13 Flee!
Ato and his friends were running fast. Although, they're not speaking to each other, they each understood what just happened – why the man helped them escape.
The man was no one else than the father of the seven-year old kid they've met near Quiet Lake. His name was Nolie. They remembered what he said before he allowed them to run.
"Thanks a lot for giving us food that time! That day, I made a promise that that I'll consider myself indebted to all of you," said Nolie before he fired his rifle four times in the grasses.
How amazing did Ato's simple generosity later turned to their favor!
Nolie held Ato in his shoulders and said,
"These people are so evil. I wanted to escape with you... but I don't have a choice. Otherwise, they'll kill me and my son! Please find help. Help me!"
As soon as Nolie was done tightening the screws and returned to the driver seat, he started the car and drove away. But before he can change gear, the leader startled him—
"Hey!" I really doubt that you killed those kids."
"W-w-what do you mean?" he freaked out and decelerated.
"Let's go back!" said the leader.
"W-what!?" Nolie's eyes widened and the car stopped. But then he managed to keep calm. "Ok. If you want to see their bodies, let's go then," he casually replied.
Then he spun the wheel and stepped on the accelerator. The car turned and they rolled back to their original location.
Moments later,
"Nah, forget about it... let's go back! Turn around. We're late already," said the leader.
Nolie was not looking at the man in his right while he stopped the car and turned it around again. He said nothing and didn't let the other notice his deep sigh. He was just extremely thankful at the turn of events. Then they headed to where Quiet Lake school was.
-
As soon as Ato and his friends paused to rest, they hug each other and they were weeping. They're indescribably glad at how fate had been merciful to them. They didn't wasted time but bade an emotional farewell to each other. They all have only one thing in mind – to see their parents as soon as possible!
They have to separate now and run towards the direction where their individual houses were. Again, they hugged each other and sob. They were wishing each other safe journey and promised to see each other soon.
Ato hurriedly ran to his grandma's house only to saw her body bathing in blood. She's fatally injured because she was hit by rubble when their house collapsed. But she managed to go outside of the house, after which she also collapsed in their lawn near the street.
Ato's house was located within the urban area of Quiet Lake town. It was, in fact, the first area in their town that was attacked. The next town, Quiet Woods, adjacent to theirs was the most developed among the four towns sieged by the unknown armed group.
Ato felt helpless, sitting on the ground and crying near his grandma. He knew that his grandma was still alive for he can see that she's breathing.
But he stopped from crying for help since no none really was hearing him. Most of the people have fled already from the place while some have died.
Moments later, her grandma recovered a bit some strength to at least spoke.
"A-Ato?" she called to him feebly.
"Yes, Grandma!" Ato answered weeping. He's elated to hear again from his grandma.
But before his grandma can speak again, Ato was startled by the blasts of bombs in the neighboring towns. He glanced at they sky and realize that they're being dropped by Government jet fighters. The military forces conducted air strikes to quickly weaken the defenses of the rebels.
It was unknown what group were these attackers and what were their objective. But from how the Government dealt with them, one thing was certain, they were unprecedented and the way they brutally kill civilians, they can't be taken lightly and they must be dealt with quickly!
Ato can also hear intermittent gunfires in the distance. The military had now started to enter Quiet Woods town. It was where the rebels and also the war were concentrated.
From Quiet Woods town, the military intended to move towards the other towns; and they haven't reached yet Ato's town.
The military had tanks but the enemies have anti-tank Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG). But before the military did a ground operation, they already bombed the places.
The armed group have dispersed because of the air strikes; but until the military recovers Quiet Woods, Ato's town is still under the enemies' control.
Realizing that the cause of the destroyed houses and buildings in their place and, hence, the injury of his grandma, was the air strikes, Ato felt anger towards the military.
Her grandma looked at him intently and smiled. She wanted to assure Ato that everything will be fine. She mustered all her remaining strength and breath.
"A-Ato... Promise me... do not hate... P-p-promise m-me!" this was her grandma's last words. Then she died.
Ato wailed. His tears flowing profusely. He was stricken with all kinds of staggering emotions but above all loneliness.
He was reminded with the death of his parents just last year. He was struck by his grandma's words. Those were the same words that he heard from his father before he died!
"Do not hate, Ato... Be strong and be kind!" said his father before he died.
Hi heart was hammering. All the pain and loneliness he felt that time were renewed and combined with today!
-
Meanwhile in the rooftop of a four storey building in Quiet Woods town, a man was leisurely leaning on a chair with his legs crossed. He's clearly enjoying the views around him especially the destructions and occassional explosions of tank guns and RPGs.
But what entertained him more was the jet fighters zooming a while ago over the town and bombing establishments. They were both F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets. Because they have twin engines, they can fly at supersonic speed!
As multi-role combat jets, they were capable of carrying bombs. There were two of them flying over the towns. But now only one was left.
The other had retreated already and the second one was just flying around to reconnaissance and was not anymore dropping bombs since the military have already entered the area and have commenced ground operation.
The military was also quite effective in their attack. They were slowly pushing away the enemies from the capital. The air strikes were really effective in weakening the enemies' hold in the town.
From the looks of it, the man in the rooftop was a member of the group that sieged the four towns. But from his groovy clothes and bearing, he's not just an ordinary henchman but a boss.
He was 5' 8" tall, medium built, bald, and had firm and sharp facial appearance. The sun gracefully shone on his round head. He's around 30 years old.
He's wearing a leather robe, dark blue jeans, and brown shoes made from crocodile skin. Although, he saw his men being defeated and were pulling back, he doesn't care at all!
"Boss? Shouldn't we leave now? I doubt that the kid will come out," said the man besides him. "Do you really believe that the rumors about him is true?" he added.
"For a while... I'm still enjoying the view," the seated man replied. "Besides, I want to do something with this annoying fly above," he added grinning.
"But boss, we have orders not to do something to reveal us!"
The bald man stared at the other and the latter lowered his eyes and kept silent.
"About the kid, I really don't know... actually.. I don't care," he said.
Moments after, the man stood up and looked above. The jet fighter was zooming towards them from a distance. In about few seconds it will pass above them. The boss had a nasty smile.
He bent his legs. And suddenly, jumped upwards! The concrete floor cracked due to the force exerted by his feet. He shot upwards like a rocket and, lo, pierced through the zapping jet plane!
The Hornet jet didn't explode in the air but it was burning and was now crashing down. The man, on the other hand, was enjoying more the view, his arms spread sideways, while falling freely back to the building.
-
"What will I do now?!" Ato asked himself. "Where will I go...?! A-nyone... p-please help me!!" Ato begged for help again, and again, and again. Aside from her grandma, he knew no one as relative.
With everything that happened to him, how can he not hate?! He's now remembering all the tragedies that happened in his life. Rage was starting to boil inside!
However, in a sudden, his emotions eased. The memory of his father's smile just before he died flashed in his mind, then he also recalled the smile of his grandma a while ago!
He felt a sudden chill all over his body. The smile of his father and grandma followed by same exact words were magical. They exude both a similar aura of peace and assurance to Ato! It made him recover his strength a bit and self-awareness.
Meanwhile, two armed men were running from the other block and heading toward Ato's location.
Moments after, the two stopped by a house and entered it. Inside the house was a woman embracing her two little daughters. The kids were screaming as soon as they saw the men. They just learned from a neighbor that their father was killed by these men.
"God, why is this happening!?" The mother prayed angrily. For the first time in her life, her faith faltered. "This is insane..! How can anything good come out from the killing of my daughters!? From our deaths..? God, ANSWER M—"
Gun shots echoed inside the house. The three were dead. Second later, the two came out and resumed running.
The enemies were distressed because the military was gradually quelling their force. And they're killing civilians that they met. They're heading to Quiet Woods town to give reinforcement.
Before they can reach Ato's house, they stopped running to rest. But they didn't paused. They continued by walking briskly.
From their distance, Ato should be visible to them but he was blocked by the walls of their house that have collapsed.
In two minutes, they will reach Ato and he will surely be killed. But Ato was oblivious of them! And there's no sign of him leaving his grandma soon, not even the thought of it.
The two were coming nearer and nearer. Ato must leave his location at once or something must happen to cause him to leave! Some miracle must happen!
Meanwhile in their house, Goryo asked her mother for the phone. He wanted to call Ato to ask about his situation. Among the four, Goryo's house was farthest from the center of Quiet Lake town.
There were only few houses in their area and they were spared from the enemies' attack. Goryo's parents deemed it safer to stay in their house. Goryo's mother gave him the phone and he searched Ato's number in the phone-book to dial.
The two armed men now have reached Ato's wrecked house. Seconds later they passed beyond the house and immediately saw Ato's lifeless grandma. They glanced at her but they just walked past after seeing that she's dead already.
The men didn't saw Ato since he, at just the right moment, entered their house to look for her grandma's phone. The only thing he can think of now was to call his friends in order to seek help.
But Ato can't find the phone. He returned to his grandma with a heavy heart. He sat besides her grandma again.
"I wish I'll find the phone. Father, I don't know what to do? Please help me find the phone so that I can ask for hel—"
Ato froze! He saw the two armed men walking away from him. He was stricken with fear! There's no doubt they're among those evil killers! His heart pumped fast.
He covered his mouth. All that he can think of doing was keep silent and hope he won't be noticed!
The two were now over ten meters away from Ato. They agreed to run again since they've gained enough strength already. But the instant they made their first big step,
"RIIIINNGGG... RIIIINNGGG... RIIIINNGG!" grandma's phone rang!
The two vicious men stopped! They heard the phone! Ato's eyes widened. His body trembled. What a bad timing! This will be his end, he thought.
On the other side, Goryo was very happy hearing that Ato's phone can still be contacted. He hoped Ato or her grandma will answer!
The men turned around and were surprised to see Ato! How come they didn't see the kid a while ago. They smiled nastily.
Without scruple one of them raised his rifle and aimed at Ato! Ato trembled. It was so quick. Death was certain! But even before Ato can close his eyes, the merciless man firmly pressed the trigger!
"Tik!" the rifle sounded. The man pressed again but the same thing happened. The magazine was empty! He had used all his bullets when they shot the woman and her daughters a while ago.
Without any delay, the second man aimed his rifle to Ato and also pressed the trigger!
"BANG!" a loud gunshot echoed!
The second man aiming his rifle at Ato fell dead. He was hit by a shotgun! Ato's neighbor appeared. His name was Yorme. He's standing on a large concrete debris, hence, he's elevated around two feet from the ground.
He saw the two men trying to shoot Ato. Thanks to him Ato was now safe!
The other man looked at his lifeless companion who was lying in the ground. His eyes moved to glance at the rifle.
"Don't move!" Yorme aimed his shotgun at the other man. But he had no intention of letting him live. He knew how vicious these people are and how they mercilessly kill innocent people.
He needs to shoot the second man and leave immediately with Ato. He hasn't killed anyone in the past. But in this time of crisis, he needs to be strong in order to survive!
The man glanced again at the rifle on the ground. He's waiting for a split second opportunity to jump and grab the rifle. But Yorme had quick perception. He didn't want to give the aggressor any window of chance. Without delay, he pressed the trigger again—
"KABOOOMM!!"
The F/A-18 Hornet crashed and exploded around fifty meters behind Yorme. The shockwave that damaged his internal organs combined with the wounds caused by flying debris caused him to quickly succumbed to death.
Ato and the man were able to duck. From the central area of Quiet Woods town, the bomber jet crashed in Ato's place at a time insanely perfect for the mad killer in front of Ato!
"How lucky I am today!" says the man grinning as he picked up the rifle. He walked with slow and confident steps towards to Ato.
Ato was still shocked from witnessing what just happened to their neighbor, Yorme. People around him were dying and he didn't know if he can still bear them! And now, he will die too!
