Zen's War: Captivity

Zen wanted to continue their trek to the Dragoons into the night, but Aurora being someone of reason convinced him to wait until morning. Colonel Krakowski and Father Valencia agreed with Zen and Aurora that they should move away from the site where Pablo was killed. It could be possible that the gunfire had been heard by those loyal to the Mexican Revolutionary Front. If so, it was difficult to say what their reaction would be. They could be thrown in prison, or worse. Regardless, it was better to be on guard. You could never say for sure what the reaction would be. Another possibility was that the highwaymen would come back looking for them. None of the possibilities were worth the risk.

They all decided to set up camp further south of the interstate. It was rough taking the wagon through the sand and rocks, let alone avoiding cactus. As the sun set they had to quickly select a campsite before the daylight had completely disappeared. Just as the sun was setting they decided on a place to set up camp. Just over a small hill they came upon a dirt area where no vegetation grew. The area was just big enough for them to pitch their tents.

As they set up their campsite by the light of a kerosene lamp, the moon appeared on the eastern horizon. The moonlight was a welcome reprieve from the all-encompassing darkness. They didn’t light a campfire so as not to give away their position. They also couldn’t because they didn’t have any firewood.

The entire group was incredibly exhausted. They all shared the two cans of beans that Derek had been stockpiling in his backpack. They had to eat them cold since they had not lit a fire. None of them cared much because they were so sick of eating coyote. As they ate none of them said much. There was really nothing that could be said.

Derek for some reason blamed himself for Pablo’s death; although, deep down he knew it wasn’t really his fault. As Zen had often told him; there is so much in life that is beyond our control. Unfortunately, this line of reasoning did not help him feel much better. If he was not raised to be agnostic, maybe it would have made accepting Pablo’s death easier. Perhaps, if he had believed with all certainty in the existence of God and heaven, it would have provided some form of solace. Finding Sahara―which should have been at the forefront of his mind―had now been pushed to the back of his mind. He knew he would have to accept that Pablo was dead and move on, if he was ever to see his sister again.

Father Valencia from the rest of the group to do his nightly meditation, and reflect on his day. He also took this time to water his two horses, with what little water he could provide. It was unfortunate however that he had nothing to feed them, aside from some beans that Derek had given him. He thanked God that he had survived the day’s events. He crossed himself and looked to the sky, and prayed for forgiveness of his sins. As long as his faith in God remained constant, he believed that God would always provide for him.

Aurora didn’t know how much more stress she could handle. They had been searching for the past few weeks for Sahara, and had still come no closer to finding her. Some part of her felt that there was still some chance that she was still alive. She had always known that having children in such an unforgiving time would not be easy. Aurora knew that there were many risks involved. First and foremost was the lack of proper medical care. If there were any complications that occurred during delivery, there was little that could be done. Many mothers and newborns died during childbirth. A lack of proper nutrition for the mother during pregnancy could also result in miscarriage, or a child being stillborn.

Once the child was born the risks would begin to multiply. Childhood illnesses that had once been eradicated, such as polio and measles, came back with a vengeance after the war. Even strep throat and ear infections would often cause death. If a child could make it to puberty, the worst was usually over.

Sahara was one of the lucky ones, just as Derek and Hector had been; though to live in such a time could be considered a curse. The existence of slavery in Confederate territory was a constant threat to children who lived in Mexican territory. Due to racism, Mexican, black, and Native American children were the first to be targeted, though white children were just as likely to become victims of slavery.

The majority of danger towards children came from within Mexican territory. This was due to the fact that children were easy targets. Children were naïve, and therefore easily influenced. Their minds were still malleable, making them victims of brainwashing by political and religious extremists. The Mexican Revolutionary Front was one such group that preyed on children. They would take adolescent boys and turn them into soldiers.

Aurora felt that maybe she had been selfish, having children in such a godforsaken time. Maybe, she had children in order to have something to live for. Though, a part of her felt guilty, she never regretted having them for a minute. Even before the war, when her mother was a child, children were still at risk. There had always been those that preyed on the innocence of children.

She would often wonder whether or not their search for Sahara had become futile; whether or not they should give up. Aurora was not the type of person to succumb to despair, but everyone has their breaking point. There was only so much physical and emotional stress that any human being could undergo.

Colonel Krakowski hadn’t brought a tent or sleeping bag, so he slept in the back of Father Valencia’s wagon. He gazed at the sky as the moon rose higher above the horizon, and the stars began to sparkle into existence. His shotgun lay beside him, useless because of a lack of ammo. As he lay there contemplating the events that had come to pass, he thought back to his life before the war. He couldn’t believe that he had enlisted in the U.S. Army. His father had been a veteran of the first Gulf War, but had remained on the army payroll after the war. Colonel Krakowski had decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, by enlisting in the Army. Another reason he decided to enlist, had been the events of September 11, 2001.

When he had enlisted he had started out as a private and had slowly risen through the ranks, until he had become a colonel. Once he became a colonel he had taken great pride in his duty for his country. After World War III his opinion of the value of human life had been greatly altered. He had been responsible for the lives of thousands of men; many of which died under his command. At first he had thought that his life and the lives of his soldiers had been worth sacrificing. As the war dragged on, and more and more of his comrades died, the more pointless their sacrifice seemed. When he had first joined the Army, he had considered dying for his country the highest source of glory and valor that one could attain. He now viewed war in an entirely different light. War brought pain and destruction, not glory. The loss of his daughter and wife in the nuclear blast in New York City had cemented his changed opinion of war.

As the Colonel’s mind wandered, Father Valencia returned from his daily reflection. At first he did not see the cloaked figure of Father Valencia standing beside the wagon. “Are you still awake?” Father Valencia asked, causing the Colonel’s heart to jump.

“You nearly gave me a heart attack,” Colonel Krakowski answered, attempting to catch his breath.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Father Valencia said.

“No problem. I just didn’t see you there. After today, my nerves are shot. I thought you were one of the highwaymen, or another Nocturne.”

Father Valencia stood there, with a look of serenity on his face. The Colonel wondered how he managed to stay so calm under such stress. “Where ya been?” The Colonel asked.

“Every evening I reflect on the day, and pray to God for guidance. The only way I can is if I have complete silence and solitude,” Father Valencia answered.

The Colonel sat up from a lying position, scratched his beard then yawned. “I gave up on praying a long time ago. I guess you could say I kinda lost the faith,” Colonel Krakowski responded despondently.

“If you don’t mind me asking, why?”

“I just don’t see the point of it anymore. God never seems to answer my prayers.”

“God has his reasons. We may not understand God’s motives, but El Señor has a plan for us all. Do you think it was just an accident that you met Zen or me? Everything that occurs in life is the result of God’s will,” Father Valencia said resolutely.

“What was the reason for Pablo’s death, or Zen and Aurora’s daughter being taken from them? If you tell me those answers, then I’ll start praying again, but until then I’ve got to get some sleep,” Colonel Krakowski responded, then lay back down.“By the way, thanks for letting me sleep in your wagon,” he said, catching Father Valencia off guard.