The rain of fire was soon replaced with the dawn of morning. Even the sun is forbidden to shine its light in this dreary town. Edwin was awake all through the night. His eyes were weary of tears and sunk under his eye bags. He kept on calling the gods of the earth, "Afuti--Afuti please save mama and Mira" even when his voice was out, he barely uttered them as a hush. Before now, Edwin believed no god. He would tell his mother how the priests were only extorting them of the little they had in the empty promise of a god answering their prayers and keeping them safe. "I am your protector mother and I provide for you and Mira." He'd say. But he shamed them. He was not there to protect them like he promised. He left them to burn. If there was a better time for the gods to prove him wrong it was now and he would give them all the gifts and worship they'd ever want. But he was beginning to lose hope, maybe the gods had turned heedless to him in his most vulnerable state.
The steps were steady, at a pace of cautiousness. Like that of an assassin trying to catch up his target off guard. Maybe it's them. The destroyers of his innocent town. They must have come to be certain that everyone was dead. Edwin grabbed a metal-like object with a pointed tip laying in front of him. Someone has to pay for all this and this unfortunate one just made himself worthy of the price.
He allowed his enemy to be close enough, just enough to drive the object into his throat. He saw the shadow of his enemy leaning down to touch him and he took his chance, he charged up and grabbed the one by the shirt but he was forced to a stop. His hard breathing steadied gradually as he looked in awe.
"Mi--Mira?"
Frightened Mira nodded. 12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeUkYW4IQl3
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Edwin let out a sad chuckle. 12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWjL4dmNFaK
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"Is this really you?"
Mira took her moment this time. She assured him with a sweet smile leaving Edwin with no other option but to pull her into a tight embrace, sniffing in her scent as a tear escaped his eye.
"I thought I'd never see you again." He said letting go of her. He examined his sister, the flame had left a sign on her face, darkening it up. Her shirt was dirty and her hair was disheveled. She barely survived. She was holding on to a beautiful rose flower, the only thing that looked well in shape.
"Where is mother? Is she safe too"
Mira shakes her head. Sadness replace her hope in a blink. She points towards a direction and Edwin quickly followed where her finger was showing. He saw nothing but a pile of stones of a fallen building.
"Here?"
Mira nodded. Edwin left with no choice started to remove the stones and timbers. At first he thought his sister was punishing him for not being around to protect them but then he saw it, a ring. His mind went back in time;
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His mother was dressing in the mirror, she looked beautiful as always, and as a final touch , she picked up a ring and fixed gently in her finger. He wrapped her in a hug from behind. 12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYdQDFwpZpF
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"Are we going to be having a new father? Because I'm kind of too old for that" 12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLsWthnibfl
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She laughed heartily and hit him by his shoulder. 12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jY1htmQwB
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"This ring was given to me by my one and only husband, your father. I only wear it in special days"
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Edwin looked at Mira, shock in his eyes, he removed the stones faster in hard breath. Why can't I see her. He pulled out faster.
"Why can't I see her!" His voice betrayed his emotions as tears fell from his eyes.
But then there she was. Face covered in blood and unrecognizable. His hands hovered over her, shaking, afraid to touch, afraid to believe. The woman who had laughed with him just days ago, who had scolded him for tracking mud into the house, who had kissed his forehead even when he pretended to hate it—now lay shattered beneath ruins.
"No. No. No!!!"
Mira let out a quiet sob behind him, clutching the rose to her chest like a lifeline. Edwin’s vision blurred. His chest burned, as if the fire that consumed Fishertown had crawled inside him, searing his ribs, his heart, his lungs.
"I’m sorry," he choked out, though he didn’t know who he was speaking to—his mother, his sister, himself. "I’m sorry I wasn’t here. I’m sorry"
The wind howled through the ruins, carrying embers and ash. Somewhere in the distance, a beam collapsed with a groan. But Edwin heard none of it.
Only silence. Only guilt. Only grief. 12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡheR1KrJ2z8
Edwin didn't know how much time had passed. Maybe half of the day was gone already. Him and Mira had been sitting on their favourite spot on a mountain where they could see the whole of Fishertown. He tried to fathom the whole occurrence but nothing seemed to make sense to him. Why would anyone do this to them? What was their crime? They are a innocent people who have no quarrels with anyone. They live far from any other village and because of that some people call them the lost town but still they were happy. Why would anyone attack them when they lived their lives like the banished.
He looked at his five years old sister. She must have so much questions going on in her mind too. How traumatized she must have been yesterday to witness so much ugliness. Edwin brushed her hair with his palm.
"It's okay Mira. We would be fine"
"We can only wish brother. They are so many bad people in this world."
He looked at her with so much guilt. She was right. He thought they were far from any trouble, but even in their wilderness they received a dreadful visit. He wanted to ask her so many questions. Who did this? Did anyone try to stop this from happening? How many were they? What foreign weapons did the...
"Everybody is dead." Mira said cutting him out of his thought "Only I am safe."
"How did you escape?"
"I didn't..."
A look of surprise displayed on Edwin's face.
"She saved me"
"Who?"
"The lady who killed everyone. She saved me and gave me this flower."
A lady? A girl did this? as much as Edwin was interested to know more he was more enraged knowing a mere girl destroyed his town and killed his mother.
"Was she a witch? Did she had helpers?"
"Are witches beautiful? Mother used to say witches are ugly and hideous and brutal. But she was beautiful. Very beautiful. And kind to me....some men came with her but it was only her who did the killing."
The mention of his mother shattered his heart in many pieces. He didn't care if she was the goddess of beauty, she was going to pay for what she did soon enough. He looked into nothingness as he planned the perfect vengeance. 12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8mcV6E0fc
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