Chapter 06: The Man(2)

The leaves that broken off from its branch scattered around the road. The wind blew past it as it glided across the skies above.

The wind was chilling.

Especially the dead bodies littered across the ground.

The roads now dyed red, a rotting stench permeated in the air, striking anyone and everyone who came across this scene.

"How cruel." The man looked at the scene in front of him. He closed his eyes and then turned away.

In his arms was the boy, his eyes blindfolded. The man didn't want the boy to see such a scene. This was terrifying, and children should not see this.

The man then shook his head and ran cautiously.

"Let's maneuver around the area. Judging from the blood, those people are freshly killed."

"Mn."

The man brought the boy to a shaded area, protected from any interference from outside.

The man cautiously looked around, seeing that it was safe, he put down the boy and his bag. 

"Let's rest her for a moment before continuing."

The boy nodded, then sat down a few meters away from the man. The man took out a biscuit of some kind and passed it to the boy.

"Eat it. You should eat a lot at this age."

"Okay."

The man nodded his head. He held his rifle as he looked out of the door, peering through the tiniest cracks. 

The boy looked at the man, then to the gun in his arms, before looking back towards him.

"Will someone really kill us?"

The man turned his head to the boy.

"... Yes." The man nodded. "This is a warzone, a battlefield. Anyone who carries a gun would be killed, and the ones without would carry a fate worse than death." 

The man touched his nose and sniffed, "That's why you must always carry a gun with you in this place. At least you could protect yourself."

The boy nodded his head.

"Then..."

"Mm?"

"Then why do people kill each other?"

The man looked at the boy with wide eyes.

Then it narrowed and looked to the side with guilt.

The man let out a tired sigh and grabbed his head, "I don't know, child. I really don't know what other people are thinking."

"As for me, i kill.... to protect myself. Even though I'm dying, there is just something inside me that is afraid of... dying."

He then turned to the door to look out. 

"When you feel that death is approaching, it's terrifying. It brings chills to your whole body, and your mind screams for survival."

But death, when it's finally at your door....

Feels incredibly lonely. 

Even if you had made countless friends, families...

When you are dying, you only feel alone. Loneliness is all you could feel.

Because you are alone. Alone in that empty dark void, forever drifting, waiting for something to change. Or happen.

That's why death feels so terrifying.

"Everyone would experience death, child. When their life in this world is extinguished, they will die and go somewhere."

"To heaven?"

"...Maybe a select few? Those who are truly righteous." The man sighed, "I can't go to heaven child, i have too much blood on my hands, blood that i spilt with these guns."

He showed the guns to the boy, then shook his head.

"But you, child, you could still go to heaven. You hadn't killed yet after all."

"..." At his words, the boy stayed silent.

The man stared at the boy as he hesitated.

"Do you have any more questions that you are curious about?"

The boy turned his head to look at him, and then, with a flat tone, he opened his mouth to speak.

"Then what is the meaning of our existence?"

"..."

The man looked at the boy. 

The boy was really asking him such questions, questions so mature and unfathomable that even he was frightened for the child.

He put his hand on top of the boy's head and softly rubbed it.

"To find our purpose, child."

"Purpose?"

"Yes, purpose. To discover who we are, what we become, and many more."

"...Then what is my purpose?" The boy asked.

"I... honestly, don't know, child. But time will tell, be patient. You will soon know your purpose."

"...Okay."

The man smiled and took out a biscuit and gave it to the boy.

A few moments passed, and the boy didn't talk anymore. Seeing that, the man focused his sight to the door when a gun nuzzle suddenly appeared and was aiming towards his head.

The man's eyes went wide, and he hurriedly moved out of the door, rolling towards the boy and placing him behind his back.

The gun shot twice before the door was kicked open. A man holding a black rifle aimed at them. 

He wore an all-black outfit with thick clothing, a vest, and a black helmet with a windshield. The man aimed his rifle at the mysterious man.

The two were at a standstill.

"PUT DOWN THE GUN! I REPEAT, PUT DOWN THE GUN!"

"#££%#%£#, #%#&#!!! %#%^#%, #%%#%#!!!"

"PUT IT DOWN!! I SAID PUT IT DOWN!!!"

"£^##%%!!!!"

Under this intense standoff, the boy looked at the man, then to the black clothed man, and grabbed the pistol from the bag.

Bang.

The mysterious man saw this and immediately aimed at the boy, then shot one bullet. This prompted the man to shoot a bullet on the mysterious man's chest.

The two bullets landed into each opposing force.

The mysterious man kneeled and touched the wound that the rifle created. He could already feel blood dripping from the wound. It seemed he was hit right at where the weak point of his armored vest and the bullet shot right through.

A sweet taste filled his mouth, and he coughed up blood.

The man wheezed as he held the wound on his stomach. Sweat filled his entire head as he trembled from the pain.

The man stared at the wound and immediately knew.

He wasn't going to make it.

"C-Child, come here."

He grabbed the boy's arm and held him tightly, "G-Go! Leave this place immediately... Grab my bag, you should probably be able to carry it, there are little items left there." 

Then he searched the bag, threw away all the unnecessary and others that were detrimental for the boy's survival.

He grabbed a silver box and opened it, then he showed to the boy, "T-This here is a ration bar... Eating it is as good as eating for an entire day... T-There are fifty of these things inside this box. Use them sparingly...."

Just as he placed everything in the bag and coughing up blood twice, he looked at the child who had already aimed his pistol at the mysterious man.

The mysterious man only stared at the boy, not having the energy to move and defend. He stared at the nozzle that was pointed at him, then to the boy who was wielding it.

Tears unconsciously fell from his eyes.

"%%£%^%#^, %#^#^% ^#%# %£ %£ %£#."

The boy stared at him, a dangerous look flashed in his eyes, just as the boy was about to pull the trigger, the man grabbed the gun and pulled it away from him.

"STOP!" He yelled.

Them he glared at the boy after coughing up another mouthful of blood, "You promised me child!"

The boy stared at the man, bewildered.

"You promised me that you would only use this gun to protect yourself. Did you forget?"

"...."

The boy stayed silent and looked down.

The man stared at him, then sighed. He then turned to the mysterious man silently, sobbing with his back against the wall.

"Child, killing is bad. It's the evilest sin. You are still a child. You should never kill anyone." The man turned to the boy.

"Remember what i have thought you child. Everything. Kindness is a virtue, and so is mercy. You will understand everything when you start to grow up, but remember my words, child."

The man then grabbed the boy's head and bumped his forehead against his gently.

"Be careful, child. I'm not there to protect you any longer. I'm dying."

The man smiled and rubbed his head, "I already taught you how to use a compass, right? In the bag, there is a compass. Go west of here and follow a road with yellow marking, but don't be directly on the road. At the end of the road, you will find a city there that takes in refuges."

Then he helped the boy wear the bag and pushed him to the door, "Go left and take the stairs down." 

"....Be careful, child. Go, go now!"

The boy grabbed the pistol and placed it behind him, then ran to the left.

"Let's... reunite once... more.... in the stars.... child..."

As the man looked at his leaving back, he collapsed on the wall beside the mysterious man, who had already lost the light in his eyes.

The man stared at him, then to the blank space as he held the wound, blood already gushing out like waterfalls.

The man's memories slowly played in his mind. It was filled with pain and suffering. He was a killer. A murderer.

It was him who took it upon himself to kill others to protect himself from harm. It was his choice to offer mercy killing to those who are suffering so much.

The war...

The war was cruel. It let out everyone's demons, and these demons ran rampant across the battlefield.

If the war didn't happen...

If any of these didn't happen....

How many families would have not experienced this pain?

"Papa! I want to ride on that swing!"

"Haha, anything for my princess."

How many husbands would've worked themselves to feed their family?

"Dear, is everything going to be alright?"

"Yeah, everything is fine.... Everything is fine."

How many wives could've comforted her husband working for them?

"Papa, this is the man that i chose! Don't bully him!"

"Hah!? Who dares to take my daughter without my permission!?

"Papa!"

How many children would've run around the streets, playing games and having fun, being a child.

"Papa, dance!"

How happy would he have been if his daughter were still alive.

"Papa, let's dance."

"Ah..." Tears fell from the corner of his eyes.

"Papa, I'm sorry..."

"Ughhhh...."

"Papa is the most awesome papa in the world!"

Sniff.

War is cruel. It takes people's lives like a lawn mower cutting grass. 

People suffered in the war. Many pleaded for help.

"Ahhhhhh..."

"Papa!"

Many prayed, hoping for someone or something to save them from this hell hole.

"Ughhh...."

"Don't worry, dad. I'm just going to buy some groceries."

It's sad.

"Our daughter! Henry, she-"

I'm saddened by this.

Why does the world induce such pain to us?

Why does conflict always result in a loss of life?

"I want to live..."

The man cried as he felt his vision darken. His body slowly getting out of his control.

"No.... i don't... want to die..."

He was afraid.

"Not yet! Not... yet...."

Alone.

It was lonely.

And that was terrifying.

"Someone, anyone.... save me...."

As the man took his final breath.

As the man finally closed his eyes with regrets.

"Natasha.... i wish.... papa could.... dance with... you... for.... the.... last... time......"

The air in his lungs left him. His heart stopped beating. And his consciousness faded away. 

Another grain thrown to the pile.

Another meaningless death.

Many more will come.

Many more will be spilt into the abyss.

War.... 

Is cruel.