5. Raya
RAYA
“They left early; I don’t remember what time. Everything was normal, nothing was out of place.”
- CAPTAIN JALA
We woke before the sky. Donning layers of clothing and weapons, Captain Jala strode from one end of the Barracks to another. I watched her lean body cut through the howling wind, already blowing a gale. I reached for my laces, using all my strength to avoid looking for Alias. Where was he? This was the most important morning of our short military careers. My body felt jittery, it had all morning, as though butterflies were flapping inside my skin, pushing around, trying to get out. I swallowed.
Where is Alias? And as if the gods themselves heard my question, Alias plopped down on the bed next to me.
“Morning, darlin’,” he whispered, a smile tucked into the corner of his mouth.
“Where the hell have you been? We’re moving out in five,” I scorned him sharply.
“Don’t worry! I’m here, aren’t I?” His tone suddenly became defensive and I eyed him slowly.
“Are you alright?” I asked pensively.
“I’m nervous, Raya,” he whispered, resting his hand on mine.
I nodded and smiled. It seemed as though the entire room was feeling as nervous as Alias and I. A buzz of anticipation seemed to suffocate us as I stared at the clock.
When Captain Jala gave us the signal to move out, my heart leapt into my mouth. We had been training for three months and yet I felt like it was still my first day here. I swallowed against my dry mouth, this was really happening. Alias nodded and looped his crossbow over his head. I followed suit and, as one, we began filing out of the building and into the icy courtyard. The world around us was cloaked in night, ominous and cruel.
“You know the rules and you know what to do,” Captain Jala spoke over the wind before nodding, turning on her heel and marching back into the building. Was that supposed to be inspiring?
“She’s not coming?” Alias whispered to me.
“I guess not.”
The group shuffled slowly on the thick ice that sat on the edge of our compound, trying not to slip. Suddenly I felt completely unqualified to be here, every single fighting stance and healing treatment flew from my brain. The cloud of anticipation seemed to follow our group to the edge of the Foothill’s compound. We paused. Once we stepped over that edge and into the thick snow, our mission would truly begin. The six of us, and our seasoned leader, Captain Luka, stood at the edge of the compound, no one daring to make the first move.
“C’mon, soldiers,” our leader whispered loudly, “It’s just snow.”
We looked over at one and other, daring each other to go first. Without evening thinking I kicked a leg out and crunched into the soft snow. A deep exhale was heard from every member of our team. Opal Blose was the first to pipe up. “It looks like we’ve all underestimated you, Rachel.” He smirked.
“It’s Raya,” I corrected him. “Asshole,” I muttered before marching after our leader. I stared at the group Alias and I would be working with; a mix of skin colors, eye shapes, heights, and builds.
On paper, our plan was simple. In a safe house, located around a day’s walk away, lay Sargent Whels. He was injured in battle, his soldiers managed to transport him to the safe house before being shot down by hidden enemies.
The ever-persistent war sat comfortably on the border that connected the Southern and the Northern Continents. It had been said that Northern soldiers and Southern soldiers had be fighting for land for the last hundred years. But that cannot be the whole truth, can it? A hundred years of war, hundreds and thousands of casualties, all for land? I shook my head and focused on the task at hand.
Assuming Sargent Whels was still alive, we were to stabilize him once we arrived at the safe house, and bring him back. Easy. Two days, maybe three, and we should be back in our icy home. I wrapped my military jacket further around myself, thankful that I decided on three layers rather than the advised two.
Just as the sun began to rise on the empty plain, our leader suggested a break. We weren’t to sit in order to keep our muscles from getting cold. So, we stood in an awkward circle and ate various types of hard cheese and nuts. I stared at my shoes.
Something rustled in a lonely tree and that familiar fluttering feeling spread across my skin, but this time it was more intense, almost painful. I winced, stretching out my arm to rest on a tall tree stump. It felt as though something ached against my skin, almost impossible to describe.
I heaved an icy breath and the pain receded slowly, but I felt hollow. A squirrel jumped from behind the tree, a pile of nuts in its paws. The group was silent, all their eyes trained on the now still tree.
“Squirrel,” I muttered.
“What?” Opal mused.
“The rustling,” I pointed at the tree. “It was a squirrel.” I shook my head and heaved my backpack across my shoulders.
We began walking again in a tense silence, snow crunching beneath out feet, our labored breathing the only sound. I heard Alias before I saw him creep up next to me, his familiar gait etched into my memory.
“Are you alright?” Alias whispered as we trudged deep into a white forest, branches snapping underneath our feet.
“Fine,” I muttered. The feeling from earlier had lingered on my skin and a headache pounded between my eyes. Alias reached for my arm.
“Raya, what is it?” he asked sternly, and I knew he didn’t believe me.
I couldn’t tell him about this, though, there was nothing to tell. My skin felt tingly, and my head hurt, that was it. So why couldn’t I just tell him? Why couldn’t I be honest?
“It’s nothing really, I’m just tired.” I smiled at him, and he nodded.
“I’m sure we’ll be there soon,” Alias reassured me. “I can protect you,” he said with pride and suddenly, I felt irritated by his constant need to shield me. I could protect myself. I was just as strong and as fast as he.
I was just as lethal.
This time, when the tingles emerged from deep within me, I didn’t mind it. They seemed to agree. I smiled and nodded at Alias.
“Yes, I’m sure we will be.”
Eventually, the sun set completely and the night sky shrouded us. I couldn’t even see my own hand in front of my face. Surely, we would set up camp soon, it was not safe to be out here without our vision. We daren’t light torches this close to the border, so we stumbled and tripped our way through the never-ending forest, praying to every God that would listen, that we would be at the safe house soon.
The night was cold and the darkness of the forest unwavering. Despite our asking and attempt at convincing, our leader, Captain Luka, kept us moving.
“It’s not safe to be in the forest longer than necessary. If we camp here, there is more chance of us freezing to death or being eaten by a wolf.” The leader’s voice was clipped and harsh. The other So we marched on, our toes numb and our spiriting crumbling.
Several hours and twisted ankles later, morning broke as we stumbled from the forest, the sun burning our irises. My legs were jelly and my eyes begged to be shut. Alias was further behind me, barely able to stay vertical. I stared at our ragtag group, some resting on nearby rocks and others throwing up. Twenty-four hours of constant physical exertion will do that to you.
“Okay, soldiers, just a few more miles.” Our leader spoke for the first time in hours. I sagged in defeat.
“We need rest,” I said, my voice sounding weary.
“There is no time for rest, a man’s life is at stake.”
“If we keep going, six more lives are going to be at stake,” I argued, my voice stronger than anticipated.
Captain Luka looked from me to the group, each of them barely awake.
“Twenty minutes,” he barked and perched on a nearby rock.
We stood in a huddle, holding each other up, scarfing down bread and water.
“That was… impressive,” Alias whispered, slyly passing me two squares of chocolate, my eyebrows raised.
“Where did you get this?” My voice was hushed but I couldn’t help the excitement that filled me. Chocolate! I hadn’t seen chocolate in years, never mind eaten it. I popped a piece into my mouth with a sigh and leaned my head on Alias’s shoulder.
My body rested but my mind would not. Thoughts of this mission swirled around my brain, like, how could this mission be planned or practiced if we’re going to save a man’s life? How could they know he was wounded when handing out assignments?
I glanced at Alias beside me, practically asleep standing up, his face beautifully rested and soft. The sun was slowly taking its place in the sky. Soon I’d be able to feel my toes. Finally, my mind rested, and I nibbled on the other piece of chocolate, perfectly content for a moment.
“Let’s go,” Captain Luka shouted, waking us suddenly. “C’mon, up! I’ve let you rest long enough,” he said sternly before whispering, “Pathetic,” in our direction.
Alias straighten slowly with a frown and I smiled.
“Why are you smiling?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Did you hear him?” I asked. “He said that he ‘let us rest long enough,’ because we’re ‘pathetic,’ but look,” I pointed to him, noticing Alias follow my gaze. “His hair is all messy and his uniform rumpled!” I laughed but Alias still stared.
“He clearly almost fell asleep! Could you imagine? He forces us to stay awake but can’t keep his open eyes open?” I said, brushing the dirt and snow from my trousers. “It’s the little things in life,” I murmured with a smile.
“Right,” Alias said, ruffling my hair quickly.
“Let’s go, soldiers,” the captain shouted. “Safe house is only nine miles out.” He heaved his backpack over his shoulder and set off trudging through the snow ahead.
The first three miles may as well have been three hundred, my legs burned and blisters formed on my feet. My body begged me to stop, begged for rest or water or anything other than this constant trudge through the snow. I arched my back in effort to stretch when laughter sounded next to my right ear. I turned suddenly. Nothing.
Nothing but the wind and my own mind driving me insane. But the laughed sounded again, this time in my other ear.
“We know what you are,”one voice whispered, its voice dark and old.
“She is only fooling herself,”the other voice giggled like a schoolgirl.
“You’re lying to everyone.”
“Even your precious Alias.”
“Oh, how I’d love to rip him?—”
“Enough!” I yelled and the entire group turned to stare.
“We’re still six miles out, Raya,” Alias’s hushed voice made flushes of embarrassment spread across my cheeks and neck. I nodded.