by C. B. Stone
That is one of the reasons she is Chosen, I realize. I blink at the wayward thought. I see so much good in her, it makes perfect sense now that this is her mission. Suddenly I feel profoundly grateful she chose to ignore me and saved me from the Ministry so that I’m able to be here and experience this journey with her.
Fay looks over at us with the curious expression on her face. “We all need to eat,” I say by way of explanation.
She nods. “I was hoping you could help us, but I knew you were tired. Ultimately, your well-being comes first.”
Jaelynn shakes her head. “The army that fights at our backs needs to be taken care of first,” she answers, a small measure of strength and conviction returning to her voice.
“And we appreciate that,” Fay says. “Just make it quick, and keep it simple. We don’t want to send out any strong signals the Ministry might pick up on. The last thing we need is for them to drop down in the middle of our camp while everyone is sleeping.”
“We’ll be quick,” I say as we step just outside the boundaries of the campsite. Holding hands, Jaelynn and I begin to softly sing together.
Little birds sing songs of praise all the summer long,
but in colder shorter days they forget their song.
Soft voices chime in from behind us, surprising us both, but we keep singing. Before long, the army of Bethel along with many of the others we’d gathered across the multiple towns and villages visited are clasping hands, and singing along. Fay right along with them. She warned us to keep this simple, but it appears that once our song fills their hearts, simple is no longer the word for it.
Trees filled with fruit sprout from the ground, and along with them comes vegetables of every color and variety. Not only that, but the rain falls soft and warm along our skin, forming a small lake not too far from where we are standing. I stand amazed, watching all of this unfold. It never gets old or loses it’s miraculousness. I can even see fish swimming around in the lake. Fish that look large, edible, and entirely delicious. My mouth begins to water as I imagine what they might taste like with a side of the potatoes that have sprung up nearby.
It is ultimately Fay that cuts us short, however. She joined in with us, briefly, but then something gets the better of her and she breaks the chain.
“Thank you, Lord,” she says, looking up towards the sky.
A chorus of praise and thanks follows as the light rain withdraws back into clouds that roll lazily through the sky overhead. Voices trail off and another eerie and profound silence descends upon us. It’s as if everybody’s taking a moment to reflect and give private thanks of their own.
After a few moments of quiet, I begin to grow concerned. Would what we just did draw the wrath of the Ministry down upon us? Do we need to run? But it’s Fay who, once again, stops me.
“So. Who knows how to fish?” she asks, a large grin breaking across her face.
Several men come forward with a makeshift fishing poles and set about retrieving our dinner. Jaelynn picks some tomatoes from a nearby plant, and for the moment at least, all seems peaceful in the world.
But I know it won’t stay that way for long.
******
Marcus
“Any other signals, Rose?” Grayburn asks.
I stare at the screen, and there is something. An electrical signal west of Bethel, and the opposite direction of where we’d sent the troops. I know what it means but choose to ignore it. Taking a deep breath, I collect myself before responding, keeping my tone even and measured.
“No. Nothing yet. Any luck with the military? Have they arrived at Bethel?”
“Yeah, and they found nothing but an army ready to fight.”
My breath catches and I swallow hard. If the Bethel army is still there, then who is with Jaelynn? I’d been promised, long ago, that the new commander of the Bethal army would take her somewhere safe and do so long before a first battle of the war ever commenced.
“We came face-to-face with the entire Bethel army? What happened? How did we fare?”
“Not very well,” Grayburn laughs, taking altogether way too much pleasure in the situation. Bloodthirsty creep. “For them, anyway. We annihilated them in short order. Of course, it wasn’t their full army, or else we’d have been screwed with just the few guards we sent in. Which means the rest of the army is still out there somewhere. Looking like they went east of Bethel, farther into the Darklands.”
What an ironic term, I think. The Darklands. The Ministry refers to any territory outside their own as the Darklands, but in reality, it is the Ministry that is dark. But hearing Grayburn say that makes me feel much better. I will just have to keep the signals that are emanating from the area west of Bethel to myself.
“Why do you look so happy?” Grayburn glares and asks suspiciously.
“Because this sounds like we’re catching up to them,” I lie.
“I still don’t understand how that can make you happy,” Grayburn says, frowning like he’s truly perplexed. That’s the first hint of humanity the man has ever shown. Then his face brightens. “But trust me, it makes me extremely happy.”
And... there it goes. Grayburn’s humanity flies right out the window with the speed of an eagle. Shaking my head, I try not to let it get to me. After all, I know I’m on the right side.
Win or lose, the war doesn’t matter. What truly matters is what comes after this life. And there is no evidence to believe anything good will come to Grayburn. It shouldn’t fill me with such joy to think that, because I know it’s wrong. At the same time, I’m conflicted. Seeing someone so cruel, so callous, succeed day in and day out, destroying lives and smiling while he does so bothers me on an insanely deep level. There are times I think I’d be doing the world a favor by holding a gun to Grayburn’s head and pulling the trigger. Needless to say, it’s pretty hard to be the bigger person sometimes.
Though I acknowledge my thoughts about Grayburn are bad and definitely aren’t right, I have to admit my thoughts about Leora are far worse. Hopefully one day soon, I will be able to share with both what I truly think of them. Contemplation of that moment prompts an inward smile, despite my best efforts.
X
NOAH
“Do you think they know we’re here?” Jaelynn asks, her voice sounding heavy as she battles sleep.
I’m honestly not sure what to say. I don’t want to scare her, but if I’m frank, I figure the Ministry has to know. Or at least know we’re close. What, with all the technology they have, I don’t see how they possibly cannot. Their technology was designed specifically to ferret out what we do and betray our location. But Fay insists we can still rest for a few hours before taking off again. She is pretty secure in her strategy and hopes the diversion she has created will keep them out of our hair for a little longer.
Right now, Fay is working with several of the others in command, outlining the next steps in our adventure. I have to think of it as an adventure or I know fear and worry will eat at me, and that won’t be good for anyone. I’m certain Fay has to be exhausted, but she gives no indication she plans on sleeping. She needs to get some rest soon though, if we only have a few hours before moving on. Although I have to admit the lack of sleep doesn’t seem to faze her. It’s like something is keeping her going, driving her without cease. She calls it faith.
I look at Jaelynn, smiling slightly as I watch her eyes blink rapidly, trying not to close. “Honestly? I don’t know, but I trust Fay,” I respond.
Jaelynn nods, her eyes barely staying open. I’m sure she is about to drift off to sleep at any moment. I’d offered to sleep in another tent, to give her some privacy, but she is a little nervous about being alone and asked me to stay near her. With everything going on, I don’t blame her. Even with the guards standing near her tent and others at the periphery of the campsite, she just doesn’t feel safe unless she’s with me. Personally, I prefer to keep my eyes on her too, so it works out well. I lie back against my knapsack, using it as a pillow. An uncomfortable
pillow. I grimace, shifting to find a good position.
“Noah? What do you think my father is doing right now?” she asks, surprising me with the question. Okay, not quite asleep then.
There really is no way to know if he is dead or not. Jaelynn continues to hold onto the hope that he is alive, seeming to believe that her father is smart enough to keep himself safe from harm’s way. In the moments she doesn’t know I’m watching her though, I can see that deep down, she fears the worst. And I know how the Ministry works and know Leora Blackwood doesn’t take kindly to traitors. It’s one of the reasons I’ve always stayed on the move and never stayed in one place too long. Before I met up with Jaelynn at any rate. My lips twist ruefully. Although I can’t regret a moment of my time with her, it’s time that has certainly changed the course of my life forever.
“Well, if he’s as smart as you say he is, I’ll bet he’s still working for Leora. But I would lay money on the fact that he’s really working for us on the inside.”
“You think he’s still on our side? That the Ministry hasn’t changed him? Corrupted him?” she asks, her voice getting even heavier and her words thicker. Stubborn little thing. Sleeeeeeep Jaelynn. I say the words mentally, but I don’t use our connection to relay them to her. I know she would probably get her dander up if I did. I grin up at the moonlit sky visible through the top of our tent, illuminating the inside in a soft white glow.
There is no way I can know for certain, but I trust God wouldn’t have chosen anyone so weak of character they would succumb to corruption. I don’t believe He would have gifted Marcus with the power of prophecy if he could be so easily turned.
“I think he is. Jaelynn, he might be a Ministry guard, but deep down, he’s your father first. And he loves you. Always remember that. No matter what, he will always love you.”
“There were times I got the impression that he was a Ministry guard first,” she mumbles, swallowing another yawn as she rolls over onto her side and wriggles to get more comfortable. Her eyes drift shut again. “I always thought somewhere along the line, I lost my father.”
Those words, spoken in the grip of exhaustion – which undoubtedly makes them unfiltered truth – crush my heart. Knowing Jaelynn has ever felt like she played second fiddle to Leora and the Ministry shreds at my insides. I know it’s a ludicrous idea. Looking down at her, her eyes almost shut, I can’t fathom how anyone could ever put anything before her, much less something like the Ministry. When it comes down to it, I don’t want to believe Marcus Rose, former prophet of God, could ever put anything before his beloved daughter.
“I’m thinking that was all an act,” I say with a steely conviction.
My answer seems to please her, and the next sound out of her isn’t a question; it’s a snore. My lips quirk. Even her snores are cute. Then I frown, thinking of my reassurances to her.
I just hope I’m right.
******
Fingers of dawn reach inside the tent and grab hold of me. The morning has arrived far too soon. I didn’t get the restful night’s sleep I’d hoped for. Instead, I tossed and turned all night, jumping at every little sound. The guards milled around outside of the tent as well, and, while technically I knew what I was hearing was them, I’d been so hyper vigilant and ready for danger I wasn’t able to shut my brain off. So when Fay sticks her head in our tent, fully suited up and ready to go, a small groan escapes before I can stop it.
“Sorry, I let you two sleep as long as possible, but we are pushing it already. We really need to get moving,” she apologizes.
Ugh. Sighing inwardly, I sit up, scrubbing a hand over my tired face. I understand. I don’t necessarily like it, but I get it. I look over at Jaelynn as she continues to sleep, oblivious to the sound of the army mobilizing around us. She’s barely moved all night and appears to be passed out cold. She looks so peaceful wrapped in her sleeping bag that I hate to wake her. Especially given the fact that this is the first decent night’s sleep she’s gotten in some time. I place a hand on her shoulder and rouse her from slumber as gently as possible.
“Jaelynn, we need to get going,” I whisper.
Her eyes blink open blearily, before echoing my own inner sentiments. “Ugh. Already? It feels like we just fell asleep,” she grumbles, covering her head with her blanket.
“So you’re not a morning person, either?” I joke. Good to know.
“Actually, I am, most of the time. But all of this walking and not much sleeping, is really taking its toll on me.”
Jaelynn yanks the covers off her head and notices Fay’s head peeking through the tent door. Her eyes grow wide, and her face flushes slightly.
“Not that I’m complaining,” she mumbles.
“This amount of walking would take its toll on anyone. On everyone,” Fay says. “With all that’s going on, I can’t fault you for being tired. We’re all tired.”
But not all of us look it. I feel pretty lame, exhaustion is taking it’s toll whether I like to admit it or not, and know I probably look ten times worse. Faye however, looks refreshed, ready to go, as if she’d gotten a full eight hours of sleep or more. Though I know she likely got less than either of us. If any at all.
“So what’s the plan for today?” I ask.
“We’ll discuss that as a group,” Fay replies. “But first, I urge you to get up and get ready. We can talk over breakfast.”
Breakfast sounds delightful. If there’s ever a way to convince me to get out of bed, it’s the promise of food. Rolling off the sleeping bag and climbing to my feet, I’m ready to go. Since I’m sharing space with Jaelynn, for modesty sake – and to avoid any potential awkwardness – I slept the night fully clothed. Ergo, there’s nothing more I need to do to get ready. Breakfast here I come!
“Ready to go,” I say, my tone tinged with eagerness.
“Great,” Fay smiles faintly. “Now just waiting on you, Jaelynn.”
“I’m already dressed under here, too,” she says.
Jaelynn only has one outfit, the same one she’s been wearing for a while now. It’s not like she packed for the journey. Neither of us has been able to change or wash our clothes, and it’s starting to show. Maybe in the next town, we can talk to somebody about borrowing some clean clothes. Maybe even get a shower in somewhere. Perhaps Fay has something Jaelynn can borrow, at least. It can’t hurt to ask. It gives us something to talk about anyway.
But first, plans for the day have to be cemented.
As we step outside of our tent, we are met with the delightful smell of fish cooking over a fire. While it isn’t eggs and bacon, I won’t complain. I’ve gone without food for days at a time more often than I care to remember, and breakfast is a concept I’d long since abandoned and forgotten. But it’s one I’m very much looking forward to getting reacquainted with. My belly rumbles in joyful agreement.
Maybe me and Jaelynn could ask the Lord for some chickens for eggs. They do sound... As soon as the thought enters my brain, I regret it. It’s a joke, sure, but it undervalues the gifts we’ve already been given. I’m thankful for every single one of those gifts, and how they have provided for us and the army. It is more than enough to keep us going for a while, with all the fresh fruits and veggies we are able to pack away. Maybe not enough for the rest of the month, but it will still feed us for some time. And I’m grateful for that beyond measure.
“Now that I’ve got you all together,” Fay says as soon as everyone has loaded up their plates, “I think it’s about time we talk about splitting up.”
“Splitting up?” I ask, wiping away tomato juice from my chin. My heart sinks.
“Yes,” Fay affirms. “You had to know the time would come eventually.”
I don’t really know what to think. Looking over at Jaelynn, Fay’s declaration appears to be news to her as well. And judging by the terrified look on her face, I know there is no way I can ever leave her side.
“You didn’t know, did you?” Fay says with a sigh. “My fault for assuming. Neither of you
are fighters, so how would you know? You’re strong of course, but we can’t put you in the line of danger. We can’t risk that. Fighting is not your job. You’re messengers, the ones Chosen to bring hope to the masses. And keep this army fed, of course. You’re doing important work, but you’re not soldiers.”
“I can fight,” I offer weakly, torn between wanting to be the soldier I once was and who Jaelynn needs me to be right now. “I was once a guard for the Ministry.”
Fay’s eyes slide over to Jaelynn as if she’s trying to communicate something to her, but I don’t fully comprehend it. Finally she speaks.
“Yes, Noah, I understand that, and I appreciate it. But your place is with Jaelynn, not on the front lines.” Her tone is firm, and it’s clear her decision is made.
Jaelynn looks relieved at her words and I can’t help feeling a little relieved myself. The thought of leaving Jaelynn behind anywhere terrifies me. Still, I don’t like the idea of not having protection, or not having anybody to watch our backs. Surely, somebody capable of fighting will be accompanying us.
“Will you be coming with us?” I ask Fay.
“No. My job is on the front lines. I can’t send my people off to war without fighting beside them. That’s not how it works. That’s not how I work.” Her lips firm and her chin lifts a notch.
“But then, who’s going to protect us?” Jaelynn asks.
“Oh, there will be guards sent with you, don’t you worry,” Fay reassures her. “And we aren’t splitting up completely yet. I’ll be with you for a little while longer. Though I will be sending some of the troops on ahead, and some off in a different direction, to once again form a diversion so we can sneak out another way. Just in case they’ve gotten wind of our campsite.”
Smart planning. “I guess that makes sense,” I comment.
