when you cease to strive to understand,
then you will know without understanding.
Into the end part two - the land is dark, the land is new, frightened and hurt, we move on.
the group of twenty five people walked slowly across the
grass lands. There were no trees in sight, no large boulders to block out the sun or wind, no nothing. Just tall grass that went up to about mid calf. The grass itself did not look dead, but thick and alive, though patches here and there were indeed dead.
It was hard. The phone did not work anywhere they traveled, and it had died shortly after they had started there journey to find civilization. David made sure everyone was with the group the whole time.
Though the journey was long and wore out the body, the senses were always on full alert, eyes wide as the shock slowly died down and the realization of were they really were sunk in.
were they really were? No idea. Just that it was the largest plain of grasslands they had ever seen, and no one knew were. Not masters at world geography here, nope. Wracking there brains, they soon gave up, they would ask once they get to someplace with a working toilet.
The peoples with broken body parts were given makeshift splints bound with wire, and plastic ripped from the plane itself. The people who could, carried the luggage and children. Food was eaten in small bits twice a day. The only exception being the children. They were given crackers and a bottle for the infant by sun-high.
By day three they had almost lost hope as they settled down for the night.
"what if we are going away from civilization?" asked Tony. The man who had first helped David carry anything useful back form the plane.
"remember that survivor show? Bear something. He did this for a week, we just gatta do what he did."
"bear grills."
"what?"
"his name was bear grills" you said softly, for the pain in your ribs was still there.
"oh, thanks. Now like I said we gatta just do what he did.."
"water is are first priority, we must find a stream, or river of sorts" Amy, the girl who had also gone to salvage the plane said. "our water supply is dwindling."
David thought for a few long moments, his green eyes closed in concentration. "your right, we should head down-"
he didn't finished but skipped to another question as Saddie come over. "how are they?"
Saddie sighed. The children are fine, I wrapped them up in a few jackets and set them by the fire. But.. Marrian over there.." she took a breath. " she seems to have developed a cold or something. She keeps shivering and coughing." David nodded at this.
"its a wonder she survived the plane crash at all."
"yeah, I just hope we can get her to a hospital, and the rest of us too, soon." you nodded, hoping to the gods they would get home quickly.
You all sat around the fire for a long while thinking, and talking about what you should do next. You knew you had to go downhill to find water, and if you found water there was bound to be human life.
the morning was chilly, and everyone was bundled in at least three layers of clothing. Marrian and the children were in the back of the group, Marrian was had started another coughing fit and David announced it was time for a rest. It seemed to you David was strong, fearless, clam, and always in control. But as you watched him, you noticed a limp you hadn't before. It must be from tiredness, for everyone had developed some kind of funky walk.
You watched him closer as he worked. Going from one member of the group to the next, offering help if they needed it, checking on broken limbs and sickness, giving them there rations of food for the day, and all around being the leader.
You decided to get up, you knew what you were going to do. You knew how to survive out in the wild. You watched so many of those bear grills shows, and you spent your childhood pretending you were a wild animal. You knew were to go to find water, how to hunt. And even how to fight from your teenage years. You wanted to offer him help.
He looked up with weary green eyes, glazed over with the hardship of taking care of the whole group by himself.
"Sassy." he nodded at you before closing his eyes again.
"David" you acknowledged back. "i umm... David I.." you hadn't thought of how to word what you wanted to say, your concentration had been on getting up without braking anything else in your body.
David looked up and blinked at you, not sure what you wanted to ask.
"yes?" he prodded gently.
"well, do you know the writer Erin Hunter?" you hoped he would, things would be so much easier.
His eyes seemed to brighten a bit, no longer a conversation about what there going to do next, the plan for tonight, the amount of food they had left. It was finally a simple, normal, everyday question.
"yeah, I do, umm the warriors, right? Good book that is. Never got to finish the third book though." he confessed cracking a smile. Thankfully Saddie had found a few sticks of chap stick.
"there is more then one book, iv read them all, but there's much more then three, but yeah, there good books." David nodded as you set next to him looking on at the group, you all happened to be a few feet off form the main group.
"to be honest iv been going by what I remember form the books. There system is so easy. But iv only got the first part down." he said. It didn't really seem as if he was leading like they were from the books. But you wouldn't point this out.
"well." you started. "i was wondering... if I could be your deputy." you blurted out, holding your side like you normally did when you spoke.
David looked startled for a moment, then looked down to consider this. "but no one else knows of the books Sassy, and what with nicknames."
you nod your head at his words as he continued. "though, I have no idea were we are, I would indeed like someone else to help me, thank you, my deputy." he smiled and you beamed at him. Proud somewhat at your new position even though your current position kind of sucked, as did everyone elses.
you awoke to Saddie shaking David awake. It was early morning and only a few people were asleep, the kids and the wold woman slept soundly next to the fire, and the rest just milled about, or tried to find sleep again. The sun would not rise for another hour or so.
"David, David. Please wake up." saddie whispered. You sat up as David awoke. "yeah, what is it?" blinking sleep from his eyes he listened to Saddie.
"Marrian is dead." Saddie said sorrowfully. "what?" David was suddenly fully awake, confusion and shock now evident on his face. "how?"
"it must have been that nasty cough, she went in her sleep."
"do the kids know?" you asked, worried because the three always seemed to stick together.
"no, there still asleep." replied Saddie.
"then we best bury her before they wake up." David sighed loudly, pain etched on his face as well as Saddie, you were sure the same confusion and pain was laced on yours.
"were is the baby?" asked David.
"Samule has him, there both fine." relief seemed to wash over everyone for a moment.
Carefully the three got up, took up the body after having wrapped her up as carefully as possible, then set out into the night. It only took a hour to do the deed, wish the old woman farewell, and leave.
The children were up and easting when they got back. "were is miss Marrian?" asked the little boy.
Everyone shared a glance before Saddie knelt down to hug the boy tightly, then the girl. "Miss Marrian is gone sweetie, she died last night." the children were obviously old enough to grasp the concept of death. Sitting back on her heals Saddie looked the kids in the eyes with her own glassy blue ones.
"shes in a better place, one were its warm, and there is lots of food, shes back home." David offered before walking away.
Saddie hugged the two kids again after asking if they were going to be alright. "yeah, were ganna be okay, thanks." the boy whispered sadly, the girl already sniffing loudly.
"okay then, I'm going to be other there, come over and eat the first meal when you feel ready." Saddie hugged the two once more before walking away, leaving you standing there. The kids looked at you yet didn't seem to notice you at all. You sighed and bend down.
"you see that star?" she asked, pointing to the fading stars that always seemed to be around. They nodded. "that's Miss Marrian's star, if your feeling sad, know shes watching over you." and with that you left to help out with holding the baby and anything else you could do. Every now and again you would look over and see the kids staring off into the sky.
by mid morning David called you up to the front of the group. You hurried up, hauling the large duffel bag that now held the remainder of the clean clothes.
"yes?" you asked when you were striding next to him. He was quite for a moment, but then he answered.
" I think we are going in a large circle, an arc. Do you see that line of green?" he pointed to the west and you squinted past the sun to see.
"sorta."
"well, when we first started out we were facing the trees, then we were walking away for about two days, and I turned the group and there are the trees again. I think if we keep heading towards the trees we will find water."
"its our best option. I don't think well find water in the grass anyway." David nodded as you spoke. "your turning into a fine deputy." he stated proudly before wiping off the beads of sweat that had started to form on his brow.
You felt a bit of pride, enough to make a small smile cross your dry lips as the group walked on.