rock N roll" said Jed, after his metal boots hit the ground.

Mule continued forward leading the way holding a lantern in his mouth into the night. This wasn't exactly required with lights hung above being so full. They climbed a slight hill lined with wilted desert flowers. The rough incline of gravel was slippery underfoot. Travel was tough. It took the pair much longer, and a harder effort to reach the top than expected. Here the winds picked up becoming more intense nearing ground level out of the canyon. A tumbleweed shot forward rolling. Mule easily cleared the object with his hoofs.

“There must have been civilization here at some point” said Jed, pointing to a toppled fence half collapsed off the cliff.

“It hasn’t been maintained in a long long while though” stated Mule.

The party advanced to a fork in the road with a tall palm tree the divider. The first path they almost missed. A steep goat trail leading straight to the top of the canyon. The second option the road stayed truck accessible, and looked relatively even. That way vanished out of sight winding around a nearby bend lined with placed plastic cones. They continued around the corner as the sounds of roaring waters grew louder. Both had stayed focused on the way they hoped to drive the big rig later.

A waterfall presented in the distance as a little trickle off the cliff. The road was paved past the falls and angled towards the shadow of a bridge never completed. It was out to reach the small pond waters still being sucked dry from the basin. A drought area where a large lake once flowed replaced with a small dinosaur skeleton, and a rowboat beached on the cracked mud tiles.

“Well well. I would say we can drive right over riverbed instead of resorting to entertaining crazy ideas like jumping over the bridge on ramps ha ha” laughed Jed.

“I would have entertained it if I thought I could make it, Now come on buddy let’s get back to the truck” said Mule.

They jogged backwards retracing their steps to the vehicle. The rocks scattered above the cliffs locked away some of the light. A familiar palm tree held a skeleton bird perched by the goat trail. They had missed the eagle watching them dead eyed from the rear. The undead creature squawked as it leapt at them. Jed unsheathed his sword, and swung on reflex to cut off the creature's head. He scanned for further threats. A watching mole made eye contact before sticking its head underground.

The vehicle was a deserted shadow below as they descended the hill. They reached the front, and exposed the grill by toppling the sign, then jumped aboard.

“Alright let's get this show on the road” said Mule, revving to get a head start on the hill.

The truck groaned under pressure steaming ahead. It was half way climbed now, but getting slower. Mule briefly glared at a distant object lost in thought, before he shifted into first gear easily gunning to the top. A whole lotta flames, and smoke blew from the 8 smoke stacks attached.

“I don’t wanna curse us before the suns rises, but our day already has a lot of light in it," said Jed.

The tires interrupted, splattering something underneath. He stuck his neck out to look in the rear. The zombie bird carcass separated earlier had been flattened preventing further movement. They flew by deserted objects under tarps. Jed turned to see they had entered an abandoned construction site. A post had been hammered into the ground, but was absent of any signs. The tumbleweeds blew particularly hot and heavily. The truck bumped further off road driving besides a bridge that led to nothing. The area was lined with piles of building material, and dirt. A section of high stacked wood was so dried it only needed to be blown a short distance to create driftwood without water. A tumbleweed pelted Jed in the helmet disintegrating on contact. Mule shook his head, and Jed chuckled.

The big rig rumbled down a ramp formerly a boat launch, and sped across the dried bed. It was a remarkably smooth road. This was further reinforced when they went bumping over the bank and peeling onto the gravel.

“Maybe it really is our lucky day for once,” laughed Mule.

They had reached the other side, and drove by the other side of a bridge not linked in the center. The truck slammed to a hissing stop. Jed was looking all around for threats. Mule unstrapped a small container from the glove box, and unrolled some maps from within.

"Hold the binoculars for me. Can you see the lights ahead, if it's civilization?," said Mule.

Jed looked to where he was guided. In the distance it. The village lights twinkled underneath the stars. This area was becoming more mountainous, but the town was at a higher altitude. He shoved the device in Mule’s face.

“It’s civilization of some sort alright.. Wanna take a gander for yourself?” he asked.

“No. I believe you, I'm tired. I can only look at the maps while we aren’t moving because they will blow away” the donkey said before yawning. “There might not be any bathing with the water shortage, but perhaps sleeping on a proper mattress would be enough to recharge us to full strength,” said Mule.

“I’m sorry” said Jed deposited the binoculars in the glove box. “Let’s check it out. I just hope it ain’t no ghost town going to haunt us. No I insist you get a break from driving” said Jed.

“It’s all good man, let's just stay alive” said Mule, shaking his head. .

The truck revved loudly whacking away small bushes cluttering the road somewhat alive. The truck roared past a sign post that read: “Ahead the town of Melodd: food, lodging, on good occasions water”.

After finally switching drivers hours later they continued along a mountain pass of eroded cobblestone. A boulder had long ago rolled from somewhere stopping in the center. The truck scraped against the rocks on either side as its largest part made it past the gap. A winding road along each side now rusted metal railing to a drop, on the other few leafless trees grew with roots exposed. The potholes banged the tires heavily, slowing travel. The scenery kept repeating itself. A few trees here, or rocks there that looked identical. Mule had enough real life nightmares with how injured the truck had become to sleep. He kept watchful eyes on the journey for mechanical difficulties until the morning suns began to show. At some point the path had become smoother, and better maintained with pavement that looked relatively kept.

The donkey slept with the seat back laying down in the wind. The truck drove over a dried stream via a tiny bridge of stone. All around them a graveyard of dry abandoned small farming plots surrounded the road. A rusted tractor sat outside a collapsed barn, while trash mixed with the tumbleweeds. Jed had the truck in high gear thudding over a railroad crossing. He had spotted another building standing in the distance. They soon slowed beside a rickety paint peeled farm house. The driver was blocked from peeping in the broken windows by boards. A covered porch wrapped the perimeter full of junk, and hung with wind chimes dotted through the thick cobwebs that played out of tune. The vehicle was back in motion without the donkey being awakened.

Jed drove past an extremely rusted line up. A lot of trailers were abandoned near a junkyard. A heaping pile of metal smashed together into perfect squares, stacked into a castle of sorts. Various rusted cranes, a bulldozer, and other heavy equipment littered the premise. A long chain link fence was stapled to various objects running along the road.

”Maybe we might be able to procure ourselves some auto parts if nobody is home,” said Jed thinking aloud .

“Zzz,” replied Mule.

The truck continued slowly past with the driver gawking from a cabin-less big rig. Jed shifted into neutral to slow roll, and got out his binoculars for further inspection. It was then that he noticed the junkyard dogs chained to the trailers. At some point they had stuck out their heads with ears on alert.

“Woof, woof, Woof” they barked.

Mule was wide awake, and on alert looking scared.

“Drive,” he yelled.

Jed put the truck into gear and had the dirt flying behind them taking off. They rounded a corner too fast, knocking off a mailbox. The road ran besides a very oxidized grain silo looming above. A carved wood sign marked the town limits they had just entered. The next sign was a yellow yield, while a red was ahead. The main road was blocked by crushed metal blocks transported from the junk yard. They were diverted besides a large stump, outhouse, and separate toll booth the same size. “All traffic check in before entering town” it said. The way forward was blocked by two rotating metal beams chained together.

“Well let’s pretend we didn’t see that petty crime I just committed, or perhaps I should find somebody to pay in town,” said Jed, shifting into the dirt parking lot.

Mule nodded. "Yeah but I'd say we should be on our best behavior going forward" he finished.

"I know we have almost fought, and dragged ourselves over this finish line. Time to play every card right and relax for a long while after" said Jed.

"Now your talking, and by the way I'll drive us into town" said Mule.

The vehicle pulled into the station. The smell of fresh baked goods wafted from somewhere. They drooled walking to the window. The toll booth had no width to it but ran lengthwise into the trees. In front a tiny covered porch big enough for a single person to approach. Nobody could be seen through the window, but a light was on. Jed gripped the wooden lip where a bell sat on top of an empty clipboard. Bars blocked the window with a mail slot for doing business. The door beside the window rattled from the outside.

“Doors locked,” said Mule, going back to the front of the establishment.

“Ring, Ring, Ring” replied Jed, pressing the bell.

He looked deep inside the structure waiting for an answer. A miniature round table sat in the corner of the room with two chairs. A steaming pie on a place mat, and a cup of coffee on a cup-holder. The other side of the room was lined with shelves for books, maps, brochures, old calendars and what looked to be legal forms. An empty basket was labeled with tourist pins of travel decorations.

“I’d imagine they don’t get much traffic going into these parts,” said Mule.

“Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring” replied Jed, trying the bell again for service.

Mule pushed Jed aside, and rested his hoofs where his hands were to see into the building.

He sniffed the air, and listened. All was silent except for the loud rumble of a stomach grumbling.

"I might have to bribe a guard for some pie" sighed Jed.

“Well I'm going to use that outhouse, don't be a child while I'm gone remember we got serious business to finish” said the talking donkey, walking away on all four legs.