Keita, Ossouna, Aswad, and Akua, were on their way home from combat training when his friend excitedly approached him.

“Have you heard the news?” Mjumbe asked.

“What is it?” Akua returned.

“Word is most of the people have opted to stay and fight,” he replied.

Akua became reflective. “How many is that?” he asked.

“They estimate about a good two-thirds of the village,” Mjumbe said.

Akua was at a loss for words.

“Let that sink in,” he added, then hastily departed.

The newcomers looked at him.

“How do you feel about this?” Keita asked.

“You mean what am I going to do,” he said, and witnessing him act and speak in so somber a manner was a first for them.

Keita was slow to respond. “Right,” he replied.

“I will fight,” Akua replied morosely.

The newcomers fell silent.

“You don’t have to, you know,” Akua added. “If you feel pressured, you shouldn’t feel like you’re under any pressure. I understand why you may not want any part of this.”

“No one has made any decision,” Ossouna said.

“Right, but you don’t have much time in which to do so,” Akua said. “And, given the short amount of time in which you’ve been here, I don’t expect you’d want to stay with those who do.”

They said nothing.

“Have a good evening,” Akua added then departed.

An unnerving silence came among them.

They continued home steeped in thought.

“What do you think we should do?” Aswad asked, breaking the silence.

“Leave,” Keita replied.

“And you, Ossouna?” Aswad asked.

“I can’t believe I got myself into this,” he said.

“And, what’s your decision?” Aswad pressed him.

“Well, I’m sure not interested in fighting,” he said. “What about you?”

“Same here,” Aswad replied.

“Do you think if we told Akua this, he’d still want to give us training?” Keita asked.

“No,” Aswad said.

“So, there then,” said Ossouna.

“Would you have wanted to stay if we had time to get more training?” Keita asked.

“No,” Ossouna replied.

The others considered what he said.

“I wouldn’t want to stay, period. I want to move on,” Ossouna added.

“We just got here,” Keita said.

“What does that have to do with anything?” Ossouna remarked. “You can stay if you want to.”

“Do you want to, Keita?” Aswad asked.

“I’m playing the devil’s advocate. I don’t care to stay either. I say move on to see what’s next on the list of unwelcome surprises,” he replied.

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“I hear you,” Aswad said.

“Again, how or why did I get myself in the middle of this?” Ossouna remarked.

“Quit beating yourself up, man. You’re beginning to sound like me,” Keita said.

“Right. We would never have been able to see this coming, would we?” Aswad said.

“Not in a million years,” Ossouna replied.

“So, no point in crying about it now, I guess,” Aswad added.

However, mostly the women did cry, and several males liked to think they would be stoic in the face of almost any adversity.

Akua came to the newcomers’ home the following morning.

“I don’t have to remind you of time not being on our side,” he said. “So, to the point, what have you decided?”

Ossouna looked at the others before saying anything.

“We’ve decided we’re going to leave,” he began. “We . . .”

“Okay,” Akua said, and Ossouna thought he looked crestfallen.

“It’s fine,” he added. “You don’t owe me any explanation.”

Although Ossouna was certain he didn’t want anything to do with fighting their foe, he found he felt uncomfortable.

Akua placed his hands on his shoulders. “You need to prepare yourselves to depart then,” he said.

Ossouna shook his head in an upward and downward fashion.

“Go. Go join the others. I know you’ll move as stealthily as a thief in the night until you get to your destination. The time calls for it.”

“Right,” Ossouna said.

“Yagan would be honored to have you,” he said.

“Thank you, sir,” Ossouna said.

“No. Thank you,” Akua replied. “I may not know a lot about you, but I know you’re a great marksman. Your skill with the bow will come in handy.”

“Thanks again, Akua,” Ossouna said.

Akua directed his attention to Aswad.

“It was very brief, but it was a pleasure to meet you,” he said.

“The feeling is mutual,” Aswad replied.

“Go in peace, but show no mercy to any man or beast you may encounter on your way to Yagan that may attempt to harm you, for they will show you none.”

“That I will do,” Aswad replied.

“And, to you, Keita,” Akua said, facing him. He also placed his hands on his shoulders. “I bid you farewell and a safe passage.”

“Thank you, Akua,” he replied.

“Try to remember the little we had time to go over. It should come as a great help in close combat situations.”

“I won’t forget, my friend,” Keita replied.

“So, that’s it,” he said, addressing them all. “It’s that time. I must go meet with the others to learn what are the plans for defending the village.”

“And, of course, we’re to meet with those organizing the evacuation,” Aswad replied.

“So, do that,” Akua said. “You won’t have far to go. A representative for this constituency will address you as a group right here in your immediate area. For you, that would be Dalia.”

“Good,” Aswad said.

“If you step outside, you’ll see the people have already begun to assemble,” Akua said, and they did so.

“I’ve stayed as long as I can. I really must go now.”

“Thank you for everything,” Ossouna said.

The others bid him farewell and watched him disappear between the gathering crowd.

Dalia waited until she felt it thickened to near one hundred percent capacity before she began speaking.

“Okay,” she said. “l know, even for an occasion such as this, there are those who will be late. We can’t afford to wait for them. Let’s begin.”

The assembled anxiously waited for her to continue.

“We are to start the evacuation in two hours,” she said.

A collective sigh came from the crowd.

“That’s right,” she added.

“If you thought we had time to get another night’s rest in, think again.”

A fellow near her raised his arm.

“There is no time to make this into a question-and-answer forum,” she said.

The fellow meekly returned his arm to his side.

“I will be clear, and to the point so we can begin getting out of here. Take every bit of weaponry you believe won’t slow you down or overburden you. Bows, arrows, daggers, swords. Whatever you’re skilled at using, take it. I don’t have to tell you what’s out there and whether or not there is the probability of running into any of it. The point is you have to be prepared. Prepared to take action if it comes down to that. We will be the lead party. I was assigned to take the lead because I’m among those who know the trade route well. That’s it. Pretty simple and straightforward. Get your things together. Say a final word to your loved ones. We leave in just under two hours.”

A groan came from the crowd.

“Disperse, I said,” Dalia ordered. “Prepare yourselves so we can depart.”

The time when she and the others were to leave rapidly approached.

She held her arms open, and Oluso embraced her.

He then held her jaw in the cusp of his hand.

“We traversed the trader’s route many a time together. Are you confident in your memory of it?” he asked.

“I know or recall it like I do the back of my hand,” she replied. “And, many if not most of the main merchants have sworn to go. Should I fall, there is no shortage among us of those who know the way.”

“Very well,” he said. “In your haste, proceed with all caution. We will hold them off here for as long as we can.”

She shook her head in an upward and downward manner then tears streamed down her face.

“Be strong,” he said. “We won’t suffer the devils to be upon us without giving them the fight of their lives. If they come across the plains, we will march and meet them out in the open, and all are sworn to fight to the last man to prevent their arrival here, inevitable though that may be.

“If they come through the forest, again we will fight to the last man, and in the meantime, we will be more vigilant. The lookouts and sentinels will be on high alert, hoping to ward off any surprises.”

“It was always a suicide mission, and you knew it,” she said.

“There is always hope,” he replied.

She shook her head from side to side.

“Believe it!” he demanded. “Go now,” he added. “We have your back. By the grace of the gods, may our stalling them be enough for you to safely reach your destination.”

“Stalling?” she said.

“There is no time,” he replied.

She did not reply.

“Go. The people are depending on you,” he said, and she did as was told.