Dwellers of the New World Chapter One (Pt.2.)

Simon had never felt so scared, suddenly there was a blinding flash and the sky lit up with such a bright light, like he'd never seen before. As he knelt shaking and wondering what to do, he heard a noise in the sky, looking up a ball of fire came speeding across the sky, it flashed overhead, he could hear screams coming from the heath.

Then it happened again, the almighty explosion, but this time a hundred times louder. The earth shook and trembled so violently, Simon thought he would be eaten up, by the very ground he stood on. Trembling he tried to get to his feet, but found it impossible, the noise was almost deafening. Trees were catching fire and some were falling around him. Off in the distance he could see small fires burning.

Putting his face in his hands, he thought it was the end of the world, he began to cry out. It all happened so fast, he felt his short life flash before his eyes, but no words would leave his lips. Ash fell from the sky, the birds had gone, but where? Simon didn't know. He brushed the red hot cinders from his body, then started to crawl, the earth still shaking, his body still trembling.

There was nowhere to run, if he were to die now, he would be all alone. “This isn't how it should be, I don't want to die, not here...not now.” His small body suffering burns, he got to his feet determined to be strong. Finally the earth stopped shaking. Apart from the fires burning, it went very quiet.

Getting to his feet, he wiped away the tears, his skin red where the hot cinders had touched him. The screams all but stopped, then coming towards him, was the figure of a man, as he got closer, he realised it was his father, all bloody and anxious for his son.

“Father...father! You're alive. What's happened?”

Brad tried to run to his son, but couldn't. “Oh son! You're alive too.” Brad was so relieved.

Reaching Simon, he said, “It's as if the watchers are angry with us. The ball of fire landed where we were camped, the whole family has been wiped out. I only managed to escape because I was down by the river.” Brad was terrified, his body wounded and blistered.

“So you're saying everyone's dead? This cannot be,” replied Simon.

“I'm afraid they're all gone son, most killed in their sleep.” Brad took his son in his arms, saying...”Why would these watchers send fire to our world? I thought they were supposed to be peace loving people.”

“What about Grandmother?” said Simon tearfully.

“Sorry son, I'm afraid she was taken too.”Then Brad said, “this is even more reason to leave. We will travel south and search for Missy and Gerard, it's been so long since I've seen them.”

Missy was Martha's daughter, Brads sister, Gerard was her husband, they had two daughters, Teela and Daisy and a son Alfie. Brad had not seen them for many Summers and Winters, he wondered where they might be and if they would ever find them. All he knew was, that they had settled somewhere south.

There was a calm as they sat quietly, not speaking but just contemplating their next move. When they finally stopped shaking and pulled themselves together, they made their way back to the camp, supporting each other.

It was a tragic sight, one that Simon hoped he would never experience again. A large crater had formed in the earth, which was still burning. His family had been completely wiped out. Now he and his father were on their own.

Dwellers of the New World Chapter One (Pt 3) | ABCtales