The Narrator breaks in:
I always am fearful when I read that my friends are headed for danger. And that fear increases when I do not hear from them the next day. And so it is now as the diary entry lays empty before me.
Not even a scribble this time.
I know my sleep will be fitful until I hear from them again. All of them.
I do so wish that there were something I could do to help.
Meribabell writes:
My captor announced it was time to share his explanations. But first he had a question for me – have I heard any voices – whisperings – or cackling.
I was forthright and replied not since I’ve been here – but had in the days before my capture.
This pleased my nemesis fairy. For he pronounced it safe and let me out with apologies as he did so.
At last I saw that I had been held in a stone box – set in a room possessing the same austerity.
He sat me down to a bowl of golden nectar and explained his actions after introducing himself. His name is Tinadell.
First, he told me my friends and the dragons were all hale and hearty. This comforted me but before I could ask where they were he said they were scouring the well for me and had been ever since they defeated the creature.
Which led to the next piece of information – with another apology – the creature had been the worst reflection of himself and he had feared that with our arrival it was going to transfer its being to another creation rising from its influence over me. This is why Tinadell had held me captive – to make absolutely sure that this would not come to pass.
Now with the danger past, he will send up a sign to attract my friends to where we are.
Mei writes:
I walked down to the square where the bodies of my friends lay open to the air. They were cordoned off. Their removal forbidden still.
Nor would the guards let me linger – but through repeated blows forced me away.
I found a quiet spot to write this, wondering when the promise would be fulfilled.
A commotion erupted among the guards and they scattered falling over one another as Elijah and Enoch stood to their feet and were drawn upward – alive.
There they joined those around my heart’s cherished longing, Yeshua. And I saw my name written on the palm of his uplifted hand.
I set aside my pen to reunite with my friends.
I let a day go by and pondered Tomas’s concern and thereby it became my own. Only then did I bring it up with Elijah.
He listened to me without interruption. But when I had finished, he asked me a simple question – what did I propose be done?
And I realized I had given little thought to it. Rather I had concluded and was hoping that Elijah would do something.
But then an idea came to me. Could we not send Quasimo and his cousin to help our friend? They knew Babylon and Mr. Kagi.
Elijah pointed out were not our friends mature? (Here he included Mawuli). And did they not know the One in whom we place our trust?
We have arrived at the parting of the ways. The last trio of disciples is off to Jerusalem, resigned at last that Elijah will not be of their number and affirming our individual responsibilities to the Spirit.
The drone activity continues nil. Our watches throughout the day reported no one stirring anywhere. We have the main Damascus – Jerusalem road in sight and this total lack of people and vehicles is striking.
The four of us debated the merits of continuing on in the daylight and without resting. In the end we agreed to continue with our present plan.
In talking with Tomas and Reuben, there is excitement and anticipation about being with their friends again. I share the same feelings.
The wisdom of the directions only became clear after the events unfolded. I received confirmation of the instructions as related by Reuben (and reiterated by Elijah), but they gave me great difficulty, for they required me to break the covenant struck between Elijah and me – to never separate.
But I set my mind to obey and we did.
When Moglen left the high place, I crossed over to it while Elijah and Reuben distracted the drone.
I crushed the idol with any rocks that came to hand and tossed the pieces into the fire.
After giving the drone a chance to record the proceedings, Elijah brought it down with his raised staff.
Swiftly I rejoined my friends and we departed.
As we stopped last night on the first leg of our trek, my thoughts circled our final destination. And I wondered if our friends had made it safely by their different routes to the hiding place.
Setting out this morning they again held my thoughts. Elijah must have been musing on the same theme, for he spontaneously began to intercede for our friends, by name. I joined in as we walked along.
Thereby, the time passed quickly, and it seemed, the miles put behind us mounted even faster.
We slowed as we came across signs of activity close to the well we had uncovered on our outbound journey.
We realized they were only tanker truck tracks upon gaining the well.
We all accompanied the Captain, Elam and Sy down to the docks to bid them Godspeed. Mr. Kagi received us with open arms and wanted to take everyone away with him right then. But we committed our friends to him and to the One who sees all.
And thankfully Mawuli heeded the call and gladly joined with them too. He told me of his realization that to ship out on his father’s former vessel had long been a desire of his heart.
The Captain for his part wanted to have Tomas along, but he joyfully knows that each has a part to play.
We watched from shore as the ship threaded its way through the other vessels in the harbor.
We have left the patrol and our false friend far behind. The latter whimpering about being abandoned and blind on the mountain path. I was sure that his friends would soon rescue him.
We came about to our original heading and pressed on. And we saw no one in pursuit the rest of the day.
Elijah and I conversed as we went along.
More and more there were signs of the drought deepening. This underlined the importance of convincing Sy and Jordan to bring their people into the safety and security, and yes, to an abundant supply of water offered in the hiding place.
I then finally told him about my dream. The dream of the rising tide of blood.
We are across. I feel as if I were swept up in a whirlwind. It all happened so fast.
The road was still throttled with traffic when Elijah turned to me and said that it was time. He directed me to summon the others.
I was glad for those dry runs.
When I arrived back at the relay point, Reuben already had his people alert and prepared to move.
Time seemed to standstill as we raced back to our waiting friends.
Elijah was then in the middle of an empty road holding aloft his staff, and commanding us to cross.
Quasimo met us on the other side and guided us around a platoon of sleeping soldiers.
Soon we ourselves rested.
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