by Elle
It was a cool winter morning today, and my mother went out to forage. Although I wasn’t alone, some other tribe members were in their chickees, but our chief was talking to someone I’ve never seen before. He had very light skin and a strange firearm that looked different from the ones papa had. The man had a strange outfit too, nothing like the ones we had. After a while he stormed off with an angry expression. It wasn’t long before mother came back with a petrified look on her face. She was talking to our chief but I couldn’t make out what she was saying. She came back to our chickee in a hurry. She looked stressed but wouldn’t tell me what happened.
I woke up to my mother frantically shaking me. She urged me to get up. The atmosphere was still and dark with crickets still chirping as the sun was barely visible. Loud gunshots rung through the air. My mother and I frantically rushed to the creek near our camp. We hid there for what felt like forever the gunshots stopped and my mom told me to stay where I was. She came back seconds later and pulled me out of the creek. the camp looked dead very little members were there but chief was standing in the center of camp telling us to stay calm as the rest of the day was injured members coming back and healers trying to help them by the time it was nightfall the majority of the camp was back, mother tucked me and my doll Dolly in, and I was quick to fall asleep.
I woke up scared this morning. The chief is discussing the war we had last night. He said it will happen many more times before we are safe. I don’t want to go through this again. I looked at my nervous mom. She told me it would be ok but I knew she was sugar coating it.
Another war broke out, much later in the day this time, even fewer members came back. My mom looked distraught. It was the quietest the camp has ever been. I could barely sleep. I felt scared and nervous. The next morning my mom and I woke up to the loud noise of the chief talking. I didn’t hear much of what he said but it sounded urgent. I followed my mom as we all made our way into the forest. We are in the trees as I write this. It’s wet and damp. I want to go home.
We arrived back at home when the sun was setting. The soldiers came to our camp, but they couldn’t see us in the trees. The chief hadn’t stopped staring into the forest. My mom thinks he’s waiting for someone to come back, but no one did. I woke up to the loud bang of gunshots once again much farther from camp this time, we and a few other members hopped into our canoes and sped off down the river. Once we got far enough we hid under some brush hoping for the best but the shots went on through the night. I hope Dolly is ok.
I’m back at camp. It’s been a bit since I wrote, when we arrived back at camp the soldiers were waiting. I dropped everything and ran. My mom badly injured her leg. I hope she will be ok, I don’t want to lose another parent.
It’s morning, my mom’s feeling better but the chief is nowhere to be seen. Two soldiers are at the edge of camp talking to some members from our chickee. They finally left. Soon after, the chief returned. He looked furious; he was yelling at the same members that were talking to the soldiers earlier.
This morning I was awakened to a soldier’s voice. He was screaming at our chief. My mom held me tight. “We have to go somewhere else for a while,” my mom told me. The soldiers escorted us out. I’m not sure what’s happening but I’m scared.
It’s been days of endless travel. I haven’t seen the chief since we left. My mothers leg is still healing, but the soldiers are forcing her to walk on it. All I have left from camp is Dolly and this book. I miss home.
It’s been forever since I’ve eaten food. My mom looks doubtful, I don’t think I can go on for much longer.
Me and my mom have been lagging behind. I can barely walk, many of our group members have died. My moms says that we are close but I’ve given up hope.
We finally made it, but the land is barren and dry. It was still the middle of the day when we arrived. We are right next to a former ally tribe of ours. My mom says it’s really bad, but I’m more worried about the lack of food and water.
The soldiers left this morning. I’m so hungry, my mom went out to find food but it’s been so long. I am so tired I think I’m just going to rest here for a while.