"So, this is your room," Aspen says, "I hope you like it. Your arrival was unexpected so, we had to make more rooms quickly."

I finally walked in, "Oh, wow," I look around, almost certain that you can see the wonder on my face, "it's, wow."

"Do you like it?" She asks apprehensively.

"Yeah, it's like nothing I've ever seen before," I say still looking around the room.

"I'm glad you do," she says smiling, "if you decide to stay a while you will probably be moved to a more permanent room, but those are even more peculiar."

"Thanks," I say, turning around to look at her in the doorway, "is there anything else I need to know?"

"Well," she taps her chin, "yeah, don't go outside the gates, not that you really can since their barred, but, don't got out while the sun's out."

"Why not?"

"Because bad things happen the outlands during the day."

"Bad things?"

"Yeah, bad things."

"What kind of bad things?" I'm not sure why I kept asking, she didn't seem to want to talk about it.

 "All kinds. None of them pleasant, of course. But, then again that's why they're bad things that happen in the badlands. Trust me though, don't get any ideas about trying your luck, it never ends well. The badlands aren't called the badlands for no reason."

"Um, okay," I said, even though it wasn't really the answer I was looking for.

"Well, I'll see you later! I have to go start on my next automaton since the last one worked oh so well," Aspen says turning to leave before suddenly turning around again, "oh, by the way, what's your name?"

"Ember Astoria."

"Nice to meet you Ember," she says before walking out, closing the door behind her, and leaving me to wonder why she was so reluctant to talk about the badlands.