Jan 12 : Strange Uncle

Dear Diary,

Today Joe and I meet a strange uncle.

We were trying to find a cover from some explosive things that have rained this area for the entire morning. That was when I spotted a cave-like hole in the rubble. We rushed there to avoid getting blasted by those playthings, or as people called them "bombs".

Imagine our surprise when we saw someone crouching there with a full set of green attire, a helmet that looks like a half-cut coconut, and guns. I think we startled him because he directly aimed his gun toward us.

I thought he would shoot us.

Behind us, bombs started to rain down again. Immediately, I dragged Joe inside. Either way, it'll be the same dead-end for us. Either being blasted by the bombs or being shoot by the man.

In the end, he lowered his gun and looked at us with those blue eyes.

This man -or should I say "uncle"- looked kinda old. Although I couldn't see his face -it's dusty and dirty, I still can see wrinkles on his face. But his eyes are surprisingly pretty. They are blueish like jewels. What jewel is it called again? I think Mom called it "blue sapphire". Yes, I think that's the name.

Now I think again, Dad's eyes have the same hue as this uncle's. Mom loves his eyes the most. Too bad that none of us, his children, inherited the gen. But we got Mom's gen in heterochromia, how is that even possible, I'm not sure. Science has never been my forte.

Anyway, we stayed there silently as we waited for the explosion to stop. I got bored. I started to count the rumbling sound to pass the time.

It was at thirty-two count when the earth suddenly quaking. It was so frightening. The rubbles were shaking as if it would collapse again. Funny things, if a collapsed building is called rubble, what do we call a collapsed rubble? Bubbles? Rubbish? Or maybe after collapsing, it will end up as dust and become pollution.

Oh, sorry, I got sidetracked again.

Do you know what happened afterward? We found out that we've been carried outside the rubble.

Yes, you guess right! The uncle brought us out in a matter of seconds!

No, I was exaggerating. I don't know how long, but it should be minutes, not seconds. BUT! From here I realized that he could carry us so easily like we are two feathers instead of two humans! Can I say that I'm ashamed of my weightless existence? Poor me, I should probably eat more than a loaf of bread a day, but I don't think those aunties have more bread to spare for us.

So the uncle not only carried us out, but he also carried us to another building that has yet been destroyed. I noticed some stickiness on my hand when I gripped on his vest. I don't need eyes to know what it is. I'm familiar with that scent. The same scent that I have been smelling on every bloody road that I walked on every day.

When he put us down, he looked at us with that blue eyes of his.

And he smiled.

That was such a sad smile.

He crouched in front of us and run his fingers through our hair. His hands are dirty and there is no doubt that my hair also got some of that dirtiness. But it doesn't feel disgusting.

I think it didn't reach a minute before he stood up again and ran out of the building. He never looked back, so we were left watching his broad back going farther and farther away.

Just like Dad.

I doubt we would meet this uncle again in the future. They tend to "go and never come back". I don't know if it's their policy or what, but...

Dad never comes back.

And it's been 3 years 5 months and 28 days since he left.