The Prophecy (Watty Awards 2013)

Chapter 9

IX

The four were safe again however they were drained and if they didn’t find food or drink they would die soon. They were exhausted and rightly so, the well had saved them but it didn’t necessarily mean they were now safe. They had put their trust in Eva; but she had got them this far so was she trustworthy now? The decided to stumble on. Collect any nourishment on the way but they would have to rest soon else their feet would simply give way.

“My father created wells around London as a quick but secret entry to the Network; this should grant us safe passage.” Eva echoed; the well was cramped but led to a finely constructed underground tunnel; they had picked up a lit torch that was waiting for them below.

“We need rest soon, poor Lozada is in extreme pain and we all need to eat the emergency rations let’s face it!” Said Blake.

“What about the rest of the journey? We’ll die of starvation and thirst!” Cried Tyson.

“Well if we don’t eat and drink it soon we’ll die, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it Ty!” Said Logan.

“Okay we’ll rest here for the night...what’s left in the rations?” Eva asked.

“A few crumbs of bread, drops of juice, contaminated water...” Lozada whispered, his energy levels were dangerously low; he had to conserve any energy he had left.

So the five took refuge, for the night, against the side of the tunnel wall. If they survived the night then the rest of their journey would prove the most difficult; with no food or fluid death could consume them whole any minute.

The small pockets of sunshine through the cracks in the construction woke Logan, he woke the others. They group had regained energy but still had barely enough for the trip. They were all damp, cold and weary. “Lozada is that a scar?! It looks like a burn?!” Eva said. Lozada had taken his top off during the night as his body was becoming dry with blood.

“It was an icy night like this one. The Collective and us Rodents had been at war for at least a couple of months, everyday more graves had to be made. It was a hell-hole back then, not that it isn’t now. Anyway, my regiment of half-drunk madmen were headed to the west in an ambitious attempt to capsize the Collective. It was hopeless but we tried anyway. “The Jackal” and his elite Collective’s had infiltrated our command centres, he knew of our audacious operation. We were about halfway to the enemy’s headquarters; walking through the Tomb Valley (created by a bomb drop in 2017), it was always going to be hazardous but we had no idea. The crumbling cliff faces were slowly eroding; little rocks tumbling down; this was the first sign of real danger. By that time I knew we had no chance but we couldn’t go back now, we were ambushed, flame grenades launched at us and all around us. It was a massacre, a bloodbath. The screams of pain were scarring, I still can recall seeing all of my team dying around me, and it was tragic. A flame grenade exploded next to my shoulder and created this beastly mark of mortification, but it’s a continuous souvenir of pain. The valley, which was consequently blown to smithereens, enclosed around me leaving me unconscious. I was the only survivor but it drives me on; I am the legacy of the dead and I will guide civilisation to peace and prosperity so my comrades didn’t die for nothing.” Lozada defiantly said, he would always be depressed but furious when he would remind himself of that day. He was lucky, but one could argue he was the only unlucky one. He had to live with the shame, guilt, and fault.

“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have asked!” Eva said, seeing Lozada in pain.

“It’s fine it was my fault in the first place I should be the one to carry the burden of pain.” Lozada mournfully cried.

Eva suddenly felt guilty for betraying the group; she had loved her father like a daughter should but never agreed with his dreadful ways. She hadn’t really liked him however got physically punished when she disobeyed him so these guilty sacrifices were necessary. She had grown up in the worst way possible; being born into a world of danger, desolation, and death. Jackal used to assault her and slap her when she defied him, and just to please himself and make himself seem more powerful and corruptive he made Eva call him The Jackal or Jackal; this insulted Eva as straightaway the father-daughter love chord was snapped. They were just never close and he treated her like a slave. She silently welled up knowing that she couldn’t dare defy her father this time; the group had to be handed over because Eva’s life was on the line.

She had secretly been leaving tiny red flashers the majority of the journey and during the night been sombrely planning with the Frenzy.

They were in position; Eva just had to lead the group a little further. However constantly she was debating what to do as she believed in the Prophecy and she wanted a stable future but didn’t want it to cost her life. Would she be greedy and save herself? Would she turn against her father and follow Lozada to a brighter future? She didn’t even know herself. She was under immense pressure. But the group didn’t even know a thing. Although she was used to being fraudulent and manipulative, her father, The Jackal had a ghastly past, he was from Nevada.