A world dovided
BY: KENNETH ARNOLD
Ella approached the east wall of the camp slowly. Her knees weak from running through the woods. She stood up haltingly, trying to see over the timbered fence but the enclosure was much taller than she. Ella checked behind and motioned for Simon to come over to her. Ella could hear his old knees creak with every step he took.
“What is it? Do you see her?” he asked quietly.
“No I can’t even see over the fence, can you help me up?” Simon then had a doubtful look, but placed Ella on his shoulders and stood carefully. Ella could just barely see over the barrier.
Ella scanned the camp, as far as she could observe, all was quiet. Once Ella’s eyes met the first sight of the barren and dark landscape, she felt as if the sun’s light had decided to skip over this section of the earth. Large devastated buildings painted the next mile of terrain, buildings that hold or once had held many grim stories of sorrow and suffering. Ella could also see several of the Dodos walking around confidently. The Dodos had hefty wings, one's bigger than the drawings found in old books, ones that Ella would read at night before she would sleep. The Dodos also had very prolonged and aggressive beaks, complimented with a fine gray coat of feathers, the Dodos stood about the height of Theo, who was one of the largest people that Ella has ever seen. Ella's knees shook at the sight of these aggressive animals. Other groups of Dodos were positioned in large towers watching over the horizon, awaiting for new captives, or food. She then noticed a small, mobile, cage. There were fresh wheel tracks from the entrance. Ella could only see the back of the cage. But the back of said cage did not have any windows so whatever, or whoever, was inside could not be seen.
Ella gestured for Simon to let her down. Simon, with a distressed look, quietly inquired “D-did you see her?” Ella rubbed her eyes violently and yawned.
“No,” Simon looked disappointed “but I think I know where she is.” Light rushed back into Simon's weary brown eyes. Every wrinkle on his face filled with emotion.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” he bellowed. Ella rapidly motioned for him to be quiet, she shushed him while placing her hand over Simon’s mouth. She waited for a few minutes, to make sure they were not heard. Ella looked back at Simon, his expression had not changed.
“We can’t just walk in there. We need a plan, we need to go in quietly.” Simon waited for a minute, and walked back to the group without saying a word.
The next day Ella, Simon and Theo approached the east wall once more. Simon had given Ella a boost to see over the barrier once more, just as he did before. The lifeless and cimmerian sight had not changed in the slightest. Except there were no Dodo’s, they were all gone. Ella could also see the same cage she did yesterday, it appeared to not have moved since then. Ella motioned for Simon to lift her over the fence. Ella vaulted over and fell face first. Ella's face made contact with the arid ground, it felt like water had not touched this part of the earth for years. Ella slowly lifted herself up, her vision was disorientated, she could just barely hold herself up. Theo lifted Simon over and rushed to Ella.
"Ella are you okay? Ella took hold of Simon's weary arm. "That was some fall you had there."
" Yes I'm alright, don't worry about me." Ella placed her hand on her head and rested for a moment, then approached the fence to help Theo. Simon and Ella pulled Theo over. The group made their advancement for the enclosure carefully. The pack duckwalked toward the small cage, slowly, constantly observing the sky. They were about 20 meters away when they heard a croak. The whole group had hid behind a rubble pile. It was a little girl, not the one they were looking for, but a little girl nonetheless. She was carrying two large buckets of water, her knees were devoid of any skin, and were coated in muck. She could barely hold herself up, not to mention the two buckets. She looked as if she was wearing an old potato sack with a large red ‘X’ painted on.
“We have to help her.” Theo whispered aggressively.
“No! We came here for Amelia! Nobody else!” Simon hissed softly.
“Well maybe she has seen Amelia, maybe she can help us!” Simon began to ponder at the idea of asking this little slave girl for help. Ella watched, unsure of what to do.
“Let’s ask.” Simon had said in a skeptical tone. Simon and Theo slowly ascended from the rubble and saw the little girl watching them carefully. She had no emotion in her eyes. It was as if she wasn’t human. Ella was frozen, she couldn’t move. Theo approached the child. “Hey little girl, do you need any help?” The girl had a look of bewilderment. “Uh, little girl?” The girl continued to stare at Theo. There was a prolonged period of silence, then the girl began wailing. Theo had a look of pure shock, Simon was perplexed, Ella just stood there silently, watching, while a cold sweat ran down the back of her neck. The girls scream tore at her vocal chords, scratching them violently. Theo began to run, followed by Simon, Ella followed suit. They looked to the west and saw a large flock of Dodos flying in towards their position, there seemed to be about 200 of them, none farther than a few feet from each other, feathers fell and wings flapped violently. Everyone picked up their pace, Ella had tears running down her face. They reached the cage and looked inside. They only saw bits of rubble and some bones. Simon's face went white, his mouth opened slowly. He looked at something in the cage, a shoe, Simon leaned in and picked it up. “Simon we gotta go!” Theo screamed it was clear that fear was in his voice. “This is Amelia’s shoe.” Simon said softly. “Simon I’m sorry but we need to go! If we don’t we’re gonna be killed!” The Dodo’s were not too far from them now, a large, thick, black mass filled the afternoon sky. The Dodo's features were now visible, they were focused on the three. Ear piercing squawking filled the ears of everyone in sight. Some Dodos were even fighting and biting each other. “Please! Simon we need to leave now!” Ella tugged on his arm harshly, but Simon didn’t budge. “Please!” The Dodo’s began to lock into their position. “Simon please!” Simon stared at the shoe. “We’re leaving with or without you!” Theo grabbed Ella’s meager arm and began hauling her across the camp. “SIMON!” Ella howled. Simon didn’t move an inch, he didn’t even reach to his abandoning. “SIMON RUN! PLEASE!” Ella saw Simon begin to grow smaller in her vision. Ella and Theo had reached the wall. Once Theo let go of Ella she began running towards Simon. The Dodo’s were closing in on him. “Ella he’s gone. We need to go!” Theo grabbed her arm again and pulled her over. The last view that Ella had of Simon, was him being attacked by the group of Dodo’s. Simon showed no signs of resistance, he put up no fight, the Dodos took advantage of this and showed Simon no mercy. Hundreds of beaks stabbing into his bristly skin, his eyes were clawed out, his chest caved in from sheer mass of these Dodos alone, Simons jugular was violently ripped out, muting his screams. Even though Simon had no eyes, Ella could tell he was crying, or at least trying to do so. This all happened to Simon, while clutched the shoe in his weary hands.
“What is it? Do you see her?” he asked quietly.
“No I can’t even see over the fence, can you help me up?” Simon then had a doubtful look, but placed Ella on his shoulders and stood carefully. Ella could just barely see over the barrier.
Ella scanned the camp, as far as she could observe, all was quiet. Once Ella’s eyes met the first sight of the barren and dark landscape, she felt as if the sun’s light had decided to skip over this section of the earth. Large devastated buildings painted the next mile of terrain, buildings that hold or once had held many grim stories of sorrow and suffering. Ella could also see several of the Dodos walking around confidently. The Dodos had hefty wings, one's bigger than the drawings found in old books, ones that Ella would read at night before she would sleep. The Dodos also had very prolonged and aggressive beaks, complimented with a fine gray coat of feathers, the Dodos stood about the height of Theo, who was one of the largest people that Ella has ever seen. Ella's knees shook at the sight of these aggressive animals. Other groups of Dodos were positioned in large towers watching over the horizon, awaiting for new captives, or food. She then noticed a small, mobile, cage. There were fresh wheel tracks from the entrance. Ella could only see the back of the cage. But the back of said cage did not have any windows so whatever, or whoever, was inside could not be seen.
Ella gestured for Simon to let her down. Simon, with a distressed look, quietly inquired “D-did you see her?” Ella rubbed her eyes violently and yawned.
“No,” Simon looked disappointed “but I think I know where she is.” Light rushed back into Simon's weary brown eyes. Every wrinkle on his face filled with emotion.
“What are we waiting for? Let’s go!” he bellowed. Ella rapidly motioned for him to be quiet, she shushed him while placing her hand over Simon’s mouth. She waited for a few minutes, to make sure they were not heard. Ella looked back at Simon, his expression had not changed.
“We can’t just walk in there. We need a plan, we need to go in quietly.” Simon waited for a minute, and walked back to the group without saying a word.
The next day Ella, Simon and Theo approached the east wall once more. Simon had given Ella a boost to see over the barrier once more, just as he did before. The lifeless and cimmerian sight had not changed in the slightest. Except there were no Dodo’s, they were all gone. Ella could also see the same cage she did yesterday, it appeared to not have moved since then. Ella motioned for Simon to lift her over the fence. Ella vaulted over and fell face first. Ella's face made contact with the arid ground, it felt like water had not touched this part of the earth for years. Ella slowly lifted herself up, her vision was disorientated, she could just barely hold herself up. Theo lifted Simon over and rushed to Ella.
"Ella are you okay? Ella took hold of Simon's weary arm. "That was some fall you had there."
" Yes I'm alright, don't worry about me." Ella placed her hand on her head and rested for a moment, then approached the fence to help Theo. Simon and Ella pulled Theo over. The group made their advancement for the enclosure carefully. The pack duckwalked toward the small cage, slowly, constantly observing the sky. They were about 20 meters away when they heard a croak. The whole group had hid behind a rubble pile. It was a little girl, not the one they were looking for, but a little girl nonetheless. She was carrying two large buckets of water, her knees were devoid of any skin, and were coated in muck. She could barely hold herself up, not to mention the two buckets. She looked as if she was wearing an old potato sack with a large red ‘X’ painted on.
“We have to help her.” Theo whispered aggressively.
“No! We came here for Amelia! Nobody else!” Simon hissed softly.
“Well maybe she has seen Amelia, maybe she can help us!” Simon began to ponder at the idea of asking this little slave girl for help. Ella watched, unsure of what to do.
“Let’s ask.” Simon had said in a skeptical tone. Simon and Theo slowly ascended from the rubble and saw the little girl watching them carefully. She had no emotion in her eyes. It was as if she wasn’t human. Ella was frozen, she couldn’t move. Theo approached the child. “Hey little girl, do you need any help?” The girl had a look of bewilderment. “Uh, little girl?” The girl continued to stare at Theo. There was a prolonged period of silence, then the girl began wailing. Theo had a look of pure shock, Simon was perplexed, Ella just stood there silently, watching, while a cold sweat ran down the back of her neck. The girls scream tore at her vocal chords, scratching them violently. Theo began to run, followed by Simon, Ella followed suit. They looked to the west and saw a large flock of Dodos flying in towards their position, there seemed to be about 200 of them, none farther than a few feet from each other, feathers fell and wings flapped violently. Everyone picked up their pace, Ella had tears running down her face. They reached the cage and looked inside. They only saw bits of rubble and some bones. Simon's face went white, his mouth opened slowly. He looked at something in the cage, a shoe, Simon leaned in and picked it up. “Simon we gotta go!” Theo screamed it was clear that fear was in his voice. “This is Amelia’s shoe.” Simon said softly. “Simon I’m sorry but we need to go! If we don’t we’re gonna be killed!” The Dodo’s were not too far from them now, a large, thick, black mass filled the afternoon sky. The Dodo's features were now visible, they were focused on the three. Ear piercing squawking filled the ears of everyone in sight. Some Dodos were even fighting and biting each other. “Please! Simon we need to leave now!” Ella tugged on his arm harshly, but Simon didn’t budge. “Please!” The Dodo’s began to lock into their position. “Simon please!” Simon stared at the shoe. “We’re leaving with or without you!” Theo grabbed Ella’s meager arm and began hauling her across the camp. “SIMON!” Ella howled. Simon didn’t move an inch, he didn’t even reach to his abandoning. “SIMON RUN! PLEASE!” Ella saw Simon begin to grow smaller in her vision. Ella and Theo had reached the wall. Once Theo let go of Ella she began running towards Simon. The Dodo’s were closing in on him. “Ella he’s gone. We need to go!” Theo grabbed her arm again and pulled her over. The last view that Ella had of Simon, was him being attacked by the group of Dodo’s. Simon showed no signs of resistance, he put up no fight, the Dodos took advantage of this and showed Simon no mercy. Hundreds of beaks stabbing into his bristly skin, his eyes were clawed out, his chest caved in from sheer mass of these Dodos alone, Simons jugular was violently ripped out, muting his screams. Even though Simon had no eyes, Ella could tell he was crying, or at least trying to do so. This all happened to Simon, while clutched the shoe in his weary hands.