VI - Marcus and Auralius

Marcus’s ears sent a message to his brain telling him there was no noise or sound to report, in fact a level of silence had been reached. An acknowledgement message went back and automatically his eyes scanned for anything that night cause sound. The branches of the trees were quiet to inaudible, the grass did not move and the bulk of the air was still. He looked at the river and it gave nothing. He breathed in and out through his nose to smell his surroundings as his eyes and ears had given him nothing. He could smell the fresh countryside and it made him feel light-headed. Where was everybody, everything?, but he had an inner peace, a tranquillity, a safe place. Then out of nowhere there was a murmur and is senses homed in on it and there was Auralius lying, sleeping. His murmurs were of sleep and only carried the gist of a word; nff for no. Marcus moved towards him, his sandaled feet swooshing through the long grass.

 

‘I can, I can, cannot, cannot, for I cannot’ Auralius murmured, he was dreaming, his head rolled from side to side repeatedly. Marcus stood stock still and Auralius turned his head to where he was, searching for a sound. He lifted his chin to lower his ears. ‘Who is there?’ he garbled.

 

‘It is me, Marcus’

 

‘Then I know I should be awake’ he said as he felt himself drift towards the edge of sleep. He became aware of himself, the weight of his body and his eyes opened. Without missing a heartbeat he got up and washed his face in the river and faced Marcus who said nothing. ‘We will make to the house on this patrol’

 

‘Sir’

 

‘And check out the terrain’ he said looking at Marcus who didn’t look like replying. ‘And the new houses’ Marcus nodded. ‘But we will wait for the others’ and looking upstream  at an angle to the heights of the hills there were six others; the rest of the contubeunium.