20 A lonely separation

"A-ato. Smash is a cheerful kid. I'm asking you with all my heart to forgive him," said Elena to Ato.

"W-what?" Ato replied confused. He was seated beside Elena after having helped her lie in the right position.

"My son often talked to me about you. He said that he hated you and bullied you and your friends because you've became more popular than him."

Ato was speechless. He's not used to this kind of conversation, especially with an adult.

"But the truth is, it's really my fault.... He bullied you and other kids because it's his way of rebelling against me.

He hated the things that have happened to him – my bad relationship with his father, the fact that he had no friends because we kept on transferring places, and his belief that his father seemed to not care about him. His father doesn't even know yet that we've already transfered here in Quiet Lake town."

Ato's eyes widened. He never knew that Janoy was also suffering like him. He disliked Janoy because, among other reasons, he thought that his life was easy and that he had everything.

"He hated them. And those are the reasons why he behaved inappropriately. But I can assure you that Smash is not really that kind of person. Smash used to be a cheerful, kind, and generous boy."

"J-Janoy... Smash," Ato muttered. This is the first time Ato called Janoy Smash. He really didn't found an opportunity to ask why his mother called him Smash. But he thought he understood now the reason why.

"Yes... I understand now," said Ato in a low and faltering voice.

"I don't know what will happen to us from now on. I'm not even sure if my son can still come back here," Elena wept. "But I'm really happy that the two of you are friends now. How I hope you become close friends."

Ato just responded with a nod and smile. Then he bowed his head. With all that have happened to him, he's confused about what to feel and how to react.

But he's really happy hearing Elena considering him a friend of her son. For Ato, Smash was really cool and his ability to ride a tire fascinated him.

"Ato, if ever we survive or only the two of you, I hope that with you as his friend, you can help him move on from his pains and return to who he was before."

These last words of Elena stunned Ato. He felt a heavy burden. He hadn't even mourned yet for the lost of his grandmother, and no one had even empathized with him yet since no one knew yet that his grandmother had died.

Then, this happened. He's being asked again to be strong. And the most difficult thing was to forget about himself and, instead, carry other's burdens.

"Be strong and be kind... do not hate!" Ato was reminded again of the words of his mother. Ato can't keep his tears anymore. They fell from his eyes. But he tried to hide it from Elena. He didn't wanted him to add to her worry.

Meanwhile, in his office in Makati city, Ulciscor was watching a live broadcast of everything that happened in Guntama's fight against Smash. The video coverage was made possible through micro-videos that were mounted on three crows.

"How foolish!" Ulciscor said. "Nevertheless, he did find the kid," he added.

"Are you positive, boss, that the kid's really who we're looking for?"

"Yes, no doubt about it... Once I get that blue power, I'll be in the top of the world... And the Great Eight will bow before me. Hahahaha!" Uliciscor's laugh was sinister.

-

Smash landed on a branch of a tree a stone throw away from the building. He saw the people surround Guntira, his blood dripping.

"I-impossble! How did I did it? Even if that spear was really that tough that it was capable of penetrating his body, the force that I exerted when I threw him down couldn't be enough," Smash muttered.

Smash saw that the men have started scanning the surroundings. He immediately left the tree and ran back to Elena and Ato, wondering whether what happened to Guntira was really true or not.

Smash was oblivious of two individuals that were observing them a while ago. The two were concealing their selves behind the branches of trees. They were wearing long brown robes and their straw hats were partially covering their faces.

But seconds before Smash jumped from the branch, he saw the two men and had eye to eye contact with one of them.

"So, what do you think, boss?" asked the one who locked eyes with Smash. He's much younger than the other. He's around sixteen years old.

"Nah, he's not the one we're looking for."

"Uh, ok.... But, boss? Why did you told me to help the boy?"

A while ago, just a moment after Smash tossed Guntira downwards and before the latter hit against the Mambra spear, the younger one appeared before Guntira and kicked him.

The kick tripled Guntira's downward momentum. But both Smash and Guntira didn't see him coming for he seemed to have the ability to be invisible. It was due to this added momentum that enabled the Mambra peg to pierced through Guntira's body.

"We're looking for a kid... and I wanted that stupid arrogant adult to stop," the other replied.

"I was looking forward to fight that bald man. He himself hasn't shown yet his full strength. I Never thought he would end up that way quickly."

"He must be really unlucky," the boss replied. Then they vanished from the tree.

Smash ran back to where his mother and Ato where.

"MOM!" Smash yelled as soon as he's near them.

"S-SMASH..." Elena said. Her voice faltering. Smash was truly glad his mother was alive. "M-mom..." Smash cried.

Elena and Ato were confused as to what happened to the bald man. But before they can say something,

"Ato, run and hide. You will be safer if you split from us since it is me that they want!" Smash quickly told Ato.

Ato nodded. He understood that it's the right thing to do. But Smash had no idea what Ato had been going through. Confusion and loneliness seized him once again. He really had no idea where to go and what will happen to him.

But Smash didn't delayed. He controlled the tractor tire and it rolled towards them. He gently took his mother and they left. The next moment, Ato was all alone.

Things happened too quick for Ato. Seconds after, he already lost sight of Smash and his mother. He's still confused and shocked with everything that had happened and yet he's now alone again.

The company and friendship of Smash haven't sunk in yet to him but he had lost him already. The super powers of Smash and his fight against the powerful bald adult were supposedly things kids like him would continuously wonder and talk about. But none of these mattered to him at this moment.

Ato had no choice but to move on. He had shown many times already how to be strong, perhaps, he can still this time. He needed to run even if he didn't knew where to go and why.

Even if he wish that this crisis will end soon, he knew his life will never go back to normal again. What lie ahead is something he can never imagine.

Ato had no one and nothing – no money, no food, not anything. It was already late in the afternoon. The sun had already set and the clouds had become dark.

Ato was already feeling hungry when a plump hen walked passed him. It had a shiny, red-brownish feather. It just ate lots of corn bits from the nearby corn fields.

Ato looked at the hen and saw a fresh smelling, and deliciously hot, roasted chicken. He was imagining things. His hunger grew and he swallowed his saliva as if he can taste already the roasted chicken.

Ato gathered his strength on his legs and arms. He stood up and forced himself to walk. He slowly walked towards the hen, praying that it won't ran away. To his surprise, the hen laid an egg.

He extended his arms and reached for the hen. Fortunately, the hen didn't evaded him. He got it and tucked it under his arm. Then he picked the egg.

He remembered that he had Biboy's salt im his pocket. He made a little hole in the egg. He took the salt from his pocket and put a little salt on the egg. Then he slurped the substance inside.

Ato looked around, trying to get a clue where to go. It's time now to move on.