FALLEN LEAVES

Lena's POV My heart pounding, I lay still in the bush and listened to the anarchy outside. The men looking for me could be heard calling a sharp reminder of the peril all around us in the woods. Reminding me that I was still alive and had to fight for my survival, I felt the cool dirt under me grounding me. "Where did she go?" one voice cried. "Look over there!" Another yelled in frustration. I gasped, praying I could sink right down. Ideas of Nyla and Daniel tore across my brain. By now they had reached safety. Still confronting Adam's men were they? Anxiety in my heart hurts. I heard rustling nearby suddenly. My body stiffened, and I searched among the thicket's branches in search of friend or enemy. My breath seized in my throat when Elias emerged from the forest. Though I rapidly smothered it, relief washed over me and I pressed my finger to my lips to tell him to be quiet. He nodded, knowing how urgently things needed to be done. "Lena!," he said, bending low next to me. "Are you ok?" I thought I had lost you. "I'm fine," I murmured back, as my heart kept racing. "But right outside is where they are. Before we can head off, we have to wait for them to move on. Elias turned back to hear the search party in motion. "We cannot linger here for very long. They will finally know where we are. I nodded while my mind flew. "Perhaps we might slip away if we could divert them. But we do need a strategy. He inhaled deeply, the strain in his shoulders softening just a little. "What do you have in mind?" I surveyed the thicket, my mind running over options. "They might be drawn away from us if we can generate a disturbance in another direction. Perhaps we can locate something to toss. Elias smirked, a flash of mischief lighting his features. "That's a great concept. Come locate some sticks or rocks here. Quietly emerging from the bush, we searched the ground for anything we may use. I could still hear the men looking as we went, their words resonating across the woods. "Over here!" one yelled. She had to have gone this way! I gasped, terror twisting in my gut. We needed to act quickly. I gathered several little stones and tossed them into Elias's ready hands. "Do you suppose you could throw them far enough?" He nodded deliberately and replied, "Let's hope so." We dropped low and peered toward the noises of the search party. Their eyes were looking about, and I could see them moving in a line. "On three," I replied, just above a whisper. "one... two... three!" With a loud crash, Elias flung the stones into the far side bushes. The men spun at the sound, confused yells filling the air. One of them cried, "Over there!" and shot toward the sounds. "Let's go!" I grabbed Elias's hand and urged. Adrenaline driving our flight over the woods, we set off in the other way. Branches whirling at our faces as feet staggered over roots, we sprinted for what felt like decades. At last we slowed, panting fiercely and leaned against a tree. That was close, Elias remarked, his chest heaving. "Too close," I said, looking about to make sure we were not being trailed. "We did it, though. We went out. Elias grinned, but it disappeared fast as he gasped. "What now?" We have to get back together with the others. Correct. We should return to the cottage, I said, looking for recognizable sites. "We can come up with a fresh strategy if we can locate Daniel and Nyla." We started off once more, wary over the forest. The suspense of the last meeting stayed in the air, reminding me we still lived in peril. I felt a change within me as we strolled. Though something else was developing—a sense of resolve—the anxiety and uncertainty I had experienced before persisted. I was choosing to fight back, not only running from peril now. Lena? The sound of Elias pierced through my ideas. "Are you ok?" Startled by the care in his eyes, I stared at him. "I am good." merely thinking. "About what?," he asked, brow wrinkling. I slowed down and said, "About how much we have been through." Since all of this started, I have changed. I used to feel so insecure and terrified. But today I feel stronger. Elias grinned, a friendliness filling my chest. "You have changed." The girl you first joined us is not the same one now. You courageous Lena. Time and time again you have shown. "Thanks, but when you're surrounded by friends it's easy to feel brave," I answered, my voice softening. "You have changed as well." I have watched you develop into a leader someone people could rely on. "I never felt like a leader before," he said, massaging the back of his neck. Like everyone else, "I was simply trying to survive. But having you and Nyla at my side has helped me to see I can be more. For a minute, we strolled in easy silence while each of us considered our path. Sharing this moment and recognizing our progress felt right. "Do you suppose we could actually stop Adam?" I inquired unexpectedly, the weight of the world once more down on me. Elias's face grew solemn. "I believe we are able to. We have to come to believe that we can influence things. We have gone far; we cannot stop now. I nodded, the flame of will flickering inside me once more. You are correct. Not only for everyone who cannot fight back but also for ourselves. We must keep fighting. The familiar outline emerged as we got closer to the cabin, a lighthouse of hope amid the gloom. The idea of seeing Nyla and Daniel again and of sharing what we had learnt boosted my heart. Inside, we were met with the musty cabin scent. "Nyla?" Daniel asked? Calling out, I hoped they would answer. " Over here!" I hurried toward Daniel's voice coming from a cabin corner. They were gathered close together, clearly worried. Lena! Elias! Nyla said, relief flooding her face. "We were worried!," We're good, I responded, trying to regain my breath. Still, we learnt something quite significant. "What is it?," asked Leaning forward, Daniel questioned with brilliant interest. I hurriedly related our meeting, including the specifics of the men's intended raid on our village. As the gravity of the matter settled in, the atmosphere in the room changed. Running a hand through his hair, Daniel replied, "This is worse than we thought." We have to act quickly. "But how?" nevertheless. With a rather trembling voice, Nyla asked. "We are a small group; they have numbers.". Then Elias intervened, his voice consistent. "We have to act strategically. We can benefit from what we already know. We have to assemble supporters, those who will fight beside us. "Perhaps we might get in touch with other survivors," I said. "There have to be others out there feeling exactly what we do." Daniel responded, "That's a good idea," with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "We might have a chance against Adam if we could unite our forces." "Let's not overlook strengthening our defenses as well," Nyla said, her confidence rising. We have to be ready for whatever they toss at us. The tension in the room started to relax as we brainstormed. Ideas poured forth, each one building on the last, and I sensed the same old togetherness that had first brought us together. Daniel replied at last, glancing around at us: "We'll need to split up again." "We should compile materials and locate any possible allies we can. Two days from now we will get back here. "Sounds like a plan," Elias remarked, his eyes gleaming with will. The idea of what lay ahead excited and terrified me at the same time. With a calm voice, I said, "Let's do this." We are not only going to survive going forward. We are going to fight back. I found direction filling me as we got ready for the next stage of our trip. I knew we would meet obstacles together, whatever they were ahead. Feeling a great thankfulness for their friendship and support, I looked at Nyla and Elias. Outside, the breeze stirred the trees, a reminder of the storm we were walking into. But for the first time I felt prepared to meet it. I had come too far to reverse right now.