The Joining

Upon the shore the boat was near completion. Several smaller rowboats had been built and rowed back and forth between our shore and the island. Frank had been an invaluable member since his first appearance on the beach. I thought back to his arrival, and the feast of fish he had brought. His gift of the fish had inspired the community.  They knew there were other people, other places, and the world was still around. It just needed a hand to right itself once again.
After that Frank had made several trips, bringing fish, grapes from vines, and they even managed to save some lemon trees. As soon as the big boat was finished we would be able to haul lumber, and other building materials to their island, and help them bring their island to life, or if they wished there was plenty of room here.
Hero and I had stayed longer than we intended, but it was well worth it. We watched as another town was born, more people blended together as family’s, and babies were born. No one thought back to how the children were conceived, nor who the father’s were because the past had died with the evil one.
The deadly blue liquid was destroyed, and Diablo along with it. The blue liquid was not meant to cause death at first, but later the evil one demanded the dosage to be made stronger. That is what caused the blisters, then stiffness, and in the end death.
I shivered as I remembered the feel of those blisters, but the worst feel was not letting Hero touch me, and the feeling of loss, knowing I had to leave my heart behind. Before I had never minded being alone. My journeys were easier alone, until I met Hero, my husband, my love. He came for me though. I felt his arms go around me and I was at peace.
We went back to the hotel, and stretched out upon the bed. It was unlike my bed at home, though I had never spent a full night in my bed. My wedding present that had not been used, but soon it would be. Soon we would be going home.
I looked around the room. It had been cleaned thoroughly in fact. All the rooms had been cleaned thoroughly each day. All eating utensils, pots, pans, anything having to do with cooking was gathered in the kitchen. 
Far and wide anything salvageable was taken to a designated spot. It depended on the object and what purpose it served.
Homes were going up, and the windmills actually did get built, but they were still working on the wheat. then an idea occurred to me; Curtis. Perhaps he could give them some advice, or possibly travel here to lend a hand.
My mind had been on New Beginnings  a lot lately. It was my home. Even though I had helped this community grow, it just did not feel as if I belonged here. perhaps it was because even before the cleansing I lived in that area of New beginnings.
I also wondered how the new additions were doing. There were a lot from here that traveled there, mostly women and children.  I think some would come back here, even though they were welcome to stay in New Beginnings. I was sure that Dr. Grand would come back, especially if he knew his lab was still intact.
Tom and Johnny would have learned a lot from him, and I wondered how there hospital was coming along. I was wondering to many things and I needed to rest. I turned towards Hero, and smiled. He slept peacefully, and I could not.
I kissed him on the cheek and rose from the bed. We had found fresh water in a cave and ran pipes to a huge wooden barrel that the men had built. They had found fiberglass and formed it to fit inside the barrel. Something was pulling me towards that cave. Was it something wrong? Or something we had over looked?
I silently shut the door and walked down the stairs, out the hotel into the sunshine. It was quite a walk to the caves, so I paced myself. I did not wonder on the problem too much, I knew I would find out when I got there.
Several times I was stopped along the way to give advice, or make a child laugh, but then I would be on my way.
I arrived at the cave that held the water, but no, this was not where I needed to be. I kept walking to the next cave and the feeling still persisted. The feeling was stronger as I came to the cliff side caves, the cave I stayed in when I first arrived. 
This was where all the trouble started to begin with. Well there was nothing to be done except to climb up and see what new mystery the cave held.

Chapter 2
Well that was really smart. I brought no light, nor any weapons, and I did not realize it till I got to the top of the cliff. I was debating on whether I should go in or not. Not would be the smartest thing but at the moment my curiosity was about to get the better of me.
I felt his presence before I saw him. Shaking my head I turned to face him. He held my machete, and bow, and handed them too me. “You forgot something..” He did not say anything else, there was no need too. He knew my mind, and my determination, and he also knew if I was being pulled towards something that meant God wanted something of me, and I would obey. Of course he was the same way.
He kissed me on the cheek and said,”You do know if you had told me I would have come. Why do you keep sneaking away from me?”
“Sneaking away? I never meant for you to feel as if I was sneaking away. I did not want to wake you, and I felt I had to come. The feeling is stronger now. I do not think it is dangerous or deadly, and it is not an eerie feeling. It is just something I feel needs to be checked out. Something that could be benificial to us all.”
“I know Lady, but I can not sleep without you by my side and you must know that by now. I know you are a warrior, but you are also my woman and I have your back, just as you have mine.” 
What else needed to be said. We were still one. We were each others thoughts, actions, he was my heart, and I was his. 
“Shall we go in my Hero?” And there was that smile that always melted my heart. “Yes my Lady. Let’s see what the mystery of the cave is all about.” With flashlights on and weapons at the ready we stepped inside the cave. It was cooler in here and I got chills. I did not worry though. It was not sickness chills, just the cold.
We passed the boulders where I passed the night when I had the disease. I remember leaving Hero asleep that night and traveling on this long distance journey. I was feverish, and chills with those awful blisters, but Hero had found me and brought a cure.
Farther into the cave we traveled looking for the mystery of the cave. It went on and on, for at least a mile, then it started a downward trail. The farther down we went the colder and darker it became. 
I stopped, and as I stopped so did Hero. Shattering illusions of what once was, never to be again. That thought was in my head but I had no idea of where it came from or what brought it on. we should wonder of the loss , history, knowledge.
It was like hundreds of voices in my head, repeating thoughts, passages, quotes? If that is what they were.
Just when I thought the trail would never end it did. Well no, it did not exactly end. At the bottom was a staircase that climbed the opposite wall. It was old and rickety, with a few steps missing here and there. Kind of a scary climb, but I prayed for God to guide me, and knew that whatever his will would happen.
I was sure He did not send me down here just to have me die. There was a purpose for us to be here. 
One step, then two, and our journey up the staircase had begun. It was a lot easier coming down than it was going up. The stairs were steeper than I first thought, having to stretch my legs farther than normal. I think the stairs were built for a man with long legs, as Hero had no problems climbing them.
Finally we were at the top. There was another narrow trail through the cave, and as the other it went on for at least a mile. But there was an ending to this trail. There was a room where the cave dead ended. Someone had built a door and there was a pad lock on it.
There was no choice but to break the lock, and Hero took care of that. The door creaked as it was opened. It had been quite a long time since it had been opened.
Spider webs everywhere. this room had not seen human contact in a very long time, and it was up to us to find out why.

Chapter 3
There were torches hanging upon the wall, but would they light? I pulled my lighter from my pocket and as I lit the torch I was amazed. It lit the first time, and I realized it was saturated in oil. Fresh? It was as if it had been recently lit.
But that was impossible wasn’t it? The door had been locked from the outside and by the looks and spider webs it had not been opened so that means there was something or someone here on the inside.
Hero also had a torch and as I looked around, so did he. This had been or still was someone’s bedroom. A bookshelf stood upon the wall, full of books. I could feel eyes upon me, though I could not see anything. I walked over to the bookshelf and looked at the selection.
There was everything from Fairy tales to Home Remedy books, and even school books. i could feel the eyes getting more intense, as if interested. Soon it would show itself. I did not worry of danger, I felt no threat. If t was going to hurt us it would have already.
The table in a corner held a plate, spoon, fork, and a cup. Stacked neatly at the back was stacks of canned food, along with jars of tomatoes, pickles, and other things. There were boxes of crackers, salt and pepper.
Someone had been a genius. A barrel sat in another corner and a pipe ran in. there was water running through, so there was fresh water all the time. Another pipe ran from a hole near the bottom, and through a crack in the wall, releasing the stale water, and stopping an overflow.
  A wardrobe was against one wall, and a made bed, against the other. I went to the wardrobe and opened it.There were small sized clothes as if for a child. There was a variety. Suits, shorts, jeans, jogging clothes, and on the floor of the wardrobe were eight pairs of shoes. 
A little farther back, behind the shoes was a box. I pulled it forward and opened it. Money. There was thousands of dollars there. 
I turned to see what Hero was up to, and I was thoroughly amazed. A little boy, had come from under the bed. He had a collar around his neck, with a bell attached. He and Hero were just staring at each other seeing which one would be the first to move.
For a few minutes I watched. It was if they knew each others minds. The little boy came farther out and soon he was sitting. He held out his hand for Hero to take. Hero stood, and taking the boys helped him up from the floor.
He was slow and shaky, but as he stood, he was taller than I thought. I walked over and he smiled a huge smile. Why had he been kept prisoner? Was it to keep him away from the world? Or was it to protect him from others that would humiliate him.
His right eye looked weak, but that could be the lack of sunshine. My guess was he had not been out since the cleansing. His care takers were probably killed and no one else must have known he was here.
The left eye socket was empty. He had no eye, and he had no voice. Could it be something that would never heal, or could he be like Hero, and come out of it? I was not going to worry about it.
He needed sunshine, warmth and love. It was time he left this cave and meet people. there was no telling how long he had been in here. 
“Come with us. We will keep you safe,” I turned and expected him to follow. Hero reached out his hand. “Come little fellow. We will keep you safe.” Still he would not come. Instead he went to the wardrobe and took a leash of a hanger, and hooked it to his collar.
How could someone do that to a child? How could they lead him around like a pet? It was probably a good thing they were no longer here. the way i was feeling right now they may be the one with the collar on.
I unhooked the lead and he started to cry. He got on his knees like he was begging. Tears formed in my eyes and ran down my cheeks. My heart hurt. it was breaking at the look on his face, the pain in his eyes. Did he think we would leave him behind?
My arms reached for him and held him tightly. Hero held us both. This child needed a special love, and he would be getting it. 
I released my hold and walked towards the door, Hero behind me. We exited the room, leaving the door open for him to follow. He moved slow as if afraid, but finally he cleared the room.
“Thank you God for showing me the way.” I knew there was something special about this child. He would go back to New beginnings with us. We would be a family.
Out in the sunshine, he squinted his one good eye, trying to get it adjusted. He stood and looked around in amazement. Things had changed for him. Before the cleansing there had been many things different. but he was probably unaware of the cleansing.
His excitement shown as he saw the children playing in the water, and heard their squeals of excitement. He wanted to play too.
  So how old was he. He looked to be in his early teens, possibly Johnny’s age, but his mind? At the moment we did not know, but it did not matter. All that mattered was that he received all the love we could give him.
He followed us down the cliff. A couple of times he nearly fell, but Hero would steady him. I think Hero and the boy were going to be close. I smiled. We were going to be a family.
Chapter 4
He stood at the waters edge, fear in his eyes. His name was still unknown and he was so frightened of people. I did wonder if it was a woman that had him locked away. he would smile at me, and laugh with me, but after many sun turns Hero was still his....well I guess Hero.
It did not bother me. I was well pleased to see both of them playing. The boy could still not speak , nor would he go in the ocean’s waves. Everything seemed a wonder to him, a mystery.
He would run in the sand, and after a while would play with the other children, but he was still reserved. It was as if he was reborn, everything was new to him.
As we were removing his things from the cave, the clothes were all sizes. There were even baby clothes, baby shoes, and a diary. I did not open the diary, that was personal. Someone’s thoughts, someone’s dreams, someone’s memories, someone else’s life. Perhaps someday though.
If he had been there since birth no one was supposed to know about him. He had been a secret and we may never know why. He lived in a world of silence, a world where he was all alone. Books was his reality. 
Someone had taught him to read.  He had been taught how to clothe himself, and how to survive. How much longer could he have survived? 
I smiled. Hero was in the ocean clothes and all trying to get the boy to follow. I suppose in the cave he had bathed in the barrel of water, but out here, he had not had anything. It was time he bathed.
His shirt was covered in food and dirt, so I thought to remove it and wash it. I should have left it, but I was not so sure Hero would get him in the water. “Here let me help you.” I grabbed the bottom of his shirt to pull it off, and as I pulled I gasped.
Scars. So many scars ran criss cross over his back. He turned and looked at me with fear in his eyes. He jerked away before I could pull it the rest of the way off, and he ran.
He did not run down the beach, or towards the town, but straight into a big ocean wave. Hero and I both went for him. I prayed as I searched.”No Lord, please no. Did we find him just to lose him?”
He washed up in my arms and I breathed a sigh of relief. He spit and sputtered, but he held onto me as I waded to shore. I sat upon the sand and cried, and just held him, and I prayed. He was okay, but was he? I know he survived the ocean, but what else had he survived?
I think it was time to read the diary. I needed to know, but did I really? I did not worry or wonder over my past, and we never worried over Hero’s past. No his past was gone, and a new life has been created for him. If and when God wanted us to know we would find it.
He looked up at me and smiled, it melted my heart. “Let’s go eat, Alex.” Well I had to call him something and that just seemed so write. He did not object, and Hero smiled, so I guess the name would stick.
We walked back to the hotel. Alex had an adjoining room next to ours, and he went to change his clothes. Well at least he had gotten a bath in the ocean and his shirt was clean. I could not get those scars from my mind. Who could do such a thing? There would be no reason that I could think of to do that.
“I am ready for home, Hero. Our work here is done. I miss our home, our family, and I think things will go smoothly here. The trading seems to be going well, and even the island is thriving. Now that some of the women have agreed to move to the island it will also re-populate.”
We were lying there in bed, just lying there talking,when he gave me a most passionate kiss. I understood his purpose. Yes I knew he loved me, he proved that everyday, but he wanted children. We had lots of children, and now Alex. But it was not the same as our child, though we loved each one dearly.
Alex, was at least twelve, maybe thirteen, but his mind had not developed to that level. I do not think there was anything wrong with his mind. I think no one taught him, no one took the time to love him, or care for him.
Thinking time was over. My Hero needed me. It was his time. Well it was supposed to be. there came a major crash from Alex’s room. I could hear beating and banging. Knowing Alex could not scream, I jumped up and tried to open the adjoining room. the door was locked. He was told not to lock it.
“Alex, open the door,” Hero did not wait for him to open it. He broke the door down, and we entered in time to see the door to the hallway slam shut. I heard footsteps running down the hallway, and Alex was laying in the floor, blood surrounding his head. He was so still. No movement at all. 
Hero ran after the culprit but it was too late.Hero returned.  He saw no one, he or she was already gone.  It did not matter. My thoughts were saving Alex, everything else could wait. 
Hero picked him up and laid him on the bed. We had no doctor yet, but Shannon had once been a midwife. Hero went to find her while I tried to stop the blood flow from his head. 
Who ever it was had been looking for something. The books from the bookshelf were scattered across the room, and the nightstand drawer was broken, as if pulled out violently and dropped.
They were not after Alex, but it had to be someone he knew, or he would have found a way to let us know. Unless they surprised him.
Could it be the diary? Alex did not have the diary. It was in my possession, and if that was what they were after they would strike again. I would be waiting. They would not ever hurt Alex again, nor would they hide his past.
Alex was our son now, and no one would ever hurt him while I had breath in my body. I knelt by the bed and I prayed God would forgive me for my anger, and that if it was in his will to save Alex. he had become a part of both Hero and I.
His eyelids fluttered, and his breathing became stable. “Mama,” He talked. I know I must have had a huge smile on my face, much like the day Hero first spoke. I know I was not his mama, but it sure felt good to hear it.
But then was he talking of me, or had that been the person in the room?

Chapter 5
I sat on the side of the bed, holding his hand, and had to fight the urge to hug him. I was so afraid I would start his head bleeding again. “My he...ad  hurts.” he was stuttering and trying to think of his words carefully. “It is okay Alex. Do not talk right now, though it is good to hear you speak.” He looked at me questioningly. At first I could not figure out why until he said, “How did you know my name?”
His name really was Alex. Perhaps that is why the name kept coming to me so strong. He looked like someone I should know also, but until the settling I have never been in this area before.
I still had no desire to read the diary even though, I think that was what the person was after. 
Shannon arrived and had a most odd look on her face when she saw Alex. I watched, but never spoke of it. She had been on the island when we found Alex. She had been delivering a baby, and had only returned before the sun turned yesterday.
Alex would be alright. We just needed to keep him awake for at least two hours, to make sure there was no concussion. She had really not paid much attention to Hero before, but of a sudden she looked at him and quickly left the room.
Very strange behavior on her part, but I really did not know her well. It is possible that was always her way, but I was not going to worry over it.
I told Hero that he had spoke, and he smiled his most awesome smile. That man could still stir my soul. I had moved away from the bed so Shannon could check Alex out, and now I moved back, Hero with me.
I had sent word that we were ready to go home. Normally we would walk, and explore, but we wanted to take a few of Alex’s belongings back with us. Johnny was bringing the horses and wagon, and his intention was to also bring Dr, Grand back as well.
They should arrive hopefully within the next sun turn. Now all we had to do was ask Alex if he wished to come with us, and if not convince him. I know he would love New Beginnings. 
I just realized this community had no name, and neither did the island. Perhaps that is something they should meet on. This was their home, their choice for a name. Hero and I only had one purpose; to find survivors and help them start rebuilding. We had done that. The rest was up to them.
After the great ship was finished we would return, for God had another mission for us across the great sea. The first ship was finished but that was used as a trading ship between the island and the beach town. 
Ours was to be bigger, why I did not know. It would become clearer at the passage of time. 
Sitting on the edge of the bed, I did feel like a mama. I had my husband by my side, and my son lying there smiling. We were happy. We were family.
I let hero speak first. “Alex, Lady and I are leaving with in the next day or two.” Oh poor boy, the look on his face. “No do not upset yourself. We want you to go with us.” Such a smile that lit his face. It was as handsome as Hero’s smile. Something tugged at the corners of my mind, but I did not want to bring it forward. Not yet. later would be time to think.
Hero was going to put the drawer back in the nightstand but it was shattered. We began picking up books and instead of putting the books back in the bookshelf we found boxes and started packing them up.
Alex rose from the bed and began to help, telling us something about each book. He had read them all. He would imitate some of the characters and we all laughed. He was starved for attention and he would be getting plenty of it. He could make me laugh just as Hero could.
He did not want to stay in the room by himself, so we both shrugged our shoulders, and put him in bed with us. We had a child, a baby could wait.
I awoke some time later with both Hero and Alex’s arm thrown across me. A content look on both their faces. That memory that kept tugging at me came back to think on. There was just something so familiar about Alex. Right now I could not put my finger on it, but in due time I would. It would come to me.
I closed my eyes and as I slept I had the strangest dream. My thoughts were jumbled, images of people I never knew passed before my eyes. I kept seeing Alex’s smile, Alex’s fear as I saw his scars, Alex and a strange woman, and Alex with a man with really long hair. His back was turned, and as he started to face me, I woke up.
“Good morning my love,” As he kissed me the dream disappeared from my mind. How could I think of anything else when he held me so.Then we heard the snore and remembered he was in our bed.
I lay my head on his shoulder and just soaked in his love. It was such an amazing feeling to be able to just lay her content.
“Mama, mama no,” Alex began to scream. I tried to wake him but he was struggling so badly, hitting me in the process. Hero jumped from the bed and went around. As Alex still slept he put his hand over the eye that no longer was, and screamed. “Mama, no please do not let them hurt me anymore.”
Finally he woke up and I held him as he cried. My heart was breaking for him. What he must have suffered and why. There was no reason for it.
“Can we go now. I want to go to your home.” He was shaking, he was so scared. We both held him as he cried, trying to calm his fears. “Yes we will go today.” It did not matter if the wagon made it or not. We could find books somewhere else, besides he had read them before. We would possibly run into the wagon on the way and explain.
“Go get ready. Get your backpack and only take what you need.” Hero went to help Alex, while I began to pack my things. I was ready to go too. My heart was at New Beginnings and I was also getting restless.
I grabbed the diary from its hiding place and a picture fell from between the pages and landing on the floor. I picked it up, and I knew why Alex looked so familiar, I just did not know the how or the why.
I had no choice. I put the picture back between the pages and knew that no matter what I wanted I had to read the diary. I could tell no one what I had seen, not yet. Not till it all made sense.
I put the diary in my skirt pocket, where once I never gave it a thought, now it felt heavy. I finished packing. I was indeed ready to leave this place.

Chapter 6
I stopped to remove my wrappings. The sun had turned recently and I had no need for them anymore. Hero and Alex stopped to do the same. Even though the sun had disappeared the heat was still upon us. 
Poor Alex was not used to walking this much at one time. I could tell he was tired, but not once did he complain. I think he was looking at this like an adventure, and indeed it was. each time I hit the road I seemed to breath a lot easier. 
The diary was still in my pocket, and the heaviness still existed. I needed to read it, but I really had not had a chance to yet. Perhaps it was not really important after all. Did I really want to get into the past again? But for what purpose had the diary surfaced if we were not meant to know.
No. I would not read it. I could not bring myself to read someone’s personal thoughts. As soon as we stopped for the night I would rid myself of the diary. It did not matter, the past was gone. 
“I am hungry. Can we eat now?” It had been awhile since Alex had eaten, but that was his fault. He had been on his own for so long he picked and chose what time he ate. That would have to change. On the road you could not eat when it was convenient but when you had a good location, away from danger.
“We will stop soon Alex. Patience is something you must learn. There are many dangers since the cleansing, so we must be cautious when we stop, and where we stop. There is a place not far ahead that used to be safe. Hopefully it still is.”
He looked up at me with questioning eyes. “What is the cleansing?” I think he was confused because he had seen so many beautiful pictures of the world,  through his books. But then to see the world after the cleansing, had to be confusing.
“Alex, how long did you live in your room?” He scrunched up his face as if to think. “Always I think. I do not remember anything but my room. Sometimes she would put the collar on me and lead me down stairs. She said I needed exercise.” He got silent, and a frown come upon his face.
I did not want to bring back awful memories, but I must know one more thing. No, maybe I did not. the past was behind us. We were new people, new lives.
Hero was scouting up ahead, but the trouble came from behind. I could feel the danger, I could feel eyes, and the fast beating of my heart. In a swift move, I turned, thrusting Alex behind me and pulling my bow at the same time. I knew they were not close enough for a machete, not yet anyway.
They were human, not creatures. There were two men and one woman. I am sure they were not wanting to travel with us. maybe they were after our supplies, but why would they be. They had packs on their backs. 
They also had guns. The noise alone would draw creatures and other undesirables if there were any around. Slowly I began to back up, moving Alex with me. There was a rock ledge with several boulders. If I could get Alex behind one he would be safe.
A shot was fired just missing my foot. Either it was a warning or they were a terrible shot. I let loose an arrow, and it went through the shooters hand. he screamed and dropped his gun.
Hero had come behind them, but they had not discovered that fact yet. “Lay down your weapons, and we will not hurt you.” They had Hero behind them, and me in front. They did not know how many of us there were, or did they? 
I recognized the woman, it was Shannon. Why? I did not recognize the two men though. I really did not like the looks of them, or the feel that came over me. 
“Stay here Alex till I ask for you.” They knew he was with us, but I needed him to be where they could not have him as a target.
“But mama, she knows mama. Mama must have sent for me.” He tried to go past but I would not let him. I was not giving up Alex without a fight. Not till I knew he would not be harmed. They were either after the diary, or Alex, maybe both.
They would get neither. The diary would be destroyed and Alex now was a part of our family. We were to teach him of the world, show him freedom, and unite the two brothers. 
Two brothers? Now where did that come from. I had suspected they were related, but brothers. It was possible, but how?
“Alex wait. Those people are dangerous. They tried to shoot us.” Had he ever seen a gun? Did he even know what a gun was? “Guns kill people. People can die when they get shot.” I could see I was not getting through to him. He had been sheltered for so long he did not understand.
Hero had led them over and I felt a chill. These people were evil.  They would not get Alex, or the diary. My mission was to keep them safe, and solve the riddle of Alex’s birth. I think it was more than that, but I had no knowledge of it yet.
We had their weapons now, but Hero still had his trained on them, while I tried to control Alex and help Hero watch the prisoners.
“God you know what you wish, help me to do your will. And Lord please keep us safe.Whatever you wish I will obey. In your time Father. In your time. Amen.”

Chapter 7
I did not really wish to know what was to be sad, but I knew that was the purpose in them being here. We tied them. I did not want to because it hurt Alex to see Shannon like that. I could not chance letting them go at the moment, and I did not allow conversation until Alex slept.
Shannon had been the midwife at Alex’s birth. Their intentions were to kill him, because he was not quite right, and he was a male. His mother, and Shannon as well had belonged to a cult. The males were kept as breeders, but in Alex’s case it would not be well.
“John, Alex’s father, was the leader. He had demanded the death of his own son, just as he had framed his other son. Children were separated at birth till they come of age. The men would be eighteen and the girls fifteen.”
“There was a sister also. The older brother found a man raping his sister. He killed him. They tried to subdue him but he fought his way out, killing two more in the process. He was going to take his sister and flee, but she was dead. He had come too late.”
“There mother did not care. She is the one that tried to have Luke arrested.” I knew. Of course I knew. My Hero was the Luke in her story. He was no murderer and rapist. I had already known that too. I grabbed his hand and held it tightly. I knew then. He had to face his past as I had. He had to know the truth, that he was not that evil person they said he was.
“So how does Alex fit in all this?” I knew they were brothers, but how was it possible he had been kept secret.
“ Alex was ten when all this happened.” Hero was still trying to grasp the fact that Alex was his brother, and that he had killed in self defense, and he had not raped anyone. “But why did I not know all those years that I had a brother.”
“I could not bear to kill him. After his birth, I wrapped him in a towel, and put him in my bag praying he would not cry.  I took him to my home, knowing I could not hide him there for long. But I fell in love with the little guy.”
“He was smart, until they found him. I had made a room for him underneath my house. Someone had told, I am sure of it. He was around four I think.I had been gone, and when I returned, they were torturing him, and Serina, well she stood there watching. Just watching.”
“I went mad. He was screaming, and crying and I just lost it. I killed all three of them.” 
“I knew John would come looking so I remembered the cave. No one but me knew of the cave. I tried to care for him best I could. I hated the collar, but I had to make sure he did not run. If they found him they would kill him.”
“I had been captured by the evil one and I could not care for him. I worried but, I had tried to set things up for him. I could not get back to him. After the death of the evil one, I ran. I wandered the caves, but knew I had to go back.”
“I saw the care you gave to him. I knew you loved him and he would be safe with you. I wanted the diary. That is all I wanted. It needs to be destroyed before it falls in the wrong hands. I do not know if any of them are still alive, but I do not want to chance it.”
She was right. I knew everything she said was truth. I gathered driftwood for a fire and Hero helped. I got my back pack and rummaged around for food. I had some cans of potted meat and packs of crackers. I untied Shannon, and offered her some. I was still wary of the other two.
Hero and I looked at each other. We could protect what was ours. After untying the other two, we also gave them food. 
All was well until I tried to destroy the diary. The two men lunged at me knocking me upon the ground while the other lunged at Hero. It did not take Hero but a moment to knock the guy out. Then in a fit of rage,(even though I had everything under control) he lunged at the man that had knocked me down. “Never lay a hand on my wife again. I will kill you." I do not think I have ever seen Hero in that shape before. 
Meanwhile Shannon was with Alex. She meant no harm, but keeping him safe.
She wanted the diary destroyed and they wanted to keep it. It no longer mattered. I threw it in the fire and watched it burn. The two evil ones were out cold and Shannon was holding Alex. She was telling him goodbye.
I looked at Hero, not a scratch on him. I smiled as he held me,”My Hero.” And what a laugh. His soul was finally free.
Chapter 8
Upon the shores they traveled fast seeking a safe haven. A fierce wind blew, the sand swirled and they thanked God for the warning to cover their eyes. A rocky ledge in the distance and that is where they would stop.
Alex was frightened, as well as Shannon, but I had no time to comfort them. Aside from the few soothing words I could offer, my time was spent controlling the horses. hero and Johnny had went ahead to find a safe haven. 
That is when they spied the rocky ledge. We would pass the time there until the storm abated. God had been with us at the appearance of Johnny. I did not mind the journeys walk, I welcomed it. It was my thinking time. Sometimes I missed it, but it was also good to have people.
We had left the two thieves lying on the beach, but we had accepted Shannon. She had wished to come, and it was no longer safe for her to be on the beach. When they came for the diary, we knew there were more of them. Neither Shannon nor Alex would be safe.
Besides she would be good for Alex. They loved each other, and she had always cared for him. If what she said was true, and I believed it to be, she killed to protect him. 
Dr. Grand had not come. He was in the middle of an experiment of some kind. I prayed that it was not another drug like the blue liquid. In the mean time the beach was without a doctor, or a midwife. I prayed that God would watch over them until we could get someone back to them.
I thought of leaving Johnny, but he was so young, and still had so much to learn. I smiled. he had also been going on and on about some girl named Sylvia. Johnny had his first crush. She had been one of the girls he had rescued.
There; we made it to the rocky cliff. It was big enough to pull the horse and wagon in as well. I un tethered the horses. They would not go anywhere, but if things got bad they would have freedom to find their own safety.
A small opening led to a cave. It was not a big cave, but big enough to wait out the storm. I sent Shannon, Johnny, and Alex in. I stayed outside. I would rather face the elements than go into a tiny cramped space. All the caves I had been in were rather big, I had not felt confined. I fear I could not make it in the tiny cave.
I climbed up in the back of the wagon, feet dangling over the edge, and it was not long before Hero joined me. His arm went around me and I laid my head upon his shoulder. We sat like that as the wind and the sand hit the wagon full force, rocking it with each gust.
Of a sudden a torrential downpour eased the sands blow, weighing it heavy upon the beach. The winds eased, and the sand calmed, but the rain flowed from the heavens, freely. I jumped from the wagon and like a young child danced in the rain. Hero could not resist either. Just like times in the past, we were free, we were loved, and there was hope.
It was amazing the peace I saw in Hero’s eyes. Though we both had let the past go, I could tell at times that he worried over it. Maybe this was why God showed him his past. He wanted him to know that what he did was not cold blood, and he was set up. He had not done the rape.
He was free from his past now, and he had a brother. It was so good to see him happy. We had both faced our past and survived.
We climbed back in the wagon to wait out the storm. I felt good. I felt clean. I changed clothes as Hero took watch, then I watched as he changed. I did not think anyone would set upon us in this weather, but it was possible.
The storm still raged, thunder roared, and streaks of jagged lightning aimed at the ground. hero held me tightly, and we watched God’s creation until we finally slept.
I could not help but think of the two thieves we left lying in the sand. I prayed they found safety during this storm. I did not wish them death, but I wished them well and prayed they would change there ways.

Chapter 9
Soaked, but tired we pulled into New Beginnings. Home at last. I felt the urge to shout, but I did not. The town had grown so much. The work had not stopped when Hero and I had left, and that was a good thing.
Morris came to take the horses and wagon, so Hero and I grabbed our packs. Shannon and Alex just stood, looking around our town. At first they were nervous as neighbors came up to welcome us home, but after a few minutes they actually felt at home.
“Come lady, come see the new hospital. We do not have a lot of patients at the moment, but someday we may." Johnny was so excited, even though we had a long journey. Of course he rode, we walked. “Johnny, I will look I promise, but I am wet. May I change first?” I elbowed Hero in the ribs. He was laughing to hard at my dilemma.
I finally escaped, and entered my house. It had been so long. I went into the bedroom to change and Hero followed. We did take our time changing. I was not worried over Shannon or Alex because I knew our people would welcome them, and make them feel at home.
I was in Hero’s arms. That was where I wanted to be, needed to be. We moved to the bed and sat down on the edge, I could hear the townspeople laughing, talking, hammering, and someone was singing.
That was outside. On the inside the only noise was the beating of our hearts. We were in our own little world. Nothing but God could interrupt our peace, our quiet, our time. Well except for the fact we did promise Johnny a look at the hospital. Oh and we had to meet Sylvia, and on and on. 
What a kiss. I was torn between my people and my husband. Wait that was not meant to sound like that. I loved my husband so very much. He was a gift from God. I also know Hero loves me, but there was a time and place for everything. This was the place, but not the time.
He smiled that crooked little smile he had. Our hearts, our thoughts, our minds worked as one. He kissed me on the cheek, we rose from the bed and put on clean, dry, clothes.
Hand in hand we left the house. Hero went to find Elvin and  I saw Shannon. Tom and Shannon seemed to be getting along quite well. Johnny and a young lady, were heading toward us, but where was Alex?  Then I saw him. He was off in the distance with Morris. Evidently he had the horses cared for because I saw them heading for the waterfall. They ran free, just as Jezzie, and the wolves. The only thing we penned up was an animal when it was hurt.
“Lady, this is Sylvia. She came from the beach.” She was a pretty girl, burnt red hair, and a sunshiny smile.......and pregnant. I lost my smile. I did not want to come off as being rude, so I stayed a few more minutes with idle chit chat, excused myself and went to find Elie. Needless to say she was busy, so there was no time for conversation.
I looked around New Beginnings, and with a sad heart realized I was not needed anymore. The town was safe and growing. Everything was coming along perfectly. 
“Lady, I love her. I want to marry here, but I want your blessing. I know she is pregnant and it is not mine, but Lady she needs me.” I could see it in his eyes; I could hear it in his voice. He was so young, but so was she. He was right. I wiped a tear that slipped. “Johnny, you have my blessing.” He hugged me tightly. I felt like he was my child, and now even though he was young, he had aged beyond his years.
“Lady, there is one more thing, we want to go back to the beach. All the doctors are up here. She still has friends there and that is her home. In fact several of the women want to go back. We knew it would happen.” yes, we knew it would happen, but Johnny? I really had no right to keep him here, and he was right, they needed a doctor. from what I had heard, he had become a fine one, learning everything he could. Perhaps this was God’s purpose for him.
The tears began to flow, and he reached his hand up to wipe them me. “Lady, I love you. I will always love you, but it is time for me to go.” 
“I know Johnny, I know. you have my blessing.” He kissed me on the cheek, and walked away. I knew he was now going to talk to Hero, and once he gave his blessing it would not be long before Johnny would leave.
I decided I needed a walk to clear my head. The waterfall would be a perfect spot. I should be happy for Johnny, and I really was, so why did I have this bad feeling?
I sat under a massive oak tree, sun barely shining through. It was so cool and peaceful, an awesome place to have a conversation with God. Only He could ease this ache inside of me. Only He could show me the way. I felt as if I was not needed anymore.
Then it came too me. The boats were being built for a purpose. The big one, to haul supplies back and forth from the beach to the island, and the other was for me and Hero. We had traveled the land, even though there was more to explore, but first we had to travel by water.
Oh no not again. I felt the earth shake. Only a little tremor. I closed my eyes, another tremor. I jumped up and ran back to town. Buildings were shaking, windows were breaking, and people were screaming.
With each shake people were being thrown around, boulders were rolling down from the mountains, and the cooking fire shot flames, catching Elies new kitchen on fire. We made a line, filling buckets of water from the big water barrel, trying to put out the flames.We succeeded, but too much damage had been done.
Louder and harder the earth shook, and fear of another cleansing was fresh in everyones mind. A huge shake shook the whole town at once and I took a major tumble, hitting my head on something. And for the moment I was out.
Chapter 10
And then there was Tandy. Almost as big as Icarn, but louder. According to her dress and looks she was just a child. I had tumbled into her leg and that is what knocked me out. A gust of wind blew, but no, it was not wind, but her voice shouting for Icarn. Then a loud boom and one more massive shake as she hit the ground landing hard on her rear.
Her tears fell upon my head like rain, and once again I was soaked. Not once had she looked down, to see what destruction she was causing, or if she even cared. She did not seem to have the anger that Icarn had.
Everyone had disappeared. I am sure they were in hiding. Some had been here for Icarn, and I ma sure some were learning of him now, and word travels fast. All of a sudden the townspeople came out with weapons, tools to use as weapons, and shouting to leave at once.
The flood of tears, (and indeed the tears were as a flood) were cutting a trail across the grass and I could see Curtis staring in horror. he had worked so hard to grow grass, flowers, and now we even had fruit trees.
Hero came to my side. “We have to calm her down. I do not think she means any harm, but she is destroying the town. How do we get her attention?”
“I know Hero. I know how to get her attention, you try to calm our people.” He knew what I was going to do, and I know he feared my safety, but my thoughts were that she was just a little girl, lost and afraid.
A quick kiss, and I began my climb up the little(well not so little) girl. She started laughing as I climbed and I was having a really hard time holding on, she was shaking so much. At least her tears had stopped and I was no longer getting wet. 
And then I felt myself being lifted in the air and staring into her huge face. She smiled. What a cute little snaggletooth. So she must be around five or six. She was holding me by the back of my dress, and with the other hand, she took her finger and pushed me. I was swinging back and forth and when I stopped she thought to do it again, but I took my bow, and smacked her hand with it.”Stop that. I am not a toy, I am a person.” Oh no, here came the tears again. “It is okay. Tell me child, what is your name?” She looked at me like she was trying to understand me. I motioned for her to put me up to her ear, and repeated my earlier request. 
“I am Tandy. I want my brother. I can not find Icarn and I have been looking and looking.” And she started crying again. How was I to tell her her brother was dead? But how could I not? Was she all alone? 
“Tandy, Icarn fell in a big hole. He is dead baby, I am so sorry.” I lay down on her shoulder and tried to pat it. How do you comfort a giant, especially a child? My whole body was shaking with her sobs.”
“But,but,but, I can not stop them, but Icarn can. They hurt her.” She sniffled so hard I felt myself falling . I tried to grab her dress, but missed. It was a long ways to the ground but I felt her chubby little fingers catch me.
She held me up to her face again, and her sad eyes began to tear up again. “You help me? You help me please?” 
“Tandy, what is it. What is wrong? Do you not have family besides Icarn?”
“Daddy died in the big fire. Fell in a big hole. Lots of rocks on top of him. Is that what happened to my brother?”
“Yes, Tandy, that is what happened to Icarn. So what about your mother? Surely you are not alone.” If she had no one, what was to happen to her?
“Bad men hurting mommy. She tied up, they hit her with sticks. Please help my mommy.” She look so sad and it broke my heart to see her like this. 
“Tandy, are the big men like you, or men my size.” She tilted her head back and forth then pointed to Hero, “Bigger than you, but tall like him.” I could not help but smile. She just said it so innocent.
“Well little miss Tandy. Let us get a few things together and we will go with you.” Cheers went up from the people. She was just a little girl, and that little girl, even though she was a giant, and caused destruction, she had won the hearts of everyone.
Before we left we made her aware of the buildings and houses, but most of all the people.
“Please watch your step Tandy. I know you do not wish to hurt anyone or anything.” She looked around to make sure that nothing was near her feet and put Hero and I on her shoulder. 
She had strings on the shoulders of her dress, and it was not long before Hero and I were riding on her shoulder using the strings as safety belts. Even though we bounced around a lot. I had to admit it was kind of fun.
I saw Alex frowning as we left. He wanted to come along, but not yet. He needed to be trained. We could not fight and keep him safe.
Shannon put her arm around him and Tom engaged him in conversation. He would be all right.
Chapter 11
The scenery was so beautiful up here. It was if it had not been touched through the cleansing, or even the aftermath. Huge trees many centuries old rose to touch the bluest sky I had ever seen. I could not say this land was untouched by humans, but possibly by my size. I think the giants had protected this land.
I was amazed and frightened when I saw Icarn. I really do not know why I thought he was the only one. I now knew there were at least two, Tandy and her mama. Tandy was peaceful, but she was just a child, even though a big child, but her mama, what would she be like? I hope we did not have harsh words. For one, a giant was a hard person to kill, and another, Tandy really needed her mother.
I heard booming thunder in the distance, but no, it was not thunder. It was a woman’s fearful scream. It was just louder than most. Tandy started to run and Hero and I held on for dear life. It would be a very great distance to fall. I saw the boulder ahead.(To us a boulder, to her a rock.) Evidently Tandy did not see it, or maybe she just could not stop in time. She tripped, and she was falling face first, and we were falling with her.
We crawled around and grabbed the back of her dress. At least on her back we would be cushioned from the fall, but the poor little child would be hurt. She hit hard and a downpour of tears released from her eyes. Her mama must have heard her cries for she screamed her name. She was yelling at her to run, and I understood why. 
About ten men with guns and ropes were running towards us, They had not seen us, only Tandy, and she was still down.We had the perfect cover, Hiding on her back, her red curls giving us cover. One by one we picked them off and they never knew what hit them. We jumped off Tandy’s back before she rose again. It was probably a good thing we did because the earth started shaking and a booming voice followed. “Leave my daughter alone.” So sweet the love of a mother for her child. She had broken her bonds and was coming to get her daughter, but on no, no, no, she was after Hero and I we ran in the direction she had come from
Our plan? Well we did not have one, I was just hoping there was a cliff. If she ran fast enough she would go over like Icarn did. Maybe it would work twice. “No mama, they good. They help Tandy.”
I felt the wind from her breath, and a piece of the earth began to crack. Perhaps it would be Hero and I that went over the edge. “Well Lord if it is your will.” A mighty hand picked us up and sat us atop a hill. We were looking into the face of Tamarina, Tandy’s mama. She must have realized how loud her voice would be for she just mouthed the words thank you for helping my Tandy. 
Then she took the dead outlaws and threw them over the cliff. She motioned for us to follow but instead Tandy picked us up again. Her mama smiled and led us away.  Where were we going to go? There was no exit, nothing but a dead end, until she moved a big boulder, and after we were through it she replaced the boulder. It blended so well you could not tell either way what lay beyond.
It was beautiful. Fields of flowers, and crops. Huge stalks of wheat. Curtis would indeed be jealous. He had been trying to grow wheat for awhile now, and still had not figured it out. But here was a field full. Perhaps they would be willing to teach us.
I had missed the conversation between Tandy and her mama, but I saw the flood of tears, so I imagined they were talking of Icarn. I really did not want to say anything to anger her, especially since we were no longer near the cliff, but she was carrying on like he was an angel or something. 
Before I could say anything she had a shell and blew into it. I had not noticed before but a whole village of humans, our size, started gathering around. 
She explained to them about Icarn, and the actually began to cry. Why? He was a mean giant that loved to eat people.I tugged on Tandy’s dress to let her know we wanted down. We were level with these people. I wanted to talk to them. 
I walked up to one of the men and he held out his hand, I shook it. “Welcome to Icarn’s Kingdom.” He said it with pride and from the looks of it I would be proud too. But now they could come back to New Beginnings. They did not have to fear anymore.
I was puzzled. When I made that fact clear to him, he just laughed. “You must be joking. We have never feared. Icarn was good and kind. He gave us all this.” 
Okay I was really missing something here. Evidently we were talking about two different Icarns. “He took people as sacrifices, and ate them.”
“I do not know what you are talking about. He saved us from death, and gave us a home. We were prisoners in the cave, eating slop, but he took us in. Icarn gave us these fields. We have homes and we are protected.”
“But he wanted to eat me.”
“No, you misunderstood. He wanted to eat with you. He gave us all a seat at his table, and he loved tea parties. He loved his little sister too.”
And now I felt really bad about Icarns death. Miscommunication can cause death. Lesson learned. We stayed the night and as I said my prayers I prayed for Icarn, but now I knew he was in heaven.
Chapter 12
My intentions were not to stay as long as we did, but it did not work out like that. I think the beauty of this place was brought on by more oxygen than anyplace we had visited so far. I also wondered if that was what made the giants grow larger than the average human.
Some of the inhabitants lived in Tandy’s old doll house, and others Icard had made. he had saved hundreds of people and their community was expanding rapidly. Everyone had their role to play, and played it well.
Hero was helping Alfred and George, build a new well. Tandy and her mama was baking bread and I was wandering through a patch of lush green trees I had spied earlier. I had not seen this many trees in one spot in a very long time.
Walking through I felt such comfort and peace. I would have to bring Hero here. Together we would find solace in an angry world. 
But it had not all been angry. there had been some really good people, some amazing challenges, and Hero. Hero, the love of my life. I thank God everyday, more than once for the special love He had sent me. God was my strength, and I could not make it without Him, and Hero was my mate. Forever I would be by his side, there was no doubt.
I stood in awe at the scene before me. The creek was small, but the water was so clear. Lush green furs lined the creek bank, and colorful mushrooms were half hidden in various spaces. There was mostly shade, but a touch of the sun’s rays glimmered upon the water.
It was not long before I had my old boots off and feet dangling in the water. At first I had to do a sharp intake of breath. The water was freezing cold, but after getting used to it, my feet began swirling in the water. I felt something nibbling at my toes, and to my amazement it was a rainbow trout.
I pulled my feet from the water and lay on my stomach. I wanted to see the other surprises this creek had in store for me. Did I say this creek? I meant the whole valley. This could have been the garden of Eden, so pure and clean. I laughed as I swirled my finger letting the trout nibble, then came more. A whole school of trout had swam up to greet me. There were also crawfish, and periwinkles.
Some of these sights I had not seen since man decided to trash up the place. I realized then why this area had missed the cleansing. There was nothing to clean. Very few people would know of this place, I would see to that. I would help the giants, and their people protect their land.
Curtis was the only one that needed to know, and that was for the crops and horticulture he could learn from here. I know he would not tell a soul, he would love it too much.In fact we could probably trade services. New Beginnings could use some trees cut down, and I am sure their was something we could do for these people.
They could be a part of the joining, even though it would be a secret part. The peace and quite, along with the babbling brook lent to my eyes closing. I must have dozed, or at least I think I did, because there was a loud boom, then an echo. The earth shook and I prayed. Lord please spare these people, spare this land.
And I was sure He answered me, because I felt drawn to the sound. What did He want me to see? I began to run through the trees, the soft grass, and the ferns. The grass tickled my bare feet, but I was thankful there were no briars.
I was right. there were three trees down, but they had not been cut. At first I thought lightning may have hit them, but there had been no storm. They had hit the earth but no damage had been done except for..... what was that? 
I crept closer to the object laying on the ground, and jumped back. I was not afraid for God had led me here, but neither did I want to be knocked down by whatever it was. Could it be another giant? No, Tamarina had told us they were the only two left.
Movement came from under one of the trees, and it flew up in the air, and coming straight down at me. I do remember screaming, but nothing else.
Chapter 13
I awoke in Hero’s arms, and that felt good.He smiled that awesome smile that I loved so much. I lay there in his arms forgetting the reason I was there to begin with. Then I remembered the tree. I was not dead? I should have been. I knew I could not have moved that quick.
I felt an ache, in my right arm, and when I moved it, I had to fight back a scream. Surely it was not broke. I felt as if I was coming upon panic mode. I was a warrior. How can a warrior battle with a broken arm? 
Hero took his bandana out, poured some of his bottled water on it and started dabbing at my head. I really sucked in my breath then. The pain was excruciating , but again I held my scream.
Oh to go back by the creek and enjoy the piece and quite again. Then I scolded myself for my attitude. God sent me here for a reason, and though I was hurt I was alive. “Though I enjoy being in your arms, I must rise now.” Hero rose and sat me down, after a quick kiss. 
The tree was scattered over the area and I found out that the little boy had saved me. Well he was not so little, more Tandy’s size. He was snaggletoothed as well. I was treated to a huge smile. At least I had thought it was for me till I noticed shade had come over me. How had Tandy snuck up on me? Well it did not matter, and instant friendship was born.
Tamarina finally approached. The trees falling had alerted her to trouble, and she shook her head at the mess. “Young man, what have you done? Better yet, where did you come from?” The little boy looked shame faced, because he had forgotten his reason for being here. These were people, actual people.
It had been many years since he had seen anyone, but his daddy. Now his daddy was sick, and he had been searching endlessly to find help. “Please help my daddy.” Huge tears came from his brown eyes and I could not resist.
I did not ask what was wrong, or how could we help. I knew this was where God lead me. I stayed through the pain as Hero bandaged my arm, and put it in a sling.I did not think it was broken, but the sling was insurance just in case.
From what the boy, David said, his daddy was unconscious and feverish.
Tamarina hitched up her wagon, and what a huge one it was. And the horses, why they were as big as Tandy. She had in mind to bring the daddy back here and treat him. She looked at me, and tears formed her eyes. If she cried it would flood.
“What Tamarina? What ails you?” She looked at me sadly. “I can bring him here, but I know nothing of healing. That was Icards specialty.” And once again I thought of Icard. He was at peace, and he was one of God’s chosen. It was meant to happen.
“Tamarina just get him back here. I will get Thomas, or Dr. Grand. They will help him if they can.It will take several days to get there because we are smaller. “Mama I take them. They keep me safe.”
“Tandy, no. You are too young.” But then she looked at her daughter and realized, yes five was very young, but not for a giant. She also knew Hero and Lady would see her safe. 
I knew she would give in, and I would do everything within my power to keep her safe. Hero would also. 
Tamarina, David, and Hero, headed farther north to pick up David’s daddy. Hero and I agreed they needed someone for protection just in case. Not knowing what lay that way, we decided it was best he be the one to travel with them. I on the other hand motioned for Tandy to pick me up, gently. Of course I had to grit my teeth because her none to gently was, well none to gently.
The turning of the moon would not hold off much longer, so we quickly grabbed my pack and left the beautiful Eden, and indeed that was what it was called. Tandy rested the boulder back in place and none would ever guess there was a valley hidden.
Tandy kept a steady rhythm neither going fast nor slow. All was quite, and though it was not as pretty as Eden, the full of the moon cast a golden glow upon the land.Would that I could share this moment with Hero, but we were far away from each other.
Were we always destined to be apart, or when we were together, were we always to be surrounded by people? I smiled anyway. At least we loved together, fought together, and always had each others back. We thought, we felt, and we loved. God sent me a terrific husband, and our destiny was to always be united.
The sun was turning in the sky when we reached New Beginnings, and the work day had begun. Elie cooked breakfast, and Tandy really ate a lot.
Dr. Grand wished to travel with us, and Curtis practically begged to go, as I knew he would. I sent them to pack up, and I refreshed my supplies, while Tandy visited. Soon we were back on the trail again.
Chapter 14
I was weary, and my arm in such pain. Dr. Grand wished to look at it, but I refused.We must get back. My time of need would come later. Right now I had a feeling of urgency that needed to be met.I did not understand this feeling for I do not remember feeling it before, but soon enough I am sure I would know.
Dr. Grand was full of excitement and constant chatter. It amazed him that he could actually be riding on a giant, and a child at that. Every now and then I would catch a worried look upon his face, especially when he would look up at Tandy. Something bothered him, but I had yet to figure it out. 
Curtis was quite with an intense look upon his face. I noticed that he often looked around the country side shaking his head. This area had been hit hard by the cleansing. For many more miles desolate land would confront us. Dead trees scattered about, and some uprooted, and burnt ashes would be caught by a dry wind polluting the air.
I know he was questioning my judgment at the time, and I could not blame him. I spoke of wheat fields, and wildflower meadows, forests and giant trees, yet he saw none of that. “Curtis do not be disappointed we have not arrived yet. I did not lie. Soon you will gaze in wonder at the site you will see.”
“Oh Lady, no, I do not doubt you. I was just thinking what a shame this area was so terrible. I was also thinking, that if at all possible, time permitting, we could clean it up a bit. Perhaps haul the wood back to New Beginnings for the winter months.” I noticed he dropped a handful of something and though he never spoke of it, I knew it was some type of seeds. He was trying to replenish the earth.
I caught a glimpse of movement from a distant hill . Men lined the hill and they were not making a secret about being up there. I had found a set of binoculars on one of our adventures and I put them too my eyes. 
There must have been a hundred men, and from the looks of it, full body armor. What were they after to have so many? We had nothing. there was only one thing I could figure, they wanted Tandy. Perhaps they had heard of the Valley of the Giants, but did not know where. Well they would not find out today either.
Dr. Grand and Curtis could hide in Tandy’s dress pocket, so that is where I sent them. Tandy could not hide, because of her size, and I am sure by the echo of her footfalls they knew she was already here. But they did not know about me. They may have had full body armor, but I had the armor of God, and a mothers instinct.
Tandy was a child, a big child, but still a child. She ran and played like a child. 
I saw them walking a path down the hill, and I asked Tandy to stop for the moment. They all needed a chance to get off the hill.Our chance would be better. I got down on the ground to do battle. I hated to kill, but with the armor I would have to aim for the head. 
With very little choice I removed the sling, and had to deal with the pain. Some would have a painful death but I prayed to God that He would be merciful. Earlier when I asked Tandy to let me down I had told her when I gave her a signal to run, and even the direction to run in. 
Many would die under her heavy footsteps, trampled beneath her feet. I knew of no other way to keep Tandy and the valley safe.There were just too many. 
I tried my bow, but I did not have enough strength in my arm. “Now Tandy.” I had lent her my binoculars and though she could only put it up to one eye, she saw and laughed. To her this was a game of tag. Some escaped, but not for long.
I had my machete taking up her slack. I nearly screamed, yet I bit back the pain. My arm could not take much more. It did not wish to cooperate, but what else could I do? I could not leave Tandy to fight this battle alone.
I could not believe it. A hand grenade lay upon the ground and Tandy was about to step on it. I could not warn her for she could not hear me. I ran for it, trying to avoid her huge feet, and reached it the same time the soldier did. Yes they were soldiers. 
Whether they were really soldiers, or men in uniform pretending to be soldiers I did not know. I just knew at this moment they were the enemy and Tandy was about to be hurt. 
I ended up with the grenade and threw it in the midst of the crowd at the same time Tandy raised her foot to stomp on them. It caught the edge of her foot and she fell on top of all the soldiers. I do not think any could survive that.
She screamed and then a torrential downfall of tears. I looked around quickly for any danger that would pose a threat, and found none. All were dead, so we were in no immediate danger. 
I looked at Tandy’s foot. A deep gash, blood pouring from the side of her foot. Dr. Grand cleaned it, and bandaged it, taking up several hours. Her foot was as big as a normal human, and though her lip was still in a pout her tears had stopped.
Dr. Grand was really upset, by it all. Though it was a deep gash, it should be fine, but something in her blood had him upset. He must test her, as well as the other giants. Only time would tell.


Chapter 15
Tandy was walking a little slower now. It was hard for her to walk with that gash on her foot. In a way she was lucky. If she had been an ordinary child she would have been dead. Even though she was hurt she still walked faster than we did. 
It was easier to discuss any manner of things when we were not being bumped around. Dr. Grand was unusually quite. He always spoke more than necessary, and any number of things got him excited.
“So tell me doctor, what ails you. Ever since you examined Tandy, you have been in a thoughtful mood. is something wrong?” He looked as if he wanted to tell me, but then he did not want me to know. 
He wiped the swear from his brow and readjusted his glasses on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it again. We walked a little farther and I could tell he was getting tired again. 
Curtis had been quite also. I turned to look and he was way back down the trail. I had to smile. He was planting some type of seeds, and watering them with his bottled water. I suppose it would not hurt to wait a few minutes. I guess we did need a break, and though I hated to admit it my arm needed to be back in its sling.
“Let me look at it,” Dr. Grand would not take no for an answer this time. I gave a half smile when he told me the same thing Hero did. It was not broke, but most likely something pulled. A tendon, muscle or something to that effect. It would heal if I was easy on it, but could I be? I laughed and I know they thought I was crazy, but it did make me feel much better.
It was time to be on our way. We would make better time if if we rode with Tandy. She picked us up and we began our journey again. I was so ready to get back. I knew Hero would be there by the time I got there, and I was so anxious to see him.
Curtis and Dr. Grand crawled back in Tandy’s pocket and I stayed on her shoulder. I could here her whimper every now and then and wished there was something I could do to ease the pain. I had aspirin, and some Aleve, but how much would it take for her.
The quicker we reached the valley, the quicker she could rest. They could also treat her the way Icarn would if he were still alive.They had said he was the healer.
I wish I could have known the real Icarn. Even though it was not my hand that pushed him in the abyss, Hero and I were the ones that lead him to it. At first I felt guilt, but then I realized that was God’s plan. Icarns death had led us to Tandy and the beautiful valley. It was another community for our joining. 
I needed Hero. I needed his strength.I needed him to hold me and tell me everything was going to be all right, even though I had this feeling that things were about to fall apart. 
Chapter 16
Things were looking grim for the giants. I had been walking through the woods for a while now, thinking and praying. Dr. Grand said it was something in their blood,( a big long word that I could not understand.) and soon they would all die.
Hero came upon me and though I had tried not to cry, as soon as he took me in his arms I could not control the flow. I thought of Tandy and the childish innocence, her laughter, even her smile. Her mama was quiet, but determined. She was a good mama.
David and Cody, father and son, were the new ones. They are the reason Dr. Grand found the blood issue. Cody had been unconscious when they had brought him, but now he was out lending a hand with the trees. 
David and Tandy were running through the wildflower meadow, unaware of the problems they faced in the future. We did not know when or where, or even how long, we just knew.
We did not tell them, and were not sure if we were going to.They were happy.Tamaria had a mate now, and Tandy had a friend to play with. They had a beautiful valley, and great friends that helped them along the way.
No. I did not think we should tell them. Let them live their lives in peace and happiness. The valley would still be taken care of. We had already come to a joining agreement,
and Curtis had learned a lot since our time up here. He was anxious to get back to New Beginnings and put his knowledge to work.
Dr. Grand wished to stay and do more studying on the disease that ailed the giants. Perhaps he could prolong the disease or even find a cure. It would be as he wished, and I prayed that things would go well.
The pigeons had now been trained to fly this area too. Now we could communicate without Tandy risking her life, or someone finding their valley. I know the produce and wheat they grew was twice as big as what we would normally grow, so we would leave it for the community.
They sliced, cut and canned everything they could. There was no lack of food for the people and they should be able to live here forever.
But the trees, the trees would be an asset. It took the giants no time at all to down a tree, and they could saw it to our size in no time at all. We would only remove one load from here, and the rest would come from the open trail. That would mean less danger for discovery.
I am not sure how long Hero held me while I cried my heart out. It had been a long time since I had cried. I did not even cry when the tree landed on my arm. Ah my Hero, my love, he is always there for me.
Hand in hand we walked back to the fields to watch the work in progress. Tomorrow we leave. Would I ever see Tandy again? Would I ever see Tamaria, David or Cody alive again? Only God knew the answers to the questions that plagued me. Lord I leave it in your capable hands.
It was time for the sun to turn away and a feast had been prepared earlier. Since Tamarinas house was too huge we went into one of the doll houses to heat with a couple that had been there for years.
Sheila and Ben had met here. Icarn had saved them both. In fact they were the first to be brought up here after the cleansing. Now they had a house, two children, and several fields to grow crops in. 
Each day without fail they thanked God for sending Icarn to rescue them. They had more now than they ever did and the appreciated it. Any time they spoke of Icarn tears filled their eyes, and I knew that missed him. Just as they would miss the other three if Dr. Grand could not find a cure.
Hero and I lay in the wildflower meadows. it was a good place to be closer to God. It was also a place of peace, a place of silence, and a place of beauty.
And as I slept, an explosion tore through the air, and on the distant hillside, far, far away, a massive fire raged. Charred ash and bone scattered in the ruins. Trees falling, flames licking at their trunks. A wisp of a scream carried upon the breeze, before surrounding me with thousands of frightened voices,begging,pleading, echoing of indescribable misery.
I could feel the heat, feel the pain, and felt death that surrounded these people. I woke with a start. I had awakened Hero in my turnings, and perhaps ramblings; he already knew. He rubbed my face gently and kissed me on the cheek. 
It was still awhile before the moon was to turn, but I could not sleep again so soon. Hero had gone to awaken Curtis, and I packed our supplies, filling fresh bottles of water from the creek. I took one last look around, even though I was hoping it would not be my last.
I would not wake the giants or any other of our friends; I just prayed that we would see them again. 
At the moons turn they always had a gatekeeper and looking through a peeping hole made sure no one was lurking about. He wished us well as he rose the huge boulder that blocked the valley. 
I was thankful for the cart that they had made us, and the wood that was loaded upon it. Though I prefer walking hand in hand with Hero, the cart would make travel faster. 
I asked God to show me the way because I was sure that was His plan for me, and in the darkness, the pigeon arrived.
The boat was ready to sail. Now I knew that our first stop was the beach, after that it would be somewhere off the oceans shore, or perhaps an island. The only time I could remember being on a boat was traveling from the beach to the island. Hopefully I did not get sea sick.
Hero pulled my head on his shoulder, and I breathed a deep sigh.Another adventure, another place, new faces, and God in my soul, Hero by my side. 
I was ready.
Chapter 17
Upon the raging sea we sailed, unable to find even an island to land. The wind twisted and turned, swirling quickly, dragging the boat to and fro, while the fierceness of the ocean’s waves, banged against the boat threatening to pull it underneath the ocean.
Captain Tyler begged us to get below lest we be swept overboard, but I could not. I would rather face a storm in all its fury than to be stuck in a room below wondering if we would make it. 
Hero had also refused and here we stood in a torrential downpour willing the savage seas to calm.  Several turns of the moon we sailed in smooth waters, but the sun did not turn this morning. The darkness of the storm approached and the sun never shone.
I did not fear. God had sent us on this journey for a reason and I am sure it was not to die. As I had many times before I was sent to rescue survivors. I was not sure where we were going but I knew God would guide us.
What once had been Cuba no longer existed. Many of the islands that had once been where no more, so we continued to sail through the storm.
We were getting close to our destination, I could feel it.I also noticed the storm was lessening in intensity. The rain had stopped, the winds had eased, and the waters calmed. All our thanks went to God as the huge sailboat leveled out.
The sun had appeared and its rays added a brightness to the rainbow that appeared there. The ocean was beautiful as the sun sparkled upon it. In the distance it looked as if wisps of smoke appeared on a hillside.
It was still far away, but if I was not mistaken that was our destination. I retrieved my binoculars from the cabin and raised them to my eyes. I could see a little, but barely. We were still to far out to make out any danger that lurked about.
I did see the smoke, and the destruction of trees, and then I moved the binoculars towards the sea. Tears filled my eyes and my heart hurt. Dead bodies half in, half out of the water, floating in an up and down movement with the waves.
It was the beach all over again. Perhaps it would not be that bad though. Though it would break my heart, I must follow through. God would give me the strength to carry through.
Well it would do no good to invent problems before we arrived.  Hero had taken over for the captain. He had used an amazing amount of strength fighting for control in the storm. It was time he rested.
Hero seemed to know what he was doing. I smiled. My Hero was quite a man. I looked up to the heavens and thanked God for sending me such a man, and for the captain getting us safely through the storm.
Leaning over the rail, looking at the ocean once again brought me peace, and I also realized just how tired I was. I should probably sleep for when we reached our destination, we may not have a chance. 
Leaving the rail Hero smiled as I approached him.With a quick kiss and an I love you, I went to the cabin, grabbed my sleeping bag and went back on deck.  I lay down upon the deck feeling it rock gently with each wave.  I do not think I recall going to sleep, but I did, and I slept peacefully, until the dreams began again.
We came upon a village, their were dead bodies everywhere. A big pit had been dug and so many deaths at one time the bodies had been thrown into the pit. It was a mass grave. There must have been no one too throw the bodies in the pit anymore, so they lay upon the ground. 
The screams and cries came from the dead. Their souls could not find peace. Disease was their killer, and it had spread like the wildfire that had been purposefully set to sterilize the island. 
I stood upon the hillside amid the dust and bone, charred ashes and ruins, the wind crying out for the lost. I awoke shivers crawling my spine.
Chapter 18
“Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil” That phrase repeated in my mind over and over again. Yes God was with me, and I tried not to fear, and soon I did not.
We landed on the beach as the moon turned into the sun. In my dream I had seen dead bodies floating half in half out of the sea. But here I saw none. But the stench was horrible
and the smell of death and smoke drifted through the air. 
On the beach were sand toys, scattered towels and broken umbrellas. Remnants of the last days upon the beach. I could envision small children, running, playing, making castles in the sand.Women, with blankets spread catching the suns rays for that perfect golden brown tan.
Surfers upon the waves showing off for the crowds, while the lifeguards sat on their high pedestals. They were broken now, splintered to bits, and scattered across the lifeless sand. I saw no life forms except for a trail of ants, that I followed.
I could feel Hero’s eyes upon me, watching, waiting. Should be explore together, or apart? I think this was a together time. I needed his strength, and his big comforting shoulder, for in my dreams I knew what lay ahead.
In a matter of minutes he was with me. I pulled my machete out of my pack. It would be best in close quarters. We were at a line of thick vegetation following where the ants led. I cleared through the underbrush, stirring up insects. They must have been mosquitos, but huge, mutated ones. their bites were sharp.
I stopped long enough to pull my wrappings from my pack, and Hero did the same.I had pants and my faithful boots, though they were well worn now. Though it was a hot, muggy day, I put on long sleeves. 
If the disease was carried by these mutated mosquitoes I did not want to be bit no more than necessary. We resumed our journey and though the vegetation thinned the trees did not. The trees were dying. Dead branches and leaves upon the ground, rotting corpses of their former self.
The darkness was coming. Not the darkness of the moon but the darkness of something forbidden, something that should not be here. The ants had disappeared, somewhere I had lost their trail, but it did not matter anymore. I could find my way without them.
The silence was eerie and a thick fog came in from the ocean sending a chill through my bones. We had slowed our steps, trying to adjust to the change that had come over the jungle. This was usually the part in a horror movie that the spooky music played. Something was about to happen but you did not know what.
I stopped. Under a fallen branch was a dead monkey. It was so small, probably a baby. The tree branch was not what killed it though. It looked as if it had been attacked and crawled under to hide. But attacked by what?
A huge gash was on its foot. Finger nails, claws? I was not sure, but the thing that really puzzled me was the marks upon its face. It looked like bug bites, but bigger than a normal bite. It was possible it could be the mosquitos, but I did not think they were that big. 
I pushed my sleeve up and looked at my bites. No they were not that big.So it had to be something else we were looking for. It had not been dead that long, its little body was only now starting to rot.
In Hero’s pack was a small fold up spade. he removed it and dug a whole to bury the monkey in. I tried to hold back my tears because I knew I would need them for later. I wondered where its mother was, and the rest of the monkeys. Where were the birds? The snakes? 
Maybe I did not know right now, but I am sure eventually I would find out. We continued our route in the jungle, but not much longer. We came upon a clearing and a small straw hut sat in a clearing. 
A big cauldron sat over an open fire pit, but there was no fire. The wood was piled under it, but it had not been lit. Inside the pot was cut up vegetables, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and some kind of meat. It was hard to tell what kind because it had rotted. It must have been like this for days.
I could hear rain coming towards us. Not a calm rain, but a harsh heavy rain. We ran towards the hut and though I did not wish to go in, we had no choice. I felt the drops of rain and they burned as they struck. Acid rain; we could not survive without being burned.
Death’s smells filled the hut. A man’s rotted corpse lay upon a blanket in the floor. Hero covered him with a blanket and I prayed that God had shown him mercy. I really wanted to put his corpse outside, but until he was buried this was his house, and I did not have the heart to throw him out in the rain. It would haunt me the rest of my days.
So I tried not to look and I pulled my wrappings up over my nose and mouth to ease the smell. hero and I decided to explore his hut while the rains came. Perhaps a clue as to what had happened on the jungle island.
There was nothing out of the ordinary, or at least nothing so far. Unless it had something to do with the man himself. I would not look at the man’s body till we buried him, and we would indeed bury him.
I sat down against the wall and Hero sat beside me. He put his arm around me and held me close. I shivered despite the mugginess of the day.
Chapter 19
It felt good to be out of the hut even though the sun beat down upon us. The rain had brought more mosquitos and they were drawn to the liquid in the cauldron. With Hero’s help I turned the cauldron over, and we left it flipped. Nothing could get in now.
Now the task I had dreaded. I still had my wrappings covering my nose and mouth, but my gloves had remained in my pocket. I took them out and put them on, and went back into the hut.
Hero found a shovel, which would indeed be easier to use than his fold up spade. He started on the hole while I went for the body. My intentions were to drag him out blanket and all, but I needed to also check to see how he died.
His corse was pretty far gone, pieces of flesh limply hanging, on his face. Dung beetles were feasting steadily, and you could see their movement through his shirt. His upper torso had almost reached a skeletal phase, so his shirt hung half on, half off.
Then I saw them. On the right side of his neck were two puncture wounds, just like the monkeys. I skipped the legs, and went for the foot. As with the monkey fingernails dug into the flesh. 
With the monkey I had not been able to tell if it was claw marks or fingernails, but with this old man I knew it to be fingernails.This was indeed a puzzle. Was this a man made disease? But what of the puncture marks upon his neck?
Hero had the whole dug, and before we buried the body, I showed him the marks that I had found.He raised one eyebrow,(I really loved when he did that), “So we still do not know Lady. And you must be careful. I would not wish anything to happen to you. I do love you.”
I smiled my best smile at him. It was amazing how we could go so long without speech, but still know the others thoughts.I knew he loved me just as he knew I loved him, but it did feel good to hear it every now and again.
I could not touch him for even though I had gloves on I had no wish to pass anything on to him. “My Hero, I love you so much, and I wish nothing to harm you.” I did the kissy lip thing and he laughed, and I laughed with him.
We drug the body out to the hole and gently eased him in. After covering him with dirt, we said a few words of prayer, and found some big rocks. I still had seen no signs of life, but just in case the rocks would keep the animals from digging him up.
The old man had a few useful tools. He was dead so he had no use for them, we did. I found a sword. I had wanted a sword for such a long time and Hero made sure I got it. He did not want it. He had a thing for his silenced guns and Macgyver traps. Of course my Hero was better than Macgyver ever thought about being.
I picked up a hammer and some nails, and put them in my pack. You never know when they would come in handy. There was not much more except a few jars of ...oh my gosh, meat. No this could not be what I thought it was, human meat.
That must mean that the meat in the cauldron had been human meat as well. My first thought was my worst fear. We had arrived on an island of cannibals. So where they cannibals before the cleansing , or after? I know there used to be islands with cannibals and perhaps this was one. 
Well this is where God sent us, this was where we needed to be. There was a purpose for us being here and we would find out in due time.
It was probably a good thing we had left the captain aboard ship. I was unsure how he would handle our adventures. At times they could get a little rough, but we always managed to pull through. With Gods help of course.
We had spent enough time in this area, it was time to move on. I still could not connect this island with my dream, but this was where I was led, so I must continue on.
There was a path opposite of the one we came in on. It led into another part of the jungle, and as before, the trees were dead? Another puzzling thing;if all the trees were dying, all the people, and all the animals, where did the vegetables come from that were in the cauldron? And if everything and everyone was dead why did I feel like we were being followed?
I know Hero felt it too. I wanted to confront this person, but I do not think they meant harm, and if they did, we were prepared.
There was some rustling amongst the trees, coming from the opposite direction of our follower.  It was not making a secret of its arrival.
“Come quickly, come before it sees you.” It was a boy, possibly a teenager. He looked as if he was starved, but at his urgency I did not have time to check him out good. He held a fast pace down a side path,through rough undergrowth.
I looked back once, and really wished I had not. It was gaining on us, but what was it? I would worry over that later, right now we just needed to escape its sight.
A rope ladder hung from a tree and we followed the young boy up. A tree house.It was kind of rough, but it worked. 
The creature slithered around a bit looking for a way up, but soon gave up and slithered sideways back into the jungle.
Chapter20
I had never seen a snake such as that one before. It was huge in size. I would not doubt that it could swallow a person whole. It was as long as our sailing boat. In fact it looked as if it was something that would be in Tandy’s homeland.
It did not look real, especially the red of its eyes, and the way it moved. It did move much like a rattlesnake, with a sideways slither, yet it looked almost mechanical. If it was real how did it come about? Did the cleansing mutate a snake? But no, I did not think that happened, for the monkey had not been mutated, nor the boy that had come to our rescue.
Looking around the tree house, it was not a bad one. Kind of small and crude and with Hero and I added was a little cramped. There were at least six people, but I saw no supplies, no chairs, or anything. This must have just been built to wait out the snake.
“Thank you for your assistance.” I searched for the ladder and as I made the attempt to go down, the boy put his hand on mine. “You can not go back down there. Not yet. It knows you are here.”
The young man was shaking with fear and the others huddle together as if waiting for it to come up on them. They had answers. They knew what it was, and I think my mission was to destroy it. 
I sat back down. Hero looked around cautiously before he also sat back down. He had went on the defensive the moment the boy had touched my hand. It was such a good thing Hero had self control or the young boy would have lost his hand.
“If I am going to destroy that thing you must tell me what it is, and how it came to be here.” I sat quietly waiting for answers. If there was one thing I had learned since the cleansing it was patience. 
No one said anything for a matter of minutes, there were no sounds in the jungle and no breeze blowing through the trees. Total quiet.
“When the big earth shake came there were many rats. Huge rats. There was no food for them. They ate the animals, and people. there was no safety. We have Dr. that began experiments. At first he tried with people. There was a family of four, had a girl named Tandy. He took needle and gave them medicine. They grew big, and bigger. they grew so big, they destroyed what food we saved from rats. People made them leave island. 
“He made more medicine, gave to man and his son. They escaped island. I do not know what happened to them. Tears slid down his face. “I used to play with Tandy. She was good.” The tears came full force then. I wanted to cry too. So Tandy had once been a sweet, innocent little girl, and became an experiment gone wrong.
He began to talk again, but it was hard to understand through his tears. He had found a baby snake. The species he did not even know. “The rats are gone now, but so is everything else. The snake still grows.”
The rest of the people in the tree house had not said a word to deny or accept. Maybe they did not speak English, or maybe they were too scared to say anything.
“What of the Dr.? Is he still alive?” That was first on my list of to do chores. Find that Dr., and though I would love to feed him to the snake, he needed to develop an antidote. I would kill the snake, somehow it would be done, but Tandy, and her family would be normal again. This was a chance to save Tandy, her mama, and their new friends.
“I do not know if the Dr. still lives,or if he has anyone to help him, but he had equipment in a cave south of here. There were many people going in and out of the cave at one time. They sailed on the big ship and did not come back.  But the cave I can show you where it is.” What a brave young man. he knew what was out there, yet he was willing to help. Well it would be easier and quicker if he showed us the way.
“One more thing, is the snake what caused the puncture wounds on the neck and slashes with claw marks on the foot?”
“ No. I do not know what causes that. The snake swallows things whole. People, animals, but it does not eat anything already dead. It only eats live things”
  So we still had one mystery to solve, but I was determined to find that Dr. or with God’s help find a cure for Tandy and the others. I know now why God led me here, but I still had not seen the things of my dream. I guess that was a good thing. Perhaps it was only a dream.
It felt good to get out of that cramped tree house and be on foot again.I looked at Hero, he looked at me and we smiled. God is good. A quick kiss upon the cheek and we caught up with the young man.
The jungle awaits.
Chapter21
I could feel eyes upon me, stalking my every moment. It was a creepy feeling and though I moved to the left and right, I felt it move with me. was it the snake? If it was why had it not attacked.
We still had not solved the puncture wound mystery. I had thought it was the snake but the young boy, Samion, said that it would not be the snake. It did make sense though. Why would the snake damage its prey in order to eat it. Paralysis maybe? Except for one thing, the prey was not eaten after the puncture wounds.
Things would work out the way they were meant too, and worrying with no clues at the moment still would not solve it. Everything in God’s time.
Meanwhile we must be going farther into the jungle where it had been hit harder than the other. The trees and brush was brittle breaking off as you passed it by. Dust swirled around in the air, taking your breath with each grain. The air was very dry and humid, with very little breathing space.
How did Samion deal with it. Hero and I had our wrappings, but Samion had nothing, yet he acted as if it was an everyday occurrence.Really I guess it was. He lived with this day after day.
I still felt eyes upon me, but why could I not see what it was that followed us. Through the broken tree limbs, there was very little foliage. I could see great distances yet I could not find creepy eyes.
I pulled my binoculars and I realized why I could not find the eyes. It was a person and he had binoculars, or a telescope as well. So while I was searching, he was watching. I let Hero and Samion go ahead and I brought up the rear.
I did not feel the eyes anymore, and though I looked around closely I did not see anything out of the ordinary. Our mystery guest was gone, but I still would not let down my guard.
My machete and I had been through many adventures. In fact it was my first real weapon after the cleansing. I would not part with it, but for the moment it was tucked safely in a sheath Hero had made me as we were settling New Beginnings. He spoke of making me one for my sword, one that would cross over my shoulder opposite my bow, and lightweight as my others. But for now it was thrust down in my homemade belt.
Hero looked back and I smiled. The danger was over for the moment, but I was unsure how long. The wind had picked up and the dead tree branches cracked and fell, dust stirred more swiftly than before, and a mournful howl tore through the air.
Samion froze in his tracks and was shaking like a leaf. “Human dog, human dog,”He repeated the phrase over and over again. Human dog? Was he speaking of a werewolf? I grabbed him gently by the arm and turned him to face me.
I was going to explain to him there was no such thing, but he grabbed me tightly in a hug as if to gain comfort from my arms. I held him for a moment to sooth him, but we had not much time. “Look at me Samion. There is no such thing as a werewolf. Now we must find shelter, and quickly. A storm is coming upon us and we must find a safe haven. Hero and I will not let any harm befall you.”
He was still shaky but I think I got through to him. He looked around trying to get his bearings and spoke of a cave to the north, just a little ways up and over the hill. 
We moved rather quickly and as I trudged the hill a feeling of sorrow came over me. I could not express the pain I felt, or the tears that fell from my eyes. I closed my eyes tightly and a weakness that I have never felt before gripped my heart. I fell to my knees and cried as if all the sorrows of the world had hit me in that one moment.
I could feel Hero’s eyes upon me and I knew he wished to erase my pain, but this could not be erased. This was my destiny as from the start. I must feel the pain to deal with the pain. My heart must hurt to be able to show sympathy to others that I may help with their needs. 
I felt the flames of the fire as it raged through the dry tinder of the jungle destroying everything in its path. I felt the burn throughout my body. My skin so hot to the touch. I could not breath, yet I lived.
In a daze I stood and walked up the hill neither looking left nor right, only straight ahead. At the top of the hill I saw the devastation. The island was caving in upon itself and smoke swirled over the ocean.  The dead bodies floating half in and half out upon the sea and the tide eventually releasing them into their watery graves.
I fell to my knees and let the tears flow. It was not now that my dream was upon us, but in the future. A time when the island was settled and peace had come. A time in the future, and there was nothing I could do to stop it, just clean up afterwards.
“Whatever is your will Lord, I will do.”
Chapter 22
A heavy rain hid our vision and I could not even see my hand before my face. Bright shards of lightning lit up the evening sky and the rumbling of thunder in the distance echoed all around us. Samion led us to a cave where we waited out the storm.Though we were soaked to the bone Hero took me in his arms and held me tightly.
The vision still held tightly in my mind, but I knew I had to let it go and concentrate on now. “I must change.” I had flashlights and candles, and I thought it best to use candles. Batteries were getting scarce now, and the women in New beginnings had learned to make candles. In our travels Hero and I had come upon a box of books. A school had been built in New Beginnings, and they were in the process of building one at Beach Town. Yes they had finally named it. 
As I lit the candle I noticed there were several torches hanging upon the wall. That meant that someone was or had been using this cave. There were several little rooms off of the main room, and though I had an eerie feeling my curiosity won. Well almost.
I had to get out of these wet clothes before I could explore. In the first small room I found a holder on the wall and placed the torch in it. I sort of glanced around, to make sure there was nothing to fear in here.There were old boxes and crates that looked as if they had been here a long while, other than that there was nothing to harm.
Hero would guard the door while I changed and I would guard for him.
I did not know what to do about Samion, because my main clothing was my long Wal-mart skirts, and I could not see him in one of those. Hero was a big man, and though Samion was small perhaps there was something he could wear.
It felt good to be dry again, but then an ammonia smell invaded the air. I heard a whining noise and looked towards the boxes, a puddle of pee? I cautiously looked over the top of the boxes and there was a dog, chained to a box.
It let out a mournful howl and tried to hide under a box. Poor little thing was skin and bones. He reminded me of the puppy I found at the Beach Town. I smiled. It had grown so much the last time I had saw it.
I heard a commotion by the door and though I was sure Hero did not need my help, I was curious. “I heard it again. The man wolf. We must leave its cave.”
“Samion, calm yourself. It is nothing more than a puppy. See for yourself.” He did not want to go, but I gave him no choice in the matter. He took right up with the puppy and the puppy with him. We released him from his chain and he followed us. “Come, we will find food, while Hero changes.”
It did not take him long and he did find Samion some clothes. We all got a good laugh out of that. His pants had to be rolled up many times, and the tank top Hero gave him kept falling from his shoulders. Hero finally tied the straps so they would remain on his shoulders and he took his knife and cut the pants legs to fit.
He shrugged his shoulders. There would be more. The boy needed them more than he did. He had been bare footed so that is the way he remained. I had left my boots off for a few minutes hoping they would dry, but worrying that if we had to make a quick escape I would have to do it in bare feet.
We had food in our packs and Samion ate as if it had been days since he had eaten, and it probably had. The puppy was very mal nourished so we gave it plenty to fill his belly, but I was afraid he would eat too much to fast and get sick.
I worried over the people in the tree house, but Samion said they had huts, they just hid from the snake. My thoughts were on the snake. Why did it not go up the tree after us? Snakes can climb, but that one acted as if it was confused.
Once again I had to wonder if it was real or mechanical. The way it moved I had my doubts about it being real, and the feeling I had that somebody was watching. Were its eyes a camera?
“Samion, have you ever seen the snake eat anyone.” If it was not real then there was another explanation to all of this and we would be right back where we started from.
“No but there are tales. And people always disappear when the snake is around.” I had finished eating and rose. Hero did the same. I wanted to explore the other rooms in the cave and then I wanted to find out what was in those crates and boxes that the puppy was chained too.
This mission was beginning to become a great mystery, but one that I wished to solve. We had time. The storm had stopped but the sun had already turned to the moon, so we would stay here this night. 
I pulled out my bowie knife and handed it to Samion, and though I hated wet socks and boots I did not like exploring with nothing on my feet. If I needed to run, I wanted to be able to run. If I needed to fight I wanted to be able to move my feet in a fight.
I slipped my feet into my boots and before I could bend to tie them Hero was already there. That was so sweet. He rose and we shared a really deep kiss. It had been so long since we had shared ourselves with each other, and as I looked at Samion, I guess it would be a little longer.
A loud crash echoed from one of the rooms farther into the jaws of the cave. “Well my love, shall we.”Hero was grinning from ear to ear. He knew my response and I think he was getting a little board, as was I.
“Yes let’s my love.” Grabbing the torch we entered the jaws where the deepest secrets were held.
Chapter 23
A chill hit my body. It was cold down here. We had walked in silence for at least a mile, and nothing. There were no rooms, no exits, it just went on and on. Hero stopped and held up his hand for us to stop as well. 
Samion was in the middle and I brought up the rear to make sure we were not followed. It was not a cramped path, two could walk comfortable side by side, but it was much safer to walk as we were, especially since Samion was so skittish.
I stood by Hero and a choice needed to be made. There was a path that veered off at a sharp right, or we could take the left. I wished to split up, I could take the left and Hero take the right. But what to do about Samion? Should he go with me or Hero. 
“Hero I think we should split up. It would be much quicker. We could cover more territory. What do you think?”He did not hesitate to answer and I knew he would agree with my choice.
“I agree Lady. Just take care. I would not wish harm to come to you. I love you.”
I did not take offense. As a warrior he knew I could take care of myself, but at times I had been careless. It did feel good to have someone to worry over me.
“Guard your back Hero, watch well. I love you too.” A quick kiss upon the cheek and we started upon  our separate paths. “What about me?” Samion whined. I stopped in my tracks.“Shh, keep your voice down. You choose.” I turned and started walking once again.
It was not long before the trail narrowed and started a downhill spiral. It was probably a good thing that Samion went with Hero for I did not think his nerves could handle this path. Even with the light it still seemed the darkness crept further on.
We had left the puppy behind. As I first thought he ate till he could not eat anymore and we left him dozing on the cutoff parts of Hero’s pants. Maybe he would stay there and be safe.
The last time I was in a cave this far down, we found Alex. Well actually it was not this far down, nor this cold. It was if I stepped into another world. There was a deep curve in the road, and caution overcame me. I could not see around. It was like a blind curve on a dark, deserted, highway.
I pulled my sword and my torch started to flicker. There was a breeze from that area. I stopped, took my pack from my back, and opened it. I chose my flashlight and prayed I had enough battery power to last, at least till I could make sure the breeze would not blow my torch and leave me in the darkness.
Whoa. That was a close one. It was a good thing I had light. Around the curve there was no longer a path big enough to walk on, it was only a narrow ledge. As I stepped one foot before me I felt the rock crumble an fall. I had come really close to stepping off the edge into nothing. There was nothing but a long drop off that went on and on.
Loose rock continued to fall and though I listened I did not hear it hit bottom. I was not brave enough to traverse the ledge to get to the other side. I would be crazy to. I shone the flashlight, there was nothing on the other side to get to anyway. It was only a rock wall that led nowhere.
So my path was a dead end. I hoped Hero was having better luck than I was. I was rather disappointed, but I could still go back and track down Hero and Samion.
There was that crash again, and what sounded like a splash. A splash? So there was water down there. But how to get down there and what made that splash. Maybe Hero’s path led to that area. I shone my light one more time just to make sure there was no other way.
Wait. What was that? How had I overlooked that? The excitement gripped me making my heart jump. A ladder led down into the darkness. It was an old wooden ladder, and it looked kind of rickety.
I should question my judgment of climbing down, but there was no need to debate with myself. I was not going to go over the pros and cons of what would happen. There was no need because I knew that I was going down that ladder.
About halfway down, I heard the ladder crack, And as I tried to grasp the ladder rung my light flew from my hands.I felt a huge splinter in my finger from the slit rung, and I felt myself  falling down into the dark abyss. I thought of the old saying curiosity killed the cat, and I wondered if they truly did have nine lives
I had no idea of the landing I was to make, but I knew it was a long way down. I prayed that if death awaited me, Hero would not mourn me over much, and that eventually he would find his happiness once again.
Chapter 24
The water cushioned the fall, but the pain was still there. I had no time to hold my breath, and though I tried to fight my way back to the surface I could not. Farther and farther into the murky depths I was pulled. I quit struggling, it did no good. the current was pulling me. 
I could not see where I was at, my lungs were filling with water. I was drowning, slowly drowning. Maybe if I could release my pack, but no. My arms were tired of flailing around. I prayed that God would give Hero peace after my death. I knew he would look for me, and find me, but the time would be too late.
Though I tried to fight it my eyes closed. I floated like a gentle wave upon the ocean. I saw a light. it was a dim light, but a light none the less. The gentle wave had disappeared and a rough bouncing took its place.
I tried opening my eyes, and all I could see was a red glow against....walls? I was no longer in the water. I was being carried along a dimly lit corridor , but I did not feel arms. Was it a stretcher?
If I had breath I would have screamed, but maybe not. Fear was deep within me as
. I saw powerful jaws, I knew they had a tight grip on me, yet I was powerless to fight my release. It was the snake. The snake that everyone feared. The snake that was said to have eat people whole.
So why was it carrying me. It had not eat me, not yet anyway.In fact the grip it had on me was tight, but not so tight it hurt. Feeling was coming back into my body now and I could move. I wiggled and wiggled, but it did not make a difference to the snake. It did not tighten, nor loosen its hold.
Chills ran my spine. I did not fear anymore, no that is not what caused the chills, the chills came from what I was about to do. It was more of the curiosity thing. I needed to know if the snake was real or mechanical.
I squinched my eyes and gritted my teeth. My hand was the only part of my body that had any freedom.I took my fingers and rubbed its tongue. No the snake was not real. It could not be. Someone was controlling it. Therefore they could see me, and that was probably what saved my life.
So where was I? Was this an underground antechamber underneath the water, or had the snake brought me upwards to another path that I had not seen. I had rested in its jaws so long my whole body was going to sleep.Whoever was watching must have sensed it for the snake loosed its hold. It did not completely release me, only enough slack that I could move around a bit. I tried to stand but my legs were still wobbly. I did stretch though.
There was not much I could do at the moment so I decided just to sit back and enjoy the ride. I was sitting in a snakes mouth. Wow how many people would believe that. That same snake that people feared, had saved my life.
I pulled my pack off my back and looked inside. Everything was soaked as I knew it would be, but I wondered about my other flashlight. I had enough light here at the edge, but if I wished to go farther in to explore I would need light.
“Not yet.” A deep voice echoed. I knew it came from the snake, and a door shut between its throat and mouth where I sat. “You must not enter there yet.” Okay so I would be able to explore but not yet. I guess that was just something I would have to deal with.
The snakes movements were amazing. It moved as if it were a real snake. I had a lot of questions though. Why could it not climb, but yet it could go through water?  How could he control it? It had to be battery, or solar maybe.
So many unanswered questions. “Can I at least walk?” Then I giggled. I know I really was not asking the snake, but it felt like it.”Not yet Lady.You just took a major fall. Though you are moving okay now, you must be checked out first.”
He knew who I was. How? “Do not be so surprised Lady. You are well known.I have been expecting you, but not this way. You are almost here, just sit back and relax.”
An eerie feeling came over me. I could not explain it, but something was not quite right. Perhaps it was my imagination, but it sounded as if he was up to no good. Then I remembered, if this was the Dr. all I had to do is remember what they said he did to Tandy and her family.
I wish Hero were here to share this moment with me. I wonder what he had found on his path, or if he had found anything at all. Though I tried to push it aside I still had that feeling that something was all wrong. 
Well one thing was for sure, Hero would find me, he always did. Suddenly I felt so sleepy, and I could not keep my eyes open. The snakes mouth had become foggy and what was that smell.
But then again they had been wrong about the snake, weren’t they? It did not eat you it captured you, but for what?  
I wanted to feel Hero’s arms around me one last time, and I could not fight the tears that threatened to spill any longer. I knew he would come for me, but I knew it would be too late.“I love you , my Hero.”
Chapter 25
I felt as if I was floating on a cloud, drifting through time. Only time did not exist anymore. Time had ended with the Cleansing. No, no, the cloud was letting me go. I was waking and my head felt like a thousand tiny needles were being drilled into my head.
I raised my hand to rub my temples, only my hand would not raise. In fact it would not move at all. Perhaps I had laid here so long it slept. It was a struggle to open my eyes, but slowly my lids rose, and I squinted at the brightness of the light.
It looked like a hospital room. Everything was white but really dirty. There were mud smears, dried blood, and a variety of unknown stains running the walls. I tried to rise to look around further, but I could not move. That is when it hit me. I was shackled to a hospital bed.
The hospital gown I had on was covered in blood stains, none looked fresh so I hoped it was not my blood. Well at least I did not feel like it was mine. I felt pain, but just twinges here and there nothing major.
A metal table was beside the bed, but not close enough to reach anything if my hands were free. Which they were not. How did I get here, and why? I have really done no one harm that I know of.
Though I tried to fight it a deep fear rose and a lot of what if’s tumbled through my mind. What if the person that did this was killed and never came back? What if it was an evil scientist like in the movies, doing experiments. Oh my gosh, Tandy. I love Tandy, but I do not want to be a giant.
So I knew I must calm now or I would never think my way out of here. God was with me, and whatever he willed would happen. Hero would come for me, I know this. Deep breaths Lady, take deep breaths. And I did. I took deep breaths and prayed, not only for myself, but for Hero, and the one that did this to me, for Samion, and the poor starving dog, and Tandy. I prayed for so many, all that I could think of.
It had been so quite for so long that it took a minute for me to notice footsteps echoing down the hallway. They moved quickly as if they had a purpose, and I had a feeling I was that purpose.
The door slowly opened and a bald man poked his head in the door. “Ah awake I see.” He opened the door farther and entered the room. He was not at all what I expected him to be. He was short, maybe five feet tall, and wire rimmed glasses set over his eyes. He looked over the top of them. He looked more like a math teacher than anything.
He did not speak anymore, just walked over to a rolling desk chair. He rolled it over to the bed, sat down and raised it to talk more comfortably. But he did not talk, he just looked at me as if trying to figure out how to start. I could not stand the silence anymore.
“You called me by name. How did you know me?” That was not much of a conversation starter either. I had so many questions that needed answers yet all I could think of was how did he know my name?
“Everyone knows of you Lady, and Hero as well, but I am sure there are other things on your mind, so if you but ask, I will answer the best I can.
Am I supposed to know you?” All these weird experiments seemed like he would have been in the news before the cleansing, but I should have remembered that face.
“No, you do not, or would not know me. I was but an appliance salesman for Sears. I do not even know how I came to be on the island. I was actually living in New York.”
“Do you have a cure for Tandy and her family? There was a puzzled look upon his face as if he did not know who I was speaking of.
“The little girl you turned into a giant.” I was feeling a bit irritated now and really felt borderline rude. However I did try to maintain control.
“Ah the giant. I did not do that, Professor Atkins did. He died shortly afterwards. He said it should wear off, but it never did. Not while they were here. They outgrew the island, and the natives ran them off. “
“So there is no cure? I strained at my bonds. I could not fight back my anger anymore.”Let me out of here. What kind of experiment do you have planned for me? Why do you have a giant snake?” Once started I could not stop. Was I stalling so Hero could find me, or had my fear and anger caught me?
Tears rolled over his cheeks. “Why would you think I wished to harm you? I have nothing but respect for you, and besides we need you here. I asked God to send someone to help, and he sent you and Hero. Lady I would never harm you. Why would you even think that?”
Well that did not make sense. He actually felt hurt that I would think that, yet he still had not released me from the hold of these cuffs. “I raised my hand as far as I could and said, “Well you do have me cuffed to a bed.”
Laughter. I did not expect that. “Oh Lady I am sorry. Let me get the key and I will release you. I only did it for your safety. You took a mighty fall, and I wanted to assure that when you awoke you would not struggle and harm yourself.” Well that did make sense. Why did he not tell me that from the start. Then a little voice in my head said, because you never gave him a chance. No I did not.
“I am searching for Hero that he may come for you. You see the snake can go many places and much faster than man can travel. The professor constructed it before he died. It was a very gruesome death I might add.”
He took the key from a shelf and as he was bringing it to release me when the door burst open. Hero flew in and knocked the poor little man out cold. The puppy stood over him barking and growling and Samion kicked him. 
“Stop. You are hurting him,” I yelled. Hero looked at me as if I was crazy. “Get the key from his hand and release me.”
“Hero he was not trying to hurt me, he was trying to help me.” Hero raised one eyebrow, and as he released me, he understood. My ribs were bandaged and my arm that had recently healed hung limply. This time it was broken.
The little man was waking and rubbing his head where a knot was already forming. “I am sorry sir, I thought you meant harm to my lady.” Hero reached down and pulled the little man to his feet. “I am Hero.”He held out his hand for the little man to shake. “I am Jeffery. It is finally a pleasure to meet both of you. I am just sorry it is under these circumstances.”
Well he was genuine, but then again he was not. The door opened once again and a tall man in a lab coat stepped in with a gun held on us. “Very well done Jeffery. As I promised  the snake will take you to the cave entrance. A boat will be waiting on the south shore and you may leave the island.”
“So sorry Lady, and Hero, but I had no choice.” Tears left his eyes as he called the puppy, but it would not go with him.
“You know he will not let you leave this island alive. You know to much.” He looked at me sadly. He knew it was true, but what choice did he have.
He left the room and never looked back.
Chapter 26
“Oh do not worry over Jeffery. He will be able to leave the cave, but not the island.” He held up his hand to silence me. I guess he was not through with his little speech. Well it would not hurt to listen, after all I learned a few things from Jeffery, maybe the professor had something important to speak of.
  “Once on the island it will not let you leave. We all have tried. We get aboard a boat, we do not get far before the waves send the boat back to the beach. We can swim, and the farther out we swim, you look back, and you have made it nowhere. Something is keeping us here, and it will not release its hold.”
“Lady, please sit. I am not a monster. I will not hurt you. You have had a rough experience. Rest.” I did not want to admit it, but I would have a lot of trouble climbing back up on the table, and I still did not trust the professor fully.Hero pulled a chair from the corner and I eased into it. He stood behind me with one arm across my shoulder.
“Hero you may sit too. If I was going to kill your lady I could have done it instead of saved her life.” He paced back and forth several times then he stopped, pulled up another chair and sat on the edge of the seat. I had seen the scars upon his hands, then noticed the ones running  as he held them out in front of him.then noticed the ones running down his neck. I think he just realized he still held the gun. 
He turned , laid the gun on the counter and smiled. “It is not loaded." You will have to pardon me for that, but I had to assure you would remain here, at least until I made my point. I am Professor John Law, by the way. You do not need to introduce yourself. I know who you are.”
All was quite for the moment. Perhaps he was trying to figure how to start explaining his actions.“I invented the snake so perhaps we could leave the island. I am not sure how many people it will hold, nor how sea worthy. I know it can handle water for it dove in to rescue you. Not only did it, save you, but passed the water test as well. All systems still function.” He held his head in his hands, shaking it back and forth.
“So if it is sea worthy then what is troubling you? I found it to be quite comfortable during my ride. Well before the fog came in anyway.”
“That was for your own good. That was a major fall you took. That was a height that even a diver would be fearful of. I did not know how badly you were hurt, and did not wish for you to harm yourself.” He looked at all three of us, well four if you counted the puppy, and began his pacing once again.
He stopped, his tall frame leaning against the counter. “As I said it will hold water, but how much? Can it handle the ocean?” His voice was rising a little. I do not think it was anger, but a deep frustration. He was a man of science, a man of proof, yet he was failing.
“Professor....” “Call me John, please. I fear my title is not doing me much good at the moment.”
“Okay then, John, if you think it is seaworthy then why are you afraid to try.” 
“Very simply put, the snake runs off battery power. What if we get out in the middle of the ocean and the batteries die? If it sinks we will all drown, but if only a few of us go, and we drown, these people will not have a chance of survival.”
“What is the thing that is killing the people? Is it something you invented? No Lady. I have no idea what it is, so I do not know how to stop it. I think perhaps we are safe down here. It has not been down here that I know of.” He ran his hands through his thinning gray hair as if thinking. Or perhaps he knew I was not through yet. And I was not.
“John, what of Tandy and her family? Do you realize because of you they are dying?” He looked at me puzzled. Perhaps it was easier for him to experiment on people without knowing their name or anything about them.
“You must refresh my memory. I do not know this Tandy that you speak of.” No that could not be. He was lying. I was told that he.....or could that be a lie? “John, does anyone know how to cure the giants? Tandy is a little girl, that has become a giant, as has her mama. Now I need to know how she got that way, and how to save her. I need your help to do this.”
“I have heard of the giants, but I am not the one that did that. It is this island. It is mysterious and does mysterious things.”
A professor believing in something unexplainable. That is something I could not understand. “I was told the Dr. was the one to do the experiments, and yet you deny this. I was also told no one gets off the island, but earlier I was told many people left the island. Now I do not know what to believe.”
“Jeffery was the Dr. those are the questions you must ask him.” I drew in a breath. How did I not know? He lied to me; to all of us. “As for people leaving the island no one has left here but the giants.”
“One more question John. What are in those crates above?” The first time I had really heard him laugh, had to be over crates. “Money, Lady, lots and lots of money. It was here when I found the cave. Many, many years ago I could have used it, but now...." He threw back his head and insane laughter came from his mouth. It was infectious, soon we were all laughing and the puppy was howling.
No one had any use for money. It was obsolete. 
“Did you feel that?” I felt a slight tremor, or had I imagined it. “There, there it is again.” Yes we all felt it. It was time to leave and though my ribs were causing me much pain, and stealing my breath, I needed to move as fast as they did. 
“My weapons?’ Hero would not leave without them nor would I, and the funny thing was he still had his. To be a professor he was not real bright.
The professor knew a shorter way and he was controlling the snake to follow us. The cave was collapsing behind us, which meant we had served our purpose in the cave. 
I cried out in pain. I could move no further, but I did not have too. Hero picked me up and ran with me across his shoulders like a sack of taters. 
I could not help the laughter even though I hurt terribly. He was my cave man and I was his cave babe.
Chapter 27
The island shook with a fierceness unlike any I had felt so far. I think it even out shook the cleansing. Of course the island was not near as big as the rest of the world together, or at least the places I had been so far.
Hero still continued to run and the rest following. I was in severe pain, being jarred around so much, but I could not complain, not when he was saving my life. Finally out of breath we stopped. Hero sat me down upon a dead tree stump, then thought better of it when the ants tried feasting on me.
I think at the moment I would prefer standing anyway. I was thankful that my ribs and arm had been bandaged. Even though it did not stop the pain it did ease it. 
While everyone tried to catch their breath, along with the puppy, we were awaiting the snake. That really was kind of funny, the thought of waiting for a snake to catch up with you.
Another rumble and a thunderous roar, and an explosion tore through the air. Rock and debris, even the money stored in the cave flew up in the air. We ran again as pieces of rock  hit our faces, heads, and other exposed body parts. I tried to pick up the puppy, but I could not.
Hero did though. He was being pelted unmercifully, but still he swooped up the puppy, and tried to carry me. “No, Hero, I got this.” I would not risk both our lives over a little pain. As I ran I carried on a conversation with God. Praying that we would do what He sent us here to do, and protecting us, and others on the island.
The snake did not make it. To me it did not matter because we were not meant to leave yet, and the snake was not our means of escape. I will admit it was comfortable, and I did ride it through the water, but not a deep ocean. No we would finish our mission and God would let us off the island.
I do not know how far we had come, or where we were. This was a totally different direction. At one time I would think it was beautiful here. It was a totally different scene here. 
Our first explorations were of desolation, dead , lifeless vegetation.Broken brittle tree limbs snapped and cracked with each step, but here, the farther we went the greener our surroundings.
Shade. I had not realized how hot it was until I saw that beautiful patch of shade trees, and in the middle was a rocky pool. A creek flowed towards a small waterfall that kept the pool filled with cool clear water.
I realized I would have so much trouble sitting down, so I just leaned back against the rocky wall. Every now and then I could feel the spray of water and it felt really good. In fact if we stayed in this area much longer, I would be tempted to take advantage of it.
Hero’s eyes were on me, I could feel them. He knew my thoughts, he knew my needs. He walked around the perimeter making sure there was nothing to cause danger. “Samion, I think I saw a mango tree a little ways back. How would you like to take the puppy and pick us a few?”
John was smarter than I gave him credit for. Maybe he knew more than solving problems. “Perhaps I should go help. He should not be wondering off by himself.”
I had already started removing some of my clothing. I would not remove everything because I still was not sure how much privacy we would have, or if we were to have trouble it would be hard with broken ribs to hastily put my clothes back on.
Hero picked me up and gently sat me in the water. My heart almost caught in my throat. The water felt like ice, but after all the heat, and sweat from the run, it felt really good. I splashed some on Hero, and he splashed back, eventually getting in.
It was not long before I knew we must get out, but I would remember this spot and hope to return before we left the island. Hero helped me out of the pool and I gritted my teeth from the pain.
He removed the old bandage and took one of his shirts from his pack ripping it. He re-bandaged me and made it tighter, which helped immensely. I put on a clean skirt with Hero’s help, and then a shirt. He had to put my boots on me and tied them. He quickly changed. We did not know how long the others would be gone.
He hung our wet clothes on a tree limb to dry. We would retrieve them as we returned, or if they were gone maybe someone needed them more than we did.
How had I made it before, without my Hero? I guess the truth was I just existed, but now I lived. I could not resist going into his arms even though he did not hold me as tight as I wished. But I also knew the reason.
He did kiss me though, and my heart was doing little twists and twirls. He took my breath away. We looked into each others eyes and I wondered if the magic would ever stop. Probably not, no not probably, it would not. I would not let it.
His lips touched mine lightly, and the puppy came running, and barking as if something was wrong. Hero and I grabbed our weapons. Even though I only had one arm to use at least it was my right arm. I guess it would be the machete, shorter than the sword, and the bow takes two hands.
I heard Samion scream and the heck with the pain. We followed the puppy back to find John and Samion. 
John was sprawled out on the ground as if he had been running and fell, and Samion was nowhere in sight. But we did see tracks. Two people, no shoes.
Upon Johns neck was two puncture wounds, but he still lived. The wounds were fresh we could now identify it. Needle marks. All the things and thoughts, the superstitions, and the whole time it was needle marks, but what was in the needle?
Chapter 28

I had no idea how to help John. What drug was in there? I did not even know how to remove the poison. Prayers were answered as Jeffrey suddenly appeared. I did not know whether to trust him or not, but at the moment I did not have a choice.We left Jeffrey with John and headed farther into the jungle. My fear was that we would be too late to save Samion, but too late for what? Why did they stick John and carry Samion away? To top it all off the puppy had disappeared so we could not depend on him for tracking.
Our journey  took us farther into the jungle.  There was movement as the branches 

swayed back and forth from the added weight. Monkeys.There were monkeys everywhere.I was 

astonished by the chatter after all the silence of previous days , and the scenery just took my breath 

away. Palm trees, mango trees, even citrus trees, and they were full of fruit. A person could live 

off of fruit if nothing else.
  It was the perfect temperature here, not to hot and not to cold. Even the mosquitos were not nearly as bad as the ones in the dead zone. It was amazing that a place like this still existed. It was like a paradise,untouched. 
But the ground had changed. Samion was no longer being drug. In this area were many foot prints. Were any of them his,or was he being carried?
The more I thought about it the more confused I became.Things were just not adding up 

the way they should be A hut,small in size was partially hidden by trees. Hero and I approached 

cautiously. 
All prints had been brushed away, but I had the feeling that whoever we were following wanted us to follow. We leaned against the outside wall of the hut and Hero slowly peeked into the open space that would have been a window back home.
There was no one in there that he could see. Still we took no chances as we slowly entered the hut. Bloody rags were scattered about on the floor and we were unsure if it was human or animal. Movement under some old newspapers proved to be rats. 
They were not the huge monstrous rats we were led to believe were here. They were just your normal everyday rats. 
There was not a lot of furniture in here, a straw bed, bloody and pulled apart. In the corner was a dresser, two empty holes where drawers should be, and one with the drawer intact. I took off my pack and put my gloves on. I did not wish to touch any thing that was contagious, and since there was so much blood I preferred to be cautious.
I opened the drawer fully expecting something to jump out at me, and I breathed a sigh of relief when it did not.
There were piles of newspaper clippings. Most were of Billy Graham, his revivals and travels, his messages of love and peace, and the glory of God. There were scribbilings on a note pad, but in a foreign language that I could not read.
Then I saw the bible with pages torn, passages marked through, and in blood the words where is your God? He can not help you now.
“No, no, I can not believe what I am reading. hero, I know why we are here. There are still people here somewhere that need God. We must help them believe.” I fell to my knees and told God that I would indeed see that his message was given to these people. I was crying as Hero’s arm went around me and I know he was praying as well.
I still had not figured out how Samion held a part in all this, but I was beginning to believe he was a key player. It was his job to lead us where we needed to go, but why not just ask us?
And I knew.We needed to go through everything we went through. We needed to meet the people we met, and find the things we found. I was beginning to suspect that there was an evil one on this island and we would find him.
I pulled the gloves off my hands and threw them down. I should burn them, in fact I should burn the hut, but no. That would not be for me to do. In everything we have done so far, and every mission we had fulfilled God had set everything to right again.
There is something I noticed though, and I think Hero did too. My ribs no longer hurt, and I had movement in my arm and there was no pain at all. The Great Healer , had taken away my pain. He had healed me. A miracle had been performed and Samion would see this and tell the others.
I felt eyes upon us. They were watching, waiting. I do not think it was Samion. No, I felt to much of a chill. I could hear words coming to my mind, but it was not God’s words. This person, or whatever it was had power, they were strong. But you know what, my God is stronger, and my prayers pushed the evil away.
I smiled. God is good. “Did you feel it?” Hero looked at me and smiled. He had felt it too. He had felt God take on the evil and defeat it easily. A whistle from our lips, a smile on our face, and a lighter step; we won the first round.
“Hero look.” We both looked up in the sky and saw our carrier pigeon. Somehow, well never mind the somehow we knew how it found us. 
I took the note from him and I think I have never cried as much as I did right then. I fell to my knees and was there for a very long time.
Chapter 29
Tandy was going to be alright. She had been shrinking a little each day, actually all of them had. No one seemed to know what caused it, but I did. It was Gods good grace, love and a lot of prayers.
Things were going well. Curtis had found a way to produce wheat. Several of the men had gone back and forth hauling dirt, and more details when we returned.
I sent a message back. I was not sure how much longer we would be here, and I missed everyone. I was anxious to be home, but we all know my purpose in life.  Do not forget that God is good.
Hero held me and we shared a tight hug and a quick kiss. I tucked my machete back in its sheath. There was no need to carry it anymore. I only carried it in my hand to begin with so I would have it quickly if I needed it. But now with the use of both of my hands I had no worries.
Hero took my hand and we once again began our journey into the unknown. The jungle still held vegetation but more so than previous. I did have to remove my machete and carry it as before to cut vines out of our path. It was a tangly mess and I wondered if we were taking the right path. I knew deep down we were.
The monkeys were quite now.I could still see them in the trees, but they were just sitting there, staring. They followed our every move with their eyes. It was kind of creepy, but I was not going to let it get me down.
I was hot and tired, and I know Hero was as well, but there was nowhere to stop at the moment, so we pushed on. 
Farther and farther into the jungle and an eerie darkness appeared. Not the turning of the sun, but a different darkness. I was thinking perhaps a storm, but no this was an evil darkness. Our steps became slower as our footing landed on fragile ground now. The glow of our flashlights lent a mystic appearance. It felt almost like a Halloween night in a graveyard.
A fog came through and almost touched the ground. It was so cold now, a sharp contrast from the earlier heat. Hero stopped and held his hand for me to stop, and it was probably a good thing. 
We had run out of ground. The next step would have been in nothingness. The fog was so thick we could barely see our hand, but we had to push on. We could not wait for the fog to lift, because I had a feeling it would not.
“There Hero, up ahead. Is that a bridge?” Indeed it was a bridge crossing over a wide chasm, and so deep you could not see the bottom for the fog.
My biggest fear was heights, and this was the highest I have ever been. If I were to fall, I would continue to fall over and over. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. God would take care of me, What was my fear?
We started across and managed to go slowly. I wished to run across, hurry and get to the other side, but that would be foolish. About halfway across a gusty wind began to blow and the bridge swang back and forth, trying to throw us off.
We held tightly and continued on. We would not turn back. We had come to far and been through to much. There were people depending on us.
It was a hard struggle against the wind. For each step we took it tried pushing us backwards, but we kept moving. As suddenly as the wind started it stopped, the fog lifted, but the darkness remained.
And finally we reached the other side. A barren wasteland stood before us. There was nothing but dry sand, and a hot breeze. It had been awhile since we had worn our wrappings and now was the time.
The sand was extremely thick and it was hard to walk.It was like having to march by picking your feet up so high. Every now and then my foot would hit something. I did not look to see what it was. I did not want to know.
How did you come from a lush jungle to a barren wasteland in a matter of minutes? I do not know but we did. One thing though, the darkness began to disappear and we could see better.
Maybe that was not such a good thing though. Maybe there were things we did not want to see, or need to see. Like those things in the sand were skulls and bones. Besides the light brought an intense heat, very dry, and smothering.
I had to stop for water. It was hot now, and near the boiling point, but it was wet, and it washed the sand from my mouth.
We did not stop for long. But where were we going. There was nothing for miles and miles. No shade, no houses, no people. Maybe we did come the wrong way. But then that voice inside said. do not let looks deceive you. If you wish to find what you seek you must look.
So I stopped and Hero stopped. I closed my eyes trying to give thought to the riddle in my mind. Somewhere in the sand was a hidden door. It had to be. I payed closer attention to the sand and where my steps led.
I saw nothing but bones as before except this pile was different. I backtracked to the last pile, then the pile before. They were in the shape of arrows. The skull was looking towards the trail we should take and the bones were the arrows.
I have heard of treasure maps, x marks the spot and all of that, but never had I heard of a skull map. I think we had finally reached the end for the arrows stopped and the skull was face down in the sand.
After removing the skull I pushed away the sand and there was a huge iron door. It had rusted hinges and it took both Hero and I to open it. A ladder leaned against the wall, and there was nowhere for us to go but down.
There was a rotted, moldy smell, and I wondered if at one time it had been a sewer, but then I thought of all the skulls and bones. It is possible we were in the underground tombs like at the beach. I shivered. At least the ghost that led us in there was friendly.
Well we had no choice and as I stepped on the rungs of the ladder I prayed.

Chapter 30
The smell of sulfur and death invaded the air. There was an immense heat; smothering heat that caused a gasping breath. I felt as if I were being cooked alive in an oven, and perhaps we were.
After reaching the bottom I looked back up and realized I could no longer see the exit. We were a long way from the top. Well that would be worried about later. One way to exit would be to complete what we came down here for.
I knew Samion was not down here, and even though he had disappeared I think our mission was to rid the source of terror that had come to the island. Then the people would be safe. 
It looked like a hallway with walls of gray cement. That ended my first thought of being a tomb, even though it did smell like one. As we walked, our footsteps echoed upon the floor, and I noticed the lanterns. They were spaced at great lengths upon the wall giving off the dimmest of light.  Our shadows played into the light giving us an odd appearance.
We walked a great distance many scenarios flitting through my mind. With great determination I cast them all aside. I cautioned myself to calm, before I over loaded my mind with irrational thoughts.
I caught Hero’s eyes upon me and I smiled. Did he guess my wondering thoughts, or did he have them too? I do not know but I had the sudden urge to be held tightly for a moment. He must have felt it too, for he took me in his arms and held me close. “I love you,” He whispered in my ear. I answered back in kind, took a deep breath, (what a mistake) and we continued our walk down the long, endless hall. Indeed it did seem endless.
I stopped. Chills tore through my body. It was like a force throwing ice cubes over and over.I could not stop shaking, nor freezing. Hero tried to hold me, but the cold kept pushing him away. It was not me, but the force inside me.
I could not stop my eyes as they closed, and my body began to spin like a child’s top. I opened my eyes to a whole different scene. Where was Hero? I tried to scream for him but the words would not come.
All I could see was a pale, damp, fog. I was in the center of it and afraid to move to the left or right. I knew not what lay in either direction. Fear surrounded me. I could feel it from all directions, and it was trying to capture my mind. A jumble of voices, the screams, the cries, the anger. They were coming for me. The voices were after me.
The fog lifted and I was in the land of the dead.My life since the cleansing was playing at a fast pace and I was spinning out of control. Eerie shadows passed over a grave. I could not control my body, nor movements so I had no choice but to comply. I did not want to know whose grave it was, but I was going to find out.
As I walked towards the grave the shadows left and Nessie appeared. She smiled and took my hand leading me in the opposite direction. She took me from the darkness into the light. And many angels sang with joy and hope. 
“You do not belong in the darkness. You must fight his power. Do not loose your faith for in here it is dangerous. Go back, Lady. Hero worries over you. Use your love and faith and the evil one will not succeed. I can not rescue you again. I love you.”
I wanted to tell her many things, ask her many things, but she had disappeared. I slowly opened my eyes and Hero was stretched out in the floor back against the wall. He held me tightly in his arms as if he did not want to let go. “Oh Hero I love you so much.”
His tears ran down his cheek and blended with mine. He held me so tightly and I loved every minute of it. I did not tell him what happened. I could not tell him what happened, not yet anyway. 
Our time down here was at an end, We must return to the surface. I now knew our mission, and it took me stepping into death to figure it out. Yes I think I had died, and that had been my grave the shadows had taken over.
The evil one had tried, and almost succeeded. If it had not been for Nessie he may have.
“No my child, he would not have. you would have asked for me.”
“Yes my Father, I would have asked for you. Thank you for bringing me back.”
“But my child I am not through with either of you yet. 
Hero and I started back down the hall and I heard the voices again begging me to come. No, I could not, would not. I did not like the darkness. I needed the light. I needed God.
We finally reached the ladder and I began the upward climb, Hero following. I could feel his eyes boring in to me, wondering if I would death out again. And yes, Hero verified that I had died, but only seconds. It had seemed much longer in my mind, but it is no longer important.
I was really hoping to forget that little incident. Well it was not such a little incident, but it was over now.
We reached the top and though I was sure we closed the door, it was open. I cautiously peered over the top. When we entered the darkness and fog had taken over, but now the sun was shining. There was no blazing inferno as there was before, and what happened to the sand.
All the evil was gone, there was now sunshine and blue sky’s. Even the bones and skulls were gone. And now the door disappeared.
I dropped to my knees and was really very thankful for everything I had. Hero had kneeled too. His arm was around me holding tightly and I knew he was thankful also.
We had no problems going back across the bridge, nor finding our way through the jungle. Except we were not going back the way we came, we were going deeper. We were going where no man had explored. 
The only people were a small tribe of cannibals.   {Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.}
Chapter 31
I knew they were watching us, had been for awhile. Though I knew what they were I did not fear. I had put it all together now, and assuming I was correct Samion would be here. He was with them; he was one of them.
Though he lived with them I do not think he was a cannibal. From what I had seen, the dead one had taught him about Christianity through Billy Graham. The cannibals used the needles, possibly darts from a distance to paralyze their victims. They left behind the old, and diseased,because they were not fit for consumption. 
I think Samion must have stopped them from taking John. He knew that not only did we need him, but valued his life. 
The forest was thicker here, and monkeys once again appeared in the trees.There were so many thick. Long vines were hanging from trees, and I half expected to see Tarzan swinging with his famous yell.
The ground was soft, but not mushy. Fallen leaves were scattered over the dirt, and I was fully aware of dangerous things that could be hidden there. But still I did not fear.
I stop to take a sip of water. My trip into death had heated it almost to boiling and it scorched my mouth, literally. I could feel blisters forming.
Hero checked his water and gave me some of his. That had been my trip alone, he was not allowed to go. His water, though warm was not at the boiling point. Even though it was warm it quenched my thirst for the moment.
I could feel Hero’s thoughts. I know he worried over me, but he must not. I was safe, I was well, and I was loved, not only by him, but our Heavenly Father. I had scars and wounds, been through a lot more than anyone should, yet I would not complain. I could not. It was the hand I had been dealt to survive.
It is safe to say my life is an adventure and I do not think that is a bad thing. I love it. Though at times I do fear, God and Hero are with me. My life is never boring.
There are times when I think to settle down. I would love to go back to New Beginnings and stay for awhile, but how long before I would have to go again. I know if God called me I would leave in an instant, but what if all my missions were over? I think I would become bored and find another place to join us with.
I have become stronger. I have met friends and I have found a deep love. I do not remember a lot before the cleansing, and I do not care too. My life is now and as far as I know I have never been this happy in the whole of my life.
Laughter flowed quickly from me and Hero raised that one eyebrow. The look he gives when he questions something but does not want to ask. I could not help myself. I was really happy today, and so much in love. I grabbed Hero and gave him a kiss like I never had before.
It shocked him, but I really think it shocked me more. Never had I felt such an overwhelming love for another human being. Hero had been everywhere with me, been through so much, and never once questioned.
I heard a twig snap. The natives were getting restless. I held Hero’s hand and we continued our journey. I loved the jungle. It had an untouched wildness and I hoped that it would remain like this. 
In fact since the cleansing there was still ugliness in places, but after they were developed they would be beautiful again. Perhaps man would learn this time to leave the beauty. Do not destroy nature and the good that could come from it.
A small clearing was ahead, but then a dead end. We could go right, or left, but not straight forward. Something was wrong. My gut was telling me to go straight forward, but how....?
There must be a secret way in and there was. It was a snake hanging from a limb. At first glance a person would run without examining closely, but me.....well you know I am the curious type.
It looked so real, but it was not. I touched its head and pushed it down. The bushes parted, a boulder moved and we entered a whole new world.
Statues circled a mound of dirt. The statues looked angry, scary, for the devil, and on the mound of dirt looked as if something had been slaughtered. Blood and bone scattered across the mound, and flies along with ants were eating the left behind flesh.
On the left side was an old rickety, wooden table skulls and bones thrown on there. No sense of order, just thrown topsey-turvey.
But in the middle was the entrance to a cave. I felt a chill, but I knew I had to go through to get where I needed to go. There was no way around it.
“Well Hero, our next adventure begins.”
He laughed. “Lady, everyday is an adventure with you.”
We pulled our flashlights from our packs and very slowly took a step into the cave. We did know what we were in for, and as I saw the little narrow path beside the huge drop off, I knew this was not going to be smooth sailing.
Walking single file and a sideways shuffle in some areas, sort of like dancing upon the path. At other times you could walk forward, but with baby steps, and as I looked across the distance I realized it was going to be a long, long path.
Chapter 32
It was not as bad as I first feared. The narrow path was bad, but after a few moments it widened enough to walk comfortably. It was cool, but not overly cold. The darkness was the main thing. I knew soon I would have to stop and replace the batteries in my flashlight.
Too soon I had let my mind relax. The path narrowed again except this time it centered over a deep chasm. I threw a pebble down and I heard nothing. If one of us were to fall we would be goners.
Fear hit me. The last cave I entered I had a bad fall. I could have died, but I did not. I was injured, but not badly.As quickly as it had come my fear left, and I knew I would be okay. And I was. 
That was it. That was all there was to the cave. Suddenly I saw sunlight and was very thankful to be out of the darkness.
At the exit I had to stop and look in amazement. Lush green grass was beneath my feet and I felt like taking my shoes off and running barefoot. All around were mango trees, and even a few coconut trees. 
After taking a few deep breaths my journey through this beautiful valley began. It was even prettier than the Land of the Giants. Gardens were spread out in various places. I could see carrots, tomatoes, and even green beans, but they were starting to wilt. It was as if no one was tending the gardens anymore, or they did not care.
Where was everyone? Suddenly Samion and the puppy appeared from behind the grove of trees. Sneaky. I did not even know he was there. I did not feel his presence.
“Okay Samion, we are here. Now what? He motioned for us to follow him and we really had no choice. We walked for another distance through a field of wilted daisy’s to the edge of a cliff. We stopped and I looked down. Straw huts scattered about a muddy area and as I walked the downward path death’s smell invaded the air.
A cauldron sat over a cold fire. It had burned out ages ago,but there was still food in it. Rotten carrots, celery, and mushy tomatoes, floated around rotted meat. I covered my nose and shivered. Not from cold but from now knowing what the meat was. Fly’s buzzed around and there were even some that had fallen in the liquid with no escape.
I felt eyes upon me and noticed that a few people had come from their huts. They staggered as they walked, and some had a dry cough. None had any meat on their bones. They were so small from lack of food I do not understand how they still survived.
At least a hundred came forward, gathering around us, walking in a slow staggering gait. We were surrounded by walking death. No they were not zombies, but close. They just stood there with us in the center, not saying a word, not moving, barely breathing.
What were they waiting on?They were waiting on me, but what for? I looked at Simion for advice. These were his people. He knew what they wanted, what they expected. “They want you to teach them to pray. They want to know about God. Some saw you heal, and they think you are a powerful healer. There are more inside the huts. They are dying.”
“I am not the healer, God is. Perhaps we should go look at these people. As I started through they made a path for me, then they followed. Simion went into the first hut and I followed. It really stunk in there.
A bed of straw, with old rags as coverings was scattered in mud. A young girl occupied the bed. She turned towards me, her eyes sunken and glazed. She was so far gone, that I could not save her, only God could. 
I did not think about the smell, the mud, or anything else for the moment, all I could think about was asking God to give this one peace, give all of them peace. I got on my knees, as did Hero, and began to pray.
Samion, and the others did the same; Samion translating, so they understood. I think I have never prayed so hard in my life. Tears fell and dropped into the muddy earth. All the voices raised in prayer, and I knew my mission was almost accomplished.
I knew they were all going to die, but I also felt as if their souls were safe now. I went from hut to hut praying over the dying, and the others continued to follow. My tears over flowed, and my heart hurt, but I could not, would not stop.
After all I have seen, all I have been through and done, this was the hardest thing I have ever done. The last hut contained several small children. I could see their pain, I could feel their pain, and I continued to cry.
The sky darkened and thunder rolled across the valley. Lightning struck a tree and fire raged. The trees, the gardens, everything was ablaze. The people started dropping. Death had found them. They suffered no more.
The fire had jumped to the huts and though we could not go back that way, a way had opened up.We walked and around a corner was the shoreline. I stopped though I could not scream. 
I looked back at the blazing mountain top and once again at the shoreline. It was my dream, the nightmare I had. Hundreds of bodies lined the shore in and out of the water. Pieces of flesh had been stripped from their bones. Some were missing arms, some missing legs, but all were food for the cannibals, and that is why I was needed to help them to ask God to save their souls.
I prayed over the dead then walked away. I was feeling numb. What could I feel anymore? So much death and destruction. 
I walked through the bodies and kept walking. I did not see, I did not think, I did not feel, I just walked. As the thunder raged in the sky, it also raged in my heart. No matter how much death I had seen, it was so hard to get used to.
And then it happened. I fell to my knees and cried. Tears came from my eyes, as a downpour came from the heavens. I felt Hero take me in his arms, but still I cried. he pulled me up from the mud and led me away.
Samion led us to a hut. Evidently he already knew of it. I think he knew of everything on the island.
I walked in expecting a dead body, or the place in shambles. I had to look twice to discover how wrong I really was.
Chapter 32
She was beautiful. Dark skin, hair the color of a raven’s wings flowing down her back, stopping at the back of her knees. Shetaria, Samion’s mate. I heard noises in the corner and was amazed to see a baby, not even crawling yet, and a toddler around two years old. They both looked healthy, in fact they all did.
I wanted to hold them, but I could not. I had wallowed in the mud like a pig, cried like a baby, and felt sorry for myself, but most of all everything in my backpack was soaked and muddy.
The storm had stopped and Shetaria lent me one of her beautiful grass skirts. I borrowed on of Hero’s shirts and Samion led us to another beautiful pool. Samion left us and Hero and I were alone.
We joined together. It had been a very long time. All the hurt, anger, frustration, and death went into it. Soon I was my normal self again, and it felt good. I clothed and sat upon a broken tree, Hero beside me. 
I stayed in his arms for a long time just enjoying his presence. I knew it would not last long though, it never did.
With a deep sigh I knew I must wash all my clothes and get them dry before we had to leave the beauty of this area. A noise in the bushes drew my attention. John and Jeffrey came upon us. I had been through so much, seen so much, I had forgotten those two.
Earlier I had found that Samion was the one with the poisoned darts. He did not put enough to kill John. I had never asked why he had killed the others but I think it was because of the sickness that was going around. I think that was his way of trying to keep it from spreading. They were going to die anyway and he kept them from suffering.
We walked and walked. I guess you could say it was our final exploration, and John and Jeffrey tagged along.
We reached the shore where we had first arrived and the ship was still there, the captain still aboard. He waved and we waved back. In a few days we would be back on our ship, headed for home. It sounded good,
Later that night we were in for a surprise. Samion introduced us to his friends and family. There had been survivors, healthy survivors. Men, women, and children to repopulate the island, and Samion the leader. Who would have thought?
They had prepared a feast. So our mission here was complete, and I had never been so glad to end this one. Too much death, but I thank God that He had given them peaceful deaths.
John had decided to stay. He would be their Dr. since the witch doctor was among the dead. Everything evil had been destroyed and everything now was for the good. I really hoped it stayed that way.
Jeffrey wanted to leave with us so he boarded the ship. He said he wanted to sleep in a real bed. After we ate he said his goodbyes and Hero rowed him out to the ship.
As much as we wanted to sleep in a real bed we knew we needed to make sure things were right on the island, so one more night in the jungle.
The mosquitos were back, and the monkeys were chattering away. I think things were getting back to normal.
I had such fun entertaining the babies, and though I wanted one of my own, I knew I could not. A sadness come over me, but not for long. It was something that was not meant to be. Besides I had so many children now. There was Tandy, whom I really could not wait to see the smaller version, and Alex, my how he must of grown by now, and Johnny, who had grown way to quick, Adam and the list goes on and on.
I had a full life, with lots of family, and I always had the love of my life by my side. That night as we slept under the stars, I knew he was my forever. I could feel his arms tighten around me and between God and Hero I knew I would always be safe.
At first light we said our goodbyes and they loaded us up with fresh mango’s, lemons, and even peaches. New Beginning would send them green beans, The Land of the Giants would send wheat and The Beach would send anything we had, they needed to begin again. 
As we sailed away from the jungle island a huge wave washed over the evil part, washing away the sickness and death. The body’s were washed out to sea, the huts were gone and the sun shone.
The Jungle was now part of the joining, and I was going home, to New Beginnings.