Untitled Agenda 21 Sequel (9781476746852) by Glenn Beck Page B

squeezed closed.
    â€œA bridge,” David said, sounding surprised.
    â€œA what?” I asked.
    â€œThis.” He pointed at the span. “A metal bridge. Rusty, but still standing.” A broken metal plate fastened to the railing read Loyalha Bridg Weig Limi . The right side of the plate was broken off, the edge ragged and rusted.
    So, this was a bridge and we were about to walk on it. For the first time on our journey, there was no need to wade through the rough water to get to the other side. What a marvelous idea. Who had thought of it? Who built it? The sounds of our shuffling footsteps echoed around us; the water rushed below us. Micah was wide-eyed, taking it all in.
    â€œLook!” he exclaimed. “We’re way up above the water.” The noveltyof this seemed to give him more energy and he began to hop up and down on two feet. The bridge rocked and screeched with his enthusiasm.
    â€œQuiet,” Paul said, turning. “We must be very quiet.”
    Micah stopped hopping, blushed, and looked down at his feet as though ashamed. I’d seen the same flash of fear in his eyes back at the Children’s Village. David stroked his head with a gentle motion; Micah gave him a shy smile. It was a small action, a man reassuring a child with a simple stroke on the head, but I felt a soft warmth spread from my heart through my chest as though a hand was squeezing my heart.
    We had an uphill climb on the other side of the bridge. Ferns and vines brushed our feet and ankles. David was breathing heavily, and walking slowly. Once more, I matched my pace to his. Elsa was heavy in my arms; the wet headscarf draped over my arm was clammy and cold.
    Paul stopped for a moment, allowing us to catch up to him.
    â€œMay I carry your bundles?” he asked. He didn’t just reach out and take them, but instead asked permission first. I liked that. I nodded and watched as he took everything that we had, cradled it in his arms, and walked on. There was something reassuring about the way he acted.
    The trees grew thicker, bigger, and a rock-strewn hill rose sharply ahead of us. Paul headed straight for it. There was no way we could climb that! Not in the state we were all in. But then Paul pushed through the wall of trees and seemed to disappear, swallowed up in the shadows. Ingrid, too, disappeared into the same area. Frightened, I moved forward, toward that dark space. A cold draft blew over me, making the hair on my arms stand up. Elsa must have felt it too; she stirred, pushing her legs against me. A musty smell of fur and feathers came out of the space, riding on the draft of air.
    There was a flickering red glow just inside the entrance. Fire? I could just make out Paul’s face, ghostlike, in the light. I edged forward slowly, with David and Micah following.
    Cautiously, we stepped into that space. It was an opening into the side of the hill, hidden by trees.
    Some daylight dimly lit the inside and I saw that the space we stood in was enormous. I couldn’t even see where it ended. Paul and Ingrid moved deeper into the dark coolness. It seemed to go on forever, deep into the earth, under the mountain.
    â€œWelcome to our kingdom,” Paul said, his voice echoing. “Our kingdom on Earth. It has kept us safe.”
    â€œA cave,” David whispered behind me. So that’s what this was called. A cave. I had never heard of such a thing. “Is that a fire pit?” he asked.
    â€œYes, it is. I’ll show you how I made it tomorrow. Right now you need to eat and then rest. You look exhausted and ill. Your arm must be injured.”
    Paul turned to his left. I could dimly make out shelves, rows and rows of shelves with containers of different sizes piled on them. Along one wall were big metal receptacles, some with lids.
    â€œCareful,” Paul said, bending over. “Mousetraps.” He picked something up and I saw a square wooden thing with metal bands on it. A brown