Something inside her snapped, and screamed at her, "Move! Run! NOW!" Unthinking, reacting, she grabbed him and ran for the door. Down the hall, to the sweeping, open outside stairs. Around the beautiful curve, and the gentle slope, she began to lose her panic, and turned. And as she did, she watched the package spark, then explode, blasting the glass roof and falling to the library, where they had been sitting moments before. Spurred by the continuing destruction of the explosion, she ran. Ran for her life, and his. Dropped everything she owned, everything she had saved, and ran.
Farther away from the building, he tugged at her hand. As they ran, he shouted for the people running through the street to follow. He knew that not everyone would listen, but he had to try. He led them into the old library. Stumbling, she followed him to the back and down a dusty set of stairs to a long, narrow hallway. Once there, they surveyed everyone who had joined them. A handful of people from both cities had made it, as well as some of the refugees. Others would make it, they knew. This was one of a few bunkers in town, and the countryside would be safe, so long as the fires didn’t sneak up on the unwary.
"Where are we?" the confused cry came from the center, and he saw one of the refugees standing there, looking worried "What tomb have you led us to?"
"Only the tomb of our past--and the tomb of forgotten wisdom. Wisdom which might have saved us, and may yet save us from ourselves"
Some looked at each other in confusion and doubt, but most were too frightened, and all too busy caring for the wounded, to pay much attention to the ramblings of a councilman. After all, what rules or proprieties could he establish here, in the dank, dark underground tunnels of a long forgotten city?
She knew what he was thinking, though he had yet to voice it. That look, that wry, grim smile. This was only the beginning of their struggle, their fight for survival, of their greatest adventure. What he had in mine, she did not know, nor against whom, nor why. Only that they had tried to destroy their people...And that she was intricately, inexplicably woven into this nightmare. Somehow, she just knew.
People would follow her, he knew. Her people, of course. But the others, as well. He knelt next to her as she tended a child cut by flying glass. "We need to get them moving. The underground is extensive, and there will be others to join; safer places to gather."
"Why not let them rest first? They’ve been through so much!"
Farther away from the building, he tugged at her hand. As they ran, he shouted for the people running through the street to follow. He knew that not everyone would listen, but he had to try. He led them into the old library. Stumbling, she followed him to the back and down a dusty set of stairs to a long, narrow hallway. Once there, they surveyed everyone who had joined them. A handful of people from both cities had made it, as well as some of the refugees. Others would make it, they knew. This was one of a few bunkers in town, and the countryside would be safe, so long as the fires didn’t sneak up on the unwary.
"Where are we?" the confused cry came from the center, and he saw one of the refugees standing there, looking worried "What tomb have you led us to?"
"Only the tomb of our past--and the tomb of forgotten wisdom. Wisdom which might have saved us, and may yet save us from ourselves"
Some looked at each other in confusion and doubt, but most were too frightened, and all too busy caring for the wounded, to pay much attention to the ramblings of a councilman. After all, what rules or proprieties could he establish here, in the dank, dark underground tunnels of a long forgotten city?
She knew what he was thinking, though he had yet to voice it. That look, that wry, grim smile. This was only the beginning of their struggle, their fight for survival, of their greatest adventure. What he had in mine, she did not know, nor against whom, nor why. Only that they had tried to destroy their people...And that she was intricately, inexplicably woven into this nightmare. Somehow, she just knew.
People would follow her, he knew. Her people, of course. But the others, as well. He knelt next to her as she tended a child cut by flying glass. "We need to get them moving. The underground is extensive, and there will be others to join; safer places to gather."
"Why not let them rest first? They’ve been through so much!"
