Her dull brown eyes darted back over her shoulder. They were coming for her. Not knowing how she knew, she pulled the small bundle closer to her and ran. Trees, branches, thorns snapped at her, telling her to give up. Tears formed in her muddy brown eyes.
Never in her life did she want them to take her precious cargo off her. She stopped mid-flight as a three-metre drop fell in front of her. She needed to hide her baby. Not caring for her own safety, she jumped, holding the bundle closer still to her. To her surprise she landed upright, with no major injuries. Breaking into a sprint, she tried to run as fast as she could go, to no avail.
She wanted to see him grow, to live. She wanted to be the best mother she could be without letting him go. And she knew, in her heart of hearts, this could not be so. She had to let him go. This, she felt, was the last time she would see him in living flesh, and she wanted to steal a few last moments with him.
She stopped running. Turning slowly, she found herself in an ancient ruin. Quickly moving to one of the more sheltered overhangings of stone, she placed the small bundle under it, covering the baby with the shawl around her shoulders.
"Goodbye, my angel," she whispered. With her back turned, the woman walked back the way she came, never once looking over her shoulder at her child. Tears fell freely as she worked up courage to move one step further away. Never look back. You won't be able to let him go again, she told herself silently. Don't ever look back. You can't help him. He needs more than a slave's life. I can't do this!! She stopped and looked over her shoulder. She could hardly see him hidden in the ruins. I can't leave him there.
But I have to. I don't want them to find him. She needed to lead them further and further away from him and his hiding place. She ran.