My legs are blurred underneath me at a pace I have never reached before. My lungs are begging for more oxygen. Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale. This is the one thing I love doing, running always gives me that sensation of freedom, my own free will to roam wherever I please.

I can see Evart a few feet in front of me; I have never understood how we can be related because we look so different. His body is long and lean, made for speed and agility, mine short and tiny, almost fragile looking. The only part that is strong about me is my legs because Evart and I have been on the run for so long. Ever since the dark days arrived we have spent no more than a year in each town. But the one we are running away from right now is different. We had been in this little town for almost four years but now to have to leave, and it pulls at my heart strings. We shared meals with those people, bargained with them at the markets, exchanged stories and jokes. It is the first place I was able to call home in a very long time. I glanced back for a moment, one last memory of the place forever in my mind and then we are hidden by the shadows of the forest. Behind our small town we can see men like soldiers, torches held high, chanting something like a song that I can hear faintly in the wind. The words make my stomach churn.

We will kill.
The ones that lie weak.
We will kill.
The ones with ashen faces.
We will kill.
The ones whose eyes tear red.
We will kill.
Our fires will burn those already dead.


There must have been at least a thousand men, all marching in unison. They were broad shouldered, heavy footed, barbaric human beings; these were the Vikings.

"Avelina it isn't safe, we have to leave. They could set the forest on fire too." Evart beckons, tugging on the sleeve of my shirt. I know he is right but I just want to see what they will do. Of course I already know what they will do; they sang it in their eerie song.

As they march forward into the town, without any mercy or warning, the buildings go up in flames. I can hear the women and children screaming. I can picture the markets with fresh goods and meat being chard into nothingness. That is when I turn towards Evart ready to leave, but it is too late, the salty water soaking my cheeks with the memories that will soon evaporate from my mind. All the precious moment, moments of peace will soon be gone and we will become nomadic just like we used to. I blink quickly before Evart notices my lack of composure.

I speak with what I hope to be a calm and collective voice, "Where are we going?"

"I'm not sure, let’s start walking and we will find out." He gasped, leaning against a tree to relax. He never was much of a runner.

And so we walk, soft steps, leaving our footprints in the mud as black smoke darkens the sky behind us. I try to close off the screams that can still be heard in the distance as we trudge on; unsure of where we are going, but no we aren't staying anywhere close to here.