The Mamluks (The Mamluks Saga: Episode 1) Read online

  “Try to relax, Madison,” Robert said.

  Madison closed her eyes for a second and breathed out slowly. Then, she opened her eyes, stood up straight and leaped for the edge of the opening. She grabbed the jagged concrete and held on.

  I smiled. “Now pull yourself up.”

  Madison tried to kick her leg up, but it was making her slip.

  “No, don’t do that. Just pull up,” Robert said.

  “I can’t—I’m not strong enough,” she grumbled, holding on for dear life.

  “Yes you can, Madison. Come on,” I said.

  “I can’t—we should have waited—I’m exhausted,” she cried.

  “You can do it, Madison. Just pull,” Robert said.

  She let out an animated scream, pulling as hard as she could. Gradually, she went up higher and higher.

  “Keep going,” I said.

  Madison kept screaming as she pulled and got her knee over the edge. And to finish, she leaned forward and climbed to the surface.

  “Yes!” I cheered, pumping my fist.

  “Way to go, Madison,” Robert said, smiling.

  He went next and got to the surface. Lastly, I climbed the stepping stones and jumped to the edge. I quickly pulled myself up and crawled to the surface. The three of us sat there for a moment, looking up at the sun, smiling and laughing.

  Then, I saw a light flashing in the distance. I paused and stared at it. The light was getting closer and closer.

  “Shit, it’s them,” I huffed, pointing.

  We looked around in a panic.

  “Over there!” Madison said, pointing at a set of scattered concrete.

  We ran to the biggest piece and ducked down. Within seconds, I heard a ship landing nearby.

  “They found us,” Madison whispered, shivering.

  “Just stay still,” Robert said.

  I turned my head and peeked through a crack in the concrete. The ship was parked about ten yards away. The ramp came down, and two soldiers walked out. They stood there for second, then marched toward us. I shuddered as I watched them get close.

  “Check over there,” one of them said, pointing to his right.

  The other soldier marched ahead. The one coming at us stopped about six feet away. He stayed still and sniffed the air, scanning the area like an eagle.

  “Let us leave. It was probably an animal,” the other soldier called out from afar.

  The soldier stayed for a moment. Finally, he turned around and headed back to the ship with his partner. When they took off, I closed my eyes and sighed.

  We stayed put for a while.

  “All right. I think it’s safe now,” Robert said, crawling forward.

  I stood up and checked the skies. The area was clear. But there was no time to celebrate a small victory. “Let’s keep moving.”

  Chapter 22

  I was standing by my bed, rubbing my stomach. The thought of being a mother was terrifying—especially in these circumstances. Even so, it was something to look forward to. And for the first time, I thought that maybe I could find a place in this new world.

  “Hello, Emily,” someone said from the entrance, turning me around.

  I smiled, realizing it was Bridget. “Oh, hey. How are you?”

  “In a lot of pain.”

  “That makes two of us.” I waved her inside. “Come in and have a seat with me.”

  I sat on the bed. Bridget limped over and sat beside me.

  “How do you feel about all this?” she asked.

  I waited a moment, staring into the hallway. “I’m afraid.”

  “So am I.”

  I looked at her, wondering. “Did your mate tell you why?”

  Bridget nodded sadly.

  Sharing my worries with her made me feel a lot better. “I’m really glad you stopped by. I get so lonely being in this room all day.”

  “I know. It’s dreadful. I would rather be in fields digging.”

  We sat there all night, escaping our troubles with memories and small talk. And later on, when the sky turned blue, we lay down and fell asleep.

  I dreamt about Andrew. We were walking down the Santa Monica Pier at night. My hair was blowing in the wind, and Andrew was holding me from behind. Then, he dropped something and went down to pick it up. But before rising, he surprised me and pulled out a ring. He asked me to marry him. I said yes.

  Andrew jumped up and hugged me. He lifted me into his arms and spun me around. Then he set me down and kneeled. I cried as he put the ring on my finger. Finally, Andrew got up and tried to kiss me. But a thunderous boom shuddered through us, and we spun our heads up to look at the sky.

  At first, I saw a bunch of lights in the distance. When they got closer, I realized they were coming from a group of spaceships. Lasers came out of the ships and blasted everything.

  We dropped down, and Andrew covered me. A laser hit the pier, and we fell into the water. But we kept falling, going deep under water. Slowly, Andrew faded into the dark waters, and my ring came off.

  I fell through the water and landed on a sandstone roof. I was naked now, and Adomas was standing over me. He reached down and said, “Get up—Emily.”

  Suddenly, I woke up to Bridget shaking me.

  “Emily—wake up. Your servant brought us food.”

  I sat up and saw Audrey setting a tray on the table by the bed.

  “My servant?” I said with a raspy voice.

  “Yes. They assigned me to you,” Audrey said.

  I sat there, staring at the food. Audrey left the room. Bridget went to the tray and began to eat. I looked on in a daze.

  “Emily? Get up.”

  Part Two – Nine Months Later

  Chapter 23

  I was lying on my bed naked with a blanket tucked under my head. Adomas was standing by the window with his arms crossed, looking at me with a grave stare. Giedre, the Mamluk caregiver, was rubbing a soothing gel all over my body.

  “Push, Emily,” she said. “Push.”

  I grabbed the sheets, closed my eyes and took a huge breath, pushing hard as Giedre rubbed the gel between my legs. Slowly, I felt the baby’s head come out. I kept pushing, and the sweat from my face was dripping onto my lips. I opened my eyes and blew out in spurts, flinging the sweat to my chest.

  “I see your spawn, Emily. The birth is almost complete,” Giedre said.

  Finally, the baby came out, gradually releasing the pressure on my body. And I blacked out.

  It felt like seconds before I was up again. I saw Giedre standing by the bed, cradling an enormous infant.

  “It is a male,” Adomas said, smiling over the baby.

  Giedre stepped forward and kneeled by me.

  I cried tears of joy as I leaned over, staring at his beautiful blue eyes. “He’s gorgeous.”

  “You must name him, Emily,” Adomas said.

  I looked up at him, surprised—assuming he would be more controlling. “I’m not sure. I don’t know any Mamluk names.”

  “Then he will have a human name.”

  I looked down and studied our son long and hard as he twitched in Giedre’s big hands. Finally, I shook my head. “No—I want him to have a Mamluk name.”

  Ironically, Adomas gave me a surprised look.

  I glanced at Giedre. “What do you think?”

  She looked up at Adomas, like she was asking for approval. He gave her a nod. Giedre flashed a warm smile. She kindly looked down at the baby and watched him for a moment.

  “Juozas.”

  I pondered the name for a second, nodding. “I like it.”

  Adomas stepped forward and kneeled. “Juozas—my spawn.”

  Chapter 24

  By destroying William Mulholland's water system, the Mamluks had turned Los Angeles into a desert again. During our travels, we managed to find some food and supplies in the scattered rubble throughout the land. But now, even that recourse had dried up.

  We were on a mountain, far from any Mamluk activity. I woke up and found Madison
spitting a dead squirrel and setting it over an open fire. I coughed and wheezed as I sat up, crawling to her.

  “Good morning,” I said with a scratchy voice.

  “Hey,” she said miserably, taking a seat by the fire.

  Afterward, Robert came back with a rusted bucket of water from the drying creek at the bottom of the mountain. He set it down on the fire, next to the roasting squirrel. We waited a while until the squirrel looked ready.

  Robert grabbed the sweater I had gotten in the sewers and used it to take the spit off the fire. Lastly, he took the bucket of boiling water off the fire and put it next to the spit. We waited a little while longer until everything cooled down.

  After eating, we passed the bucket around and took a swig. The water tasted like rubber. But by now I was used to it. I coughed hard, feeling intense pressure in my face. My condition was getting worse by the day. And Madison and Robert weren’t far behind. Sadly, I finally realized a terrible truth. We were dying—slowly. Even without asking, I knew that they felt it, too. Still, I was happy knowing that we would at least be dying free.

  Robert exhaled. “I need to ask you two something—something I’ve never talked about before.”

  “Sure,” I said.

  “Go ahead,” Madison said.

  Robert took a moment before continuing. “I don’t know if either of you believe in God, but I do. And, I wanted you to know I’ve been praying for us.”

  I nodded. “I believe in God.”

  Madison shook her head. “I don’t.”

  “And that’s fine, Madison. But I would really appreciate sharing prayer with both of you,” he went on. “You don’t have to say it with me or anything. It would just make me feel better—knowing our time on Earth may be coming to an end.”

  “I wouldn’t mind,” I said.

  Madison shrugged. “It’s all right with me.”

  Robert got closer and took our hands. Then he closed his eyes and bowed his head.

  “Dear, God. I ask that you watch over my friends and I during this difficult time. Give us peace in our final days—and bless those who are suffering as slaves. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.”

  Chapter 25

  Adomas took me and Juozas to a ship parked outside the building I had been living in. It was a fancy looking aircraft, too—unlike the ones the soldiers used. When we got close, Adomas lifted his arm and pressed a button on his device. A ramp popped out, and he allowed me to go in first.

  I walked up the ramp and looked around. There were huge cushioned seats built into the walls, and handles right above them—like the ones you would find on a subway. We took a seat near the front of the ship. There was a soldier operating the controls inside a narrow cockpit.

  Adomas grabbed a handle. Then, he grabbed the one above me with his other hand and moved it down a few levels so I could reach it. I pressed Juozas into my chest hard and took hold of the handle with my other hand.

  “We are ready, Soldier,” Adomas called out.

  The pilot took off shortly after. Minutes later, we landed, and the ramp opened up. There was a deafening celebration going on outside. Adomas stood up and put his hand out toward the uproar. “For you, Emily.”

  I moved ahead in a daze and cautiously walked down the ramp, holding Juozas tight. There were thousands of soldiers standing in parallel lines, dancing and throwing their hands in the air while reciting a phrase. I listened carefully, looking from side to side in total confusion.

  “We have birth—here on Earth—we have birth—here on Earth!”

  When I got to the end of the line, I came upon an enormous, beautifully crafted sandstone building. The steps were long and wide, with giant pillars going across that supported the upper levels.

  Suddenly, everyone stopped. I turned and looked around. They were all staring at me. And from behind, I heard someone approaching. I turned back around and looked up the steps. There was a Mamluk standing at the top, staring at me with a smile. As she walked down the steps, I studied her closely. She had long, salt and pepper hair. But her face looked as young as mine. She was wearing a hooded blue cloak that showed her arms, revealing a device, and some strange sandals.

  I trembled as she got close, thinking she was going to take Juozas from me. Finally, she moved off the steps and stopped in front of me. I blinked nervously as I stood under her shadow.

  “Emily of Earth. I am Dalia, Ruler of all Mamluks.”

  I was surprised to hear this, having thought Adomas was their leader.

  “You were chosen to birth the spawn of our Champion.” She paused and caringly glanced at Adomas. “Now, you bear the responsibility of nurturing his spawn into a worthy successor.”

  My heart rate increased dramatically. I exhaled and propped Juozas up a little.

  “Do you accept this responsibility?”

  I glanced at Adomas. “Yes, I do.”

  Dalia flashed a loving smile. And right after, along with Adomas and all the soldiers, she kneeled and bowed her head. It was a breathtaking experience—looking around at all these astonishing creatures—bowing to little old me.

  “Whoa,” I huffed out, getting teary eyed.

  After a few seconds, Dalia lifted while everyone else stayed down. She revealed a shiny, off-white marble that was linked to a golden necklace. Dalia opened the necklace and put it on me.

  “Soon—you will become one with our greatest power.”

  I looked down and checked the marble. There was something moving inside it. I narrowed my eyes and touched it.

  “Wow. Thank you.”

  Dalia put her hand out and said, “Rise.”

  The crowd leaped up and went back to dancing and cheering.

  Dalia reached out to Adomas.“My Champion.” Then she looked at me “Come, Emily.”

  We went to the top of the steps and faced the crowd. I couldn’t help but smile as I watched them dance around. Feeling greatly welcomed and overjoyed, I looked at Juozas and whispered, “We have birth. Here on Earth.”

  Chapter 26

  It was still early in the day. But I was exhausted. I went to my usual spot and tried to get some sleep. Madison was sitting by the fire. Robert was organizing a pile of brushwood.

  My eyes began to flicker. Then, I saw Madison shaking, looking behind me like something was about to kill me.

  “Look out!”

  I quickly turned my head and saw a mountain lion running at me. It pounced on me and went for my neck. Robert came out of nowhere and tackled it off me. I staggered to my feet and helped him fight it off.

  Still, the lion was relentless. It came right at us, leaping through the air and knocking us to the ground. Madison kicked the fire at the lion, but that didn’t scare it off. She picked up a stick from the pile of brushwood and swiped at the lion. But it ignored her and kept attacking me and Robert.

  Madison hit the lion hard and it finally turned around. Robert and I were scratched up and bleeding now. We struggled to our feet and went after the lion. It jumped on Madison and pinned her to the ground. She dropped the stick and I quickly picked it up.

  I swung at the lion wildly, trying to scare it away. But it wasn’t working. Robert tried to grab the lion’s head, but it was too fast. Still, that move got it away from Madison. She got up, and we charged the lion as a group. It backed up and carefully stalked us.

  Seconds later, the lion rushed ahead and leaped through the air. We met it head on and went to the ground. Madison and I tried to hold the lion down while Robert tried to grab its head. But it was able to break free.

  We staggered to our feet, bleeding, taking huge breaths. The lion came at us again. We kicked at it and made loud noises. Then, we waved our arms high over our heads and screamed. The lion paused and growled, swiping at us.

  We moved toward it, keeping our arms up, screaming at it. The lion backed away a little as we got closer. We stomped the ground, eying the relentless beast. And finally, it ran off.

  Still, we stood our ground and waited a moment.
When the adrenaline wore off, I collapsed. Robert fell to his knees and checked the gashes on his arms. Madison stumbled to the ground and took a deep breath.

  “I think we should find a new home,” I wheezed, feeling the wound on my neck.

  Robert and Madison nodded together and said, “Yeah.”

  Chapter 27

  My new room was three times the size of the first and placed with elegant furniture. I walked to the oval cradle across from my bed and gently placed Juozas inside. He was giggling adorably and reaching for me with his chubby fingers.

  “What are you doing?—what are you doing?” I said playfully, waving my hand over his fingers.

  Audrey walked into the room and came to me. “Hello, Emily.”

  “Hey, Audrey. How are you?”

  She shrugged and put her hands together. “I’m all right. They brought me here this morning and showed me to my new room. So, I guess I’m still your servant.”

  I looked up at the high ceiling. “Yeah, this is my new home.”

  “Would you like me to get anything for you or the baby?”

  “Oh no, we’re fine.” I smiled and looked back at Juozas. “Aren’t we? Yes we are—yes we are.” I paused and released a silly laugh, gushing. “Ah, this is so wonderful.”

  Audrey let out a depressing sigh. “I’m happy for you.”

  I glanced at her and finally realized how rude I was being. “Oh, God. I’m sorry, Sweetheart.” I reached out and hugged her. “I’m just…overwhelmed by all this.”

  “It’s OK.”

  I let go. She backed away and nervously scratched her arm.

  “Well, I have to get going and prepare your next meal.”

  “All right. I’ll see you around.”

  I watched her closely as she left, feeling bad for her. She had grown up a lot during my pregnancy. The innocence I'd seen in her eyes when we first met was replaced with a hopeless stare.

  As I stood there, losing the emotional high I had been on, a familiar voice cheered me up again.

  “Oh my God, where's the baby?” Katie said, hurrying to me from the entrance with her arms out.