Day One Thousand Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

The matter of the tribal discord weighed heavily upon me. So I made it a point of intercession all the way back to the second village and on through half the night, taking it up again upon waking.

All the while, Elijah kept a respectful silence, breaking into it only as necessary when attention was demanded elsewhere.

The situation dictated the topic as the Purser saw it. Everyone has now arrived at this second stage and are settled in. His thinking calls for a longer stay to prepare for a longer transit around the ruined city.

And two further complications were added when Jezer and Tomas reported that the well at the crossroads was failing and a drone was sighted.

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Day Nine Hundred Twenty Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Our transit today was a little more adventurous to my taste than usual. We had not travelled too far yesterday. Only far enough to emerge from the wilderness surrounding the hiding place.

Come mid morning we attained the road but soon became uncomfortable under the gaze of so many police patrols. We decided to veer off into less travelled tracks, but we found patrols operating there also.

Thankfully Elijah always sensed their presence before they came into view, and so far we have had  cover to shield us from notice. Especially from the occasional drone.

In those times in which we had to wait, Elijah would point out to me the landmarks and sights, familiar to him from long ago.

Day Nine Hundred Seven #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Meesa and Mei surprised us by entering the refuge in the wee hours of the morning. And it was very propitious for all concerned.

They brought intelligence about a movement of soldiers in the area of our planned transit. She counseled holding off our starting time to allow them to pass through ahead of us.

This we did. And we also broke up into smaller groups taking advantage of these unexpected extra guides.

Elijah and I called Tomas and the Captain in, to once again go over our route, in light of a few tweaks suggested by Meesa.

We held back while Meesa set off with the first group. Then in measured intervals Tomas – Mei – and the Captain.

Lastly us.

Day Eight Hundred Fifty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I twisted my ankle on our transit last night. Elijah caught me before I hit the ground. Otherwise the injury would have been more serious.

As I sat there he rubbed his hands together creating heat from the friction. Then seized the point of the swelling. I could sense warmth radiating from there throughout my body.

In moments I was able to stand. He loaned me his staff as a precaution against further missteps.

We called an end to our night walk early for we came upon a well at a crossroads.

We drank our fill and found a place nearby to rest and pass the day.

Given the crossroads we had another decision to make, hopefully not under duress.

Day Three Hundred Twenty Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Elijah was the first to spot it. Movement in the waters dead ahead. The Captain looked and saw something else in addition and immediately ordered a course change.

He moved the ship onto a westerly tack, and remarked that it would add a couple more days to our transit.

I asked him what it was.

He answered that the movement we saw was hundreds, maybe thousands of sharks, thrashing about seeking the source of the blood in the water.

And before I could ask why not just go through, he added that it must have spread from further south where he had encountered it before and was nearly bogged down in its congealed mess.

Elijah glanced my way and nodded.

Day Two Hundred Twelve Late Morning #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Enough writes:

Why I cannot see the other oasis now is a mystery to me. I probably should not be too concerned for it is not my destination, but I cannot escape the feeling that I am somehow connected to it.

I halted at one point in my transit and thought of Lyle.