Chapter 17: Soldiers

The three of them entered the forest, the snow affecting their speed so they slowed down a little.

Memories played in their heads.

Memories that they had created from the journey.

The time when the boy almost got burned because the oil suddenly blew up.

The time the girl would prick her fingers with needles.

The time when the boy would sleep while the two would draw on their faces.

The time when the girl learned how to cook but found out that she had no talent for cooking.

The time when the priest would tell them bedtime stories in the middle of the day.

The time when the boy almost fell on the river and froze because he slipped.

The time when the girl fell face flat because she tripped on a frog.

The time when the priest would cook them delicious food once in a while.

The time when the priest would teach them things about God and religion.

The time when they joked around.

The time where they slept huddled together in a house with a comfy bed.

The time when they found a racoon and the girl tried to keep it as a pet.

The time when the priest threw snow on the boy, which started a snowball war.

Memories played in their heads, each a happy moment to the next.

There were also some unpleasant memories.

Memories like them fighting.

Hitting each other.

Crying.

Giving up.

But those were minor compared to the happy memories. They wanted to keep that forever, they wanted to hold these memories dear in their hearts.

They wanted to share more memories with each other, create more and have fun in this painful world.

But alas.

The world is still cruel.

"Hold your hands up in the air!"

Soldiers pointed guns at them.

"Who are you?"

"I am a priest from the Zorak region. I came here to take refuge with these children."

The soldier stared at the priest, then to the black marks of his neck. "The children can enter." He spoke.

"But you can't." He pointed at the priest.

The world had done it once more.

"What!?" The girl yelled in shock.

"But why can he go with us!?"

The soldier looked at the girl with a pained expression on his face.

"I'm sorry little girl, he contracted a disease. We can't let him enter."

The girl's eyes formed tears, "He's sick? Then please make him feel better!"

"No! Uncle, don't leave us!!"

"Please, uncle!! Please!!"

"Don't go!!"

"Uncle, we promised that we'll always be together, the three of us, right??"

"So don't go, please!! Stay with us!!!"

"Uncle!! Uncle!!!"

Tears fell from her face as the soldiers dragged her to the jeep. The boy stared at the priest with shock and unwillingness in his eyes.

The priest smiled at them gently.

"Can I at least say a few words to them before I go?"

His voice shaking.

The soldiers looked at him with pity and sadness in their eyes. The commander looked at him, then nodded his head.

The priest stared at him with a thankful gaze.

Then he turned his attention to the two children.

He knelt down and held their faces.

The girl already hugged him while tears continuously fell from her face.

The boy's eyes were wet but he forced himself to not cry.

The two children's face was filled with distress, shock, confusion, sadness, unwillingness…

Just looking at these children, he felt incredibly sad and regretful.

"Hey you too. Uncle has to leave first, okay?" He gave them a sad smile.

"Boy, be strong, protect her from anyone who tries to harm her, okay? Always have hope in your heart and leave the past behind, strive to become better." He stared at the boy, then he hugged him as the boy clenched his coat.

"Don't go."

"I have to"

"…Please." The boy shivered.

The priest smiled and ruffled his head. "Be strong. Always be strong."

The boy looked at him, his eyes shaking with unwillingness. He closed his eyes, then opened them again. "Be safe out there. Don't forget to eat, uncle."

The priest smiled at him and gave him one last hug.

The he turned to the girl, who was clinging to him, clenching his coat. Tears and snot filling her entire face.

"Uncle, please don't leave me… don't leave us…."

"We'll follow you, okay? So please don't leave us…"

His heart clenched as she pleaded with him. The priest gave her a small pat on the head and grabbed her shoulders.

"Girl, take care of him, okay? You know how clumsy he could get."

Sniff.

"No, don't leave! Please uncle!!" She yelled.

The priest smiled with pained eyes.

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." He muttered as he hugged the girl.

"But you must be strong, okay? You are a strong girl, you know that. I can't protect you anymore because your already strong now."

"No! I'm not strong, I'm not! I still need you to protect me, so please don't leave!!"

Separation, a sudden separation.

"I'm sorry, child."

"No, no!!!"

"…I'm going to come back, okay? I'll meet you two again in the future."

"…. Really?"

Sniff.

"Yes, really."

"Pinky swear?" The girl cried as she held out her pinky.

The priest smiled at held out his, he intertwined the two.

"There, pinky swear."

The girl looked at him, "No, No!!! You can't, don't leave!!

The priest kissed her forehead before he knocked her out gently. The girl plopped and fell to his body, to which the priest gently gave to the boy.

The priest had hidden the fact that he was ill. He was having trouble walking though long distances that was why they took a lot of breaks. The marks on his neck had already spread to the lower parts of his body, his lungs had deteriorated, his heart was barely pumping blood.

It was due to his ungodly amount of intakes of drugs back then. It had deteriorated most of his organs. It had been a long time since he stopped and repented but the damage that the drugs had done to his body was still there.

Then the war happened.

This world was going crazy. Everyday, blood was spilt to the ground, dying it red for the future generations to see how cruel such an age was.

The priest gave the boy a look. Then he stood up and gave the boy his bag.

Then the priest turned around and went inside the forest.

Tears already forming from the edge of his eyes.

'Be careful, and be safe, my children.'

He stared at the jeep with the children inside slowly disappearing into the distance.

The priest stared at the skies.

Then he kneeled. Praying. "Oh Lord, protect them and keep them from harm… It seems i can't keep my promise. I'm sorry."

A gun was pointed at his head. Bang!

Then his head was no more.