Last Man Standing

Chapter 6: Finding Trouble

I was in such a hurry to leave Kent that I didn't get a chance to visit Gram's grave. I knew that it would have been surrounded by the men who were still burying other villagers, but I wished I could have at least said goodbye from a safe, hidden distance. I ran away from Kent with tears in my eyes, knowing that there was no going back now. Once this was all over and Marcus was safe, we would return to pay our respects together. For the moment, I just had to keep on running.

I ran for almost three hours, pacing myself with light jogs and determined sprints throughout the course of my escape. I walked briskly for another four hours, and then began to run again for another two. I knew that Evander would be waking up soon, but I felt like I had a pretty good head start to take a break. It would be idiotic at this point for Evander to even attempt to find me; he was better off forgetting my entire existence.

I sat on a large rock to catch my breath, and then pulled my sack off of my belt to find something to eat. I settled on five crackers and a few sips of water. I didn't know how long it would be before I hit another town or village to replenish my supplies, so I had to pace myself. Thankfully, my limited diet over the past few days due to my unconsciousness still held true. I was more thirsty than hungry, so I was glad to see that I grabbed quite a few water containers during my hasty packing endeavor. After taking another sip of water, I packed up my supplies and reattached the sack to my belt.

I ran for another three hours, walked for two, jogged for an hour and a half, and then walked for about six before I found a sheltered area to sleep for the night.

I woke up two hours later as wolves began to howl at the moon.

~*~*~*~

I remember a time when I used to enjoy travelling. When I was four, my father took my brother and me across the Empire in search for work. He was a farmer before a group of Galacian's burnt down our house and stock. We were looking for a new place to live that was far away from such dangers, but I hadn't realized that we were walking towards something that was just as hazardous...

A gladiator's life is never ideal, but sometimes a man just doesn't have a choice. We were on the road for about a month. It was hard to find a place that would not only take in a man with a singular trade, but also shelter his two young children who had no skills or trade of their own. With every knock came another refusal, so we spent most of our time on the move.

One night while we were camping in a field by a stream, I was startled awake by the howling of a wolf. I grabbed a small branch and held it like a dagger, slowly making my way out of the tent. My dad was sitting on a rock by a fire he built, staring up at the stars. I did a quick survey of the area to make sure it was safe before walking over to him. He smiled at me, and then gave a light chuckle when he saw the branch.

"Planning to save the day, little one?"

"I heard a wolf howl. I thought it was close by."

He picked me up by the waist and sat me down on his knee. "There's nothing you need to worry yourself with. That wolf is miles away."

"But he was so loud!"

"A wolf's voice can travel very far, Candra."

"Why?"

"It's because they're trying to speak to all the wolves of Romallia! And they can't do that unless they howl into the heavens."

"What happens after the sounds get to heaven?"

"Well, the gods do their part by distributing the howl across the globe."

I giggled in disbelief. "No! You're being silly!"