The Stone

The Desert Rebels

We woke only a few hours later after Gogo was rescued. I'm tired, and so is everyone else. This trip seems to be taking longer than expected. Let us pray there are no more interruptions. There is so much to do and time seems to be the enemy here. I feel as if that is all I talk about, I believe I had said "we are running out of time", more often than I can count. Nevertheless we press on, keeping it in the back of our minds.

I am now riding upfront with Gogo by my side, everyone else is trotting behind us. We know our mission, we will be the frontlines as we approach the rebel camp. Am I frightened? Not so much, although I am wary of what could be coming our way.

We have passed through the chasm with only one other hiccup aside from Gogo's illusionary adventure. The other hiccup was realizing all of our supplies were littered with scorpions upon waking up. I don't think I've ever heard a man as big as Grim scream in such a high pitched tone before. And didn't that just set my father off on a bantering rampage.

"Have you sung in choir before Grim? You have the angelic voice of a nine year old boy!" He cackles.

Well that comment started a scrap in the middle of it all, leaving Grim pinned on his back while my father laughs hysterically. I swear he's losing his marbles. But everyone seems to be laughing about it, so I let it happen and just watch the show.

"Alright you two that's enough, we don't have time for this!" I scold.

My father whines at me and Grim agrees.

After that we left the chasm behind us, hopefully not taking any poisonous stowaways with us.

The landscape has turned back into desert sand dunes, it was dusty with the occasional sand storm. My father assured us we are going in the right direction, as he continuously checks his sundial and the direction of the wind to find our location in this wasteland.

"Just beyond that dune!" My father shouts through the wind, pointing ahead.

Everyone sets their focus in the distance, but I don't see anything but sand.

"Are you sure father?" I holler back.

"Very sure, Breezie." He replies. I look back at Kit and Vance, they shrug.

Maybe he is losing his mind worse than I thought. Then I see something in the distance.

"There!" Gogo shouts, pointing at a dark object protruding into the sky with a tall ridge line behind it.

"What is it?" I ask.

"It looks like some sort of tower." She replies, she sure has a keen eye.

I turn back to my father and the rest of the boys signaling them to look ahead. They nod and pull their weapons getting ready for a possible attack. Gogo and I were advised to keep our weapons hidden and not to engage in combat at all. My father told us all about the ridge lines defense but he never mentioned a tower. He said there were usually ten fully armed rebels that watch the horizon from a distance. They are trained in bows to shoot at any incoming enemy. If they aren't sure about us, they will come down and ask questions and if they shackle us, we are to let them take us as hostages. Well neither of our beloveds thought that was a good idea and argued about it more than once. But father assured me it was the best way to get into the camp. Once we were in it was smooth sailing from there...so he says...

As we approach the tower, the rest of our group falls back a fair distance away from Gogo and I. Then a scream pierces our ears.

"Help me please!" A female voice shouts from the top. We look up into the tower to see a woman clothed in tattered rags and lookup tethered to the dried out wood posts. She struggles to free herself, calling to us frantically.