Snippet #1678988

Abegail watched Walter climb the boulder. "Be careful, be careful..."Abegail kept the thought to herself. With a glance behind her Abegail saw the men coming closer. "Abigail! I think I know a way that I can slow them down. You need to back up a few steps. I'm sending this boulder their way." With a look back at Walter, Abegail nodded and backed herself away from the boulder. Crouching low she watched Walter brace himself and begin to rock the boulder back a forth.

Debris started to break away and soon the boulder was moving down the hill. Abegail heard it rolling and then the awful noise as it hit one of the men. Closing her eyes, Abegail turned her face away from the sight below her. A slight yell caused her to look back. Abegail watched the second man lose his footing as he had attempted to get out of the path. He fell and there was a sickening thud. Abegail swallowed the bile in her throat. So much death. Standing, Abegail made her way back to Walter. He was breathing hard from the effort of moving the boulder. She reached out her hand to help him stand. There was a silence between them that said they did not like that the men were dead but they had to do something.

Once Walter was ready Abegail followed him along the more worn path. The climb at this point was going to be a bit easier and they walked for a great deal of time in silence. The weight of the men's death sat between them. Finally, licking her lips to get rid of the dust Abegail spoke softly, "Ye know we had no choice. They wouldna let us live. I am na sayin' it doesna bother me, just we had ta." Abegail didn't have the energy to cover the accent better and frankly, she was getting to tired of trying. Lecturing it was better for the students not to have to ask her constantly what she had said. Now, after everything, they were a distant memory and whether or not anyone could understand her didn't matter.

They continued to climb. It was beginning to feel as if they would never reach their destination. The sun was getting very high overhead.