They drove along the curved trail, appended higher with each mile. Silas, who was called Vater in his previous life- was excited about the new adventure.
"What a beautiful sight to live in" his mother, Mrs.Gorg exclaimed
"True… maybe leaving behind the old rusty town was the best choice" his sister- Noira claimed.
The uplift ends, and the family sets foot in their new bungalow. The landscape was mesmerising as the two mountains behind decorated its view. A lifted river flows nearby, making up for a waterfall in the forest region.
Mr.Gorg was a forest ranger, happy and prosperous with his work. Recently being living under the townships, now the family had to finally transfer to this silent countryside.
Krrrrrr….
The door to Vater's room crackled…
It was a beautiful room- a couturier lamp on the table beside bed. A study table, with a small light right atop. The large window dripping over the wall- sighted the forest remotely.
"Brother" his sister called him "let's go to the backyard"
Following his lovely sister they entered the backyard. It was more of a maze than a garden. Hefty bushes marking primordial walls, leading the amazement of discovering the way out.
"Did you find it?" He shouted, stranded from his sister
"Not yet" his sister would reply
Traversing inside the maze for long, they would finally drive their way out.
Noira was sitting on Vater's lap, staring at the twin mountains.
"What a lovely sight"
"ya" Vater would reply
"Brother, will we be this happy forever" she would ask with tainted fear "will we all stay together forever"
"Forever" he would smile "no matter what happens, we will be together, forever"
Noira giggled happily after hearing the reply.
It being the first day in the hinterlands, the family went for dinner in a lovely resto. As always, Noira wouldn't finish her food.
"Eat it, or else we are not leaving" Mrs.Gorg warned her strictly
Barely galloping the veggies, she would hear others talking as a ruse
"Honey, I guess we are getting a new client" Mrs.Gorg was talking about their little business over property sales
"Really, that's great" Mr.Gorg was glad "seems like the new place is quite likely for us"
"Of course… I am loving it already" Vater raises the spoon- signifying it as a final order.
"Ohk kiddo… calm down a little" his dad would laugh hard
Mrs.Gorg's phone rang
"Oh, it's the client we talked about"
She reviews it to confirm "I guess he wants it. I will be waiting by the car"
"Get us this deal lady" Mr.Gorg would act as a pirate for the amusement of his little twigs.
Vater and Noira were running around the fountain; what isn't interesting for the little kids. They resemble a ball of energy trying to explore the world. Mr.Gorg who was paying for the delicious food heard a loud bang. It was near the parking,
"Surely an accident" he thought.
Running straight outside- he saw a truck swung upside down, with the crucibles of containers torn everywhere. For a instance a disastrous thought struck his mind "what if she is beneath that truck- crushed and motionless"
He joined the remainder searching for casualties.
"A man is struck beneath, he is moving"
Hearing that, Mr.Gorg was a little reassured. He then looked around for his wife, still a little tainted. Turning around to the main thoroughway, he saw it…
A car shattered by the impact from the truck. And close to it was Mrs.Gorg, motionless and bleeding. And what's more dreadful for the man was her body severed in two halves.
He was numbed…
Couldn't move a muscle…
He fell down to his knees, trying to call her out, but how could he with his trembling body.
"Is that mom?" A soft voice bugged in
Vater shedded tears while Noira burst out crying. The night was bleak and colourless for the family. No sounds as everyone turned deaf, no sight as they turned a blind eye. No mercy was written on the fate of vulnerability.
The family grew distant after that day. The funeral passed on chairs far apart, rooms became insolent, solitude grew across the mansion.Vater was looking at the forest, reflecting the shades of ecosystem. Predators and prey are in the depths of woods. That's when his sight set on the barren yard which was once a maze they loved. He remembered those wistful memories- the questions his sister asked.
"Will we be forever together" he whispered to himself "yes we will be"
He set off to her room, tempting a warm hug that would rest the jottling hearts. He strode there. He prepared himself to apologise for being distant, and was poised to take care of her, to help her recover from the grief of their mother.
He turned through the door, curtains unveiled. Blood sprawled all over the bed due to the silent assassination. She trembled in pain, not yet dead. The bullet in her neck spilled more blood. The man with the gun was Mr.Gorg, who stared back as pure evil. He was completely dosed off, his brain fogged of his true self. The mad man triggered another bullet, stranding the little girl to death.
Turning to Vater he shot another round. It went straight through his knees…
Afraid of his own father, he trembled through the hallway. Another shot barely missed, knocking down the urn.
"Dad" he shouted "please leave me"
His voice had pure trepidation. Submerged in a deep resonance of pain he bellowed even louder. The man wasn't their dad anymore, he was the man lost into the madness completely perilous.
Vater barely moved, missed by the ultimate round fired.
"Wait, you little boy" the man shouted
"Dad… please" Vater shouted as another bullet fleshed out his chest.
"No more voices… everything will be peaceful forever" the man whispered looking above, trying to reflect the devil of his sins.
The story ended as Silas explained his final words
"That was how my previous life ended"
He took a deep breath
"I never knew if I could forgive myself of those sins. But the Upper God Kajun offered me a frantic discussion… he offered me another life with my sister"
Leon was glad and shocked at the same time
"So you have a sister?"
"So even the revenant can be stupid sometimes" Silas nodded "isn't it obvious that Liora is my sister"
Leon had another tremor impulsed within. He never thought it that way… in fact he was so grudged about their relationship, that he never tried.
But what was more paramount was the pain Silas bore. He witnessed something horrifying from the person he trusted the most. His mind must have been shielded forever.
This lore was consequential for Leon…
He now knew that he wasn't the only one bearing everything…
He had few consorts behind… some ready to be the shield, while some his sword, some his strength, and some courage…