"Only what we could carry" - 5-Minute Freewrite: Day 787: Monday
Only what we could carry
on our backs, in our hands, would be allowed on our migration to a safe place.
source
My son was six months old
and weighed nothing compared to his older brothers and sisters, until so many hours had passed, and suddenly fifteen pounds felt like fifty. Their father was gone with so many others drafted into civil war, but he'd left word that when the evacuation started, we were to leave everything behind, even the slim chance of seeing him come home again. Home. Wherever that might be, after this. Would there even be room on the ship if we all made it that far?
The weight of our "accident child" in a cotton sling started slowing me down, but I kept one foot in front of the other and kept moving over the narrow path through the rock walls. Others carried baskets on their heads or satchels in both hands. Already, people were lightening their loads, leaving behind extra clothes, shoes, cooking vessels and utensils. What we thought we needed became less and less with each passing day.
Nawaz shook her head at me as I stopped to change Akino's cloth diaper and tie the wet one to my pack to dry in the sun. Her eyes shifted to the most recently abandoned shirts and utensils alongside the trail. She looked fixedly at my baby. "You keep straggling at the end of the line, nobody will wait for you anymore," she said. "Sacrifices have to be made."
*"Where is Nawaz?"
I kept my eyes on the trail ahead, resisting the urge to look over my shoulder, back at the blood-stained rock, the body that had stopped moving. How was I to know I had strength enough to push her that hard? I was only protecting my baby.
Sacrifices had to be made.
Day 787: 5 Minute Freewrite: Monday - Prompt: only what we could carry
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Woah! Surprise ending for sure! As exhausted as she was carrying her baby, she could push hard enough to kill.
Actually the whole thing is a surprise, very unlike you. Focused and spare.
I think sticking to 5 minutes is good for you! This is a great story!
I'm here to deliver the Tuesday prompt so please write us another!
https://steempeak.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/day-788-5-minute-freewrite-tuesday-prompt-fern
Miles paid you to say that.... 5 minutes is good for you; don't go over!
Thanks for reading and commenting and delivering prompts.... I hope you still find time to freewrite after all that!!!
And thank you, too, for the Friday Favorites nomination - and for nominating @mvkean too. He departed Monday for Chicago and as of Thursday morning, his expected sublet still hadn't come through. He'll be sooo ready for a three-month run in Bed-Stuy beginning in January. Assuming that one doesn't fall through like this week's place has! I need to visit him in NY in 2020... and catch you at Maureen's!!!
Oh, a great story in a nutshell. The characters are well accomplished and the surprise of the ending is wonderful. Well done!
You're too kind!
Somehow, my maternal instincts were put to the test with this one, and I know I would risk prison time for homicide rather than allow anyone to harm my offspring.
Wow!! That really is not like you - but also like you. You are such a powerful writer!!
Bless you - thank you - I love you Marianne!!!