The thirteenth installment of my NaNoWriMo challenge: My Sister's Keeper, chapters sixteen and seventeen. Words uploaded so far 22,000. total written is 26,500.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The sun rose over the devastated landscape, casting its long shadows that lead back to Ruby and Anastasia. It had been a week since they left Talias, they're home city, to make the long and dangerous journey to seek out the safety of the refugee camps. And Anastasia continued to hope they would provide the safety Ruby needed. She wondered what would happen when they reached the camps. What would she do? She couldn't go back, the return trip was out of the question. Could she get a job at the camps themselves, working in a similar capacity to what she did back at the supply centre? The thoughts of the future started to occupy her mind, as she sat and watched the sun make its slow accent from the horizon.
“Morning Ruby,” Anastasia said, as she noticed Ruby stirring with the arrival of first light. Ruby smiled back at Anastasia as she looked around, and realised a new day was beginning, a day that would bring them closer to their destination.
“Hello Anastasia,” Ruby replied.
Anastasia took stock of their supplies. They had managed to obtain more from their last stop back at the supply centre before it was destroyed. But she was always aware that it was barely enough. They had so much walking to do, their energy levels and their need for sustenance would be tested every day. And then there was the need for water. They needed to find it regularly along the journey. So far they had been able to do so, although Anastasia wondered as to the quality of it. She silently hoped, at each of the water stops they found, that this would not be the one that brought them undone. So far, she acknowledged silently to herself, they had been watched over. She looked at Ruby, and imagined Emerald sitting beside her. We have been watched over throughout this whole journey, she reminded herself.
It had been a few days now since they left Kirban. Anastasia and Ruby both had lost count of the days. Each day had merged into the next, in the continuous and lengthy journey they were undertaking. They had passed through many towns along the way. Some just tiny little outposts, that would have once dotted the landscape on the road to the coast. Others seemed like they once housed a thriving community, and Anastasia found herself trying to imagine how they would have looked before the war. How things would have been, as the people went about their business, peacefully fulfilling their lives calling, living out their days as they tended to their family's cares and needs. But that was all gone now. There wasn't one town, no matter its previous size, which had been left standing. There was the very occasional building which remained, with scars of its own to showcase its battle against the encroaching armies. But overall, just about everything had been flattened. And everybody had been run out of the towns and the surrounding areas. If in fact they hadn't been killed first. Both Ruby and Anastasia felt the unease as they made their way through this devastated and demolished landscape. It would have been a joy to have been able to have participated in the bustling activity of a market day in one of these centres, Anastasia thought, as she visualised how things would once have been. She could feel the energy, hear the noise, and smell the aromas – as she allowed her mind to take her to what once may have been reality. But it wasn't reality any longer. She now found herself in a cruel and vicious masquerade, an exhibition of all that was wrong with humanity. She wondered if things could ever return to how they once were.
The air was fresh and still as they made their way out from the camp site they had made for themselves. Each morning on the journey had begun that way. The days tended to grow hot as they progressed, under a clear deep blue sky, void of any clouds or signs of rain. Even nature was avoiding contact with humanity, if at all possible, she told herself. Anastasia didn't know exactly where they were, but the landscape consisted of gentle rolling hills, attempting to hold onto their display of green as if in a desperate attempt to ward of the encroaching death spiral brought about by the war. Anastasia studied the landscape and noticed the early stages of brown fields showing up in the distance. This must have once been a very fertile area, she thought. But all human activity seems to have stopped in the recent past. And now life is trying to find its balance again. Trying to return to its natural order. But is that even possible – I guess only time will tell.
Ruby walked along with Anastasia, continuing the strenuous task they had begun all those days before. She never complains, Anastasia noticed, impressed by the fortitude shown by one so young. She truly does grasp the enormity and importance of this journey we are on.
But the source of strength that kept Ruby going walked alongside her also, unseen by Anastasia, although she had grown to appreciate that her existence could no longer be questioned like she once did. Emerald kept Ruby company. Anastasia noticed her in conversation many times, and wondered at what was being said. But she knew that it wasn't for her. She was just grateful for Ruby's source of strength, grateful that she continued unabated, assisting Anastasia in a task that she felt was actually beyond her. But they had made it this far, she reminded herself. Made it further than the others that begun this journey with them. And she had every reason to believe they would make it the full distance, to the coastal cities, to the camps, and to safety finally.
“There are some puffy clouds,” Ruby said, pointing to the far distance. Anastasia looked, and noticed she was correct. The very first ones they had seen since leaving. In the distance, where they hovered, stood a massive mountain range. We need to skirt around those, but fortunately we don't need to go through them, she thought. That would be a difficult task in itself if that was required.
“Yes, there are. We haven't seen any clouds in awhile,” Anastasia added. “Perhaps they will bring some rains – as we get closer we may find a better, cleaner water supply.” They had struggled to fill their water containers fully in several days. The lands around were drying out, and no functioning water supply system existed in these parts any more. All services had been destroyed by the war. Driving people out had seem to be a priority for the invading forces. And as was evidenced by the deserted scenes that had greeted them the whole way, the warmongers had succeeded in their mission.
They marched on, further into the day, and further along the road towards the coastal regions. To the south stood the mighty mountain range they had seen earlier. The closer they came to it, the more imposing it seemed. Anastasia knew their destination lay slightly to the north of it. But it appeared the road took them very close to it, and the forests that spread out from its peaks. Those forests could hide all sorts, she thought. We will need to be on our guard – but when haven't we needed to be on our guard, she reminded herself. If anyone wanted to hide, then that would be the place. She scanned the lands around, but not being familiar with the territory she wasn't willing to try another route away from the forested regions. Becoming lost was the last thing Anastasia and Ruby needed, not when they had already come so far.
They reached a vantage point, higher ground that granted them a view of all that lands that lay between them and the mountains. From her memory of the map she saw before leaving Anastasia knew the coast region was not a long distance past those mountains. But by foot it was still several days. All modern transportation had been destroyed, or certainly the means to benefit from it. No passable roads, no safe air space, just the ability to travel on foot, and their wits and determination. That's what they had left, that was their last remaining currency. Having walked for a few hours since their overnight stay, Anastasia chose to rest upon the hill, as they analysed the terrain around them.
“There's a town down there,” Ruby said pointing to a collection of houses in the distance. Even from where they were they could see it seemed to exists of mostly rubble and wreckage strewn all over. But the ghost of what once existed remained.
“That would have been a large town before, by the looks of it,” Anastasia replied. She studied the road from them towards the town, and then leading out of it, towards the northern edge of the mountains. “There's a creek down there, just before the town,” she added. “We'll get some water there.”
“I hope there is water in it,” Ruby said, remembering the last two creeks they encountered. The heartache of looking upon a bone dry creek bed, they were left with no choice but to march on, in the hope the next one would be different.
“Me too,” Anastasia answered. “The lands around are still mostly green. And it appears to be coming from the mountains over there,” she said, pointing to where she believed the creek started, in the foothills of the grand mountain range they had been watching all morning.
“There are people in that town,” Emerald whispered to Ruby. Ruby gave her a troubled look. A look that Anastasia observed.
“Is everything alright?” she asked.
“Emma says there are people in that town.”
“Are you sure?” Anastasia asked, concerned for what that could mean for their journey ahead.
Ruby spoke with Emerald. But she knew her information was good. It always was. She had been very quiet for the last few days of their journey. Keeping a watchful presence, which always reassured Ruby far more than needless words ever could. But now words were needed. And Emerald had offered them to her. What would this mean though, she wondered.
“Are they good or bad people?” Ruby asked Emerald.
Emerald looked carefully at Ruby, not wanting to alarm her but with no choice but the speak the truth. “Bad people,” she said.
Ruby's expression spoke volumes to Anastasia, who picked up the silent signals from their conversation. We need the water from that creek, Anastasia told herself, so we still need to head down there, but can we avoid that town, can we get around it somehow?
“Emma says there are bad people down there,” Ruby relayed, although judging by Anastasia's expression she believed that was something she had already guessed. “She also said that she will get us through there.”
Anastasia observed Ruby silently. Emerald has never let us down. She has certainly kept Ruby safe all these years. But if there are soldiers down there in that town, how wise is it for us to venture into it? She wanted to trust Emerald. She wanted to believe.
“Emma says we will reach the camps. It's her promise to you.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The sun was high in the sky now. Anastasia continued to observed the town from their vantage point. It was still a long way off, far away enough to make observing people or any movement quite difficult. Still Anastasia thought she'd try. If I have to venture down there, towards that town, or through it, then I would like to know as much about it as I can. But there was nothing that she could make out. All she had to go on was Emerald's word that there were people – bad people – in that town.
“We should make our way down this hill, and try to get to that creek before dark,” Anastasia said.
“Can you see anywhere down there for us to stay the night?” Ruby asked her.
“There is a small forested covering just over there,” Anastasia answered, pointing to an area before the town on the left side. “The road leads near there. I think we should camp there tonight, and then consider our movements after a rest.”
Anastasia and Ruby started to make their way down from the hill they had been observing from. They could meet up with the main road at the base of the hill, and use that to guide them in towards the town, or more importantly, towards the water source. Anastasia could feel her nervousness increasing. Her awareness was becoming far more heightened, owing to the knowledge that a potential danger awaited them within that town. She felt the increased adrenaline start pumping through her. But she tried desperately to hide these effects from Ruby. Wanting to remain a source of strength and reassurance for the child – but so desperately needing one herself. She wondered if it would be possible to skirt around the town, but the area between them and the horizon seemed to present a navigational nightmare. To the south the town was met by the forests that stretched to the mountains. Not just a few trees, this was a vast area of cover that could be hiding anything, or anyone. To the north of the town was completely clear, stretching out into abandoned fields. There was no cover there at all. And in between was the town. And her own intelligence agent – Emerald – had reliably informed her that bad people, whom she assumed to be soldiers, were in that town. How many, how dangerous; she had too many question, but she felt that they had come too far to be stopped now. They had to proceed. They had to find a way through, and on to the coast. This surely was the last hurdle on their journey there.
They had seen no planes flying overhead since leaving Kirban. Who did those earlier planes belong to, Anastasia wondered? Are they the same people here in this town. She knew the war situation was a confusing mess of alliances, and strategic agreements that could be broken at any moment – turning allies into enemies. Were these soldiers positioning themselves for an attack against the coastal region? That seemed to be the next step from here. Was that the next part of these people's plan? Why would they want to do such a thing, as that was where all the refugees were, the only place they had left to go? Anastasia had long ago lost the ability to make sense of any of the fighting. Was there ever a justification, even in the beginning, she wondered. If there was then it ceased to exist a long time ago. So does the fighting continue simply because once started these things take on a life of their own? Or have opportunistic warmongers taken over, attempting to position themselves for power should the warring cease? Or the other possibility, she thought reluctantly – the warring never ceases. Have we have entered a new dark ages?
Aware that the potential for human activity was very real, Anastasia sought to keep their presence as low key as possible. Together they made their way from the hill top and down to the plains below, tracing the road line towards the town, inching closer, hour by hour. Both Ruby and Anastasia's senses were heightened, but they sensed nothing. Possibly any activity is targeted towards observing the other side, with little to no attention on this direction. Let's hope so, Anastasia told herself.
As the town grew closer Anastasia could make out more of a structure to it than previously realised. It did suffer substantial damage, as all the towns had seemed to, but there were more buildings intact, showing slight or minimal damage. They've kept this centre for a base it would appear, she observed. Anastasia lead Ruby away from the main road, and towards the creek, towards the safety of the covering offered by the small forested area observed from their previous vantage point. They filled their water bottles, and relieved their thirsts, having walked for days now on a diminished supply.
“We'll rest here for the night,” Anastasia said, as they retreated into the forest a little way, just far enough to still afford them sight of the town. “We should be safe here until the morning.”
“Are we going into the town tomorrow?” Ruby asked.
“I can't see any other choice, unfortunately,” Anastasia answered. She wished there was another choice, having spent the whole day observing and analysing the terrain, but coming up empty.
“I know,” Ruby said. “And Emma has said we will be safe. And I believe her. But I'm scared of the bad people in there.”
“Me too Ruby. Me too.”
Chapters One and Two (Part One)
Chapters Three and Four (Part Two)
Chapters Five and Six (Part Three)
Chapter Seven (Part Four)
Chapter Eight (Part Five)
Chapter Nine (Part Six)
Chapter Ten (Part Seven)
Chapter Eleven (Part Eight)
Chapter Twelve (Part Nine)
Chapter Thirteen (Part Ten)
Chapter Fourteen (Part Eleven)
Chapter Fifteen (Part Twelve)
This fiction is my own work, written for Steemit
Image Credit: Unsplash.com
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