The night was a suffocating shroud, wrapping around me as I pressed my back against the rough wall of our home. The acrid scent of smoke clawed at my throat, mingling with the stench of fear that enveloped the village. I could hear the distant shouts of soldiers, their boots crushing the earth like thunder. My heart raced, each beat echoing the urgency of my thoughts.
I cradled my baby against my chest, feeling the warmth of his small body, the rhythmic rise and fall of her breath grounding me amidst the chaos. His violet eyes, wide and innocent, looked up at me, unaware of the danger lurking just beyond our walls. I knew I had to protect her, no matter the cost.
As I peered through the cracks of the wooden door, flames licked at the thatched roofs of our neighbors' homes, casting flickering shadows on the ground. The village was alive with screams, a chorus of despair that shattered the night. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to remain calm. My escape plan was tenuous, but it was all I had.
I quickly gathered some cloth and fashioned a makeshift blanket, tucking him tightly, knowing I had to act swiftly. Carefully, I placed him into a worn wicker basket, its fibers soft against his fragile skin. "You'll be safe," I whispered, though I was far from certain. I hoped the river would cradle him, guide him away from the horrors I couldn't shelter him from.
With one last look at my precious boy, I lifted the basket and moved to the edge of the village, the shadows swallowing me while I weaved my way through the chaos. The river glistened in the dim light, a ribbon of silver in the darkness. I knelt by the water, heart pounding, and set the basket afloat. "Go, my love." I murmured, tears blurring my vision. "Find safety."
As I watched it drift away, a flare of light erupted nearby, illuminating the night with blinding brilliance. Panic surged through me; I had to divert their attention. Steeling myself, I turned back in the direction of the soldiers, my heart racing not just for my baby but for the risk I was about to take.
I stepped into the path of chaos knowing every second mattered. I moved as quietly as possible, each step a prayer for stealth. The soldiers shouted at one another, their laughter slicing through the air, ignorant of the mother's desperate resolve standing before them.
I toppled a few crates into the path of the men who took everything from me, drawing the attention of the animals who relished in what they had done. My voice trembled as I pleaded for mercy. My body trembled as I crawled away, away from the river that had become my child's salvation. My heart shattered with each step as I broke into a run. The flames roared behind me, a reminder of what I was leaving. The life I had, the child I will never see again. I sprinted into the darkness, desperately trying to get away as their footsteps grew near, weaving into the underbrush, hoping to outpace them.
The ground was uneven, roots and stones snagging at my feet, but adrenaline pushed me forward. I could hear their shouts grow fainter as I put distance between us, yet fear clutched my heart like a vice. I glanced back, catching a glimpse of figures silhouetted against the fire light. They were still searching, still hunting, and I was their prey.
Every breath felt like a weight, but I pushed on, willing my body to keep moving. I would lead them away, even if it meant facing lay ahead alone. The world around me faded into a blur, the cries of my village haunting the night, and all I could think of was my child, adrift on the river, and the hope that somehow, he would find safety.
As I fled, the darkness wrapped around me, and though I was filled with despair, I held tightly to the flicker of hope———
hope that my sacrifice would not be in vain, that my baby would be safe, cradled by the river, far from the flames and the terror that had consumed our home.
