by Kurt Winans
Jessica provided some much needed inspiration before the column departed from the cover of the trees. Although most were ready to forge ahead, her message was intended for those who still seemed unwilling or unable. She removed the leg brace from her right leg, and raised it high overhead.
Speaking loudly enough so that hundreds of people could hear, she said, “I have been wearing this leg brace, or one similar to it, since I was two years old. Because of the brace, I was able to pursue certain goals in life that otherwise would have been much more difficult to obtain. They have provided tremendous comfort in helping me to overcome a physical disability, and increased my belief that all things are possible.” Jessica then looked around in all directions while shaking the large titanium object, and added, “I’m so confident in our collective ability to reach the shoreline, that I will walk the entire distance without wearing this leg brace!”
Ross was proud of his sister for finally realizing that she no longer needed the leg brace. The act in itself was a hugely significant moment for her, and she had done so at the most appropriate of times. Many people within close proximity were nodding their heads in a positive manner. They were each discovering an inner strength to tap into, and Jessica had aided in that accomplishment.
The grove of trees opened up onto an area of rocky soil and ground shrubs as the column continued their slow decent. Approximately three miles later the terrain suddenly changed. Steep mountains on both sides of the valley had been slowly pinching in on the column since the beginning of the hike, and had effectively funneled them into a narrow exit area. Roughly three hundred yards in width, the opening led down a soft dirt embankment onto a massive field of tall grass and other vegetation. The drop was no more than thirty feet, and held back the encroaching wispy veil of fog that hung peacefully within the grass. Stretching for perhaps a mile, the seemingly tranquil field would need to be crossed in order to reach the shoreline.
Ross led the descent into the field, and the tall grass reached well above his waist. The ground was much softer than what the column had experienced to that point, which was a welcome relief. Several minutes later, Ross paused long enough for at least one-third of the population to walk beyond his position. It was obvious that the column had begun to slow considerably. Many were still in a weakened state, and were fading fast. As he witnessed the last of the column descend the embankment, Ross and others urged a quicker pace. Jessica moved among the people speaking words of encouragement, and was eventually told to mind her own business. The column was thinning as it had during the first long march, and many people in front of Ross were showing signs of not caring about the slower members of the group. He realized that the hike had just become one of survival of the fittest. That was not good news, as his present position appeared to be only slightly more than halfway through the grass field.
A moment later, Ross was startled by the sound of a distant scream. Panic quickly spread throughout the column as a man had suddenly disappeared from view. Within seconds several more bodies were lost in the tall swaying grass, and shouts of horror could be heard from all directions. Ross didn’t know what the problem was yet, but it had caused a human stampede. Those who were capable began running very quickly toward the distant shoreline.
Initially Ross thought the Wolf creatures had returned, but soon dismissed that possibility. They were simply too large and tall to effectively hide in the long grass. Even if the pack of animals had been lying flat on the ground, their bodies would have created large openings in the waves of grass. Perhaps that was a new tactic though. A natural instinct for most people would be to walk through an area of foliage or vegetation with the least resistance, so those who had disappeared may have simply walked directly into the clutches of the waiting beasts. Still that entire scenario seemed unlikely, as they had not attacked during the heat of the midday before. Whatever the case, Ross knew that standing in his current position was probably not the smartest idea. While running the best that he could for a man of seventy-two, Ross called out while visually scanning the surrounding area. He needed to locate his family and others within his close circle, but that could be a daunting task. As the mass of bodies moved ever closer to escaping the seemingly endless acres of tall grass, several people continued to suddenly disappear from his view. Although he didn’t have an exact count, Ross guessed that he had personally seen thirty to forty people vanish. He couldn’t possibly have noticed every person to go down in the sea of waving grass, so he knew that represented only a portion of those taken.
Through the deep breaths caused by running in the thin air, Ross said, “What the hell is going on?”
In what could only be described as pure luck, Ross noticed a familiar figure roughly fifty yards in front of him. His mother Janet was moving with great efficiency. That was good news, and an instant reminder that the woman was a physically fit thirty-four year old. He had also found another of the family, as Jessica was close by her side. Neither Aurora nor Mrs. Patterson were in eyesight, and Ross almost fell when he looked behind in a vain search for them. That was when he noticed Colt, who had dutifully remained close behind him.
Colt yelled out, “Sir, do you need any help?”
Ross looked back again and said, “I’m alright thanks, but have you seen Aurora or Mrs. Patterson?”
Colt quickened his pace slightly to move up beside Ross and replied, “No sir I haven’t, but I see Janet and Jessica in front of us.”
Ross noticed that his sister was beginning to labor somewhat. Her right leg had never been worked so strenuously without having the brace on it. Janet’s motherly instincts kicked in instantly, and she visibly slowed to assist her daughter.
Ross turned to Colt and said, “They need help, and you can get there faster than I can.”
Colt nodded and took off toward the ladies. Ross was also closing in due to their ever slowing pace, but he never caught up to his sister. When Colt arrived at Jessica’s side, he took charge immediately.
Removing his backpack, he shouted, “Climb on now!” She instantly wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rode “piggyback” the remaining distance to safety, as he clutched her outer thighs with his powerful hands.
Janet looked back briefly to see Ross approaching as she picked up Colt’s backpack.
Ross yelled out, “Keep moving.”
She heeded her son’s advice, and the two of them ran in tandem as they each held onto one end of Colt’s backpack. Trailing him by no more than thirty yards, they kept Colt in sight until the fog and tall grass gave way to sandy soil. Colt moved at least fifty yards clear of the grass field before stopping so that Jessica could dismount.
He fell to his knees while gasping for breath, as Jessica removed her backpack and said, “Thank you Colt. Thank you!”
Jessica had remained a slender woman of good physical fitness for her entire life, but she knew that lugging her body weight for well over a quarter of a mile could not have been easy. Add to that the weight of her gear, and she had probably become very cumbersome and heavy. Jessica knew that it must have been pure adrenalin that had kept Colt going, and she would be forever thankful.
Within a few seconds, Ross and Janet arrived at Colt and Jessica’s side. They set down his backpack and removed their own, as Colt continued to heave for more oxygen. Janet’s motherly instincts were still evident as she quickly hugged Jessica, and then leaned in to give Colt a kiss on the cheek for his heroic deed.
Smiling with obvious pleasure, he nodded when Ross said, “Thanks Colt. I’ll never forget what you just did for my sister!”
Ross and Jessica then turned their collective attention back toward the tall grass, and moved closer to the boundary. They could see the upper torsos of perhaps a few thousand people still within the confines of the tall grass. Most of them were moving in their direction in anticipation of surviving the ordeal, but some had stopped to search for their respective friends or loved ones.
Ross and many others shouted out, “Keep mo
ving this way”, as a few more stragglers disappeared from view.
Looking back over his shoulder, Ross could see that Janet was tending to Colt. He felt confident that the man was in good hands, and just needed a few more minutes of recovery time to catch his breath.
Ross could also see that the campsite of the advance group was now less than a mile away. The terrain was sandy soil, with clear visibility in all directions, and those who had already emerged from the tall grass were making a beeline for it without a thought of looking back.
The column was definitely becoming more divided, and not just with regard to the pace of physical movement. Ross realized that a new philosophy within the population had evolved. Most people would no longer risk their own safety while waiting for others to catch up.
Returning his gaze to the vast sea of tall grass, Ross felt a different level of concern. There was still no sign of Aurora or Mrs. Patterson. He knew they would not have continued on with the others toward the advance camp. There was no sense in even considering that option. They were either already safe somewhere near his current position, still attempting to move through the tall grass, or had been two of the many that had vanished within it.
Jessica said, “If you want to search to our left, I’ll go to the right.”
Ross nodded and replied, “That’s a good idea. We can cover more ground that way.”
Just then, a woman, along with several men in military flight suits, jogged past them to safety. Janet noticed them, and motioned for the group to stop so she could say hello. Their outdated clothing made it obvious to Ross and Jessica that they had been some of the long term abductees held with their mother on the deep water vessel. Ross had a suspicion as to the identities of each member of the group, and made a mental note to confirm those thoughts with his mother at a more appropriate moment.
Ross repeatedly yelled out, “Aurora” as he continued moving to his left.
Jessica echoed the gesture while fanning out to their right. In spite of her recent need for assistance, she had not put the leg brace back on. Her bold statement to walk the full distance to the shoreline without it had been derailed due to the current threat the column had encountered, but she still intended to finish the trek as it had begun. It was doubtful if anyone would really care one way or the other, but it was important for Jessica to be true to herself.
Within an hour, the last of the column had cleared the danger zone of the tall grass. Throughout that time, many more people had been lost. Ross had asked several people if they had actually seen what type of creature had attacked the column, and there were varied reports. The common thread was that they were some type of lizard creature. Larger than an adult alligator, they were supposedly very quick as they sprung for their victims from holes in the ground. They were also strong enough to drag a body back into their burrows, and the victim had virtually no chance to escape their clutches. Ross thought that the huge Wolf creatures of the previous few days had been a difficult challenge, but this new animal had already proved to be significantly more dangerous to the safety of the population. He also realized there must be several hundred of them living beneath the vast field of grass in order to inflict that much damage in so short a time.
Ross continued to search and called out, “Aurora. Mrs. Patterson.”
Several other people were scanning the high grass for their loved ones in similar fashion. He wanted to urge them to move on toward the advance camp, but couldn’t ask them to give up hope unless he was willing to do the same. Eventually, he took the lead in the hope that others would follow. Resigned to the grim belief that both Aurora and Mrs. Patterson had been lost to the lizard creatures, Ross began to walk back toward where he had left Janet and Colt.
A trembling voice off to his right said, “Daddy?”
Aurora was only twenty feet away, and he rushed to her side. She had not called him daddy since his days at NASA, so he knew something was terribly wrong.
While sobbing on his shoulder, she said, “She saved me daddy, and now she’s gone.”
Ross looked into her eyes and asked, “Who saved you honey?”
“Mrs. Patterson.”
Ross didn’t want to believe what she had said, but it was true. While fighting back the tears, Aurora explained how the two of them were making their way through the grass when it suddenly happened. More concerned with searching for the family as opposed to watching where she was going, Aurora had walked directly toward the burrow of one of the creatures. Without ever seeing it coming, the creature suddenly sprang. In an instant Aurora was falling forward to the ground, as Mrs. Patterson had pushed her forward with all her strength. By the time Aurora rolled over to stand up, Mrs. Patterson was in the clutches of the creature and being pulled hopelessly back into the deep burrow.
The tears began to flow again as Aurora said, “She looked right at me as she was being pulled underground by that awful creature. I’m so sorry daddy, but there was nothing that I could do to help her.”
For the first time since being deposited on this new world, Ross truly felt loss. He had known Wendy Patterson for many years, and she was a trusted and loyal assistant for that entire time. In essence she was almost like a member of the family, and had proved her loyalty to that family even in her last moment of life.
Ross and Aurora began a solemn walk back toward where he had left Janet, Colt, and all the backpacks. They spotted Jessica who was still in search mode, and he wondered how he was going to break the news to her that Mrs. Patterson had been killed. The women had known each other since the days of working together at the law firm back in Houston, and it was Jessica who had introduced her to Ross when he was searching for a new executive assistant. With just one look at her brother, Jessica instantly knew the sad truth. Although overjoyed to see that her niece was safe, she was saddened by the loss of her dear friend Wendy Patterson.
After a momentary embrace, they reunited with Janet and Colt. Ross then asked his mother, “Where did your group of friends go?”
She pointed toward the shoreline and said, “The same place everyone else is going.”
Ross looked in that direction while adding, “I don’t blame them, but it would have been nice to meet them.”
He could see that some members of the column had already reached the site of the advance camp, and there was a steady stream of others following. Ross couldn’t wait to speak with several members of the advance column. He wondered how many of them had fallen prey to the lizard creatures when passing through the same killing zone the previous day.
Before moving forward with the group of those around him, Ross said, “Hey everybody, look over there.”
Off to their distant left, on the farthest edge of where the small mountain range approached the large body of water, a small waterfall was barely visible. Their current vantage point had just enough altitude above the water’s edge, that they could also see a peninsula of fairly flat ground in the same area. The two geographic features would have been more obviously visible from the top of the dirt embankment, but Ross had been singularly focused on the large grassy field at that juncture. The fact of spotting the waterfall at this now lower elevation had just been pure luck.
Ross pointed as he exclaimed, “That could be a great location for a permanent settlement. The almost flat land area looks as if it could be large enough for everyone, and there’s a fresh water supply close at hand.”
The group of those still within ear shot mumbled and nodded with agreement. Unsure if anyone else had noticed the waterfall, he intended to discuss it with the representatives at the advance camp.
The sun was getting low again, so Ross slipped on his backpack and said, “We should get to the advance camp as quickly as we can.” With affirmative nods from everyone he added, “It will feel good to take a swim.”
He took one last look at the killing field of tall grass, and saluted those who had fallen. Then Ross said a silent farewell to his old friend Wendy.
Emotions were mi
xed within the population of pilgrims during their fourth night on the new world. The advance group had done an outstanding job of setting up a temporary camp, and seemingly everyone had been in the water to bathe, cool off, and rehydrate. One hugely significant problem facing the population had been addressed, as a vast supply of fresh water was now close at hand. There was also a new source of food. Several people who had arrived the previous day were able to catch some fish for the collective good. Those factors lifted the spirits of many, but others still seemed defeated. For the less physically fit, the recent sprint through the tall grass in the thin atmosphere had sapped what little energy they had left. That coupled with the sorrow of losing friends or loved ones to the attacks of the wolf or lizard creatures had put a damper on the euphoria of the moment. Ross knew that many were on the verge of giving up. It would take courage for each of them to reach deep within, and fight for their survival.
In spite of the recently improved conditions, Ross was aware that the now exhausted population faced other major concerns. Over the past three days, everyone endured two full days of high altitude hiking, while living on limited water, scraps of food, and insufficient sleep. A steady supply of nutrition would be needed very soon if the majority of the population were to survive. Besides that, adequate shelter was the top priority. Very soon, prolonged exposure to the elements would most definitely impact the abilities of most people.
While meeting with representatives to discuss the pulse of the people, Ross mentioned the distant waterfall he had seen. Several others had noticed it as well before their final descent to the beach, and agreed with Ross. Although their current location was definitely better than where they had camped during previous nights, the lack of shelter made it unsuitable for a lengthy stay.
Ross said, “I believe the entire column should make one final push toward the waterfall at first light. Once we arrive, work can begin on whatever is needed to establish a permanent settlement.”
