Dell part 1 of 2

Dell

"You can't stay behind because these are your people we're trying to save,"

Don

Mara had successfully recruited three other worshipers to help her and Dell rescue Dell's family.  The plan had been secretly cast unknown to the authority of the senior worshipers. But when the group heard the sound that indicated both warning and a call to rendezvous there was no choice but to turn east back towards camp instead of north where his family was. 

The camp was alive when they got there. There is more noise than Dell had ever heard the worshipers make. Trunks of ammunition and bundles of silverware clattered as tents seemed to suddenly collapse. Merol eyed the group that accompanied Dell and greeted them with an uneasy, curt formality, “if you hadn't come soon we would have left without you." And he left with a weak smile directing people to study maps and sending out others to report messages. They are ready for this, am I?  Dell knew he would not have time to fully recover from the draining marathon he and the others just ran.

Merol was certainly in charge but there were others giving orders. A tall dark-haired woman was shouting at various people to get her maps. While another woman hunched over a map and hoarsely spoke with a group around her. A younger man a little older than Dell leaned into another with gun drawn as the other leaned in to support. They are training, Dell thought. And then he realized he had no formal combat training.  He could tie knots really well and start fires with two pieces of wood which even his father could not do. But he had only fired his uncles .22 rifle which was only a very small caliber. There was very little violence or military background in his family's history and when he thought of the face of his dead brother… Dell sat down.

When Mara and the other worshipers began getting equipped for the oncoming mission Don shook Dell with his hands at Dell's shoulders. The brief sense of loss and confusion was apparent to Don as Dell looked around at this very foreign situation. "We're not going to give you a weapon. It's not like that and you're not one of us. But you can't stay behind because these are your people we’re trying to save."

"I can help out or relay messages," Dell caught on.

Don nodded, "yes, something to those sorts. You'll keep pace with me until we get a mile out. I'll let you know. From there you'll stay and receive information from various extensions of our group."

"I can do that," Dell thought out loud, "be clear and loud enough when you speak."

"You got it," Don said slowly, surprised by the sudden order. "You're going to do well," Don grinned.

"Don, I still have no idea what we're doing,” Dell said.

"You know less then I would like," Don said sternly. "But there is a little time." Don looked around then crouched, "Okay, so we know where their headquarters is and we have a man stuck inside. We're going to grab him and any info we can. We have a small group set as a diversion. Dell, were not freeing your family you need to know that. Not yet."

"But you just said-"

"Soon," Don insisted. "Can you still do the job? You'll be the brain of the operation giving information to the rest the body can you do that?

Dell thought about his family. Then he thought about Mara.  Then he looked at the man in front of him. "Yes," Dell assured Don. His deep breaths stung when they began to run again. He was winded by the run before and the recent disappointment that they would not be rescuing his family. He stayed close to Don as instructed. The patter of footsteps behind them was softer than Dell could have guessed. He felt he made as much noise as the four behind him combined. The quiet woman who had been hunched over the map earlier was named Darlene and ran with them. Behind her were three men Dell did not know but recognize from the weeks prior in the camp. Low Birch or Maple leaves would slap his cheeks and nose as they let loose from Don passing them.

Don extended his hand after a large spruce and before a boulder. He grunted, turning to Dell, and pointed to it.  Dell moved there as the rest kept going. The patch where he stood was covered with the dry leaves that ran under the spruce and up the boulder. The team passed him with a soft patter as the forests exhaled breath of quiet serenity. I can see why they worship this. The trees creaked against each other more like an ocean wave against a sudden cliff than individual tree cracking and testing the strength of each other.