[ TT ] The world is an infinite flat plane . The furthest known points of this realm take days to contact by telegraph . Slowly communication ceases from the far west , and slowly the silence pushes closer and closer to home ...

( P1 ) 
 
 Simmons stabbed his walking stick into the snow, brushed the powder from his wool gloves, and pulled a leather map from his coat pocket. The cold wind snapped at the loose ends, and the map fluttered as if it were a bat trying to break free. He squinted as snowflakes clung to his eye lashes. “ Well, I reckon that ’ s it, ” he said. “ I know it ’ s been awhile, but Allu isn ’ t what it used to be. ” 
 
 Williams drew beside him, his snowshoes puffing with each step, and glanced at the markings on the map. He lifted his goggles to get a better look at the small cluster of buildings huddled together in the valley below. “ Looks right to me. But you ’ re right, town should be bigger. How many years since your last visit? ” 
 
 “ Sixteen if I recall correctly. But, ” said Simmons as a soft smile formed under his grizzled beard, “ my recollection becomes more truant with each year. ” 
 
 Williams chuckled. “ Between the two of us, we should have enough recollection to get the job done. ” 
 
 “ Aye. Come take a look, Mr. Holt, ” he said, turning his head. “ It ’ s important to practice your navigation in this business, even when you know exactly where you are. ” 
 
 Holt replaced the cap on his water skin, tucked it inside his coat to keep it from freezing, and jaunted toward them. A thick handlebar mustache curled out toward rosy-red cheeks that were already being nipped at by the cold, and he wore a smile that looked to suffer from a touch of numbness. Williams laughed. “ Boy, why is your face still bare? ” 
 
 Clouds of breath plumed from his mouth. “ I ’ m just taking your jests to heart, Mr. Simmons, ” Holt said as he took the map into his own gloved hands. “ How else am I to cure myself of this terrible case of baby face? ” 
 
 Williams shook his head with delight. “ Mr. Holt, the intention was to goad you into growing a proper beard and be rid of that whimsical mishap above your lip. ” 
 
 The numbed smile on Holt ’ s face grew as far as it could while he sniffled and looked at the map. He moved his thumb along the leather and pointed with his index finger. “ So as I understand it, that ’ s the Frosteen Ridge there, along the north. We ’ ve been following that for nine days now. ” His thumb continued traveling while he analyzed the markings. “ This would be the previous valley, the one from this morning. ” 
 
 Simmons nodded. “ Yes. And what leads you to believe that? ” 
 
 Holt wiggled the finger pointing toward the small town. “ The river in this valley serpentines extensively. The map notes that to distinguish it from the previous valley where the river traveled with less anxiety. But Mr. Simmons? Allu? ” 
 
 “ Station A-1-1-U, ” said Simmons with a nod. “ The locals refer to it as Allu. ” He tugged the map from Holt ’ s hands and placed it inside of his wool coat. “ An acceptable reading, Mr. Holt. ” 
 
 “ We should continue on, ” said Williams as he brushed collecting snow from his friend ’ s shoulder. “ The storm darkens and whitens your beard by the second. ” 
 
 Simmons could hear the smile in the voice mocking him. “ I hate to bear bad news, Mr. Williams, but hiding your face beneath that scarf will not retain your tenuous youth. ” He grabbed his walking stick and pointed it at the telegraph line weaving through the thin trees. “ We ’ ll shelter in Allu and talk with the townsmen to learn what they know. Hopefully tonight ’ s storm will show more mercy than the last. Mr. Holt, if you don ’ t mind making trail for the rest of the afternoon? ” He gave Williams a playground shove. “ I ’ ve been informed I ’ m approaching elderly age and feel I should spare what strength I have left in my legs. ” 
 
 The three men laughed and traveled inline down the sloping hill. Behind them, the falling snow attacked their tracks with fury.
