Chapter 31: Bereaved

The Seven Social Sins are:

Wealth without work.

Pleasure without conscience.

Knowledge without character.

Commerce without morality.

Science without humanity.

Worship without sacrifice.

Politics without principle.

From a sermon given by Frederick Lewis Donaldson in Westminster Abbey, London, on March 20, 1925.

"There are so many ways to be brave in this world. Sometimes bravery involves laying down your life for something bigger than yourself or for someone else. Sometimes it involves giving up everything you have ever known, or everyone you have ever loved, for the sake of something greater.

But sometimes it doesn't.

Sometimes it is nothing more than gritting your teeth through pain, and the work of every day, the slow walk toward a better life. That is the sort of bravery I must have now." —Veronica Roth, Allegiant (Divergent, #3)

"Sometimes when you sacrifice something precious, you're not really losing it. You're just passing it on to someone else." —Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet in Heaven

***

Within just several hours of hunger and chaos on the island, bloodshed, and innocent lives were taken for various reasons regarding the loss of the essence of life. Hours' worth of famine should not cause this much pandemonium on the island. If one thinks about it, one will surely arrive at the thought. However, everyone was too preoccupied to come up with a conclusion.

Despite the risk, people roam around the forest, the river, near the waterfall, in the woods, and in the mountains. They scattered everywhere in search of food. Intensely, the desire for food became so drastic to the point that very few of the hungry Balmackians turned into cannibals. The taste of human flesh satiated that craving for meat, something so tender and fatty.

And once they got a taste of that inexplicable scrumptious human flesh, their hunger immediately receded. Their bodies went extremely hot like they had a fever. These people were burning hot all over their bodies, writhing in pain as their throat dries up.

"It's been 20 minutes since Xenia went inside," Arlan broke off the silence between them. "Shouldn't we try to see what's going on?"

Thaniel also thought it was best if they check up on Xenia.

"Let's do that. But what if he decided to end his life that's why it's so quiet?!"

There goes his pessimistic side again. Both of them came crushing, opening the door and realizing that the bodies of the dead were still laying on the floor, dismembered and soaking in their own blood.

Horrifying was one word to describe it but Arlan and Thaniel felt extremely sad, and sorrowful as they glanced over in Xenia's direction. The kid, who was silent all this time, was sitting across the dead bodies right beside the window where his mother and siblings would often stare through and watch for Volcom to arrive back home.

Wondering what Xenia was looking at, avoiding stepping on the dead bodies through the dim interior of the house, Thaniel and Arlan joined Xenia. They both stood behind him, trying to know what he was watching among the trees, flowers, and the paved path through the bushes.

When they could not think of what he was looking at— could not understand if he was either blankly staring outside or gawking in a specific direction, Arlan and Thaniel saw someone's head slowly revealing the entirety of his body as they got closer.

"Isn't that..."

Smilingly approaching with a large amount of fish he had caught, Volcom noticed that Xenia and his friends were looking directly in his direction. Gaily waved his hand and the smile caused his eyes to close while his yellowish teeth flashed in their eyes.

Then, all of a sudden, the siblings just realized that Xenia hopped out of the window, staggering on his way toward his joyous father, who was completely unaware of his loved ones' deaths.

"When did he—?"

Xenia screamed at top of his lungs, letting out all of that pent-up anger that built up inside of him through a relatively personal punch. He used a log just laying around, hopping on it to reach his father's face and for Volcom to receive his son's rage.

And right across his face, just when he had opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the tears that were streaming down his son's face.

Xenia's fist was only an inch away from reaching his nose when Volcom was somewhat able to tilt his head to the side before the punch could land. However, he didn't come out unscathed, for Xenia's sharp fist cut through Volcom's skin, causing blood to drip down his face.

And Xenia was caught by his father after Volcom let go of his catch in the net and was now confused why his son suddenly tried to smack his face.

"Why would you—"

"Shut up!" Xenia exclaimed.

He began squirming and struggling to free himself from his father's touch but Volcom, who was baffled, willingly put him down. But as soon as Volcom let go of Xenia, the latter instantaneously attacked and aimed for his father's balls, which the man almost could not avoid.

Followed by Xenia's actions was his continuous desire to hurt his father. To make him understand the pain he was in by beating the crap out of Volcom.

"What's wrong with you, Xenia?" Volcom asked as he meticulously dodged every punch and kick thrown at him. "Tell me if there is something wrong! I'm not a damn fortune-teller or something!"

Seeing his son break down in tears, his face full of sorrow as each punch packs an unimaginable amount of guilt and rage, Volcom had just noticed the traces of blood on Xenia's legs and hands. Then abruptly, his thoughts fell under the house, to his daughters and wife, who should be greeting him by now.

"It wouldn't have happened if you were here! They... Mom and my sisters... None of them would..."

Xenia just lost all of his strength right there and then, collapsing on his legs while tears kept gushing from his eyes.

"No, no, no, no! Please don't be true!"

"Agh! Why did you have to leave, Dad? If only you had stayed home, t-they might still be alive!"

Volcom's heart felt like it was wrapped in a rose's stem, which was exponentially getting tighter with each heavy step he took toward his house. His feelings were so heavy, trying to erase the negative thoughts in his mind as hard as possible. He could not hear anything but only his heartbeat that was thumping so hard inside his chest.

He grabbed onto the window, peeking inside through the open space. The worried look on his face quickly switched to a lifeless expression. His eyes grew bigger upon slightly getting a better look inside.

The cruel fate of his family came into view. And Thaniel and Arlan never saw a grownup— an adult whimpering his eyes, heart, and voice out.

~