Full Circle

Greta thought that she could out run the war without catching sight of any of the aftermath. That was a big mistake of her design.

It has been a day since Greta had left The Tower Of Hope to continue her journey north. David supplied her with filters and winter gear before she left saying he won't need it living in the tower. She finds herself on a hill with snow falling are her in its hypnotic dance. She remembers playing in the snow as a child. She knelt down and made a snowball from the freshly fallen powder. She stood staring at it falling back into her memories.

"I will find a way to survive this and I will share these memories with children of my own." She crushed the snowball before walking on.

She found herself more determined now than she was when she had first started her journey. She wanted to live long enough to learn what her purpose was and why she was chosen for it. That was when a black airplane flew over head and dropped a bomb into a nearby valley. After the explosion settled the sounds of screams echoed out with the towers of smoke. After shaking herself free of shock she ran for the valley. Her legs burned as the snow latched onto her legs and the snow underfoot shifted with its own mind.

"Hang on guys. I don't know you but I am coming to you." Greta was determined to make something out of this chance to help people.

The screams of pain got louder as she started to see the crest that leads into the valley. When reached a lookout point the snow underneath of her went into a free fall. She tried to run but the snow was too soft for her to get a foot hold pulling her down with it. She closed her eyes hoping it would take the fear away and it worked, until she hit the bottom. She landed on her back knocking the air out of her lungs. When she opened her eyes the world was fuzzy from the impact and loss of breath. She took a few moments to collect herself and then opened her eyes. She saw broken homes and body parts that littered the world around her. The biggest difference was that no one was screaming anymore and the world had gone silent.

"Hello!" Greta yelled out to no response.

"Is anyone still alive!" This time in response she heard a knocking noise.

The knocking seemed like it was coming from a house that was nearby. The hard part was the house was surrounded by twelve feet of snow which blocked off the doorway. The knocking came again drawing Greta closer and closer to the home. She got to the home and found a ladder that gave her access to the roof of the home where she found a gap in the boards. The gaps in the boards allowed her to see the inside of the attic where an injured woman stood with a baby.

"Hey I am going to get you out of there!" She yelled to the lady inside the attic.

"I can't move, my leg is broken!" The lady called back.

"Don't worry you will make it out." She yelled in response.

Greta started kicking at the fractured boards that made up the outside of the attic. The boards started breaking apart slowly making the hole in the roof larger. A loud creak came from inside the attic accompanied by a scream from the lady who started pulling herself closer with her baby in tow. Greta kept kicking with all of the strength that she had left when the hole was finally big enough to pull the lady out. Another loud creak came from within the attic again followed by the lady screaming.

"Take my baby hurry!" The lady was frantic holding her baby up for Greta to grab.

"I will take them, but you need to come as well." Greta just barely grabbed the baby.

As she managed to grab the baby the sound of wood cracking came from within the attic. The sound was followed by a torrent of snow that swept the babies mother away cutting her screams like a phone line being cut. Greta got off the roof as fast as she could and just as she got off the snow consumed the house just as it had the lady in the attic. The world fell silent besides the sound of the baby screaming.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh. We will get you to safety young one." Greta said cradling the child in her arms rocking back and forth.

She got to her feet wrapping the baby in her jacket as she started walking to what looked like the only way out. The world was quiet, so quiet that the sound of snow shifting under her feet echoed. Her breathing was hard from the effort she was having to put into walking. In her mind she was determined to get the baby she just rescued to safety. She had never planned on this to be the way she became a mother, but it is what happened and she can't change any of those facts.

"Don't worry young one I will get you to safety." Greta said looking down at the baby whose face was covered in a small mask.

The sight of such a young life gently breathing in her arms brought a new form of happiness to her heart. The babies gentle breathing causing small puffs of fog to appear on its mask. She found a cave that she could sit and rest in just off the path she was following. It was shallow and provided just enough cover to stay out of the snow that fell from unseen clouds that flew above. She looked down at the baby causing a smile to form on her face just at the fact that it was still alive.

"I think I will name you Apollo." She let a small giggle escape from her after naming the baby.