The last surviver
Chapter 1:
Warmth. That was what he felt. As if he were cocooned in the warmest blankets. Gentle arms rocked him, lovingly, as if he were the finest jewel.
He could see images flash before his eyes. Of a small room made of dark wood. Of light pouring through a window. The blerred image of the person rocking him.
Everything was calm. Everything was peaceful.
Suddenly, the peace was broken. There was yelling, the flash of metal in the sunlight.
The scene changed.
He was now being jostled about. The person who was caring him was attempting to be as gentle as possible. He looked up to see their face was covered by a hood. However, it did feel as if this was the same person as whom was rocking him before.
They were being chased by several distant voices. The hooded figure was fast, but not fast enough.
Quickly but gently, the hooded figure laid him down in a little nook between two large tree roots. They put a hand on his forehead and chanted something in a strange language. By the sound of their voice, the hooded figure was a woman.
The woman quickly spoke to him in a hushed tone.
"Shhh, do not worry child. I will find you again, even if he catches you."
And with that, she disappeared into the trees.
The figures who had been chasing them caught up to where he had been hidden. Several heavily armoured men were looking around the area. They were yelling to each other:
"Where is she!"
"She's disappeared!"
"Never mined her! Where is the babe!"
All of the yelling, combined with his cold hiding hole, was too much for him. He let loose a violent cry.
Unfortunately, this caught the attention of the men.
One scrambled down and spotted him amongst the tree roots.
He was ruffly picked up by the crouching man and carried away.
Once again, the scene changed. He was lying in a gently rocking vessel. All around him were the sounds of other crying infants, just like himself. They all sought to be warm and in their mother's arms. But the only arms which came to welcome them were those of death.
Gradually, one by one, they all succumbed to the elements. All except for him.
He remained through day and night. He cried and screamed until his throat was wore and his eyes could no longer produce tears. But still he lived.
Eventually, he felt the cold arms of death, which had claimed so many young lives, come for him at last. However, the arms which picked him up were not cold, but warm. He looked up to see the face of a dark, beautiful woman. She waded through the shallow water just off the shore. Gently, she carried him to a rock, on which she sat and cradled him.
"I told you that I would find you." She said gently.
He recognised her as the woman who had hidden him in the tree roots.
Gently she rocked him in her arms. Then, she began to sing a beautiful yet haunting song.
Hush child,
The darkness will rise from the deep,
And carry you down into sleep, child,
The darkness will rise from the deep,
And, Carry you down into sleep...