by Ralph Smith
He said, “good morning,” in a soft voice.
She gave him a small smile “good morning. I was trying to be still in case you were asleep.”
“I was doing the same thing. Did you sleep well?” David asked as she sat up.
“Like a baby and you?” She asked as she sat up too.
“One minute I was lying here thinking about… you” he said a little sheepishly “then the next I was awake, and it was morning.”
Aurora smiled, and asked, “how about something to eat? I’m starving.”
“Sounds great” David said, “I’ll fill our canteens.” He got up, and grabbed the canteens taking them to the small pool on the other side of the tree. Then called out “don’t go crazy cooking a big fancy meal over there, I suppose we should try to cover as much ground during the day as we can.”
“I hope you don’t consider dried biscuits and dried meat fancy.” Aurora laughed.
As David came back around to her, he said, “You really didn’t have to go to so much trouble.”
“Just don’t think I’m going to slave over a meal like this all the time for you. I don’t want you to get spoiled.” Aurora said with a sly grin.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ll cook next time.” David said with a chuckle.
They sat down, and ate the little bit that Aurora had rationed for them. Neither of them complained that it wasn’t much. The unspoken truth was, in the end, it may not matter one-way or the other. This may well be a one-way trip for the two of them, and how full their bellies were in that final hour seemed a small matter.
They quickly packed up their gear and saddled the horses. David checked the animal’s hooves for stones. He didn’t want to take any chances not knowing how long this journey would be. After topping off their water supply one last time, they each took the reins of a horse and stepped out from under the tree canopy. The cold fall air was like a slap in the face. They had forgotten under the comfort of their shelter what was in store for them.
“I guess I don’t need any coffee to wake up now.” David said.
“No, me neither, I forgot how cold it was. Thankfully the horse will be warm.”
They mounted their horses and started down the trail. “Hopefully the weather holds. The cold is bad enough, but I don’t look forward to being wet too.”
“At least today it looks as if we’ll have clear skies.”
“One day at a time then.”
They travelled through rolling-meadows without seeing any people or animals along the way. Except for the occasional bird overhead, it seemed that the land was utterly devoid of any life. After a few hours, they came to the top of a hill and could see ahead, the remains of what was once a forest. Unlike the previous forests they had passed through, these were sparse and littered with old tree stumps violently torn apart. Clearly this had been the scene of fierce fighting years ago, and a forest was trying to rise from the ashes. Climbing steadily higher they passed through the woods reaching the top of a plateau that overlooked a valley. Down below them they could see the remains of a small city that had been devastated in battle. Most of the buildings had been burned, and anything left standing appeared to be on the verge of collapse.
“Do you have any idea what this place is?” David asked Aurora.
“No, but it doesn’t look like anyone lives here anymore that’s for sure. Do you think we should go around it?”
“It looks like the trail goes straight through and heads out again on the north side so we’ll lose a lot of time going around. Just keep an eye out, and we’ll get out of there as quickly as we can.”
They headed down the trail towards the city keeping their pace steady. They didn’t want to go too fast in case they came upon anything unexpected. Once they reached the outskirts of the city they slowed to a walk, navigating their way through the rubble. As they reached the center of the city, David suddenly stopped and held up a hand for Aurora. Then he slipped down off of his horse signaling her to do the same. He walked over to her and whispered, “Wait here I heard something over there.” She nodded her head in agreement.
Aurora stood looking around all her senses alert. It still amazed her that he could hear things she didn’t. She always prided herself on her keen senses. Yet on more than one occasion he had helped them avert disaster, when she had not known anything was amiss. She wasn’t worried now because she felt if he had sensed something dangerous, he wouldn’t have left her alone.
Standing there waiting seemed like an eternity, even though she knew it was only a few minutes. Then she heard some noise in the direction he had gone, a small scuffle, and something knocked over. She froze, intently looking for any sign or sound that would indicate what was going on. She was just about to call out to him, when he appeared around the other side of the ramshackle structure.
“David is everything all right?”
David came fully into sight, much to her relief, and had a child, maybe 8 or 10 years old, in tow. The child was filthy with long hair and torn clothes. Aurora made her way towards them.
“Everything’s fine, meet Dylan. Dylan this is Aurora she’s my wife.”
“Hi Dylan.”
Dylan looked up at David, and said almost pleading, “You said you had some food.”
“Yes I do, I have to get it out of my pack.” David said.
Aurora turned back to the horse, pulled out a biscuit and piece of dried meat, and handed it to Dylan. He attacked it with a ravenous hunger that broke their hearts. David and Aurora exchanged glances not knowing what to do. They couldn’t leave him here alone, or he would starve to death. He was frail and thin, without any shoes on his feet, and this place was death.
David knelt down in front of Dylan, and asked, “Dylan do you live here by yourself?”
Dylan shook his head, and said, “No, my parents’, sister, and I live nearby, I only came here trying to find some food. We take turns going out, but it’s getting harder and harder to find anything.” He finished sadly.
“Can you take us to your parents?”
Dylan looked at him suspiciously “why?”
“Because maybe we can help”
Dylan gave him a curious look, and asked, “Why would you help us? No one helps anyone around here.”
“We aren’t from around here.”
Considering him for a minute he asked, “Do you have any more food?”
David smiled, and said, “Yes we do.”
Dylan suddenly with fear in his eyes asked, “You wouldn’t hurt us would you?”
David in a kind, but firm tone said, “I promise, I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or your family.”
Looking relieved he said, “Ok, come this way.”
David and Aurora followed him out the eastern side of the city to a small wooded area. The trees were few and far between, but the underbrush was thick and tall. Dylan walked over to a particularly large patch of dense shrubs, got down on the ground, and crawled in through a small opening. David and Aurora could hear hushed voices, and a tone of slight panic.
David stepped a little closer, but leaving enough room not to frighten them, then said, “Hello, my name is David. I promise we’re not here to hurt you. If you come out we have some food, and we’ll try to see if we can help you.”
The voices fell silent; David looked at Aurora and could see the heartbreak on her face. After a few moments, he heard a slight rustling sound. Someone was crawling out from under the makeshift shelter. David stood perfectly still making sure he had a calm patient look on his face, when he saw an eye spying on him through the branches. Then the man slowly pushed his way out from underneath crouching like a rabbit ready to bolt.
“Who are you?” He asked in a meek voice.
“My name is David, and this is Aurora. We are travelers passing through this way. We found your son searching for food, and thought we could help you.” David said kindly.
The man’s eyes darting back and forth between them, and the surrounding area eyed the
m suspiciously, “Why would you help us?”
“Because the Lord has put you in our path, and he wants us to deliver you from your suffering.”
The man’s face, a momentary mixture of shock and disbelief, quickly returned to his cynical gaze, and he said, “you are either a fool or very brave to say such things here.”
David crouched down to meet his gaze, and asked, “Either way what does it matter? You and your family are going to starve to death here if we don’t help you.”
The man lowered his head, and nodded saying, “You’re right.” Then he turned and called out, “It’s all right come on out.”
David stood, and watched as the boy, a young girl, and a woman fought their way out from under the brush. All of them looked equally disheveled, dirty, and extremely thin. Aurora pulled a biscuit and piece of dried meat out of their pack for the man, his wife, and daughter, and an extra biscuit for the boy.
The man said, “thank you.” They all ate with the same ravenous hunger the boy had displayed. David turned to Aurora and took her hand. He could see the pain on her face at this family’s desperation.
The man finally spoke “My name is Milo, this is my wife Sheila, my Daughter Sandra, and you already met my son Dylan. I appreciate the food you gave us, but I don’t understand how you’re going to help us. There’s nothing here, and there’s nowhere for us to go.”
David asked, “Do you have enough strength to travel on foot for a few days? We came from Roktah, and the city has been liberated. We have friends there that will help you.”
”Roktah?” The man said, “That’s a weeks’ journey by horse. I’m afraid that we don’t have the strength to travel that far on foot.”
“But we just left there yesterday.” Aurora said perplexed.
“I mean no disrespect, but that’s impossible. I have traveled to Roktah many times, and it’s a full weeks’ journey.”
David and Aurora exchanged curious glances. Deciding now was not the time to argue the point David said to the man, “Very well, I saw a cart in the village. I imagine there aren’t any more horses here so we’ll have to give you one of ours.”
The man, with a look of incredulity said, “You would do that for us?”
“We can’t leave you and your family to die. Now gather anything you need, and let’s go to the village.”
“There is nothing here worth taking.” Milo said, and they all turned, and headed back.
Once there they found the cart that David had seen, he checked to see that it was sturdy enough to make the trip. David and Aurora rearranged their gear on one horse. David was able to fashion a harness from the cart to the other horse so that they could make the journey. David went into one of the buildings and found a canvas, and a leather satchel. He pulled an extra blanket they had out of their things, and gathered the family in front of him and Aurora.
“I want you to all please listen to me very carefully. If you follow my instructions exactly, the Lord will provide for you. Do you understand?”
They all looked at him in awe of his certainty and nodded with agreement. David went on “follow this road south going up, and over the ridge. Once you are through the forest, you will come to a large meadow. Along the road in the meadow you will find a large oak tree. You should be able to reach it by nightfall. Pull the horse and cart under the canopy of the tree, and you will be warm and safe when you sleep tonight. There is a small spring there where you and the horse can get water, and he can graze. I have placed some food inside this satchel. Do not look inside under any circumstances, but before you eat say a prayer to the Lord, reach inside the satchel, and break what you find in half. Leave half of the food in the satchel, and remove what is in your hand. Do that each time you need more, and you will have enough for the entire journey. The Lord will provide for you if you put your faith in him. Each night when you stop you must find a large oak to sleep under, and you will be safe until you reach Roktah. Do you all understand?”
They all nodded in agreement then Sheila spoke, “We have prayed for so long for the Lord to deliver us, we almost gave up hope. Thank you for helping us.”
David smiled at her, and said, “It’s our privilege to help. But don’t thank us, give your thanks to the Lord, for it’s your faith that will deliver you the rest of the way.” He put his hands on Milo and Shelia’s shoulders, and said, “Lord if I have found favor with you please bless this family, and watch over them on their journey.”
With that, the four of them climbed into the cart and headed south out of the city. David and Aurora stood watching them in silence for a few minutes then David turned to Aurora, and said, “I guess we should’ve brought some extra horses.”
Aurora laughed, “You’d probably just end up giving them away too.”
David laughed, “Indeed. Now you’re going to have to ride with me. Do you think you can stand it?”
Aurora said, with a sly grin, “I think that was your plan all along.”
“It worked didn’t it?”
David mounted the horse and reached down taking Aurora’s hand. She pulled herself up behind him and wrapped her arms tightly around his chest. “I would have done the same thing.”
“I know, just one of the many reasons I love you.” He said as he spurred the horse on.
“What do you think about Milo saying that we’re over a week away from Roktah?”
“He did say he would speed us along the way.”
“Yes, I just didn’t take it literally.”
“I was just as surprised as you, but I’m getting used to surprises these days.” David said, “I hope the next ones are, as pleasant.”
“So do I.” Aurora said as she rested her head on his back holding him tight.
They headed north out of the city passing through yet another tortured forest filled with shattered trees and devoid of any life. The further they went the more desolate the landscape became. It had been more than an hour since they had even seen a bird overhead. Steadily the grasses were replaced with rock and dirt, only allowing small patches of life to break through. The air was getting cold and crisp as the day wore on, and as dusk approached they were chilled to the bone.
The moon was still bright enough to light their way as they kept a watchful eye for an oak tree where they could spend the night. The lack of trees gave them a clear view for a long way. Finally off in the distance they saw the dark shape of a tree that looked much like the oak they stayed under the night before.
"I think that may be our room for tonight," he said to Aurora.
“That would be nice, I’m ready to stretch my legs.” She replied.
They arrived at the tree and dismounted. Walking under the canopy they were not disappointed. Again they felt the warmth wash over their cold and aching bodies. A small pool of water on one side, and a mossy bed on the other was a welcome relief. They began setting up their camp for the night. Aurora was about to open the satchel with their remaining food in it.
“Wait!” David said, startling her, “Don’t open it.”
Aurora said a little surprised “All right, I just thought we’d eat something.”
“I’m sorry I startled you, but just as I told Milo and Sheila, we can’t look inside the bag now. Just reach in, and break what you find in half.”
“I meant to ask you about that, why did you tell them to do that?”
“That’s a long story, but the short version is that when the Son of God, Jesus, was in our world there were several occasions when he and his disciples were facing large crowds of followers. They didn’t have enough food for all of them to eat. So Jesus blessed the food, and told them to take the few loaves of bread and fish they had, and pass it amongst the crowd. He had each person breaking it in half and passing it to the next person. By doing that they fed thousands of people, and had more left over than when they started.” David said, “Of course, I can’t do what he did, but by not counting the food in the satchel, we are putting our faith in the Lord to provide for us. We ar
e on a journey of faith. What the Lord has asked us to do we can’t do on our own. It’s only with him that we can succeed, so we have to put all of our trust in him.”
She reached into the satchel and pulled out half a biscuit, and handed it to David then she pulled out half a piece of meat. Smiling she reached in and pulled out another half of each for herself then said, “I do trust in the Lord.”
“I know you do. I have a feeling our faith will be tested for beyond how many biscuits we have.”
“If Milo is right, and we traveled a week yesterday, and we travel another week today, then we may find ourselves at Tartaros tomorrow.” Aurora said darkly.
“I was thinking the same thing.” David said, “Thankfully we should get a good night’s rest tonight. I can’t begin to imagine what we’ll face once we get there.”
“I’ve heard it described as a valley of death, and that is just from those who have passed near it. No one has ever returned who entered it.” Aurora said solemnly.
They sat quietly for a moment considering the implications of that statement “no one has ever returned”. Their journey that seemed so long and daunting may be over sooner than they thought.
David finally spoke “I guess it wouldn’t be a good place for our honeymoon then?” Then he gave Aurora a small smile.
She leaned over, and put her arms around him, and he pulled her close to him. They sat there under the warmth of the big oak, surrounded by the night sky with only the sound of the small spring and the horse to keep them company. Could this be their last night together? Could all their hopes and dreams for a future end tomorrow?
“If tomorrow is the end of our journey and we don’t get to go home, I just want you to know that I wouldn’t trade the short time we’ve had for a lifetime without you.”
Aurora pushed away from him, and looked into his eyes “neither would I.” Then she kissed him. The feel of her soft warm lips on his sent a wave of anticipation through his entire body. Her lips gently held his as she pulled back slowly gazing at him with a longing look. Then looking a little shy she said, “I still hold out hope for us to have a future together.”