The Village

The mention of a village brought hope that it might be inhabited, and with inhabitants came the possibility of spreading news faster. However, a pressing question remained. Where were they, and how could there possibly be a village here? Hendric looked over at Lucille and asked, "Sis, should we check it out?" "Yeah, let's go." Lucille hurried in the direction of a few fellow guests. After navigating through a dense bamboo forest, they suddenly found themselves overlooking a valley, where, indeed, a quaint village came into view. The village consisted of roughly a dozen wooden houses, each boasting two stories. It seemed the upper levels served as living quarters, while the lower ones were raised, possibly designed for protection against snakes, insects, and for keeping livestock. One of the male guests who first spotted the village took it upon himself to go from door to door, calling out to anyone inside. However, all the houses appeared deserted, with unlocked doors and interiors coa