The Crucible (Part 4)

“Landon, what are you doing? Why aren’t you in the pit? What is happening?” Rosie spills out the questions faster than he can even respond.

Before Landon can answer Rosie, disaster strikes. The man I had put two arrows in has sensed he has an opening and begins to yell for help. Before I can do anything, Rosie picks a board that was leaning against a tent and wallops him across the head knocking him out.

“Impressive,” I say but I am cut off by the shouts coming from the woods and three men have emerged and are running toward us.

“Drop the bow! Drop the board!” the mountain of a man at the front of the pack shouts as runs into camp. The machine guns he and the other two hold aimed at us convinces me that this is not a fight I can win. Maybe I could get one arrow off, but there is no way to get three and hope that Rosie and I will survive the fusillade of bullets that will rain our way.

Rosie drops the board and I reluctantly let my bow fall to the ground at my feet. I may not have it in my hands but it feels good to know it is near.

The men stop short of us and form a semicircle around us believing we are no threat any longer. I remember Great Grandpa Stevens stories of fighting in World War Two and being part of the “Lost Battalion” that was surrounded by Germans in the Vosges Mountains of France. He said they never gave up hope and they just prayed for time and a miracle. The battalion was rescued in the end by the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated all Japanese American unit. That is all Rosie and I can hope for- time and a miracle.

Throughout the encounter Landon has stayed rooted to the spot we found him. He is like he is caught between two different worlds.

The big man smiles with more teeth unaccounted for than present, “Now looky here boys who returned.” He nods his head in Rosie’s direction before continuing. “Well, this is very convenient indeed, Landon here had just decided this very morning that he wanted to run the crucible and join up with us.”

One of the other men, who looks like he has a squirrel face, laughs, “Chuck, I think he can run the crucible by killing this girl here.”

Mountain Man Chuck seemed to like Squirrelhead’s idea. “Alright,” he says and draws a knife from a belt sheath, “Except, if you want in the group, you have to finish them both off to pass the crucible.”

Landon takes the knife and turns toward Rosie who stands directly in front of him. “Landon, what are you doing?” Rosie’s tone is one of disbelief that her brother would turn on her.

We didn’t get much in the way of time but, even as short as it was, we are getting our miracle. Two miracles in fact. First, even though Landon’s face looks intense at the prospect in front of him, he lets a little smile out and a wink at us. The men are not able to see the signal that Landon has not switched sides after all. The other thing they don’t see is miracle number two stalking up behind them.

As I watch, Hobbs is creeping closer and closer to the men. He looks to be uninjured after leading most of the people from the camp and is waiting for an opening. One he soon gets as Landon suddenly turns around and lashes out with the knife catching Mountain Man across the bicep of his right arm. The gun he was holding clatters to the ground. In that same moment Hobbs leaps onto the back of Squirrelhead and knocks him to the ground.

The third man, who now that I get a better look at him also has the facial features of a squirrel with his pointy head and bulging eyes, is confused at who his biggest threat is. In that moment I scoop up my bow, notch an arrow, and send it rocketing at the man knocking him back at the impact to his shoulder. Squirrelhead Two falls back to the ground.

“Let’s go,” Landon yells and we take off running behind him before anyone else can show up.

Rosie and I catch up to him on the run and she says, “Follow me, I know a place.”

It doesn’t take but a few yards of running for Hobbs to catch up to us all. We kept up the brisk run for thirty minutes, stopping twice to catch our breath, and arrived at the treehouse Rosie told me about earlier when we talked. The three of us climb into the temporary safety of the treehouse as the sun sets. Hobbs crawls up onto a lower branch and lays down as if acting as a lookout.

Rosie introduces Landon and I. Shaking hands I nervously joke to him thanks for not killing us.

He laughs and relieves the tension of the moment, “I did have to think about it, I am still not over her destroying my Lego Millenium Falcon from two years ago.”

Rosie pushes his head to the side, “You know that was an accident and I did help you rebuild it.”

Exhausted, I lean back against the wall. Things have gotten more complicated. Survival has just gone from finding food to avoiding being killed. I think back to how I actually had to fire arrows at people. Not paper targets. Not animals for eating. So far I have been able to avoid actually killing anyone. I wonder if it comes down to it will I be able to go that far to stay alive.

Sleep comes quickly that night.