Bittersweet

Extenuate

~Father, I have fought the good fight of faith.~

The mission was successful, they had been able to rescue over sixty people including children.

Michael and Aaron were escorting the last batch to the safe zone up in the mountains when suddenly, there was an explosion.

The bomb blew up right in front of their vehicles.

Aaron looked behind them and saw armoured cars hot on their tail.

The vehicles drew a huge trail of dust behind them as they raced on.

The wide-open land was arid and desolate.

"Let's go!" Aaron yelled the command and their vehicles which were five in total-three which conveyed the remaining people they'd rescued-moved around the crater made in the desert ground and made their way to the mountains.

Aaron and Michael rode in separate vehicles. Theirs didn't contain people.

They were to lead them to safety.

Without warning, the armed rebels began to shoot at them.

Aaron feared for all their safety.

The rebels seemed to gain on them by the second.

Aaron closed his eyes and prayed to the God of heaven.

"Father, I thank you because you always hear me. Lord, blind their eyes."

Immediately, a sand storm began to brew.

Three huge whirlwinds formed and stood between them and their pursuers.

Michael spoke to Aaron through his walkie-talkie.

"Aaron, lead the people to camp."

"What are you-" Micheal cut him off.

"Just trust me."

There was a pause.

"Okay," Aaron replied.

Michael slowed down as the rest passed in front of him. The whirlwinds still raged shielding them from their pursuers view.

Within a few minutes, they disappeared behind the boulder-like rocks.

Aaron and the rest crossed the barrier, they were safe.

The mountains were fortified, so much so that it was impenetrable.

Soon enough, the whirlwinds dispelled which made Michael visible to the enemy.

"Set up the barrier!" Michael told Aaron through his walkie-talkie.

As expected, they were right on his tail.

Michael stepped on it and drove into a small town that'd been destroyed and ravaged with nothing but skeletons of buildings left.

He was trying to create a diversion and thank God it was working.

They followed him into the town all the while shooting relentlessly at him. He was able to manoeuvre
for a while but they still gained on him.

He parked the car and jumped out taking cover behind a huge concrete wall which was the remains of what was once a small shop.

Suddenly, there was an explosion up close.

It was the sound of his car being blown to bits.

Michael crouched and took cover.

The foundation of the shop-or what was left of it-shook and the entire shop began to cave in.