Chapter 4

Jasper

It has been hours since we started running through the desert. With our torch having just gone out, it's pitch black with nothing but the stars to guide us. The children are lagging farther and farther behind. I doubt they can keep walking any further, but we can’t stay out here in the open like this. I turned behind me and could tell that Mishael was walking slower and slower. I stop for a moment and lower my body so that he can get on my back. The moment he hopped on, I could tell he was out. I turn to Noah and motion for her to take my hand, and as she grabbed onto my hand, her body went slightly limp. I turn to her and say, “Only a little further, ok? That’s all I need from you. Can you do that for me?” She nods and gets back up We keep on walking.

We get to the top of a sand dune, and I see the outline of what looks like a rocky structure. At least we can stop there and maybe get a little protection. I tug on Noah’s hand to motion that we are about to leave. We walk over to the big rocky structure, and I see what looks like the mouth of a cave. Relief floods my very being. Finally, we can rest.

The cave was too dark to see since our torch went out, but I could tell it was pretty small and didn’t really go that deep. I sat Mishael down gently against the cave wall; his body didn’t stir once. Noah lets go of my hand and sits down, leaning up against Mishael, and knocks out right beside him. I set the supplies down and sit facing the entrance, staring out into the night sky. I touch the familiar, worn, weathered leather of a small book in my hidden shirt pocket as warmth spreads across my very being. The thought of Sarah’s cooking comes to mind as the kindness of her meal reminds me of the deep care she showed us. A pang of sorrow hits my chest knowing that her fate was more than likely undesirable. 

I took out the book and looked at its soft, faded coloring with no words on the cover. I brush my thumb across the small silver pages to flip through the book. I hesitate and stop myself. Yeah, right, like anything in that book is real. I look back over at the two kids. Man, what am I really doing here? I should be back at Talos, spending more money than I can make, not being some parental figure taking these kids to who knows where. I lay down on the cold cave floor, and as I close my eyes, the images of the night play back, and Sarah’s screams ring through my ears. As my thoughts continue to swirl in my head, I hear this still small voice amidst the noise whispering, “Trust me.”

I wake up with this bright white light searing into my eyes. I realized I had fallen asleep, which is weird because I don’t remember it. I turn to look and see that the children are still asleep. Huh, the brats are kind of adorable when they’re quite like that. I walk over to them and nudge them, “Hey, wake up, it's time to eat.” Mishael and Noah wake up as they wipe the sleep from their eyes.

“Hey, where exactly are we going, and where’s Miss Sarah?”

“I don’t know where we’re going, and Miss Sarah is gone.” I say coldly, “I don’t think we will ever see her again.” Some Great Light you are. Are you happy? You allowed one of your own to get taken, worse, killed. Are you even hearing me? Gently, a soft touch begins to wrap around my palm. I turn around and see Noah with a concerned look on her face. I turned my eyes quickly to avoid her gaze as I couldn’t bear the guilt of staring into her big, innocent, mismatched eyes. “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t mean for it to come off like that. I’m just frustrated right now.”

“Frustrated? Why are you frustrated?” Mishael asks.

“Because I- You wouldn’t understand, forget it. Come on, let’s eat.” I gathered our supplies and pulled out the food that Sarah had prepared for us, and handed it to them. You could feel thick tension as we ate quietly. The food was hard to enjoy without the warmth Sarah brought with her presence. I could tell that the kids missed her and were worried sick about her, but what am I supposed to say? I don’t want to scare them any more than they already are. I brushed the thoughts away and concentrated on eating my food. After what felt like ages but was only a few moments, Noah finally spoke up.

“Jasper, thank you so much for saving us.”

“Please don’t mention it. It’s not like I did it out of the kindness of my heart or anything.”

“Yeah, well, you did it, and now we’re here. The kindness you showed us by being brave and getting us out of our cell will always be remembered. In a way, you showed us a little bit of that same light that Miss Sarah showed us.”  I see Mishael nodding his head in the background. The warmth that I felt last night comes rushing back; I’m filled with this peace. I take a deep sigh, maybe she’s right. Maybe this can be the start of something new. Ugh, wait, am I warming up to the little brats? I turn to look at Noah and Mishael. I know what I have to do. I pull out the leather journal from my pocket and flip through the pages. “Alright, so I know where we have to go.”

“Where?” They say in unison

“I’m going to take you two to the New Promised Land, where you will be safe.”