Chapter 1: The People of the Land
Once as a child, I saw something that resembled lightning in broad daylight. A fleeting flash of light that tumbled like whirling silver across the deep blue sky. My breath was taken away by that short-lived moment even if that radiance was soon followed by the pelting rain. My only regret was how useless I was. The past haunts me, but I have learned again and again. What I was looking for would not easily be attained.
As I entered the prairie, the scent of smoke lingered in the air. My body responded to this smell and the sound that followed afterwards. I glanced around trying to find the origin of this phenomenon. In the distance, I spotted the ground ablaze. It couldn't be... Bombs rained from the sky. Each one smashed the ground that generated a sound that pierced the air. It was an artillery barrage. I barged through the prairie toward a forest ahead. Have to stay calm. Breath and don't stop. Damn! A wall of flames ignited the way into the forest.
"Hey you! Get the hell in here or you'll be blown away!" yelled someone behind me. I looked to see that it was a man in a bomb shelter concealed in the Earth. I rushed to the safety of the bomb shelter and the man closed the latch. "Boy, your lucky that we were just jumping into here ourselves. Otherwise you'd be a goner. Who are you anyway?" I adjusted my eyes to the candlelit room beneath the 10 feet of terra. Three people were in the room I could make out and one was covered in the darkness in one of the corners. I could feel him staring, but I ignored his presence. The bomb shelter consisted of one large earth molded room with a series of tunnels. It had been carved for a number of people it seemed.
"Ian. My names Ian. I was heading towards Dëshpërim when that barrage came down? Is there war or something happening?"
"Pardon my manners. I'm Alexander and this here are my brothers and sister Ashen, Viktor, and Marie. That fellow over there arrived in when that air raid happened. I don't know his name yet, but he didn't say much and yes. The war has been going on for months now." I was dumbfounded from this information. Why didn't these people move away when it started? The bombings dimmed down now. Although, each one vibrated the room with a fierce intensity. "It looks like the bombings are about to stop. Only a few more minutes."
"Thanks. I forgot to thank you for helping me out. If I knew a war was happening, I would have gone along the mountains." I whispered.
"Don't mention it. A fellow like you would've done the same!" he chuckled.
Silence filled the room only to be shattered by the drop of bombs. It was an hour before the artillery ceased and we reached for the surface.
Once as a child, I saw something that resembled lightning in broad daylight. A fleeting flash of light that tumbled like whirling silver across the deep blue sky. My breath was taken away by that short-lived moment even if that radiance was soon followed by the pelting rain. My only regret was how useless I was. The past haunts me, but I have learned again and again. What I was looking for would not easily be attained.
As I entered the prairie, the scent of smoke lingered in the air. My body responded to this smell and the sound that followed afterwards. I glanced around trying to find the origin of this phenomenon. In the distance, I spotted the ground ablaze. It couldn't be... Bombs rained from the sky. Each one smashed the ground that generated a sound that pierced the air. It was an artillery barrage. I barged through the prairie toward a forest ahead. Have to stay calm. Breath and don't stop. Damn! A wall of flames ignited the way into the forest.
"Hey you! Get the hell in here or you'll be blown away!" yelled someone behind me. I looked to see that it was a man in a bomb shelter concealed in the Earth. I rushed to the safety of the bomb shelter and the man closed the latch. "Boy, your lucky that we were just jumping into here ourselves. Otherwise you'd be a goner. Who are you anyway?" I adjusted my eyes to the candlelit room beneath the 10 feet of terra. Three people were in the room I could make out and one was covered in the darkness in one of the corners. I could feel him staring, but I ignored his presence. The bomb shelter consisted of one large earth molded room with a series of tunnels. It had been carved for a number of people it seemed.
"Ian. My names Ian. I was heading towards Dëshpërim when that barrage came down? Is there war or something happening?"
"Pardon my manners. I'm Alexander and this here are my brothers and sister Ashen, Viktor, and Marie. That fellow over there arrived in when that air raid happened. I don't know his name yet, but he didn't say much and yes. The war has been going on for months now." I was dumbfounded from this information. Why didn't these people move away when it started? The bombings dimmed down now. Although, each one vibrated the room with a fierce intensity. "It looks like the bombings are about to stop. Only a few more minutes."
"Thanks. I forgot to thank you for helping me out. If I knew a war was happening, I would have gone along the mountains." I whispered.
"Don't mention it. A fellow like you would've done the same!" he chuckled.
Silence filled the room only to be shattered by the drop of bombs. It was an hour before the artillery ceased and we reached for the surface.
