Day One Thousand One Hundred Fifty Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

A day of rest was decreed for the hiding place. The rumble of so many people noticeably lessened. A sigh of contentment passed like a wave throughout the whole cavern.

Elijah disappeared somewhere. Not in the set apart place. (I checked).

In my search I crossed paths with Tomas, and he wanted to talk.

So, as not to disturb anyone, we took our conversation outside. There Tomas poured out his concerns for Mr Kagi. They coincided with mine in every instance except one. And that consideration I had not even imagined. Tomas thinks that Mr Kagi may be in mortal danger, since the Supreme Commander no longer lives to shield him from certain elements of the army of the East.

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Day One Thousand One Hundred Forty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Reuben was ebullient to be in touch with Tomas after his epic search for him. The feeling was mutual since they had much in common to discuss as they went along.

It was from their discussion that we learned about a side effect to my destruction of Stan’s idol.

The alliance between the armies of the East and North had been forged while the Supreme Commander was still alive. When the government forces left their fortifications to mount an attack on them, the leader of the Northern army suspected he had been betrayed and slew the Supreme Commander. When the government forces retreated for no apparent reason, the triumphant leader concluded it was from his action.

But we know differently.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Forty Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Here at day’s end and I’m still recovering from yesterday’s surprise appearance of our young friend. Elijah kept our greetings brief, enforcing a strict regimen of silence and driving us onward by his example. Continuing through the night.

Our pace only slackened with the dawn of the new day, yet we kept onward. At one point it was as if we entered a space of our own reality in which nothing else and no one else existed. Only then did Elijah allow us to converse.

Everything came tumbling out as we pressed Tomas for information.

Most startling was the news that the Supreme Commander is dead. And the army of the East has allied with the army of the North.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Twenty Nine #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Our path as directed by Reuben guided us away from the plain for the morning hours. When we crossed back over the ridge the main body of the army of the North filled the plain. We took the main concentration centered on the side towards us to be the headquarters.

I asked Elijah if we were going to curse them per the wishes of the Supreme Commander.

He replied, “No. They are already cursed.”

With that Reuben hastened our pace to put some distance between us and them.

As they disappeared in our rear view, I could not help but wonder what our adversaries looked like up close. Were they the bloodthirsty barbarians of every report we had ever heard?

Day One Thousand One Hundred Twenty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We were on our own again. The Supreme Commander escorted the three of us to the river side entrance. There Tomas gave us one last rundown on our route.

And we made our goodbyes.

In dismissing us the Supreme Commander intimated that he knew we would not see one another again. And went on to explain why he had put off the offer from Tomas. Long ago he had the call to do what he is about to do. He still awakens in the night to the sound of someone whistling. A call to follow.

And he added to Tomas that he will soon be released also.

It gave me much to ponder on the first day of our trek.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Twenty #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Both Elijah and I agreed that today would be the day, and though we were prepared, we were not expecting deliverance in the quarter from which it came.

Tomas had returned and I confess my focus was totally on what he had to tell us.

He had neutralized the artillery quickly. Then he went beyond his assigned task and scouted the near elements of the army of the North.

As he described their configuration, a picture formed in my mind’s eye, and I saw Elijah and me easily trekking our way through to our destination.

Before I could even consider the “how” the Supreme Commander rolled in and asked if we could curse the army of the north for him.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Nineteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Tomas was dispatched to the north this morning to pinpoint the whereabouts of the army of the world government – especially those units operating in the vicinity of Babylon.

The Supreme Commander wants to knock out the artillery that has been compounding his problems. And perchance head off any further instances of the purple fog.

Consequently, Elijah and I have been restricted to our building. All for our safety of course, but I have more a sense that it insures the return of Tomas.

Strange, for I thought that the Supreme Commander was more confident in the loyalty of Tomas than of ours.

Perhaps it makes little difference for at base we are all hostages.

And we look for our deliverance.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Seventeen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

A fine powder coated everything out of doors in the city. No one could identify it. So the unease of yesterday returned.

Elijah and I were kept quartered close to the Supreme Commander’s command center. Tomas stopped in and out throughout the day and gave us updates. He had been tasked to analyze the powder. Was it by design from the enemy?

He had a breakthrough come afternoon. The material in combination with another compound is highly combustible when water is present.

It made little sense until someone else realized the attack may be directed at the river coming into the city or the tanks fed by the desalination plants.

Thus the army must decide whether to evacuate or not.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Sixteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Strange things mark this day. (None, however, were the sign to trigger Tomas’s departure).

The sun came up and promised to lend a cheeriness by its presence. But in its rise it did not dispel the darkness overhead. There were no clouds, but something hung there as if there were.

The blackness turned to a dark purple, that then lowered onto us like a fog of a similar hue.

It raised a great consternation among the guards, one of whom scurried about distributing gas masks. Forcing us to don them also.

Tomas swept in with word that nothing was toxic or otherwise harmful in the fog. Then took us back into the megapolis to be closer to the Supreme Commander.

Day One Thousand One Hundred Fifteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Everything has changed over night – for Tomas – for Elijah and myself. But especially for Tomas as to attitude. He is no longer swallowed up by doubt and indecision. He has grown in confidence that his place for now is here. And he knows with surety that he will be called away and has been given a sign upon which to wait.

This development, to my thinking, is all the more remarkable because the suspicions we have been harboring have been confirmed to him. The Supreme Commander, indeed, purposes to keep us with him.

As for Elijah and me, we now know our departure will be soon. And we will be leaving Tomas behind.

The prospect saddens me. Spirit, prepare us.