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Chapter 510
I awaken in gray twilight, which tells me it can’t be long past dawn. I don’t remember any dreams, so I guess I slept peacefully. Kai is still sitting on the log where he was last night. Maybe they don’t sleep over There where he’s from.
When he hears me stir, he swings his legs over the log so he’s facing me.
“Good morning,” he says.
I stretch my arms out to the side and yawn. “Same to you. Did you sleep at all?”
“For a little while, yes. The lieutenant spelled me for a bit.”
I’m glad to hear he at least sleeps some. Glancing around, I see that all the Marines are already awake. Most of them are tending to their weapons; two are keeping watch.
“Now that you’re awake, I’ll go fetch breakfast,” Kai says. “I hope you don’t mind leftover deer meat.”
I smile. “Not at all.” I want to offer to go with him, but I doubt Lieutenant Gregerson would let me. Besides, I’m sure Kai can travel through the woods much faster on his own.
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Leesa's Advent Chapter 511
I’m still watching Kai across the way. A couple of the Marines, not knowing exactly what’s going on, have their guns raised toward him. I guess I don’t blame them. Protecting the Miracles is their primary job, and after watching that spectacular leap, it’s not hard to see why the soldiers might be unsure about Kai’s intentions.“I will, Dad. But first, tell your guys to rest easy. Kai’s there to carry the Miracles across on the rope, so they don’t have to go all the way around.”“Stand down, men,” my dad calls across. “He’s on our side.”The Marines lower their weapons and Dad turns back to me, looking at me expectantly.“I don’t know all the details,” I begin, “but Kai was sent from There to help me. He saved me from a two-headed cyclops right over there on the other side where everyone is standing. He shot arrows into both eyes, a split-second apa
Leesa's Advent Chapter 512
It's still well before noon — Kai’s help has saved us half a day or more by not having to wait for the company to hike around the ravine. Dad gathers the Miracles, Lieutenant Gregerson and his three remaining sergeants alongside the roadway for a meeting. The rest of the soldiers form a wide circle around us, keeping watch for any sign of danger.Kai moves off the road with us, staying by my side. Even though I’m now protected by a company of Marines, I’m happy he’s staying near me. Dad doesn’t say anything about Kai’s presence, but Radar flashes me another wink.“Our mission is still a go,” Dad tells us. “I’m guessing we’ve got somewhere around two hundred miles to San Francisco. It’s a long walk, but we’ve got almost three weeks to get there.” He focuses his attention on us Miracles. “I think you kids can make it.”We all nod. Two hundred miles does seem like
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The next morning , I’m awakened by something dripping onto my cheek. I open my eyes to a world shrouded by thick, gray mist. Overnight, a dense fog bank has rolled in off the Pacific. I’ve seen plenty of morning fogs back in San Diego, but nothing to match this one. The damp curtain has reduced my world to a circle of fifteen to twenty feet. On one side of me, I can see Plush and Lights sleeping close beside each other, on the other I can make out Radar and Doc. The rest of my friends, a bit farther away, are just dark forms, almost unrecognizable. The nearest trees are shadowy columns whose upper reaches have been swallowed by the fog. I know we’re surrounded by Marines, but I can’t see any of them. Kai is nowhere in sight, either.Another drop hits my face, splattering against my forehead this time. It’s condensation, dripping from an invisible leaf or branch above me. I wipe it off with the back of my hand and sit up.It’s not dar
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Heavy fog greets us again the next morning. No water drips onto my face today, so I’m able to sleep a little later. After that, the drill is pretty much the same: wait quietly for the fog to burn off, which it does a bit earlier today. Then it’s back on our way north.Today brings us a couple of changes in the landscape through which we’ve been travelling. The highway has curved inland a bit, so for the first time since I was beached, the ocean is out of sight and sound. Also, the woods have begun to thin out, until I can no longer really call them woods. I don’t know if it’s because we’ve moved away from the sea or because we’re getting further north, but the land is now rolling hillsides dotted with trees and shrubs. Most of the soil is covered by foot-high grasses rather than forest. At the crest of some of the hills, the ocean is visible as a thin strip of blue-gray off in the distance. Also visible now and then in the dista
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The soldiers have let go of their guns. Those who have swords are gripping them at their sides; the rest are holding their spears flat along the ground. For one of the few times in my life, I wish I had a sword instead of a machete. My blade’s lack of a point renders it useless for this particular defense, so I leave it sheathed on my back. Instead, I grip my new spear tightly.Kai is lying next to me, holding his sword in his right hand. His bow and several arrows lay on the ground beside him, ready for quick use if needed. His left hand rests reassuringly on my shoulder. If it wasn’t for the rapidly approaching flying monsters that want to make us their dinner, lying like this with Kai would quite enjoyable. My Dad is stretched out behind me, guarding me from that side.“Don’t worry, Leah,” Kai says softly into my ear. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”Despite the imminent threat, somehow I believe him. His q
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Doc's miraculous healing power allows us to be back on our way as soon as the Marines have finished burying their fallen comrades. Thanks to Doc, the wounded men are now as fit and healthy as they were prior to the attack. Before we leave, Dad says a few poignant words over the makeshift graves of the fallen soldiers, praising their service and their sacrifice. After a chorus of “amen’s” and “semper fi’s” we set out north along the highway again. I think every one of us is anxious to leave this place of death behind.In addition to the scattered houses we pass, another clue that we’re approaching civilization—if there’s any civilization left up here—is the increasing number of highway signs and even a few billboards that we see. Most of the signs are rusted, bent and twisted, if not knocked down completely, and the billboards are in tatters from the years of weather and neglect. Two of the signs were damaged by Anoma
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The floor of the store is much harder than the leaves and ground we’ve been sleeping on, but I don’t really mind. I’m tired enough to fall asleep anywhere, and it’s kind of nice to have a roof over our heads and solid walls around us for a change.A moment after I lay down, Kai squats beside me.“I’m going outside,” he tells me in a soft voice. “I’ll feel better keeping watch out there instead of in here. I’ve already told your father.”“Okay,” I say, understanding his unease. I’m glad he let me know he was going out, though. “I’ll sleep better knowing you’ll be watching over us.”Kai rests his hand lightly on my shoulder. “Sleep well, Leah. I won’t let anything in.”With that, he vanishes into the darkness, moving as silently as a wraith.I wake up with a shudder, opening my eyes to blackness. I know ex
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After a quick breakfast inside the store, we’re on our way north again. The highway remains pretty much the same as the day before—flanked by lots of commercial buildings in various states of disrepair. Only a few show the distinctive destruction caused by a portal opening up. The rest appear to simply be victims of neglect. I find myself wondering what happened to all the people who lived in this area. It clearly had once been home to a fairly large population. Not city large, but large enough. There’s no trace of them now, though. Either they’re all dead or have long ago fled this place, or they avoid the main roadways and remain in hiding elsewhere in the area.It’s the middle of another beautiful sunny afternoon when Kai returns from one of his frequent scouting forays. He walks with a rapid, determined-looking stride directly up to my dad. Since I’m just a little bit behind, I hurry forward to see what Kai has to report.“
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