The Red Eye
271 Words
The peace of the 14th century lasted exactly few days. Kaelen was gathering water from the village well when he saw it: a rusted, metallic glint near the edge of the forest. The Swarmer-Drone.
He sprinted back to the hut, his face pale with a rage born of desperation. Elara was rocking Friction, who was a surprisingly calm baby, her supernova eyes watching the simple movements.
"They found us," Kaelen hissed, grabbing their few belongings.
"What?" Elara snapped, her exhaustion turning immediately into acidic anger. "How? There's no signal here! There's nothing for them to track!"
"The drone survived the jump," Kaelen said, his tactical mind a war zone. "It’s broadcasting. We have hours, maybe less, before the next wave arrives. We have to jump further back."
"No." Elara stood her ground, her voice raw. "I just had a baby, Kaelen! I can barely stand! I haven't slept, I haven't eaten solid food. This is hell. This is not a life. I am a mother, not a damn inter-dimensional fugitive!"
"If we stay here, we die!" Kaelen roared, his own frustration boiling over. "They will take her from us! They will use her powers to destroy everything! I am trying to keep us alive!"
"I don't care anymore!" Elara screamed, tears of pure exhaustion and rage streaming down her face. "I just want to hold my baby without worrying about a drone tracking her heartbeat! You promised me peace! You promised me a normal life!"
"There is no normal life for a god and his anchor!" Kaelen shot back, gesturing wildly. "This is who we are, Elara! This is the friction!"
- Writer
