Chapter 135 Beyond the Watchtower

Chapter 135 Beyond the Watchtower
Tessa's POV
The morning unfolded with a mixture of relief and curiosity.
Samuel and Micah sat beneath the old apple tree, speaking in low voices while the rest of the camp gave them the privacy they deserved. Years apart could never be explained in a few sentences, and neither brother tried to rush the conversation.
Anthony watched from the porch.
"They look alike."
Daniel nodded.
"They smile the same way."
"They do."
Grace tilted her head.
"Families always find little ways to resemble each other."
Anthony thought about that before turning to Tessa.
"Do I smile like Dad or you?"
She laughed.
"Sometimes both."
Satisfied with the answer, he ran off to help Gideon carry buckets of water.

Breakfast became an unusually cheerful affair.
Micah thanked Gideon for the meal before taking a careful bite of fresh bread.
"I'd almost forgotten what warm food tasted like."
Gideon frowned.
"You've been travelling alone?"
"For several months."
"And nobody invited you to a table?"
Micah smiled.
"A few did."
"I couldn't stay long."
Renwick looked up from his plate.
"You were following us."
"I was trying to."
Micah glanced at Dylan.
"Your group kept changing direction."
"We had good reasons."
"I've realised that."
The tension around the table eased.
Unlike previous strangers, Micah carried none of the uncertainty that had surrounded his arrival.
Samuel's trust spoke louder than any explanation.

After breakfast, Dylan spread the map across Gideon's workbench.
"Show us the watchtower."
Micah traced a narrow line running north-east.
"This road climbs through the valley before reaching the ridge."
"How far?"
"Half a day's walk."
Caleb studied the route.
"Any villages nearby?"
"Not anymore."
"What happened to them?"
Micah's expression grew thoughtful.
"People simply... left."
Renwick folded his arms.
"They heard the Voice?"
"Some did."
"Others packed their belongings long before that."
Dylan noticed the hesitation in his voice.
"You think something else frightened them."
"I know it did."
Micah rested his finger on a faded mark beyond the watchtower.
"My grandfather warned us never to cross this hill after sunset."
Anthony wandered over just in time to hear the last sentence.
"Why?"
Micah smiled.
"When I was little, he said the stars disappeared there."
Grace looked puzzled.
"Stars don't disappear."
"My grandfather used to say that some places make people forget to look up."
Gideon chuckled.
"Old people have an interesting way of giving warnings."
"They do," Miriam agreed.
"But they usually hide wisdom inside them."

The wagons were packed before noon.
Ruth hugged Gideon tightly.
"You've given us more than a place to rest."
"You'll always be welcome here."
Grace wrapped her arms around Daisy the goat one last time.
"I'll miss you."
The goat answered with an impatient bleat, more interested in chewing a loose strand of rope.
Daniel laughed.
"I think she's going to miss lunch more."
Anthony scratched Daisy behind the ears.
"We'll come back."
Gideon smiled.
"I'll keep the gate open."

The journey resumed beneath a bright sky.
This time, Micah walked near the front with Dylan and Caleb.
Samuel remained close to his father, making up for years that had slipped away.
Behind them, the children talked about everything except the Voice.
Goats.
Wood carvings.
Bread.
Whether birds ever got lost.
Listening to them felt like a welcome change.
Renwick eventually slowed his horse until he was beside Dylan.
"Do you trust him?"
"Micah?"
"Yes."
"I trust that he's telling the truth."
Renwick nodded.
"So do I."
He looked ahead toward the rising hills.
"I just wish the truth answered more questions."

By late afternoon, the road began climbing steadily.
The trees thinned, giving way to rocky ground and patches of wild grass.
At the top of the ridge stood the watchtower.
Age had worn away much of its outer wall, but the structure remained tall enough to overlook the surrounding valleys.
Micah stopped walking.
"There it is."
Samuel looked up.
"It seems smaller."
"You've grown."
Samuel laughed quietly.
"I suppose I have."
The group entered through the broken archway.
Inside, a narrow staircase circled upward.
Renwick immediately volunteered to inspect the top.
"I'll signal if everything's clear."
A few minutes later his voice drifted down.
"You should all come up."
One by one, they climbed the stone steps.
The view stole their breath.
Rolling hills stretched to the horizon.
Rivers shimmered beneath the afternoon sun.
Clusters of woodland broke the landscape into shades of deep green.
Anthony stepped beside the old stone railing.
"I can see forever."
Dylan smiled.
"It feels that way."
Micah pointed toward the eastern horizon.
"Beyond those hills."
Everyone followed his hand.
"That's where I saw it."
Tessa searched the distance.
"I don't see anything."
"You won't."
"It only appears at dusk."
Caleb looked at him.
"What exactly did you see?"
Micah answered slowly.
"I don't know."
"It wasn't a person."
"It wasn't an animal."
He took a steady breath.
"I only know this..."
His eyes remained fixed on the distant ridge.
"The day it appeared..."
"...the Voice stopped singing."
A thoughtful look passed between Dylan and Tessa.
That detail mattered more than the mystery itself.
Whatever waited beyond those hills possessed enough influence to interrupt the Voice's reach.
As the sun drifted lower, casting long shadows across the valleys, a gust of wind swept around the tower.
Anthony closed his eyes for a brief moment.
When he opened them again, his expression had changed.
"Dad."
Dylan turned immediately.
"What is it?"
Anthony looked toward the eastern horizon.
"I don't hear the Voice."
A faint crease appeared on his forehead.
"I hear..."
He paused, listening with all his attention.
"...someone calling for help."
The plea lasted only a heartbeat before fading into the evening breeze.
Yet it was enough to leave every person on the tower looking toward the same distant ridge.
Whoever had called out...
They were still alive.
And they were waiting for someone to find them.