A LIGHT IN THE DARK

Lena's POV Rugged and cautious, the man before us seemed to be guarding lost dreams. He exuded control that made me uncomfortable right away. His eyes flicked between Nyla and myself, looking for any dishonesty. I could sense the stress thickening the air and straying from easy breathing. This is Nyla; Lena here is We were looking for survivors here, and I spoke steadily even if my heart was pumping. The man crossed his arms, doubt clearly on his face. And why ought I to believe you? "Because we are in the same fight," I said, resolving to burst inside me. "We are fleeing a strong foe here. Adam will not stop until he finds us; he is after us. He stopped, a little furrowing his forehead. Adam? That name comes from past times. He is a vicious man. Nyla changed next to me, clearly nervous. "We need assistance." This cannot be done by us on our own. His gaze softened little, but mistrust persisted. One runs a danger while trusting total strangers. How do I find out you're not dragging me into a trap? "Look, if we had a choice, we wouldn't be here," I added, desperation teping into my voice. "We have to locate allies." Should our chances align, we can oppose Adam together. He gave us great attention; his choice was clearly shown on the lines on his face. OK. I'm James. You will first have to demonstrate your value nevertheless. The folks I guard are not readily persuaded. He then led us farther into the community center, bringing us across a sequence of dark hallways that opened out into a spacious, poorly lit room full of makeshift mattresses and individuals gathered together to share quiet talks. Whispers of optimism and terror permeated the vibrant, tense environment. James said, "Everyone," calling the room's attention. These two are fresh arrivals. They claim they search for alliances. What they have to give sounds great. Surrounded by suspicious glances, I stood there feeling both excited and anxious. This was our opportunity; how could I persuade them we were worth the gamble? Stepping forward, "Hi, I'm Lena." Though we are battling for our lives, I realize this scenario is terrible. Adam is savage. From us, he has stolen everything; we cannot let him take more. A woman with dark hair shot back, her arms crossed fiercely and said, "I can't believe we're just supposed to trust you." "What have you done to fight him?" "We've survived," Nyla said, her voice gathering force. "We are ready to assist others in escaping his grip as well. Between us, we can plan and rebel. James watched the room as whispers filled it, doubt hanging heavy. Trust isn't given lightly here. You will first aid us if you wish to prove yourselves. Ask you how you might help. I asked, intrigued by the inquiry. "Tomorrow is a supply run scheduled. Someone to check ahead to make sure the area is clear is essential. It's risky; only the bravest volunteer, he added, eyes narrowing. The difficulty floated around like a test of our will. "We'll do it," I said, surprised even by my own assurance in voice. Nyla looked at me unsure, but I nodded strongly. "This is our opportunity for personal validation. Should we be able, we could build their confidence. James studied us, his face incomprehensible. "Okay then. But know this: should you fail, everyone here runs the danger. "We won't fail," I said, my will blazingly clear. We were shown a little area of the room where we could relax before the mission as the conference came to end. Nyla slumped down heavily, her face white. Are you absolutely sure about this? Should something go wrong, what then? I told her, "We'll be fine," even though I knew her anxiety would weigh heavily. "We had it worse together." Her voice almost above a whisper, she said, "I just want to lose everyone else." Sitting next to her, "I get it," I said. "But we cannot let fear control us. We have to fight for everyone as much as for ourselves. She wore unshed tears in her eyes. "I fear, Lena." What happens if we never return? Taking her hand, I squeezed it firmly. "We'll return." We are in this together, remember? Every minute of the long evening seemed to stretch as we got ready for morning. I could feel a fresh feeling of direction building inside me as the sun started to rise and a faint light poured across the broken windows. We would stand right now today. James collected us after a brief breakfast together with two strong men and a woman with intense resolve in her eyes—two additional volunteers. James said, drawing out a map on the table and outlining the strategy. "We will divide into two groups. Lena and Nyla will be looking at the western path. The remainder of us will walk east. Keep in contact with these radios. Tell us straight away whether something goes wrong. "Got it," I said, trying to keep my cool in spite of my heart beating. We started, the air heavy with the smell of moist ground. Walking next to me, Nyla fidgeted with the bag's strap in an uneasy fashion. She asked, looking about as though expecting danger to pounce from the shadows, "Do you think we will really find supplies?" "I hope so. This town needs them, and we need their trust," I replied, looking for any hint of peril. The forest appeared to shut in on us as we traveled the trail, the trees murmuring secrets I could not quite understand. My senses sharpened, every branch's snap pumping excitement into my body. Trying to keep my voice steady, I said, "We should stick to the road." "It will be safer.." Nyla nodded, but her manner revealed her anxiety. Lena, suppose we come across Adam's men? Suppose we are not quick enough? Though I felt annoyed, I could see her concern. We will be quick enough. We will stay away from conflict. We need to remain concentrated. Then we heard a stir in the undergrowth. Hearts thumping, we stopped. "What was that??" Nyla murmurs, eyes wide. Shh, I hissed, striving to pay attention. Still another rustle, nearer this time. My heart hammered louder than the sounds of the jungle could drown out. As I was ready to advise withdrawing, someone emerged from the underbrush. No older than sixteen, a girl materialized with filth on her face and anxiety clearly visible in her eyes. She sobbed, looking back over her shoulder and said, "Please, help me." "Nyla, stay back," I cautioned, moving carefully forward. "What's right?" "They will arrive! They are looking for me! She gasped, running out of breath. "Who"? After you? My heart was pounding for reasons I couldn exactly comprehend, I asked. "Adam's men! I listened in on their conversations. They claimed to be looking for a runaway female. My blood seemed to have frozen. "Are you sure?" "Yes! I cannot go back to that! Tears welled up in her eyes. I murmured, pointing for her to follow, "Come with us." We are here to guard you. Are you sure, Lena? Nyla spoke softly, her voice shaking. "What if they spot us?" "They will find her alone if we fail to assist her. We cannot turn our backs on someone in need, I said, speaking with a forceful voice. The young woman nodded, terror flickering in her eyes. "Thanks". I do not want to pass. Heart pumping, I said, "We'll keep you safe." But even as I spoke the words, a cold seeped into me. We were entering more extreme risk, and I couldn't get rid of the impression that someone was watching. Moving slowly, we guided the girl across the forest. Now, though, the woodland felt different; shadows crept closer, the air heavy with approaching catastrophe. Danger was obviously hiding just outside our view. "Stay close," I advised, looking around our surroundings. Nyla turned back to the girl, her face a mix of compassion and worry. "Your name is?" "Emma," the young woman said, her voice almost above a whisper. We persisted, Emma trailing closely behind. But as we came to a clearing, someone yelled behind us. "There they are!" Adrenaline surged as I whipped around, seeing three men pressing through the woods with angry faces. My gut turned over. The men of Adam had located us. "Run!." With a surge of adrenaline, I yelled. Get to the cabin! We rushed, the sound of chasing feet hammering behind us. Their yells let me know their breath was on my neck. Nyla's fingers grabbed mine fiercely, and I could feel her terror driving my own. "Fast!" As we tore through the underbrush, I urged, pushing myself harder. Emma was just behind us, her little figure faltering to keep up. She gasped, unable to—" "Keep going! You are qualified to do this! With pulse pounding, I yelled."