Day Seven Hundred Sixteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The melody renewed its hold on me upon waking.  Not from within. Instead Tomas was whistling the tune while preparing something for us to eat.

I made no comment, but felt it held a good portent for the day ahead.

We arrived near the village in the afternoon. Actually it wasn’t a village. It was more like a large compound. There were multiple buildings but all contained by a low wall around its perimeter.

The Captain hung back, grumbling and making his disapproval known. But he was the first to recognize one of the inhabitants as he walked across the courtyard of the compound.

And the Raj twin G also was surprised to see us when moments later we entered.

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Day Five Hundred Sixteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

That melody discovered to us the sought after Hamashiachites. When I think of the teeming masses around us, I marvel that Elijah and I are now among these precious people.

We call them simply the Raj – again on account of our inability to reproduce their sentence long name. Three generations of a single family with almost as many members as letters in that name.

They confess they have been like sheep without a shepherd and rejoice to finally have direction and a purpose. (Through Elijah’s ministrations, of course).

And the benefit has been reciprocal in their willingness to look after our needs.

And wonder of wonders, the two youngest men have found work in a shipyard.

Tomorrow they take us.

Day Five Hundred Fifteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

This city is a jumble. The people are milling about everywhere. Many have taken up residence in the streets, and thereby impede all movement.

We have spent a good part of the morning trying to find a way through to the harbor area. No street runs straight. We would choose a likely prospect only to be disappointed when it lead to a dead end or took a turn to the opposite direction.

Everyone we ask either doesn’t know where the harbor is located  or didn’t even know there was one. Seems we are all new to the city. And all strangers.

Then turning one corner, first Elijah then I heard the melody I had awakened to just two days ago.

Day Five Hundred Thirteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Upon rising this morning a melody filled my heart and soon a song of praise to the One was on my lips. It was a brand new song, one I had never heard before.

Elijah was greatly cheered by it. He said it portended awesome things for the day ahead. We both took eagerly to the road again.

Our mood changed when we passed a temple built beside the way just outside the third village. Slaughtered bodies lay all around its premises. Like the others we’d seen, it had been plundered, emptied out of valuables. Unlike the others, the attendees had resisted. And paid for resisting.

And likely as a consequence when we entered the third village it was deserted.