How long have I been laying here? How long has it been since…they came? Have they all left yet? Is it safe to come out?
When they arrived my mother forced me down into the root cellar and told me not to come up until it was safe.
I wanted to be with them, Mom and Dad, when the Desians came. Instead, I've been sitting down here for hours.
For the first two hours I could hear screaming and the roar of fires, but now everything is quiet. Even the screams died long ago, I still fear that some Desians remain here, in whatever is left of Luin.
My hands tremble as I reach for the cellar doors, my mind racing over the possibilities of what awaits me outside. Did they kill everyone? Are there bodies ripped apart on the streets? Will I be taken to the Ranch? Or will I be killed?
I pull my hands back. Fear is telling me to just stay put; just stay in the cellar where no one can find me.
But what if someone is hurt and needs help?
Lindy…
I push against the cellar doors with all my might, but they won't budge. Something must have fallen against them. I back up and take a running start that them, slamming into them with my shoulder. I hear something fall over with a *thud*. Hopefully that did it.
My shoulder hurts now and I can't move my arm much, but I still manage to push one of the doors open a few inches and crawl out.
To be honest, I half expected a body to be leaning against the cellar doors. Instead it was some beams from the house.
I scan the area and see the house is completely leveled. Our home…
As I wander down the streets looking for survivors, I remember some of the voices I heard while hiding. I couldn't tell what they were saying, or if they were Desians or not, so I stayed hidden. Now, I can't help but wonder who those people were. Were the good or evil? Did the come to help, or only to gawk at the damage?
Wouldn't it be something if it was the Chosen? Yeah right, like the Chosen would really come here. She has to be close to Regenerating the world by now.
I hope she's successful, I think when I look down a bloody covered, familiar girl's arm.
. . .
I then realise how utterly alone I am…
