Shadow Children

The Refugees

Hey y'all! Sorry for the slower updates recently, school has started and I have like three AP classes so I'm swamped!but I'll try to update whenever I can, seeing as this is my most popular story! Thanks!

Carter jumped up on a rock. He waited a moment while stragglers bustled over, and scanned the crowd as they talked amongst one another. There were about 60. He cleared his throat. "Uh-hello?" They grew quiet, and looked hopefully up at him. "Uh- hi. I'm carter, my outgoing partner's partner" he started, turning to me. I waved my hand. This gave him credibility. "So we will be your refuge tour guides. Though we don't know where we will end up, I can assure you that we will do whatever it takes to help you out and get all of you safe somewhere." Then, his Walkie talkie buzzed. "I'm sorry, I'm gonna take this and let my friend talk." He stepped down, and I stepped up.

"Hello, you may remember me from like, five minutes ago, but I didn't properly introduce myself. My name is Aurelia, and I know how it feels. I was once beaten, bludgeoned, dirty, scrappy, and hopeless. No offense. But you know what? If there's hope for an orphan like I am then there's hope for you too! Hope that we too, can rise up against the evils of the nation and re establish the old ways of life. We just need to make do. And we won't let the population police get to us!" They all cheered, raising their fists in the air of approval. "Alright. Second order of business, now that I've exceeded your cooperation, I'd like to tell you that I've never done this before. I've never led - uh, Carlos? Can you get a head count please? Thanks. So, I don't have any resources. What I'm thinking is we get a patrol system, a line of defense, and a foraging group." I stopped for a moment. Carlos whizzed around counting, and even Twyla helped out. They whispered for a moment. "Boss? We got 64." "Perfect! Thanks! So these teams will be incredibly even. I understand if you're not physically capable of helping out, but if you could help in campsites we set up, that would be amazing. We can sort the details later, I'm just afraid of the population police coming back, but night is falling. So I say we lay low in the beginning of the woods until tomorrow morning early." I stepped down, and tapped Heiram's shoulder, who was standing idly by the rock. "Hey Heiram? I was wondering, since you know these people better than I do, can you guys get the teams organized?" "Of course, Aurelia. So you're thinking defense, food gatherers, patrols, and maybe some skilled crafters or cleaners to conjure up some basic essentials." "I didn't even think of that one! Yes. And I think I'll have someone of power in charge of rationing their food, and I'll need people from your group to split up and lead these other groups." "You betcha. I'll set it up now." He let out a loud whistle, and started to organize teams. "Carter, out." I hear.

I sauntered over to him. "What was that about?" "Oh, just Lucas. I explained what we were doing, and he thinks we're nuts." "Yeah, well, that isn't new. Anything else?" "He said he would come help." I gasped. "Really?" He nodded. "Sick! We'll need all the help we can get." "I'm gonna send him my location tomorrow, or if we find a map then we can set coordinates to meet." "Sounds good. But those people are starving. What do we do?" "Hmm." Carter thought for a moment. "I say we find the campsite first, then send people out. We can get the patrol team to assist as well." "Cool. And I'm sorry." "For what?" He asked. "I promised we would get your brother, and now we have this to work on." He smiled. "Always worrying. No biggie, I think 64 people in need of rescue is far greater than one little boy in a safe place. He can stick it out a little longer. Let's just hope this isn't gonna take a year." I sighed.

The teams were organized. The defense consisted of 24 members, plus Carlos and Heiram leading and Carter and I. We had a patrol team of 12, with Emmett leading. Deidre controlled the food search patrol of 18, and Twyla stayed with Francine at the campsite with the defenseless or physically inactive to help at camp. And so we were off! We found a clearing shrouded by trees on every side, mossy, and kinda roomy. I knew this would change after stuffing over 70 people in it. Carlos and Heiram began the defense training, and Deirdre and Emmett took out their patrols. This gave time for those who stayed behind to start setting up blankets, making moss pillows, and other homely things. Soon the patrols came back with water in two buckets, rocks, wood, and some food. Someone had conveniently brought an old timely cauldron, so it was easy to make stews. It looked like that's what it was gonna have to be. We lit a fire, and I cooked. I poured one of the pails of water in the cauldron, adding in potatoes, squash, roots, carrots, some salt rocks, and other vegetables into the pot after browning them over the flame.

People mostly had some leftover dishware for themselves and others, and those who didn't, carter whittled some with his knife. He also made a ladle for me to serve. I dished out the soup, which was surprisingly thick and decent looking. It still had chunks of the vegetables in it, so it was hearty enough for them. I bet they didn't care though, they hadn't eaten in a while. Me, Carter, and Francine's group of six decided to skip this meal and leave it to the hungry. "I'll tell Lucas to bring some stuff on the way." "Smart. See that someone drops him and the cargo off by car." Carter nodded, and started to chat into the device. I had forgotten something important.

"Hey guys!" The clanking of the bowls continued but they listened. "So... one really important tip. Please always go anywhere with a buddy, and if you're leaving the campsites, go with a specialized defense groupee. That's all. Enjoy." Talking arose again, and everyone went to wash their bowls. By that, I mean everyone. Even the smallest of kids, which was one little boy strapped to his mother at all time with one of those maternity carriers. People retuned slowly, and began setting up their sleeping places. They usually stuck together, huddling for warmth. One woman approached me. "Hello! What's your name?" I asked. "Polly. I must ask, how old are you?" "I'm 15, miss." She looked a little over 30. "Damn. And you're leading people way older than you? Impressive. Anyway, we have a matter on our hands." "What is it?" I asked, completely ignoring her compliment. "I seem to have lost my friend." I was alarmed. "What? When? Where? Who?" "Her name is Tiana. I went to wash the dishes with her in the stream, and she was gone." "I'll go find her. I promise to bring her back safe." "Thank you!" Polly cried, turning away. I gave Twyla the first aid kit I had to tend to some, cued in that we needed more medical supplies to Carter, and left without another word.

Leaves crunched underfoot. "Tiana?" I called out. "Tiana? It's alright. It's me, Aurelia." Silence. Just some crickets chirping under the canopy of the forest. "Tiana?" I approached the river, and called her name again. I had one hand on my knife. "Tiana? Hello?" That's when I heard a scream. It came from further upstream. I ran full speed to see a refugee woman, a bear looming over her small figure on two legs. I pushed her aside, as the bear bit into my shoulder. At that same time, I stabbed its jugular. It moaned, and deepened the grip on my shoulder. Finally it died, all its deadweight now my burden. I toppled over, the bear following, crushing me to the floor. It's tongue Lolled out and blood gushed from the wound, soaking my clothes.

Tiana cried and screamed, and tried to pull the bear off me. "Don't worry about it, can you get Carter please? And tell Polly you're safe? Stay along the river's end and I garuntee it'll be okay. And take this," I threw her the bloody knife, "but please return it later." She had tears streaming down her face, but nodded. I watched her run, her jet black hair tied in a low bun bobbing as she ran. I tried to push the bear up, and it budged a little bit. I tried again, and again, before getting frustrated. "Stupid- bear- get- off!" I flicked it up, only to land on me again, knocking the wind out of me.

My eyes changed color, and I pushed the bear up and over my shoulder, before they turned normal again. It hung over my left shoulder, and I was soaked in its blood. It had gotten my right shoulder, which did hurt and reek of fish from the bear's breath. I sighed. Such a shame, 'twas a beauty too. I began to drag it a bit, before I saw shadows come closer and closer. Carter shone a flashlight at me, and I squinted. Polly and Tiana followed him and Emmett. "How?!" Tiana asked in shock. "What?" Polly asked. "That bear was on top of her, I didn't think you could get it off you." "Well- it's damn heavy that's for sure. A little assistance please, Carter?" I asked, and he hurriedly picked up the dragging legs. "You're covered in blood, and that bite!" Tiana gasped. "Yeah, its mainly the bears blood." "She's been in a lot worse shape, this is nothing" Carter called from behind me. "True that. I'm considering washing off after bringing it back to the camp." "How come we're bringing it to the site?" "Well- don't wanna waste good meat or pelt. We can have Twyla and Francine's group work on this."

"True." Carter said, and we headed back to camp.