The
refugee camp was in turmoil. News had been received that the camp was
in the path of an advancing army. That army was making every effort
to be unidentifiable.
The
administrators of the camp had made a painful decision: the camp had
to move four hundred miles to the nearest friendly town in their
country. Vehicular transportation would be provided for only the old,
the unwell, and the children and their guardians. All others had
three other options.
They
could make their way on foot to that friendly patriotic town.
They
could remain in the camp, and take their chances with that anonymous
army.
They
could make their way on foot in another direction across the
mountains to a friendly port city of a neighboring country, neutral
in the war, a hundred miles away. The problem with the third option
was that the crossing over the mountain was accessed by the river.
The river was a few miles from the refugee camp in the direction of
the approaching army.
Enid
and Esme, twin sisters, unmarried, in their fifties, chose the third
option.
When
they were much younger, they and a group of friends had, on a few
occasions, hiked to that sea port city. A section of the route was by
a shallow river. It had been a lot of fun in Summer, walking in
shallow warm water. When they left the river, they would hike cross
the mountain. Sometimes they would meet other hikers going in the
opposite direction.
They
had heard of a shortcut that bypassed the river, but they had never
tried it since it was rumored to be dangerous because of wild
predatory animals.
Now,
in times of war, the sisters thought that between predatory animals
and an approaching anonymous army, the former was a less dangerous
risk.
They
had climbed up a low ridge of stone, and sat and surveyed the
territory through which the shortcut ran. No trees; just high wild
weeds and bushes. All looked peaceful. They looked at each other, and
nodded. They were about to climb down the ridge into the shortcut
terrain, when they heard ferocious growls.
A
violent conflict was happening among the bushes and wild weeds. The
sisters saw no animals; but they saw the violent disturbances of the
vegetation, before a sudden cessation of movements and animals
sounds. The sisters, there and then, decided to go by river.
They
discussed asking around if anyone else cared to accompany them. "I
did not see anyone in the camp that could have accompanied us on
those other crossings." "Me, too. Mind you, the Camp
emptied so fast after that announcement it was to be closed down,
there might have been some who took off for the river right away."
They
walked for about an hour before they reached the place from which
they had to descend to the river. They saw uniformed persons gathered
at the river's edge. They hesitated. One of them whispered that she
recognized the uniform. It was friendly. The sisters cautiously
climbed down the hill to the river, making as much natural noise as
they could.
When
they were noticed by the uniformed persons, the initial response was
one of official caution.
"Identify
yourselves, please, ladies." "We were born in this County,
and have lived here all our lives." "We were informed this
County had been evacuated, because of the war." "It has
been. We were allowed to cross the mountain into a neutral Country."
"By the river?" "Yes. We have done it a few times."
"Most teens in this County do it every Summer."
"Do
you know there is a rainstorm coming in the next few hours?" The
sisters looked at each other. "No."
"Then
we should get on our way right away."
"Are
you aware that that neutral country has forbidden its citizens from
crossing the mountain over to this side, because of the war?"
"No. Has our Government forbidden us to crossover?"
"No,
but that coming storm makes it too dangerous." "More
dangerous than that anonymous army bearing down on the County?"
More
than one of the uniformed persons instantly paid more attention to
the sisters. "How did you come by that information?" "We
were living in the refugee Government camp. It has been dismantled
because of a report it was in the route an anonymous army was moving.
Why are you here?"
A
uniformed person blew a whistle. All the uniformed persons came
forward from both sides of the river, and elsewhere. Without
hesitation, and without a word spoken, all of them hurriedly climbed
up the hill.
The
sisters hurriedly removed their shoes, and stepped into the river. As
they hurriedly sloshed along, they chatted.
"Have
we ever climbed the mountain in rain?"
"If
we did, I do not remember. It does not matter, now. Changing our
minds is not an option. That army is much nearer by now. As if on
cue, they heard sounds of heavy gunfire and explosions coming from
not-so-far-away. They sloshed along faster. Rain started.
They
came to where they had to move out of the river, and walk to the foot
of the mountain. They saw a young man hurrying towards them from the
foot of mountain.
He
paused, and greeted them with, "Be warned, the rain is already
much worse up the mountain." "Thank you. What's the ground
like?" "Slippery, here and there. Walk where there is
vegetation to hold onto." "There's a war going on back
there in our country. We are trying to get away from it because we
are too old to enlist."
"It's
safe in my country where you are headed. I am going, to volunteer
enlist in your army." "Good for you." "Thank you.
Be extra careful because you are going to run into an army on the
march. We do not know on whose side that army is on." "Thank
you."
"You
are welcome." "Most welcome." He went on his way to
join the war. The sisters started their slippery climb up the
mountain."
Contact
Ezra (Unless
you
type
the
author's name in
the subject
line
of the message we
won't know where to send it.)
Photo by Laker at Pexels.