Day Nine Hundred Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I kept the drone here with us, the better to secure our position. Besides, Elijah and I will have charge of a larger group, that of Tomas and the Captain’s together, and we’ll need it to maintain overwatch when we are on the way.

I should ask Jezer for sufficient parts for another drone, for Quasimo’s sake. He seemed so sad when he handed it off to me.

Elijah passed the time with Raj P. They talked about his brother and mused about his whereabouts with his contingent.

While I did keep the drone aloft circling the camp I caused it to linger each cycle over the approach that Jezer should take upon coming to us.

All day long – nothing.

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Day Eight Hundred Seventy Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Our series of meetings have started to bear fruit. Word comes through Meesa that many people are contacting her, to ask when they can leave.

This ground swell burgeoned throughout the day.

However, we still had the problem of meeting to coordinate our actions to reach our desired goal.

That’s when Jezer reappeared. And he had a solution.

Wherever he had been, he was in position to hear all about our efforts to contact Hamashiachites. He identified those who were the most effective in spreading the word. And now Meesa has a list and a method for pulling us all together.

But Jezer also brought the intelligence that the authorities will soon be clamping down on movement within the city.

Day Seven Hundred Fifty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

     We had to dodge a patrol last night that was coming towards our position. We used the situation to skirt around the compound in the opposite direction with our ultimate goal a track Tomas said we could use instead of the main road.

     We rested the remainder of the night safe from view.

     The track took us by a lake fed by mountain streams. On the far side two tanker trucks were backing in to fill up. A third waited its turn.

     At the sight of them Elijah called a halt. This applied to Tomas too.

    While the Captain kept watch, I thought it an appropriate time for our two young people to dispel the tension.

     So they did, quietly.

Day Six Hundred Fifty Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The camp is in disarray this morning. We had some unwanted visitors over the night. A swarm of drones descended upon our position  and attacked.

We believe we brought them all down. Either from the rifle fire from our new friends, or from the fierce ire of Elijah when provoked.

Tomas and I combed through the aftermath to be sure nothing was still operable that might give away our position.

There were no casualties among us. The only damage has been to some tents and their contents – supplies and equipment.

Still, it is obvious that we shall have to part company sooner than anyone had planned, or wanted.

Elijah took the chief soldier aside for instruction while we made preparations.

Day Six Hundred Fifty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The campfires (we could now discern there was more than one) held to their position. At my order we kept a slow pace throughout the night.

Our plan was to arrive in daylight.  It wouldn’t do to have some strangers suddenly appear out of the darkness to stumble upon a more than likely armed host.

And Elijah insisted upon an additional precaution, he went in alone, while we kept out of sight.

After a brief separation Elijah returned to collect us, and to introduce us to our new friends.

They are indeed from that huge army. A whole platoon of deserters. Minus their leaders.

And to Elijah’s delight (and our surprise) new followers of Yeshua Hamashiach.

They trailed Elijah everywhere.

Day Six Hundred Thirty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Although it is difficult to measure how much ground we are covering each day, both the Captain and I feel it to be less and less. I made another plea to switch to night time travel.

This time the consensus was favorable, but we will wait until the day after tomorrow to implement.

We were crossing a flat expanse with Tomas in the lead, when the young man caught a flash of silver in the sky. He followed its path as it passed our position, circling to our rear.

Tomas ordered us to take cover.

However, Elijah stood his ground, raising his staff over his head. And the diving machine crumpled and fell to earth as though striking a wall.

Day Five Hundred Fifty Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The Captain informs us that we have left one large ocean behind and are now entering the largest one on the globe.

All I see is a lot of islands, but he assures me that though there are many in this vicinity, a great vastness awaits beyond.

I think he can’t wait to surround us in the safety of that vastness.

Elijah has been busy today giving assurances himself. The Raj twin P came to him earlier to ask why Elijah had recommended him for the position on the other ship. I thought he was feeling slighted, but that was not the case. He was having doubts and wondering if he had missed his path.

Elijah put him at ease.

Day Four Hundred Twenty Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We have not seen anyone else on the road, in either direction, since we left the river yesterday. Judging by the calculations of the former merchant from the port city we still have three days to go.

Elijah tells me that the Purser had given him a message to relay to the Captain. A resignation – and an apology for doing so. Elijah raised an eyebrow to me at the finish of this information. I caught his gist and agreed to offer to take on the position if acceptable to the Captain.

My mind was filled afterwards with thoughts of what I would do as a ship’s purser – things that I learned from watching him, and things from my own experience.