The Testing Ground

The Testing Ground (Volume 2 – The Journey) traces the cross-continental trek of Travis and Reese Saunders, survivors of a virulent virus accidently introduced by Asiatic explorers that destroyed human life in what once had been the northwestern sector of the American continent. The couple leaves their home in the Big Hole Valley to search for survivors. On horseback, river passage, and on foot they make their way across the continent following the headwaters of the Missouri River to the junction with the Mississippi River and the ruins of former St. Louis. Along the route they encounter small groups of survivors who relate stories of survival hardships and challenges – accounts that illustrate human dignity in the face of terrible ecological and health-related disasters. They pass through communities where the virus eliminated most of the population, leaving hard-working survivors who adjusted and worked together for the recovery of their communities. They travel on through the mountainous terrain of west and east Virginia and ultimately reach the ruins of Washington, DC, where madness reigned during the Ripple and Dark Time, leaving the once-proud city a nuclear wasteland. What they observe, learn, and experience during The Journey, ultimately forces a decision to return to their previous home in the Big Hole Valley. Upon reaching their destination, the travelers are confronted with an unexpected reality: extraterrestrial inhabitants have settled in northwestern North America and humans are not the only bipeds that occupy The Testing Ground.