Mist on the Moon

A noble woman

Through the pouring rain and wind they rushed to reach the carriage. Cara saw immediately that it was crushed by a huge tree that had fallen on it. Because of the size of the tree she couldn't at first even get close to the carriage in which Emma and her children were riding. The right wheel was smashed but even so huge branches hid her view. She called out to them above the roaring wind, "Emma, Kirah, Branden! Can you hear me! Answer me!" No answer came and Cara sobbed while she at the same time tried to climb up one of the massive tree trunks overlaying the carriage. She turned, thinking Trent would be there with her, helping her. But incredulously he was gone. "Where? Where are you, Trent?" she cried out almost hysterically for him. Where was he?

Not understanding what was going on she tried with all her strength to climb up the trunk, but in the rain it was slippery. She lost her grip and found herself tumbling down onto the wet ground. Trent returned, and seeing her there asked, "Are you OK?" before taking her outstretched hand and pulling her up.

"Where did you go!" she yelled above the storm, not understanding why he would leave at a time like this.

"To get the others," he shouted back to her. "We'll need the help of everyone to try to get that tree off the carriage."

Cara was glad that Trent and their friends were all back. But her main concern was her children. She yelled again to them, "Kirah! Brendan!" but though she listened intently, she could not hear any response. Was it because of the intensity of the storm? She hoped so. Gianna, Evie, and Rosa huddled near, saying things that she knew were meant to comfort her while the men were looking over the tree and its massive branches to try to determine how best to move it. Cara could see that her sister and friends were just as wet as her, soaked to the skin.

Trent loudly gave directions over the roar of the wind. "I think we can lift it if all four of us get underneath on this side." He showed them where they would most likely be able to do it. The branch was a large offshoot from the main trunk and was thick, probably more than a foot thick. Furthermore, other large branches extended from it, with the top part of the tree splayed out on the ground.

The men moved into position, Trent, Justin, Daniel and Richard. They crept underneath where it came to nearly shoulder height over the damaged carriage. On signal they pushed, but the huge limb would barely budge. They tried a second time with no better luck than the first.

From a safe distance away the women watched, kneeling together using their shawls to protect their eyes against the still pelting rain. Cara saw that the men were making no progress and she called out to Trent over the storm, "We will help you!"

"OK. Come over here. If you stand next to Richard where the limb starts to lower toward the ground you can push with us to get it off."

All four of them, Cara, Rosa, Gianna, and Evie did what he said. They positioned themselves next to Richard, and each grabbing the massive branch with two hands and were ready when Trent gave the signal on the count of three for them to push upwards to try to get the huge limb off the carriage.

Cara exerted all of her strength and momentarily the great limb raised up from the carriage but quickly came back down on it as their strength faltered.

"Good!" said Trent. "We're making progress. We succeeded in lifting it with all of us working together. Now, all we have to do is push it up and away from the carriage. We men will lift it up with Gianna and Rosa helping. Cara, if you and Evie can push it sideways while it is raised up I think we can get it off."

Together, they did what Trent said. When they pushed this time Cara could see that the limb was not only being lifted up it was also being moved over. She pushed with all her strength and her sister Evie also pushed with her. Cara could see that it was being moved slowly but steadily forward.

"OK!" said Trent. "We've got it! Let it fall down now but be careful not to get caught underneath it. It's off the carriage now."

Anxious and fearful for her children, Cara was the first to get to the badly damaged carriage. She quickly saw that it was smashed by the huge tree. The two horses pulling it had managed to escape. Her heart sank when she saw the extent of the damage. She at first couldn't see anything in the wreckage because the black clouds of the storm had so darkened the day. She called out to her children, "Kirah! Brendan!" Then she heard something. Was it a cry of one of her children? Trent also came to the carriage and now at her side he confirmed what she heard. "Yes," he said. "I think it is Kirah. But her cry seems so muted."

They saw the extent of the debris on the shattered carriage and pushing aside the splintered wood and the thick leather they found Emma. She was lying down, her supine body taking up most of the seat. A huge gash showed on her head and her eyes stared lifelessly at them. Her arms and elbows were huddled close to her head as if she were trying to hold back the blow that came from above.

Cara was shocked at seeing her children's devoted sitter dead. But her greater concern was for her babies. Now that Trent and Cara were close to where their children rode with Emma, both Trent and Cara heard Kirah's cry again. They knew now where she was, under Emma. Gently, they lifted Emma's lifeless body up from where it covered the whole front seat. And there, underneath her, were Kirah and Brendan.

Oh, how happy they were to know their children were safe. Kirah's eyes were on her mother as Cara reached for her, taking her in her arms. Brendan seemed in shock, now freed from underneath Emma. He opened his mouth to cry. Trent gently picked him up, telling him, "It's Ok, Brendan. We've got you now. You're safe with mommy and daddy."

Despite Emma's death, Cara and Trent were happy to have the children safe in their arms. Their friends gathered around them as at last the worst of the storm seemed to be ending. They shared in their happy reunion. It was Evie who looking at Emma still stretched across the seat, said to Cara. "Cara, it was Emma who saved them, covering them with her own body to protect them from being crushed." Cara and Trent and all of them looked back at poor Emma's dead body, realizing how her last minute thought for Kirah and Brendan had saved their lives.

"She will be honored," said Trent as he looked away from her to turn his eyes back to Brendan nestled in his arms.

"Yes," agreed Cara. "She gave her life for them."