Dwellers of the New World Chapter Fourteen ( Pt 6 ) Trust in the Light!

It was late afternoon, the company of travellers had been trudging through the snow all day long. Jay could see that it was becoming an ordeal for the children to keep going.

Liora stared up at the sky, the landscape no longer bathed in sunshine, but grey clouds were threatening to bring more snow. She turned to Jay after a long interval of no talking. “It shouldn't be too long now.” She pointed to some boulders in the distance, where a shaft of light gleamed from between some rocks.

“Where's that light coming from?” Enquired Jay. There wasn't any sunshine, it seemed very strange to the healer.

Liora smiled, the dimples in her cheeks gave her a beauty that left Jay wanting her so much. “That's where we're heading.” there was a twinkle in her eyes as she spoke. “It will take us to our destination.”

She too could see the exhaustion in the children's faces and felt compelled to speak to them. “I need to give the children hope,” she uttered, turning back and halting them in their tracks.

“Well! I'll be glad when we get there,” declared Jay, worried that the weather could change at any time.”

Grouping the youngsters together, she explained about the place she was taking them, feeling their anxieties as their small bodies shivered in the complete and utter barrenness of their environment. They couldn't seem to grasp the idea that on the other side of the mountain was a place that held all their desires and more. Tears trickled down the faces of some of the youngsters, their sobs leaving a downcast; sombre mood amongst the travellers.

Pointing towards the boulders, she began to explain. “You see that light in the distance?”

The children gazed across at the beam and looked at one another, not sure of what to think, but nodded mindfully.

The woman knew there were doubts in their minds, so continued. “That's where we're heading...it's not far to go now.”

Again the children became agitated, a couple of them called out. “We want to go home.” There wasn't any comfort to be found in the woman's words and so they ignored her explanation. “We want to go home...we hate it here and want to see our families.”

“And so you shall!” Explained Liora. “But first we have to think of your welfare, until it's safe enough to take you back to the mainland.” She paused before continuing. “I know you've suffered savagely at the hands of Bracus, but soon there will be a new leader; a kind man who will make sure you get home safely.” She stopped talking, her eyes turned to the light. “We must keep going, it's not far now...we should reach the beam very soon then we'll be on our way to finding safety for the night.”

The children moved on, clinging to one another for comfort. A wind was starting to pick up as hand gripped hand tightly, the youngsters' weathered faces disappearing beneath their hoods, hardly able to put one foot in front of the other the snow was so deep.

As they got closer to the beam, the mountains soared high up into the grey clouds, it was an impressive sight as the youngsters gazed up, mouths and eyes wide open, they had never seen such a spectacle. They were now upon the beam of light, which flickered and disappeared as they approached. “Where's the light gone?” Questioned Jay.

Liora flushed with excitement. “It's a living breathing light and it's shy when people approach, but when it hears my voice it will appear again. The woman advanced quietly telling the others to stay back.

Moving nearer, Liora spoke her name softly, then politely asked for passage to the other side. Still nothing happened, so she took a feather from her pouch and stroked the place where the beam of light had appeared. Suddenly the ray became visible and once again glimmered as if recognising the woman.

The children then sighed at the wondrous but slightly intimidating vision, whispering to one another and curious as to what the light had in store for them.

Liora waved for the others to approach very quietly, telling them to only talk in whispers. “Whatever you do...don't make any unharmonious sounds...or harsh movements, or we will be lost forever.”

The woman became serious as the smile left her face. “As long as the light is open to us we will be safe.” She then paused staring poker-faced at the children, telling them how important it was to have happy thoughts and think of returning to their families. “If the beam disappears while we're in it, then we'll be lost forever...do you understand?”

The children could now grasp the importance of what she said, nodding in agreement, as Liora turned to the beam and spoke once again. Sounding like a soft whisper, she began to hum a gentle, loving melody that was hypnotizing as the light grew stronger. The children were captivated once again. She stroked the light with the feather again and again, then told the children to follow her in to the beam two at a time, holding hands. “Jay...you and my men will follow on behind the children.”

Poor Jay looked slightly apprehensive. “But what if the children panic, we'll be lost forever.”

Liora looked sternly at Jay speaking in a serious manner. “It's those kind of thoughts that we don't need...I thought you were a healer...you should have more faith.”

Jay flushed, feeling embarrassed that he'd been told off and decided to say no more on the matter. “I'm sorry Liora...no more foolish notions will come from me, just positive thoughts.”

The woman smiled again...pleased that Jay understood. “That's more like it!” She announced with a wink of her eye, ready to enter the beam.

Dwellers of the New World Chapter Fourteen ( Pt 7 ) Place Of Protection | ABCtales