Thread by @WriterWilke

It's Time: 0/20
Time again for another #20TweetTales! Today's #postapocalyptic piece is partially inspired by a great piece done by Martin Lawrence Agleron over on ArtStation.
#Scifi #Fiction

It's Time: 1/20
The Stranger tugged at her reigns guiding horse Shala around the chunks and crumbled remains of the once-great city. The blazing sun vanished behind the ancient skeletal buildings, and it's heat fading with fresh green overgrowth.
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It's Time: 2/20
Rozo sidled up next to her, his own horse, Bo, neighing. "I hate this place."
The Stranger chuckled. "Ghosts of humanity's past?"
"No." He scoffed. "Just always feel like they're always watching from the dark corners."
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It's Time: 3/20
"We haven't even entered their territory yet." she said.
Rozo gave her a sidelong glance. "And why, exactly, are we going there anyway?"
She nudged Shala around another boulder of concrete and ignored the question.
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It's Time: 4/20
"And... they think they know everything." Rozo said. "You know, someone once told me it was arrogance that broke the world in the first place."
The Stranger smiled at the irony of him lecturing her. "I remember."
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It's Time: 5/20
He shook his head. "Then why? Why this... ghost city? You call them caretakers of knowlege, but they hid away from the world, letting people suffer all around them when they could bring real change and progress."

It's Time: 6/20
She sighed. "Where you see arrogance, I see potential. You think they could use their knowledge to build weapons to protect the innocents."
"You're damned-right I do."
The Stranger shook her head.
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It's Time: 7/20
"Progress at the point of a gun is not real growth. They... they understand that."
Rozo spit. "You how hard it is out there. The point of a gun is all some people understand."
The Stranger nodded. "That's exactly my point."
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It's Time: 8/20
She stared up at the exact point in the sky that worried her "You must trust me. These are the people to lead humanity, to save them."
Rozo's horse's hooves clatered on the crumbling asphalt remains. "What does that even mean?"
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It's Time: 9/20
Rozo pulled a pouch of tobac from his saddlebag and filled his pipe. "I mean, I do trust you. But, if the rest of humanity is not ready yet, why not wait?"
With eyes far beyond Rozo's, she gauaged the redshift of the distant star.
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It's Time: 10/20
The Stranger cursed to herself. "Because humanity is running out of time." She ran her thumb over the metal object in her pocket. An object from another age. An object from another life.
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It's Time: 11/20
Rozo nudge Bo up, blocked the Strangers's path and stared into her eyes. He narrowed his gaze as he studdied her. "Running out of time?" He looked to where she had been looking, where she always looked. "What does that mean?"
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It's Time: 12/20
She sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly as she returned his gaze. "I thought we'd have more time. I thought you would grow up faster. I thought...I could help you."
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It's Time: 13/20
"Help? You've saved hundreds of lives, whole towns. How much do you think one man or woman can do? You can't save the world all on your own."
She smiled. "I know. That's why I have you."
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It's Time: 14/20
Rozo shook his head. "How long have we known each other? Thirty years?"
"Something like that."
He nodded. "In all that time, you've stared at the sky and warned me of what's coming, but you've never said what IT is."
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It's Time: 15/20
Sadness touched her eyes. She saw the recognition in his face. "If I tell you too soon, it will destroy you. You will fear me beyond... anything you could imagine. And when I tell you the rest, you will crumble from despair."

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It's Time: 16/20
After a few seconds, Rozo spoke, this time his voice tinged with a hint of hurt and anger. "I know enough to fear you, but have you ever known me a coward? To run when you go froward? Do not shield me."
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It's Time: 17/20
The Stranger considered not telling him, but she knew she had to eventually. Maybe now was as good of a time as any. "I've watched your kind rise and fall for a hundred generations."
Rozo leaned back in his saddle. "But that..."
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It's Time: 18/20
She waved off his objection. "I will do what I can to prepare you, but you must know that what is coming, is so much bigger than you could ever imagine."
He shook his head. "I don't understand. What's coming?"
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It's Time: 19/20
The Stranger pulled the object from her pocket and traced a circle with her thumb. A second later, the woman that was The Stranger Rozo had known for all of his life, rippled and vanished.
And icy horror shot down his spine.
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It's Time: 20/20
There, sitting on Shala's back where The Stranger had been, was a strange, insect-like creature with long, wicked teeth jutted from its face, razor-sharp talons and a silvery chittin carapace. "More like me."
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It's Time: 21/20
That's it! Remember, this story was inspired in part by the fantastic art of Martin Lawrence Agleron. Don't hesitate to check out more of his work. artstation.com/artwork/lglbo
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