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Against All Odds
Jeanne E Webster
Against all odds she shouldn ’ t have made it this far ; it was a miracle she wasn ’ t dead . Dragging her tiny body along the jagged gravely ground , she sought immediate relief from the danger . Her pain and the oven-like heat combined to make her efforts more unbearable . She couldn ’ t give up ; she was the sole support for her two little ones awaiting her return with growling tummies and parched throats .
“ Where ’ s Mom ? Why has she been gone so long ?” they wondered . “ We ’ re hungry !” They hadn ’ t eaten since early morning and thought of calling to her but knew it would only make things worse . Mom had taught them early on to stay quiet whenever she was away .
Life was hard this summer , and it was becoming do or die for many a family . “ Maybe we could go for help ,” the youngsters brooded together , trying to be brave . “ No , Mom said never to let others know if you are weak . That ’ s dangerous .” Snuggling close to one another , they decided to stay put and wait . “ Mom will be home soon .” Their home was a small space off the upstairs bathroom . Though hot in the afternoon , it cooled quickly in the evening ; the leaky roof offered some protection from most of the elements .
Crawling now , she inched her way over the rough terrain , scraping one side and then the other , all the while drawing closer to her goal . She could almost smell the water as the vapors in her nostrils told her the shallow pond was very near ; her strength was almost exhausted . A few sips and she ’ d be able to regain enough strength to make it home . One more lunge and then another , she was finally there .
Softly she placed her head down in the warm water and slowly drew in the life-sustaining fluid .
10 DOZ Magazine July 2018