Litwalkers

Let There be Light

I looked at the faces of my comrades. Their faces were dirt smeared and they were greasy. We hadn't been able to take baths in a week or so. I looked at them with hopeful eyes, trying to silently boost morale. They were beginning to feel weak and less confident. In many of their eyes they were asking the question 'Why?' I too felt weak and exhausted but this had to be done, for the sake of mankind's future. I couldn't let myself be bogged down by the small defeats we had encountered over the last five days. I had to keep that hope in my eyes.

We crouched silently behind the stone wall, listening to the Litwalkers pace back and forth. We had to outlast them. Eventually they would get bored and move on down the road. Once they leave we can scurry across the road, the darkness shielding us. We had to get to the small house on Lynn Drive. It was a safe house given to us by another rebel named Gene. She told us of the food and water stored their. Our bodies were aching for food.

I tried to keep my head clear of all negative thoughts. I had a mission, and I wasn't going to stop until it was completed. These other poor saps shared my ideals but not my determination. We started out with twenty in our band and now there is only five, not including me. As I look at my comrades I can see two that are ready to give up.

"Es, their not gonna leave," Gwenevere whispers in my ear. Gwen is the youngest in our group, she is only 17 and was a run away. She was caught reading a book but managed to escape. She found us in the mist of a mission, nearly ruining it.

I scold her for talking, as I instructed everyone to remain silent no matter what. She whimpers away from me, sulking back onto the wall. I turn my head again and listen carefully. The Litwalkers were no longer walking. Everyone held their breath. Suddenly we began to hear the familiar sounds of their heavy boots stomping the ground. We held our breath as their steps died away, and finally relaxed once we no longer heard them.

I turned and looked at everyone. I was going to ask if they were ready, but it would have been a moot point. I can see none of them are and most never have been.

"Okay, remember run until you get to the house. Do not stop even if you see a blaze pile. We cannot salvage those. Right now we must focus on ourselves. Got it?" I looked around to see collective nods. They were all scared, and I myself was prepared to say goodbye to one of them. We all took a deep breath in, and as we exhaled we took off running.

I knew the house was straight ahead, I had reminded them of this fact but I could already see some veering off to the side. I tried to signal them to move closer to me but the darkness engulfed my arm movements. I decided to let it go, and simply prayed they would get back on track, if not it was just another goodbye.

As I ran I could hear someone else's heavy breathing just a step behind me. I tried to look back to see their face but the darkness over powered. I face straight forward again, and squint to catch at least an out line of the house. I knew it was far but I needed to at least measure out the distance. Just one glimpse would help my body run a marathon if it needed to. I just needed a little something from every situation to keep me going, just a small, little, something.

From behind me I heard a shoe hit a rock and slight groan of pain. The constant stealing away at night had taught them to repress their involuntary noises. I stopped running and went back for them, letting my and lead the way. "Give me your arm," I commanded in my strongest voice. I heard them whimper in pain, and knew from the sound it was a girl. After a second of feeling around I grabbed a hold of their arm and slung it around my shoulders. "Run," I instructed. She did as she was told. My the feel of her torso I knew I was holding onto Beck, my right hand woman.

Beck was trying her hardest to keep up with me, but she must of twisted her ankle as i could feel her, every now and then, try and take the weight off of it. She was beginning to slow us down. "Endure the pain," I said. I felt bad with being so forceful with her but we already lost precious seconds that could very well turn into minutes. I looked around into the vastness of the dark and could see no one but I could hear them.