He peered around one corner of the crumbling structure and discovered a discreet, fragmenting concrete staircase disappearing under the cracked floor. Dramble cautiously followed the lure of the curious steps, hoping to find a hiding place intimate enough to protect Elly. Kicking rubble, blocking his descent from the stairs and clattering noisily to the floor below, Dramble finally stepped onto a solid floor, protected on all sides by thick, reinforced concrete but the floor was scattered with debris and the chamber was dry, semi-dark and stifling with dust. He would have to clean up a bit before Elly would accept her new hiding place.
As Dramble peered around the tomb-like structure, his confidence began to grow and he was sure the fortress would serve Elly well.
After half an hour of clattering and banging, clearing debris, Elly’s cautious face appeared around the wall and peered down into the dusty hollow, wondering what Dramble was doing.
Choking on the disturbed, listless dust climbing the staircase, Elly waved at her face with her hand, trying to swat the airborne powder from settling into her lungs. “I gather this is where you want me to stay?!” Elly coughed and shouted above the din, startling Dramble.
Dramble’s amused grin peered back up at the blonde woman. “The dust will settle soon enough and I feel confident you will be safe here, Elly.”
Elly waited at the top of the stairs until Dramble completed his rigorous task then after a considerable time, he appeared beside her covered in copper coloured dust. His dusty hair and clothes gave him the disposition of a small, elderly man and Elly couldn’t help but laugh. Then with a fond gesture, she tenderly rubbed the dust from his hair and wiped at his face with her small hand while the helpless, childlike expression drew her gaze and she peered into his soft grey eyes, catching the depth of his sincerity.
The gentle compassion hiding behind the astonished look suddenly overwhelmed her and she pulled him into a desperate hug. “I wouldn’t have survived a day out here without you, Dramble,” she confessed gratefully.
Dramble was stunned by Elly’s show of emotion and he returned the hug, confused by what was right and appropriate and what was true and expected. The softness and warmth of the young woman felt like velvet and her embrace was dismantling his ability to think rationally.
A sudden surge of determination refocused his mind; he had work to do.
Regretfully, he broke from her arms, pushing down the desire for the forbidden fruit of her delicate lips and prepared to push on into the unknown, before the darkness trapped him halfway through his intended mission to find water and leaving Elly unprotected and susceptible in the chilling night.
“I have to go, Elly,” Dramble whispered. His crimson face shone through the smudged copper dust, hoping his colour wouldn’t betray the depth of his emotions.
Elly’s reply was laced with concern. “Please be careful out there, Dramble!”
Strange emotions played with Dramble’s mind, remembering their embrace and the way Elly had made him feel. Reluctantly and quickly, he disappeared over scattered rubble, occasionally glancing back to where Elly’s fortress stood as the distance between them increased exponentially. Having fondness for a charge was one thing, but having anything more was taboo and expressly discouraged. Dramble tried to push the confusion of Elly from his mind and concentrate on finding water, but his thoughts kept returning to her hug and he couldn’t wait to be reunited with her.
*~*~*~*
Elly settled into the furthest corner of her silent dungeon, laying her back against the thick, unmoving concrete and studying the food tubes prostrate before her on the floor. She fidgeted with one of the lids as Dramble had shown her and the cap opened, exposing the grey crystals. Thirst had taken the place of fare and the thought of dry food stealing any more of her dwindling saliva added another dimension of aridness to her throat and constricted it into a painful, retching cough.
The crystals were still vibrating ever so slightly and the weird display was unnerving her. She slammed the lid shut again and dropped the tube back to the floor and laid her head against the cold concrete, sighing loudly. She closed her eyes, hoping to sleep and distract her mind from the increasing desiccation tugging at her tongue until Dramble hopefully brought back news of a water source.
Elly’s eyes abruptly jolted awake and her heart raced as a misplaced sound disturbed her slumber; her head was thick with sleep and she wondered whether the disturbance had been real or just the result of an overactive imagination teasing her dreams.
A reassuring thought crossed her mind; it may be Dramble returning from his adventure, but she decided to remain quiet just in case. She steeled herself again, holding her breath and waiting for confirmation she wasn’t just dreaming.
Then the unmistakable crunch of dust under nearby booted feet stole the breath from her lungs. She cowered against the concrete wall, shaking in apprehension, but the crunching boots were coming ever closer, until the unmistakable click of stepping feet climbing down stairs assaulted her sanity.
In a desperate bid to defend herself, she frantically searched for a weapon but to no avail; Dramble had cleared everything out of her dungeon and unintentionally left her trapped.
A red, shadowy figure painted itself on the opposite wall, mimicking the moving silhouette of her assailant. She opened her mouth to scream, but the fear stole the sound and trapped it lifeless in the dry walls of her parched throat.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 14
The word quickly spread among the members of the family, disturbed and anxious that Hakham had called a gathering in the place of meeting, an unusual affair that seldom affected everyone. It was considered far too risky, even in the relative safety of their underground world for the whole family to be together at once, should the Alama Masu consequently stage a surprise attack, breach their defences and wipe everybody out in one foul swoop. Then without the surety of a remnant escaping a bloodbath, the resistance would have nowhere to go and a great multitude would remain at the mercy of the barbaric warlords, forced to comply with their pagan rituals or perish at their bloodthirsty hands.
The shores surrounding the Lake of Purity soon swelled with murmuring people, but leaving the sacred rock curtain and the altar behind it with a reverent gap devoid of worshippers. The altar was the most revered place among the family and they knew of the awesome power that emanated from its cloaked surrounds, but the priest of God was the only one allowed safely into the sacred presence of the Mighty One, to offer sacrifices on their behalf.
The gathering soon quieted. Hakham’s hooded figure standing before them was nothing out of the ordinary, but Finn’s handsome stature standing head and shoulders above him certainly was. To have the champion of the Raiders and the leader of the family together at one time was unheard of and a perfect time for the Alama Masu to cripple the irksome thorn in their side with an attack.
The family took no chances when it came to the treachery of the dark hooded ones, leaving the gathering concerned something tragic had or was about to happen.
Hakham glanced around the cavern, his dark eyes scanning the faces of the people he loved dearly: men, women and children and the thought of a traitor among their ranks stabbed at his heart. As his gaze fell upon familiar individuals, they smiled back at their leader but averted his overpowering stare. Hakham understood the phenomenon very well and accepted their averting stance as an act of love, not rejection.
The presence of Finn’s athletically handsome figure at the gathering was akin to a lighthouse, with his hypnotising green eyes drawing stolen and admiring glances from all avenues of the feminine sway, most particularly the unattached young women.
A murmur erupted among a group of young maidens when Finn smiled directly at one pretty and innocent young woman, stealing her heart and her breath in a gasp of adulation at the same time. Envious stares settled on Finn’s intended recipient, causing a ripple of dissention to break out around Heather.
Hakham raised his hand in a
gesture to bring order to the murmuring crowd, drawing the attention of admiring eyes away from the blonde Raider and back to the business at hand. He glanced momentarily around the crowd before he began his speech; his gaze noticed many things, especially the momentary interlude between Heather and Finn. He couldn’t help feeling happy for Heather, but now the pressing assembly had to quickly concentrate on a disturbing matter and the trap needed to be baited.
*~*~*~*
The crowded and intimate surrounds of the family made romance between the single young men and women almost impossible in their subterranean world. It was said among the older married couples, who had faced the dilemma of courtship in a confined environment, there was a specific passage among the maze of passages that led deep into the confines of the tunnel systems and into a cave described as the place of delighted enchantment.
The cave was said to be beautiful beyond belief and dripping with jewels of every kind, tended by God Himself and the only location where the delicate, pale Altar Rose bloomed under the timeless light of His presence. The entry into this hidden utopia was at best elusive and those who had supposedly found the jewel were rewarded with an overwhelming experience. But to those couples who truly found the love of a soul mate, the Altar Rose waited patiently in isolation for the day in which its bloom could be picked and planted in the hearts of the couple.
As the existence of this cave and its treasure was difficult to substantiate and very few had found its dubious location, a tradition grew out of the legend and the very fact that a young man invited a young woman on an expedition into the vast maze to discover the cave and the shy rose, left no doubt of his intention to anyone.
The family had adopted the tradition with fervour and it became a time of great celebration when a young man approached a young woman’s father and asked for the privilege to search the path of the Altar Rose with his daughter. If it was clear that the daughter was sufficiently taken by her suitor, her father would consent and the search for the rose could begin. It was customary for the couple to spend the day together exploring the deep passages and when they returned, they were considered engaged to be married.
However, in the reaches of the extensive cave system a coloured tree root flourished in the dark and it was expected the couple would return with something as proof of their innocent love. If not the timid rose itself, then usually it was the coloured root, a sure accepted sign that God had condoned the match.
Should the couple return empty handed, then the betrothal was cancelled, a clear sign the match was unequal and under God’s disapproval.
The few couples who claimed to have found the wonderland cavern described its beauty and effect on the people who found it as profound and life changing. No one could deny the legend’s impact and the love story written in the lives of those who made the claim, adding a deeper romantic desire for young lovers to seek out the Altar Rose and its blessing upon their kindling love, too.
Forever to bloom and confirm the presence of soul mates.
*~*~*~*
Finn seemed distracted as Caleb, Finn’s second in command, tried to discuss the coming raids and develop a new strategy since the old one had been apparently leaked to the Alama Masu.
Finn’s mind kept replaying the dazzling smile of a young woman whose face shone with innocent beauty and purity, and he couldn’t get her out of his thoughts. She was well known among the family for her sense and maturity, making Finn’s curiosity pique even further.
Recently he’d felt God’s urging to take a wife and start a family, but the dangerous raids on the enemy were consuming more and more of his time and effort, an occupation that wouldn’t bring comfort to a waiting spouse, wondering whether her husband would return at the end of a mission. Besides, apart from the courteous smile, Heather gave no indication she was the slightest bit interested in him, making him even more curious and willing to attempt to capture her heart.
Finn liked the rush and excitement of stealing the condemned resistance from the enemy, and usually from directly under their noses. Although he carried no care for his own life, having a worried spouse waiting for his return added a new dimension to his chaos, and maybe cause him to lose the psychological edge over his enemy.
His quandary was interrupted when he heard Caleb’s intention to massacre a great number of the Alama Masu in a deadly raid. The intensity of Finn’s green eyes focused heavily on Caleb, wondering whether he had actually heard what Caleb had planned.
Finn’s indignant, “WHAT?!” stopped Caleb in full-on furious babble.
“It’s the only way, Finn! Fight like they do and rid ourselves of their barbaric curse. God would be with us; they are His enemies too!”
“God would not be with us if we adopted their barbarism!” Finn exploded. “He has given us success in the raids because we do things His way and not theirs. What do you suppose would separate us from being barbarians if we take on their ways; would we also adopt their worship?”
“Please, Finn, stop! I find that offensive to even give breath to. I concede you are right; we need to consult Hakham’s wisdom and ask God to give us the next plan,” Caleb admitted.
“Then let it be; now you make sense, Caleb.”
*~*~*~*
Dramble guessed he had been tramping the endless, charred ruins for hours now and the scenery had remained unchanged; but worse still, there were no signs of water and there was nothing more he could do. Dejectedly, he stood atop a pile of bricks and searched the flat topography to the horizon in all directions, but nothing appeared different.
He was just about to dismount the loathsome dusty pile in a defeated huff and turn back with empty hands, to face a desperate young woman whom he cared deeply for and possibly watch her life ebb away in a torturous death through dehydration, when he saw a strange shape in the distance.
The low, hemispherical outline dominated one complete corner of the surrounds and its stark contrast to the devastation around inspired a small flicker of hope. From his position, it looked like a huge glass dome and inside the dome, a contrast of colours reverberated violently against the barren landscape, giving the impression of a huge glass terrarium carelessly dumped in the desert.
If there was greenery, then there would be water!
Dramble jumped down from the pile of bricks in an excited leap and started to run towards the dome many miles away. But he suddenly stopped, guessing if he made it down to the dome, he wouldn’t have time to get back to Elly before the depths of night descended and made it impossible to retrace his steps in the encompassing darkness. The quandary tore at Dramble’s undecided mind in a desperate storm of bitter debate.
Should I go and get water and try to make the journey back in the dark or should I go back and carry Elly to the water?
Finally, he came to a unanimous decision of one and decided to retrace his steps and carry Elly to the water source, hoping it wouldn’t be too late to revitalise her badly dehydrated body.
Desperation overcame Dramble, anxious to be back in Elly’s company again, sprinting like a man with a determined mission, jumping over debris as if it was an athletics hurdle. The hope pounding through Dramble’s veins pushed him on through the long hours, stopping only briefly to recognise landmarks, reorient himself and confirm he was on track.
As the familiar fortress finally came into view, the red sun had almost set and the evening chill was descending quickly. Elly would need his warmth too, giving him a legitimate reason to get closer to her.
He sprinted up to the structure, minute dust clouds languishing in the trail of footsteps and calling as he went. “Elly! Elly, I’m back and I’ve found water, too!”
Bursting into the ruins, Dramble abruptly slowed his pace as he descended the stairs into the vault where he had left her only a few hours ago, but he was faced with an eerily empty room.
Panic began to rise and he shot back up the stairs, taking three steps at a time and searching, while calling her name at the same time.
He listened, straining to hear the expected sounds of distress, but the stillness and quiet answered him instead.
Descending the stairs once again, his heart pounded in his chest as he searched the room, hoping to discover a clue to Elly’s disappearance and if she had gone willingly.
A crazed pattern in the dusty soil suddenly pointed to a one-sided scuffle and the forceful abduction of the young woman who had been his life. The food tubes were gone too, only confirming their suspected collusion in Elly’s disappearance. Tears of frustration began to form in the corners of his eyes.
He had no idea what to do next.
*~*~*~*
Chapter 15
Heather busied herself in the chores of the small family chamber, the young seventeen year old felt safe and secure among the family and privileged to have been given a new life with the God-fearing people. Under Hakham’s gifted teaching, she recognised the hand of God in their deliverance and committed to following His ways, thus developing a jewel of great price reflected in the personality and character of the young woman.
She and her father had been stolen from the hands of the Alama Masu by the Raiders too, just seconds before they were to be beheaded in a macabre crowded public forum, shouting perilously like animals for their blood.
But her mother hadn’t been so fortunate; she had been executed before their eyes the day before, in a haunting scene that plagued every wakening hour of Heather’s young life and filled her sleep with raging trauma. The very fact her mother wouldn’t look up at the crowd just before she was executed, spoke of her shame and the atrocities she had suffered at the hands of her pagan captors.
Most decent people hated the Alama Masu and many opted execution over being forced to join their sordid ranks. But those despots who joined the ranks and survived the executions were treated with such contempt and barbarism, they wished for death anyway. Some joined the Alama Masu and adopted their ways with such vigorous cruelty, hoping to gain the hooded ones’ approval, but they were the people given the task to murder their own kind with the sword.