Blood Mountain

“Okay.” She held her injured side and limped forward, crying out in pain at the jarring, to take a seat on a large rock.

 The pain made her sick and queasy, like when she saw all that blood up the mountain. A sudden flash overwhelmed her and froze Wako’s daughter inside a memory she wishes she could escape.

 Horrible cries drown out the of night gaiety as the pungent stench of blood, bile, and death saturated the humid air. She stood in the mist of chaos, trembling with fear.  

 “Daughter!” Wako yelled over the unwanted sounds. She turned to see her mother fighting her way through the crowd to reach her. Wako's beautiful brown face distorted with terror, said. “We have to go!”

She grabbed Daughter's hand and ran from the cruel, cold, brutally of hooded men with long blades that invaded the peaceful Solstice celebration. The blades glisten in the moonlight while they killed without discretions, chopping heads off men, women, and children.

  Why do they want to kill us? She pondered as they ran toward the woods.

But there’s nowhere to hide. They'd reached the nearby forest when a hooded man emerged, blocking their escape. Rage gleamed in his dark eyes while his blade dripped red with blood. 

“Die you thing!” He yelled coming at them.

 Wako pushed Daughter aside. She fell to the damp ground watching as her Mommy fought the hooded man. She acquired his blade in a swift move and stabbed him. Stunned, he collapsed to the ground with a whimper. 

 Wako removed the blade from his chest and took Daughter’s hand again.  “Let’s go!”

The screams of terror and death filled the space behind them as Daughter's stomach quivered with fear.

 “Keep quiet,” Wako had said, securing a bracelet around her daughter’s wrist. She hid Daughter in a down tree. “I’ll be back okay.”

“No Mommy!” Daughter grabbed her hand. “Please don’t go!”

“I promise,” she kissed her on the forehead. “Mommy will be back to get you.”

 Daughter watched as Wako ran back to join the chaos. 

 She wondered if her Mommy would come back or would those men kill her too. Her fear increased with each passing moment while she coward inside the tree listening to the sounds of death.  

 Then she smelled smoke.

© Glynis Rankin