Ramus did not like her choice of words, but they felt right. Part of the building's roof lay in a tangle of timber beams and rotten thatch. Any furnishings had vanished, and the floor was carpeted in a mass of creeping plants. If he went inside, the undergrowth would reach his knees at least, and he was not sure he could fight his way through. There was no sign of any decoration, no carvings on the walls. Only those pipes.

“What do you think they were for?” he asked.

Lulah shrugged as she stepped back. “More there,” she said, pointing up. There were pipes passing across the spaces between buildings as well, many of them bowed with time. Some had bowed with others, while still others were propped and remained a dozen steps up, way out of reach. Spaced along the pipes were small boxy structures, with spiked wheels the size of a human hand attached to them.

“That one looks different.” Lulah headed deeper into the village, past several more ruined buildings, to one that was wider and slightly taller, and Ramus followed. The structure retained a heavy pair of doors, though they hung askew and their bottoms were shredded by rot.

What are we looking for? Ramus thought. He would give anything just for a sign.

When they came to the larger building, Lulah again went first. There were several steps leading up to the main doors, their dulled edges hidden by plant growth but obvious nonetheless. They looked too tall to Ramus, but perhaps that was an illusion.

Lulah peered inside, then shouldered one door aside and entered. Ramus lost sight of her. He waited nervously, looking around, watching for any movements that should not be there, any shadows lurking beside the building. There was nothing, and yet he felt watched.

“Here,” Lulah said from the doorway. She did not look concerned, yet there was a strange expression on her face.

“What?”

“See.” She disappeared back inside and Ramus entered the building.