The air was thick, almost like dew

The sun hadn’t risen quite yet, but I knew it would be soon and that meant we didn’t have much time

Ugh, time

We always seem to never have enough of it and are we are either running from it or too it

But for me, time has never been in my favor

As I worked in our small kitchen, if you could even call it that, I began packing as much food as I could

Anything I could fit into my small backpack

Jareko, my oldest brother, began waking my other siblings

He gently picked up my youngest sister, Mara, and put her small body into a sling around his own

“Jerako, where is momma?” I whispered across the room as I shoved a couple oranges into the backpack

He turned his head to me, dark waves catching some of the moon light, and replied softly, “She’s outside with Judd, but Pa is with her setting up the wagon!”

I nod, and finished up packing

An elderly women emerges from the back of the house, hobbling along over to the small dying fire

“You know it’s almost dawn, Erin. They will be here within the hour!” My grandma signed, still looking on the fire

With a simple nod again, I started emptying out every drawer and cabinet

She wasn’t coming this time

With her already having Osteoporosis, she can barely walk but she insisted that if she was to die, she’d die here in this house

I finished up packing the food supplies and ran to the back of the house, where my daughter was sleeping

I cracked open the door quietly and gazed upon my beautiful little girl

Her auburn hair was sprawled out on the pillow and her face was almost glowing under the moon light

Oh, how I wished I could give her a better life

One without running, fighting, and fear

But no matter, right now is not the moment to be thinking such things

Leaning down over her bed, I gingerly scooped her up, capturing her safe in my arms

She steered slightly, but as soon as I started to hum her favorite song, she was back to sleep

“I love you, my dear,” I said in a hushed voice and then I carried her out the front door and to the wagon

Then, without warning, a siren blared, shattering the silence of the night

Gran hobbled out quickly and screamed, “Your time is up! Better run! NOW!”