Winner of WattpadESL's World of Words July 2021 Contest 

Storm of Resilience  by starlight_stormfire

The mountains paths were the worst. Whips cracked like lightning, hoarse voices yelled curses, and the children – the broken, defenseless children – kept their gazes on the ground as they struggled to stay on their feet. Tears were a long-forgotten luxury. Every day the journey to death continued; every day hope waned. 

Twelve days into the trek, hope died. 

 It over almost before it began. The caravan of slaves and guards was crossing a mountain pass when one of the youngest girls stumbled over a rock, accidentally running into a guard in her attempt to stay upright. She was given no mercy. 

 Ashen silence fell on the slaves as they watched the guard wipe his sword on her tattered shirt. A disdainful kick was all it took to send her body tumbling down the ravine. 

"Kakghé!" The broken cry tore through the silence like lightning through a storm. Thunder rumbled in the distance as a girl struggled to break free from the man who had grabbed her.

 "Stand down, girl," the guard's rough voice said. "We wouldn't like another accident to occur, would we?" 

Rain started to fall as the overseer stalked toward the girl and her captor. He uncurled his whip and cracked it mockingly. 

Silence fell again when the guard forced her the ground. The whip struck her scar-laced back. She didn't scream; she didn't cry out. With bowed head, she spoke just one sentence. "I love you." 

 Soon the rain was falling in torrents. Strike after strike, nothing more escaped her lips. Buried memories rose and fell; ancient melodies floated through her mind. The thoughts surfaced then slid away, leaving their strength behind. In the end, only one word remained. Endure. 

 Thunder shook the ground and the girl looked up. Her eyes crackled with electricity. 

 Endure. 

 Lightning split the sky.