He slowly opened his eyes; the light nearly blinded him. He closed his eyes again. —Vanrra? Are you back already? Vanrra! —He opened his eyes fully. — How are you? —Hiram was sitting next to a half-extinguished campfire. Around them were several backpacks filled with supplies. They were among the trees, not very deep into the forest. —Can you hear me? Can you see me?
Vanrra was lying on a sleeping bag. —Where are we?… Doc, why aren't we at your house? —His pupils adjusted to the light. Finally, he remembered; he sat up suddenly. —What time is it?! The wedding! Doc! We're going to be late! We have to get back to the village quickly!
He opened a can of food. His gaze was distant, visibly upset. His hands were trembling slightly, covered with large black gloves. —The wedding? We can't go anymore.
He put his hands on his head. —Is it already too late?! How long did I sleep? Esaú and Devi are going to want to kill me. The patriarch will kick me out of his house; I'll have to sleep in one of the stables again.
—No, Vanrra, there's no point in going back now.
—Why are you so discouraged? Arriving a little late isn't so bad. Today is a special day; my friends are getting married. I don't want to disappoint them.
—They're no longer with us. They're dead—Esaú, Devi, everyone from the village. We were the only survivors. —Vanrra froze; it was hard for him to stay upright. Hiram stared at him, watching his every move. —You can sit; you don't have to stand there. —Vanrra obeyed like a puppet. His gaze was lost in the small sparks of the campfire. There was a long, uncomfortable silence between them.
He said quietly, —So it wasn't a nightmare.
—Sadly. —Hiram seemed to feel the same way; he looked at his food with disgust. —I know how you feel, what's in your head. Above all, you must stay calm and steady. Don't let it control you. You're not alone; as long as you're with me, you'll be safe. It's not your fault…
He was still terrified. —That monster… Did you see it?
—…
—The white giant. Did you see it?
—Yes
—What was it?
—I have no idea.
—That thing… Was it a titan?
—Is that what you call them down here?
The horror was visible in his eyes. —It breathed fire; it crushed people as if they were worms. It destroyed houses as if they were made of paper. It tore Esaú apart without even touching him; it made him burst like a tomato.
—Calm down and breathe, don't… don't get angry.
He had a deep rage building inside him; his fear hadn't yet faded. —That monster… It destroyed the plaza, crushed everyone. It killed Esaú. It wanted to grab me; it was going to crush me like an ant. It… Devi…
—Don't think about that; you gain nothing by crying.
—I gain nothing! Are you stupid?! Everyone is dead, and you tell me to calm down!
—What else can you do? I know how you feel right now.
—You didn't lose anything! I didn't see you in the village! You must have stayed hidden in your mountain, watching that monster kill everyone. Why aren't you in the village right now, looking for survivors? How do you know everyone is dead?
—It's a very dangerous place; going back is an unnecessary risk. We won't put ourselves in danger just on a whim.
—A whim?! Are you a psychopath?! You saw a monster destroy the village, kill people… Is that your best answer? Why didn't you save anyone else?
—It's all I could do. Do you think I have nothing to lose? Everything I've done is to get back to my home; it's all I want. —His hands were trembling; his whole body was shaking. —What's done is done. I can't change the past. I don't control what happens in this world; I'm just a pawn. —He looked into the forest, as if searching for something among the trees. Vanrra was still in shock. Hiram stood up and put out the campfire with his boot. He walked over to Vanrra and handed him his can of food. —Here, eat, it will calm you down.
He looked at the can in amazement; he was starving. He ate until he finished it. Hiram moved away a bit and lowered his gaze. He sighed with pain and sadness, muttering incomprehensible words. Vanrra said to him, —I want to go to the village, I have to…
He didn't let him continue. —No, you don't have to go.
—I need to see if there are any remains and give them a proper burial.
—We won't go back there; there's nothing left. We should get out of here right now, before it gets worse.
—Worse? Is it not over yet?
Hiram approached the boy. —Those titans are all over this region; they're destroying everything in their path.
—How do you know?
—This wasn't the only village attacked; all night long, those roars could be heard; I saw other columns of smoke. I suppose they were from the other villages.
—Do you know why those things attack us? Why did they destroy the village? What are they? —Hiram got lost in thought. —Why did they kill Devi, Esaú, the patriarch… they crushed them as if they were nothing? What did we do?
—I'd like to know, too. Just keep going; don't torment yourself. There's nothing we can do to change what happened. Don't carry a guilt that isn't yours. —A great roar echoed through the valley, shaking the treetops. The roar of an infernal beast, the metallic screech of a predator. —Do you hear that? We have to get out of here now if we don't want to end up like your friends.
—Get out of here to where?
Hiram quickly packed up all the equipment. He handed him a compass. —It doesn't matter now; you need to take this backpack and head southwest, through the forest, without stopping. —He put the backpack in his arms. Vanrra was still in shock.
—I have to…? Aren't you coming with me?
—You have to go ahead. I have to go back to my house. I'll collect a few things of great value. They'll be useful to us later. I promise I'll catch up with you. Just go through the forest; don't stop for anything in the world. Don't look back.
Nerves ran down his back; it was getting harder and harder to breathe. —Doc. What's happening? Today was supposed to be a normal day; I should be with them right now, with the whole village. But now… What will become of me? Why am I alive?
—You'll forget about it, like you always do. Don't think about it; focus on crossing the forest. When you reach the other side, we'll talk about it. To be sad, you have to stay alive first. Do you promise me? —Vanrra nodded. Hiram went in the opposite direction.
"Cross the forest: I just have to walk, not think about anything else." He ventured into the tall trees; little by little, the leaves and shrubs obscured the view of the valley. He had never been so far; that forest was completely unknown. Large rocks and old trunks kept him from moving straight ahead; he had to take detours. The mountain ridges still hadn't disappeared; the terrain was uneven, causing the trees to block his path; he was forced to follow natural trails.
"Walk, just walk, don't think about anything else." He stopped when he saw a big pinecone on one of the trees. The sound of the leaves resembled Devi's laughter. He felt a great emptiness deep in his chest, a bottomless hole. He stood still for a couple of minutes. That blood-covered dress came to his mind. Everything she was, her entire being, died crushed in an instant. An entire world destroyed by the palm of a monster.
—Stop right there! Don't move! —someone shouted behind him; the voice was peculiarly shrill, like a squirrel's screech. —If you move, I'll shoot! —Vanrra remained still, head lowered. —Raise your hands! Damn cattle! Are you listening to me?! —Vanrra let out a giggle; he put his hands over his mouth. —Stop moving! If you keep moving, I'll kill you! —He began to sob; he fell to his knees. —Get up, damn beast!
—What are you waiting for?! —He turned around. —Don't just stand there… —The girl was pointing a gun at him; her fear was palpable. She was tall and slender. She had long black hair, with large, beautiful eyes that pierced his soul, like two lovely diamonds. Her uniform was a long, grayish-white military coat; it seemed to shine.
—Stop! Don't get up! Turn around! —She fired at a tree; the shot stunned him. The girl wore a bracelet on her left arm; it had an upside-down blue triangle embroidered on it. The uniform had blue details on the chest and a purple belt. —Move, and I'll kill you!
The only thing that distracted Vanrra from his sadness was that voice; it made him smile a little. That small happiness gave him the strength to stand up. —You're not listening! —She fired again. —Stay still, demon!
He turned slowly toward her. —Why don't you just kill me already?
—I'll kill you, animal! I'll kill you if you don't stay still!
—I don't know what you're waiting for. —She fired a third shot, this time at his feet.
—Why don't you react?! Do you want to die?! Cattle!
—You'd be doing me a big favor; I'm waiting. —He took a step toward her.
—Hey! Stop! —She aimed at his head. —I'll blow your head off! —Her hands were shaking. Vanrra stared at her.
—What are you waiting for? An order? Come on, shoot me!
She moved her hand at the last moment before pulling the trigger; the bullet grazed Vanrra's head, leaving him deaf for a few moments. She quickly moved to a nearby tree and vomited. She leaned against the trunk, suffering a panic attack, sobbing silently. Vanrra also collapsed, agitated. They both stayed like that for a few seconds.
As soon as Vanrra moved a muscle, the woman aimed at him again. —Don't move! Stay right there! —She was short of breath.
—Why didn't you kill me?
—I don't know.
—Are you lost too?
She wiped away her tears. —Lost?
—You don't seem to be from around here. You got lost in this forest; that's why you didn't kill me. You need me to help you get out.
—I don't need the help of a beast like you; you're a liar.
—Then shoot me, or you'll get scared again. —She fired to his side.
She pointed at him again. —You don't scare me! I want to kill you! You disgust me! I hate you, I hate you so much!
—I hate myself too, more than you can imagine. —The girl lowered her gun, a bit confused, panting with thirst. She looked at Vanrra with curiosity, analyzing him. —Why do you hate me? —She stared at him in silence, leaning against a tree. They looked at each other for a long time. Where has he seen her before? I remember those eyes; they're unmistakable. I don't remember; maybe that's why she hates me. —Hey, what's your name?
—…
—Are you okay?
—That's none of your business.
He tried to stand up. —If you don't tell me where you entered the forest, we'll never get out. —She pointed at him again. Vanrra showed his hands, took a canteen from his backpack, and stood up. —Do you want some?
She regained her composure. —Don't talk to me! You're going to do as I say.
—Then tell me. —She slowly approached him; Vanrra handed her the canteen. The girl drank like a thirsty animal. —Ready?
—Do you know how to get out?
—I'm heading southwest; that's where the exit is. —Vanrra pointed in the direction; the girl immediately walked that way.
—From what I've heard, this forest is very dangerous. I doubt a woman like you could cross it safely; I'm surprised someone as delicate as you made it this far.
—I'm not delicate. —She fixed her hair. —Because I'm listening to you, you're a lying beast; you're trying to control my mind. Cattle.
He tried to approach her. —Lying beast? What do you mean?
—Stay away from me! I'm the one with the weapon! —Vanrra didn't flinch. He was trying to make sense of the forest's interior. —Why are you turning your back on me? I'm talking to you, animal! —He held back his laughter. —What are you laughing at?! What do you find funny?!
—Your voice: you sound like a squirrel.
—You're dressed like a damn vagrant, you thing.
—Is that the best you've got?
The leaves rustled. —What was that? Did you hear it, thing?! —She pointed in all directions; the leaves were moving in the wind.
—Are you scared?
—Shut up!
—This place is full of wolves and bears, you know? Dozens of people disappear every year, little women like you.
—Really?! Human-eating wolves and bears?!
—That's not the worst; once I saw a beast the size of one of these rocks. It had horns, a tail, wings, chicken legs, and a black mane. Claws like knives, it spat blood and jumped several meters. It didn't have pupils; its eyes were completely white.
She said, terrified: —How long ago was that?
—About seven years ago.
The woman walked backward slowly until she bumped into Vanrra. —Don't touch me! —The weapon was slipping from her hands. —Why are you so calm?! You should be alert! You're a man!
—Alert for what?
—Of the bear and of me. You should be terrified of me; you're too trusting.
—You don't scare me; on the contrary, I feel calm, as if I already knew you.
—What are you saying, thing? Are you trying to manipulate me?!
—You're very weird.
—Weird, me?
—I think it's this way. By the way, my name's Vanrra. What's your name?
—It's none of your business; keep walking, thing.
—Then what do you want me to call you? —She didn't answer; they kept walking among the trees. They watched every step; she stayed a few meters behind, ready to fire her weapon. —A little faster, thing.
—I hope you'd stop being so rude. Your act doesn't fool anyone; you're nothing more than a scared girl.
—Shut up, animal!
—You're not going to shoot me.
She challenged him. —How do you know?
—Your eyes tell me everything. —They both heard a noise. The girl pointed her weapon at the bushes. Before she could shoot, a dozen hooded figures emerged from the large leaves. They seized them both, threw them to the ground, and covered their heads with a sack. The girl kicked and screamed; it was the last thing he heard before he was knocked unconscious by a heavy blow.