Chapter 5 Sea

" Oh the wind of north set me to south

On my way to work

Occasionally thinking about my left

Are they alive and well?..."

Mendes sang loudly, under the shade of the sails as he looked ahead with a smile.

Many years ago.

" Hey kid, what the hell are you doing? Move that box there."

The old man kicked the boy with his leather boot despite his frail body. He didn't give a damn about his life or death as long as he can work. The value of having worker didn't exist in their health or mentality at this time, they were devoured to the bones, leaving them a few coins to feed off cheap hard breadsticks that were used to feed cattle.

Many poor people struggled in this continent without any food, thus starving and desperate for a bite of bread, yet nobody truly cared about this famine. Temples had limited accommodations and countries had limited funds, so the leftovers were left to die in the back of dark alleys, only to be devoured by their endless hunger.

Of course, many was desperate enough to do crimes for today's food, but the cruel fate of criminals wrote their names on the back of the list.

" Mother, I am here. Look, I bought you some bread and I plucked a few berries from the forest. Also, I fetched some water, drink this."

The young boy fed his sick mother on the bed, diligently cleaning her tattered clothes and dirty face. The old wrinkles on her sick face showed how hard she struggled through her life.

The woman drank the water as she chewed the food that her boy had brought. Even though she wanted to cry and hug her boy, she had no tears that could flow and no strength that could hold her dear child.

" Mendes, my son. Have you eaten yet? Look at your thin body."

The woman sniffled as she touched the rough edge of the clothes which he was wearing. It was dirty and rough, but to her, it was the softest fabric in the world because his son had been wearing this shirt for 5 years after finding it in the dump.

He would wash it carefully every day and sew it together for more use. Obviously, the woman couldn't do anything except for looking at her son with guilt and helplessness.

" Mom, it is alright. I have eaten few berries when I plucked them."

Mendes sniffed his mother's smell, feeling relaxed and happy because she was only his family and she always cared about him. In this cruel world, nothing was softer and gentler than a mother's love for her children.

As a child who grow up with love, Mendes understood the importance of it and continued to strive to protect her remaining life by working hard in the day and learning in the night.

He wasn't shackled by the fate of the poor as he rummage through the thrown books every night. He knew he was smart and talented. Therefore, he never neglected his study.

" Mm, my son is indeed smart. I don't know if I will ever see your child."

She smiled, joking with him in a light tone. Contrary Mendes was depressed when he heard this since his mother had limited time. It was already a miracle that she had managed to live this many years and she was living in the slums.

" Jeez, mom. You will long enough to see me grow old."

Mendes squeezed out a smile to ensure his mother's heart. Unknownst to him, this would be the very last moment of their lives as the fleeting time would take away her to her next journey beyond life.

1 day later.

Step, click*

" Mom, I am here. Where are you?"

Mendes shouted, hugging his food tightly with happiness because he managed to get meat today from the butcher. Hence, he quickly ran to his home, wanting to share with his mother and spend the rest of the day with her.

Drop*

The sound of heavy things dropping on the floor echoed in the empty house as Mendes ran to his mother, only to find her lifeless body.

" Mother!"

His pitiful cry echoed in the valley of the darkness, only to be buried by the sounds of the surrounding.