Jilid Short Story Page Five (Last Page)

“Come on, run!” Keswyn shouted at her face as he dragged her away from the battle. Shelsa could not feel her feet as it moved through the grass. She could not feel the grass, or smell the flowers. Only horror filled her.

“EVER VIGILANT!” Hargor shouted out behind her. Explosions rocked the ground and more screams filled the air. Shelsa turned her head to watch Hargor’s last stand. The Earth vehicle turned its turret and fired. She could see every spiral of the black shells that vaulted from the cannon. They tore straight through Hargor’s shoulders before slamming into the ground behind him and exploding in a blinding flash of light. She rubbed her eyes, trying to force away the red cloud that lingered in her vision. Her legs gave out and she fell to her knees looking into the pillar of fire that had once been Hargor.

Keswyn lifted her by her armpits dragging her away. Light, childish voices spoke about her but she could no longer understand the words. Other hands touched her and she knew they whisked her away from danger.

“Hargor,” she let out in a voiceless breath.

Slowly, her comprehension returned to her. “Why?” a voice said.

“I have no idea. The Growar brought us peace between the Peasosh and Jilid, Earth shows us war,” another responded.

“Why are they so terrible,” said another sobbing. Shelsa looked upward at a teary face Jilsian. She was so young and so innocent. They were all innocent.

“What are we going to do?” Yawnen asked.

“If they have come this far, the Peasosh are dead and so are the Growar. We must run,” Keswyn answered. “War is not our way.”

Shelsa sobbed, along with Jilisan and there was even a distinct tinge of open sadness from Yawnen. Keswyn kept a hard face, a one harder than Shelsa had ever seen. Maybe, she thought, she could never see his soft face again. Hargor was gone, and before the end of the day, how many more could be lost? Shelsa gave it no more thought. She stood on her feet and ran through the fields with the others. She could bear no more thought on death. The fields were open and vast. Running was the only thing left to her.