Day Nine Hundred Sixty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

It was so good to be in the company of the Captain and Tomas, Quasimo and Raj P, and Mei and Meesa again. And they were so glad, and relieved to see us. We were up late with our friends, catching up. And introducing Reuben and his men.

Meesa had them settled in their own quarters in no time at all. And I soon slipped off to sleep myself.

But Elijah kept awake the night through and was still going strong when I awoke this morning. For a new problem had arisen and on the way to the set apart place to pray, he sent me to Mei.

She had had a vision of others trying to come to us.

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Day Eight Hundred Fifty Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We planned to let a whole day pass before setting off on the road to Damascus. Neither of us wanted to overtake Jezer and fall into his company.

We had just collected ourselves together when an army truck rolled up to the well and accosted us. They couldn’t understand us and we couldn’t understand them.

The man in charge searched us, then dismissed us in disgust. They remounted and sped away north.

The way ahead looked much the same as our route from the south, more rock cliffs channeling our path.

I fell into a discussion with Elijah about our former guest.  I supposed that the soldiers were in pursuit of him.

Elijah nodded and said, “His mark was false.”

Day Seven Hundred Thirty Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Mei remained at the rear of our troop, while Lung kept by Elijah’s side most of the day. He had many questions and appeared eager to listen to Elijah’s answers.

At one point I dropped back to keep her company. She remained taciturn to most of my comments. She only became animated either during those times when Tomas returned from the advance, or when she raised her rifle at the slightest hint of danger. And she almost blushed when Tomas joined us to inform me about a fork ahead in the road.

We left her company to confer with Elijah and the Captain about which direction we should take.

The main road continues paved. We will take the unpaved one.

Day Seven Hundred Thirty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We kept on the move all night, and only stopped (or dropped) when exhaustion overtook us.

Our discussions along the way had not yet resolved the two different options that divide our company. Tomas and the Captain were for seeking out the help of the Supreme Commander. Elijah and I thought we should not go back the way we came, but rather continue north.

The decision was taken away from us at the appearance on the road of a tanker truck. Its support troops had us surrounded before we had a chance to react.

Though clearly harmless they kept us with them to their destination, the dam at the end of the lake.

Thus we landed back where we began.