Chapter 18: Act 1: Chapter 13

Fourteenth day, Fourth Moon, 236 AC

"Shovel faster damn you!"

"Got a breach over here!"

"This boulder is coming loose! The dirt's being washed out too quickly!"

"Everyone get that rock! Grab a rope damn you! Don't let that rock loose! HOLD!"

"We need to keep the water from seeping through! It's loosening the whole wall!"

"We've got flooding further east! It's coming around!"

"Alright, keep this wall secure! I'll grab two men and start building the wall northwards!"

Two days. Two days of flooding. Spring had finally arrived, after six long years of winter, and it was making its displeasure at being delayed known. All the snow melt had inflamed the rivers, causing a massive rise in water levels. However, two days ago something must have happened because they water level rose even farther causing massive flooding.

My farm was lucky, in that our river had a deep lip that prevented major flooding from occurring on our farm. We still built up a wall just in case, but it seemed we would be fine.

The village however was in shambles. It was located near the conflux where four rivers join and flow out to the ocean, and this left it in a dangerous predicament. The village had a basic floodwall to it's south along the riverbank, but it was not meant for the sheer volume of water the village was now facing.

It became overwhelmed quickly, and we all showed up to help build it up and reinforce it. We had just made it over the bridge near the village before it was washed out, so I had not seen my family in two days.

Everyone in the village was helping as some were moving food and valuables away from the river and to a hopefully safer spot. Others, like myself, were trying our best to stop the flooding from wiping out the village in the meantime. Very quickly, the water raised above the floodwall and we tried to build up, but it was a losing fight. All we were doing was allowing the villagers time to save as much as they could, but it seemed every time we got something done, ten more problems appeared.

Now the flooding was racing northwards and looked to be surrounding the village. I grabbed two men and began to build a ditch as best we could to buy time.

It was a few hours later, as the water began to overtake our meager work that a child ran up to us and told us that everyone was abandoning the village, and they were retreating the North-East, away from the water.

We hurried from the quickly overflowing ditch and followed the child to where the group of villagers were staying. They managed to find a small hill about twenty minutes North-East of the village that was big enough to fit everyone. There appeared to be no water in sight, so everyone was just sitting on the ground looking a little lost. Some families were weeping as they had lost people over the past few days and others just huddled together.

Time to step up then. I cleared my throat and said, "Alright everyone, listen up! We need to get set up until the water recedes! All food and animals go to the middle of the hill! Everyone set up an area to sleep in a circle around the food stores. Then I'll need some men to go and cut down some trees for some fires! Then some other men can start digging a ditch around the hill! We don't know how long we will be here for, so we need to get comfortable. Let's get some nice big fires going and get ourselves warm!"

As we all went about our tasks, I spared a thought for my family and hoped they were alright. Zane and Ethan had come with me to help the villagers, while Koryn had stayed with our families. They had managed to save a canoe, so we were planning to try and find our way back tomorrow once the villagers were secured and ready to wait out the flood.

The work was hard, but as we continued to labor throughout the day we managed to build a ditch around the camp and had some shelter up for the young and the old. Some fires were going to help keep people warm and cook food, and we kept an eye on the oncoming water. Before night fell though, it started to rain, just a drizzle at first but with increasing intensity.

It was a cold, wet, miserable night. The dark was all-encompassing, with a weight so great we could feel it pressing down against us. The fires eventually went out underneath all the rain, leaving us all huddled together on the lone, wind and rain-swept hill.

Eventually morning broke, and with it a cloudy sky, but mercifully without a hint of any rain. It appeared the water wasn't rising much more and was still a good distance from the hill. Zane, Ethan and I decided it was time to go back to our farms to check on them. The villagers should be fine for now, and we needed to see our families.

We grabbed a canoe and started to hike eastwards, skirting around the water and the rivers. It took most of the day to hike through the forest around the rivers and come back south. Eventually we reached the un-named lake that was east of our farms, and we could see that it was swollen and had done a number on the surrounding area.

We cautiously got into the boat and began to make our way down the river to our homes. We reached my farm first, and I was calling out before we had even made land.

"Nyra?! Are you there?" I shouted at the top of my lungs.

I could hear a door slam open and then her response, "Michael! Are you alright?"

As we pulled up along the riverbank I could see Nyra and Violet running towards me. I hopped out of the canoe and quickly made land and tied off the canoe. I knelt and let Violet jump into my arms.

As I picked her up she whispered through her tears, "You were gone so long!"

I whispered back to her, "I know sweetie, but I'm here now. It'll be alright." She continued to cry. "Hush now honey, I've got you."

I turned to Nyra and kissed her. She looked exhausted and just as worried as Violet.

She whispered into my ear, "It's good to see you back." She turned top her father and brother and hugged them as well. "Both of you too. What happened?"

Her father grunted, "Bloody flood. It took out the bridge and went over the floodwall. Had t' give up the village in the end, but we got everything out first. Any word from your mother or Koryn?"

She shook her head, "Not since yesterday. We were lucky here, no damage to any buildings. But some of the western pasture and field was washed out. The path washed out too, but both of your places are fine."

Zane and Ethan sighed in relief. Thunder sounded in the distance, and dark clouds started to crowd the horizon.

"Damn. We need t' get back before dark and that bloody storm. You three take care now, y' hear?"

With that, Zane and Ethan took off through the fields and made their way to their homes.

I stood there with Nyra at my side and Violet in my arms enjoying the closeness of them.

I broke the silence with a soft voice, "How bad are the fields?"

Nyra replied, "The pasture is beat, but not that important, though a good bit of fence is washed away. The field that was washed out lost a lot of good soil. Too muddy to tell properly now, but it might be a weak harvest."

I nodded, "Could have been worse I suppose. The water doesn't seem to be rising still, but its not showing any sign of relief. I'll reinforce the riverbank more tomorrow."

Thunder sounded again in the distance, but closer this time.

Violet sniffled in my arms, "Can I sleep in your bed?"

I readjusted her in my arms and replied, "Of course sweetie. I'll even tell some of your favorite stories, and we'll play a nice game, just the three of us. How does that sound?"

I could feel Violet's smile against my chest.

"Do you know what they say about the rain Violet?"

She shook her head.

"It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you…"