Chapter 11

"Hey, Glen. I didn't know you are on night patrol," Bella asked as she walks towards me. I chuckled lightly and said, "Yeah. I didn't know that I was even on night patrol as well. Sergeant just went in our quarter and called me." She laughs as well and looked at the sky. I did what she did and looked up at the sky as well. It suddenly became quiet as we only stared at the starry night sky. "I miss my family. How about you? Do you miss them?", Bella suddenly questioned me. I looked at her, "Of course. I do miss them. It's been months since I've seen them." She then looked at me, "I feel the same as you. They have been the only people who are with me especially my siblings. I was mostly with my siblings because of school and college. I'm one of the older siblings so my older siblings and I move to different places that are near our college." I nodded, "We are almost the same. My siblings and I work together on a mountain to collect wood and sometimes we farm. My mother is the only guardian who takes care of us now." She looked at me like she was curious, "Where's your father then?". "My father died due to lung cancer and my sibling... well, brain tumor," I said to her. She looked sorry but kept quiet.

Bella looked at the gate, squinting her eyes. She looked like she was trying to check something outside from the gate. Bella stared outside the gate, "Is that-?". She was cut off when a bullet pierced into someone's shoulder. "Get down!", a Sergeant shouted. We did what we were told and we got down, using the wall as our shield. The siren rang around the whole building. Soldiers getting their guns ad running to their different parts of the buildings. We haven't even gone to the enemies' base and the war is already starting.

I held Bella's wrist and dragged her to a safer place. Guns were firing everywhere. Soldiers lying with blood around them and some are even injured. It was total chaos. I did not want to see what was happening. My mind is getting hazy and I almost lost my balance. Bella stopped running and shook my shoulder, "I'm going to find Vangie and you try to find Joey." Before I could even answer, she already let go of my shoulder and ran away. I tried to find Joey as well. It almost felt like deja vu. I stumbled upon the clinic and saw Joey being bandaged on the stomach. I became relieved knowing that he is fine but I ran back to the chaos and tried shooting some of the terrorists who came inside the building. My heart was beating so fast and I felt like I couldn't beat properly. I was sure that I was going pass out in a few minutes. I was hyperventilating that I could not understand my surroundings. I did not know where I was going as I was trying to find Joey. My vision became blurry when I saw a figure in front of me. The figure was familiar so I ran to them. The figure caught me and I passed out.

Waking up in a medical room wasn't on my bucket list yet I was here. I checked my surroundings and I calmed down a bit when I realized when I was in our campus's medical room. Soldiers lying down on different beds that are inside the room. The doctors checking on the patients. I was lucky as I only passed out and wasn't injured but I was still worried about the injured soldiers. As I was resting, I remembered about Joey and immediately sat up. My head immediately started hurting because of how I quickly sat up. I held my head with my hand while groaning in pain. "Hey, man. Are you alright?", I heard someone ask beside me. I looked at the person and saw Joey who looked worried. I looked at him, my face clearly showing that I'm angry. I smacked his head and pinched his ear. "What the heck? Ouch! That hurts. Stop!", he shouted a little so he wouldn't disturb the other patients with his noise. "That's for not trying to find me earlier," I said to him as I stopped pinching his ear. "Earlier? You mean yesterday?", he asked. "Was that yesterday? I thought that was just earlier. I guess I was knocked out for hours," I said as I scratched my head, trying to remember the events before I passed out. "How is Bella?", I asked Joey as he looked at me with his eyebrow raised, clearly teasing me. *Not this again.* "Are you worried about your girlfriend- What the? Ouch! Stop hurting me," he got cut off as I smacked his head again. "Just tell me, Joey," I said angrily at him. "Okay. Fine. She's fine. She's with Vangie right now at their quarter. So stop worrying for her," Joey said as I just nodded my head. I laid back down on the bed and sighed. *What's going to happen?*

I went out of the medical room after I rested well there. I went to our quarter and tried finding my letter and the sent letters by my family. I rummaged my bag and in every pocket. I don't think that the letters I just keep. It is more of a priceless collection that is precious to me. Every letter that was sent to me is important especially since I don't see much of my family anymore. After searching the letters, I went outside where I can be alone and read the letters privately. My most favorite letter is from my letter. It shows that she has improved in writing though there are some parts I don't understand. Her grammar is a bit off but still alright. I also feel the emotions while she was writing her letter to me. The dried tears on the paper as the evidence.

Dear brother,

I know I have bad handwriting but I'll try to write a letter to you. I actually had to ask mother to allow me to write a letter for you. I hope you are safe there and always eating proper meals. I heard that you have a friend and I wish to meet him soon once the war is done. I also hope you have a new girlfriend because you've been kind of lonely here. I also have been dreaming of all of us being complete with our oldest sister and father as well. Both of them are happy while we are all together. They also said something like, "We are happy because you all are. Please also do tell Glen that I am proud of him and I'm sorry that I never told him that. The same goes for all of you, I am very proud of what you are achieving. I am sorry that we had to leave so early." Our oldest sister also said, "I am very sorry that I pushed all of you to do things that you don't like. I am just scared that something may happen to you and you won't succeed and might feel down in the future. IT is because I, myself, didn't finish school so you all could study." Well, that's all they said, and my hand kind of hurts from writing so that's all. Bye, big brother.

Love,

Your sister

I wanted to write a letter to them though I know it can't be sent due to the war.

Dear family,

The war has started and I am fine. Many things have happened during the war but here I am, alive and well. I hope you are fine with the others. Do not worry about me too much. My comrades and I are dealing with the situation. I am praying for your safety as well since I cannot be there with you. Everything will be fine for me here. Please be safe for me.

As I finished writing the short yet meaningful letter, a tear dropped on the letter. Slightly wetting the side part of the paper. I couldn't keep myself from crying as I sobbed quietly. I didn't notice that someone was looking at me with pity. Hearing the door open and someone's footsteps, I covered my mouth. I tried to look behind me but instead, I was hugged by not two but for arms. The two people who were hugging me were Joey and Bella. They comforted me with hugs and comforts, saying that everything was going to be alright. I don't know what to do without them. Even though I only knew both of them for a few months, we were like a family. A family not related by blood but by heart.

While there are having their family moment, they didn't notice someone looking at them with a sinister smile. They whispered to themself and laughed quietly.

"Sorry to ruin your moment but I have to end it. Soon."