At the safe-zone...
Alvin held the flask in his arms preciously. This, what he had been drinking, was cold water. He looked at the flask again. It was real. The water was cold and refreshing. A wonderful taste. He had to have this, no matter what. He wanted more. To drink more. He wanted it all right there. How do they have this? Where did they get this? Is there more? He asked himself still looking at the flask, blissfully unaware of where he was.
The cold wind blowing on his face brought him back to his senses as he looked up. It was nighttime. He heard the strangely familiar screech in the distance. He panicked as fear slowly began to creep in. Don't come this way, he thought fearfully. He looked around him using the dim moonlight. He was still inside the damaged Baobab tree that Thia had tried to tidy up for him earlier. Still this did nothing but accelerate his fear. He wanted out before that thing, no, those things came back. Who knows, they might just devour me this time he thought, terror raking over his thoughts.
Something clashed against the flask making a loud metallic sound that rang out in the quiet night. He fumbled trying to drown out the noise. He grabbed what had hit against the flask. It was a knife. Thia's leza knife. In an instant fear disappeared and was replaced with newfound confidence that he could survive this night. He imitated what Thia had explained and demonstrated to him. With this he was sure. He could survive the night and ask Thia about the cold water. A dull thud from behind him startled him. He was still fearful. Slowly, he shifted himself and turned. He couldn't see a thing. He touched everywhere slowly. He felt a small soft piece of clothing. It felt familiar wait...
Excitedly he pulled it towards him and brought it to the moonlight. It was what he had thought lost in the crash. His small waist bag. Inside was his personal belongings. It had the Verses on Moto, a toothpaste and toothbrush, tissue roll, a pen, *Shaufu and his satellite phone. He grabbed his phone and turned it on. He was glad he had charged it fully before leaving. He dialed a number and listened. "Hello", said the voice on the other end. Alvin paused happiness written all over his face. At last, a familiar voice...
*
*
*
Albert walked into his office smirking. He had been bored lately and his brother's disappearance had in a way changed a normal daily boring routine. He was still smiling as he sat down and turned on his projector and put the coordinates. He smiled widely as the blinking dot in the middle of the screen. Thank you Alvin, you gave me a reason to leave, he thought as he took a very old satellite phone from the table and placed a call.
At the edge of the Central Region..
The phone rang. Dragging himself, he picked it up. " I see you're as lazy as ever Alex", said the voice. Instantly, the man sobered up and straightened himself. He grinned in pleasure," Its been a long time Albert to what do I owe this time," Alex replied. " How about you gather everyone up and get ready to have some fun," came the reply. Alex's smile widened. He knew what fun meant. "Sure what do you need,"? he asked. Albert paused before answering, " I'm coming and this time I'll be leading the fun." Alex stopped smiling, " How soon,"? he asked. "Tonight", the line went dead. Alex froze. This was bad, very bad. He ran out.
Alex was the leader of a once powerful mercenary group that was known to work for the hot water religion in its early days. Back then, it was considered to be bodyguards and crusaders helping the religion grow by striking terror and despair upon others. It had great influence and, as the world settled and accepted the new way of life, they became part of the priesthood and gained territories. That is until they tangled up with the House of AL and lost everything. They ended up becoming a branch of the House and did all the dirty work. Some left the group in disgust while others stayed waiting for a chance to free themselves from the House to no avail. They were eventually left with one rule, a rule that has been ingrained deeply in them, absolute obedience to the main branch.
Alex ran all round the small camp waking the mercenaries. It was time for fun. Time to relive the old days.