tonight!”
Turning back to the Sergeant Major he said, “I want the company spread across the valley on line. We will walk through the valley, like we are a giant net dragging the ocean for fish. It will be a slow process, but we will be sure to catch our prey.”
With a quick salute the Sergeant Major turned to deliver the instructions to his Sergeants. He mumbled to himself as he walked. “Officers…just once I’d like to meet one that wasn’t a complete idiot.”
An hour later they were walking on line through the forest. The light was fading, so the men had to stay close or risk breaking the formation. The company was big, but it still didn’t reach all the way across the valley. As it got darker the men had to move closer to keep on line, and they condensed farther and farther in to the middle of the valley.
The scouts had not reported back, so no one really knew what lay ahead.
At the cabin, a rider stopped his horse suddenly. “They’re about half way up the valley,” the private said as he dismounted. “I ran into a few scouts on my way back, but they seemed lost. They’re not much farther than the main body.”
“This is it men,” said Lynn. “Whatever God you pray to, now is the time.” He stepped out of the doorway and one by one, he put his hand on each man’s shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Move quickly and be brave. We have every advantage tonight. Keep moving and don’t look back.” Then looking at Chase and Corvis he said, “Lieutenants, you know the plan. Execute.”
Without hesitation, Lynn and Chase mounted their own horses. Charity rode with Corvis, and the private who had been riding scout pulled Guy’s cart. The rest doubled up on the remaining two horses. The last man to mount handed each rider a torch. Without a word, they split into two columns and raced for the southern tree line.
As they approached the dark forest, they slowed and turned; one column right and one column left. They lit the dry piles of tinder and brush as they went. At the edge of the valley each team headed south, continuing to set the forest ablaze as they went.
It was slow going, but they met no resistance. It wasn’t until the forest began to really burn; and it did, that they began to hear the rebels yelling in fear. Soon the cries of fear turned to screams of pain. When they passed over the crest of the hill and began their slow descent the screams finally died out. Lynn thanked God for that. Burning is a terrible way to die. He set his jaw and continued leading his horse carefully down the mountain.
Chapter Twenty-Six
(Present Day: 237 Cycles into the Light)
Crashing through the tree line between pillars of smoke and flame, a badly burned rebel soldier stumbled and fell. He coughed uncontrollably as he struggled to get back up. He saw a cabin in the middle of a clearing up ahead. He hurried forward, ignoring the pain that clawed at him and tempted him to just stop and drop to the ground. He knew the temptation was false. There was no relief to be found in lying down or stopping. Not when you’ve been burned so badly. The soldier knew he had to find shelter and water. The cabin would have both.
As he neared the cabin, he heard a noise. It was the sound of something whining. “Is it a hurt dog perhaps?” It seemed to be coming from past the cabin, near the shed. He took a few steps in that direction, and suddenly a terrible feeling came over him. It was as if an ice cold blanket was dropped over his shoulders, and the cold brought with it despair. He nearly fell to his knees from the weight of emotion and fear. Unable to stop himself, he continued forward. The whining sound became a deep but faint laughter. There was no humor in it. It was evil, cold, and dark. He tried to stop walking, to throw himself to the ground in protest, but his body refused to obey. He felt excruciating pain in his limbs as he got closer to the shed. Looking down, he saw his burns oozing blood. His skin
Turning back to the Sergeant Major he said, “I want the company spread across the valley on line. We will walk through the valley, like we are a giant net dragging the ocean for fish. It will be a slow process, but we will be sure to catch our prey.”
With a quick salute the Sergeant Major turned to deliver the instructions to his Sergeants. He mumbled to himself as he walked. “Officers…just once I’d like to meet one that wasn’t a complete idiot.”
An hour later they were walking on line through the forest. The light was fading, so the men had to stay close or risk breaking the formation. The company was big, but it still didn’t reach all the way across the valley. As it got darker the men had to move closer to keep on line, and they condensed farther and farther in to the middle of the valley.
The scouts had not reported back, so no one really knew what lay ahead.
At the cabin, a rider stopped his horse suddenly. “They’re about half way up the valley,” the private said as he dismounted. “I ran into a few scouts on my way back, but they seemed lost. They’re not much farther than the main body.”
“This is it men,” said Lynn. “Whatever God you pray to, now is the time.” He stepped out of the doorway and one by one, he put his hand on each man’s shoulder and looked him in the eye. “Move quickly and be brave. We have every advantage tonight. Keep moving and don’t look back.” Then looking at Chase and Corvis he said, “Lieutenants, you know the plan. Execute.”
Without hesitation, Lynn and Chase mounted their own horses. Charity rode with Corvis, and the private who had been riding scout pulled Guy’s cart. The rest doubled up on the remaining two horses. The last man to mount handed each rider a torch. Without a word, they split into two columns and raced for the southern tree line.
As they approached the dark forest, they slowed and turned; one column right and one column left. They lit the dry piles of tinder and brush as they went. At the edge of the valley each team headed south, continuing to set the forest ablaze as they went.
It was slow going, but they met no resistance. It wasn’t until the forest began to really burn; and it did, that they began to hear the rebels yelling in fear. Soon the cries of fear turned to screams of pain. When they passed over the crest of the hill and began their slow descent the screams finally died out. Lynn thanked God for that. Burning is a terrible way to die. He set his jaw and continued leading his horse carefully down the mountain.
Chapter Twenty-Six
(Present Day: 237 Cycles into the Light)
Crashing through the tree line between pillars of smoke and flame, a badly burned rebel soldier stumbled and fell. He coughed uncontrollably as he struggled to get back up. He saw a cabin in the middle of a clearing up ahead. He hurried forward, ignoring the pain that clawed at him and tempted him to just stop and drop to the ground. He knew the temptation was false. There was no relief to be found in lying down or stopping. Not when you’ve been burned so badly. The soldier knew he had to find shelter and water. The cabin would have both.
As he neared the cabin, he heard a noise. It was the sound of something whining. “Is it a hurt dog perhaps?” It seemed to be coming from past the cabin, near the shed. He took a few steps in that direction, and suddenly a terrible feeling came over him. It was as if an ice cold blanket was dropped over his shoulders, and the cold brought with it despair. He nearly fell to his knees from the weight of emotion and fear. Unable to stop himself, he continued forward. The whining sound became a deep but faint laughter. There was no humor in it. It was evil, cold, and dark. He tried to stop walking, to throw himself to the ground in protest, but his body refused to obey. He felt excruciating pain in his limbs as he got closer to the shed. Looking down, he saw his burns oozing blood. His skin
Similar Books
