Apocrypha ✔️

Chapter 36

"For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning."
Psalm 30:5

CROSSING THE BORDER past Tennessee, they were now in Kentucky territory.

"Stay alert!" Alcibiades said. "Stick together at all times."

A packed group was made. The younger, tougher men were stationed in the back and front of the group while the women, Mamillius, and Timon were in the center. Kari insisted she wanted to be in the back.

During the past days, ever since the start of their journey, Horatio kept silent. The topic of who betrayed the group and released Sempronius hadn't been discussed.

They were all too busy trying to survive.

But the topic would eventually come up. And he needed to figure out a way to make sure everyone, especially Cassio, to not be too harsh on him.

"We should be approaching Louisville in a few days." Timon said, his eyes looking at the map.

"Let's avoid the metropolitan areas and go through the suburbs." Lysander said.

The same Gabriel and Lysander have done before on their trips. Avoid the major areas and stick to the countryside. While it was a different path, they could expect the same things.

"I'm tired!" Mamillius whined.

Alcibiades stopped walking and swung his backpack to his chest. He bent down in front of the boy.

"Hop on." He said. The boy eagerly jumped on.

"Are you sure?" Lucrece asked the man.

"Yeah. I had to carry bird feed bags in the military. This is nothing." Alcibiades replied.

Lucrece's arm lingered too long on the man's biceps before pulling away. She tucked on her rations of food and reserved it for him in the future.

"How about some music?" Lysander asked.

"We can always count on you for that." Gabriel mentioned.

Lysander pulled out his radio and adjusted it to a music station.

Each time we have a quarrel, it almost breaks my heart
'Cause I'm so afraid that we will have to part
Each night I ask the stars up above
Why must I be a teenager in love?

'Another oldie' Gabriel thought to himself. Only the best for Lysander, as he would say.

Music was a perfect escape. It reminded Gabriel of love, sadness, missing someone, longing, and everything in between.

I cried a tear for nobody but you
I'll be a lonely one, if you should say we're through
Well, if you want to make me cry, that won't be so hard to do
And if you should say goodbye, I'll still go on loving you

It was all they had in the tough and treacherous journey. Music to fill the quiet air around them.

Gabriel had to restrain himself. There was nothing he wanted more than to sit down somewhere and take a long rest.

The past few days had taken a toll on him. It was hard to not feel responsible in the people's state. If he wasn't there and had gone somewhere else, then they'd all still be living normal lives.

Lysander could have found himself a proper man. One that wasn't being hunted or had been scorned by his family.

Instead, they have gambled on the opportunity to make it somewhere else, where safety isn't guaranteed. Nor is death. Everything, in a way, is a gamble. Gabriel knew this all too well by the way his life had turned.