Chapter 4: The secrets of the past

*We walked for a while, searching for my family. They were not at the main door, nor were they in front of the town. The only thing that came to mind was that they had gone to look for my father. It was typical of them, bold and very sentimental women, they wouldn't leave dad alone, but dad had given them an order to 'enter the village and close the door' and the only man they would obey was my father. So, I still hoped they hadn't gone out. So, I went to the north, to the back door of the village, hoping they were okay.*

Aldreuno: Kouji? *Trying to find the way, holding hands with Komi in the middle of the rocky streets: streets mostly made of stones, wooden houses, and poor light for vision, I met a friend.*

Kouji: Aldre! *Aldreuno was the best friend I had, Son of my father's best friend, Freudo. My father took me to train with his friend, where I met Aldreuno at a young age, and we became friends.*

Kouji: Have you seen my family? *I was looking for an answer that would give me at least a little hope on this dark night, both literally and figuratively, as the Moon was hidden and the street lighting was scarce.*

Aldreuno: Aren't they fortifying the North gate? *A breath of fresh air came into me, hope returned.*

Kouji: Did you see them there? *I knew Aldreuno would help me find them, even if he hadn't seen them, just as I would offer to help him without hesitation if he needed it. That was the kind of relationship we had.*

Aldreuno: Of course, until the sun went down. Take my torch and go to the gate... What's wrong with Komi?

Kouji: Did the Boss tell you anything? *It seemed that there were still many people who didn't know what was really happening.*

Aldreuno: He asked us to reinforce the walls, I heard there was a very dangerous beast.

Kouji: No Aldre, it's not a beast. This thing is worse: an aborigine, a creepy, diabolical being... it's a being you wouldn't want to see in your life. It appeared at the main gate just a moment ago, it's larger than the gate; however, it didn't come in. That thing speaks and is uglier than a Shami goat. *No curse, I'm not exaggerating. I repeat, once again, coming face to face with this being is, by far, the worst experience a human can have while alive. Not only would it cause nightmares for the rest of their lives for the children; having an encounter with this thing wouldn't let you turn off the light, thinking it might be there, in the darkness.*

Aldreuno: The main gate? There's my father, I have to go. I'm sorry, I can't give you my torch, I have to go and help my father. Go to the North gate, your mother and sisters must be there.

Kouji: Wait, wait! What you're going to experience when you see it is something you could never imagine: you'll be scared, petrified; so, strengthen your mind, strengthen your fears so as not to fall into despair. That thing is not something a man can endure at sight, just seeing it will make your eyes water. I hope to see you again, brother. *I wanted him as much as my family. Likewise, I understood he had his priorities, I would never be angry for not helping me. He had to protect his own family.*

I walked down the dark path towards where there was light, slowly, guided by my orientation and the little light that existed. It was probably twenty or maybe thirty minutes until I reached the North gate, where there was more light.

Kouji: "There are several people working here" *That's what I thought.*

Linnethe: Brother?

Kouji: Sisteer... *Seeing her filled my eyes with tears, but I didn't cry.*

Kouji: Where's mom and Merly?

Linnethe: They're directing the fortification. Some men don't understand the technique and they're teaching them. Also, with the little light, it's difficult to keep up, but everything is going well here. How's Nina?

Kouji: She fell asleep on the journey.

Linnethe: Who's behind you?

Kouji: It's Komi... She needs rest. That thing appeared at the main gate, its head sticking out over the gate, it was creepy.

Linnethe: What? What happened?

Kouji: It started talking and the Boss shot arrows, but they didn't do anything to it. Many people saw it, they started screaming, it was all chaos.

Linnethe: Do you need help? Could it get in?

Kouji: No. It stayed behind the door talking, saying 'Hello' or mocking with an unpleasant laugh. Komi also saw it, that's why she's like that.

Linnethe: —approaches Komi— Komi... It's okay, you're with us now, you're safe. *My sister tried to encourage Komi and get her out of that trance she was in, but it had no effect.

Kouji: Did you see Darlo?

Linnethe: … -Shakes her head from side to side- *My sister saw me and shook her head for me to understand, so Komi wouldn't see it. There was no news on the North side of Darlo and Demian.*

Kouji: Can I help with something?

Linnethe: I think so. There's wood that I can't carry, leave Komi and Nina to me, and go see Mom and Merly, tell them Nina is with me. Tell them that from now on, you will do my job. —she smiles—

Kouji: Thank you, sister, I needed to see Mom and Merly. *I had to see them. It was vital for me to know that, like Linnethe, they were okay.*

Kouji: There they are, Mom... *There she was, there was my mother and my sister. They were in front of the door helping to organize the barricade and reinforce the walls. Only, there was also the head of that thing over the door. Staring at Merly, while my sister was standing staring at that thing.*

Thing: Hello... hee, hee, hee Why the long face? *He was addressing her directly. Why? Why specifically her? I didn't know what to do, damn it, I was standing there again, perplexed, not knowing what to do.*

*AAHHH!! One screamed, AAAAHH! Another screamed, and scream after scream ensued as each one looked at the thing, but not my sister. She was so close to that thing and with a fixed gaze that she just stood still.*

Thing: Hello... hee, hee, hee. Do you not miss someone? *Again, he said it directly to her, this was, just like to the Boss at the main gate, but why?*

*Soon he pulled his face out of the door and lowered his head. Outside, it could be heard how he was taking something out from inside his body, this sound, he was regurgitating. I had heard it before and had the feeling that nothing good would happen from here on.*

Kouji: Back... Back!!! Get away from the door! *No, I wasn't going to stand still again. I shouted with all the strength I had so that everyone could hear me and react. My mother and my sister, upon hearing the shouts, recognized my voice.

Sonia: Back! *My sister, upon hearing me, stopped looking at the monster and directed her gaze to the ground, trying to gesture after the terrible fright.

Merly: Warriors... —Her voice fails— Warriooors! Warriors, get your spears! *The warriors who were nearby, around 20 with swords and fifteen with bows, ran to form an attack deployment until...*

—Knock knock knock—

*The door sounded, a slight but overwhelming —knock knock knock— Everyone stood still. Everyone was confused and dead scared for some reason, as most recognized the following voice.*

—Hello...?— *An indistinguishable voice to me, more than anyone else. Quickly, I looked at my sister Linnethe, who returned my gaze. Until another "—Helloooo..." broke in. I didn't want to accept it, I didn't want to believe, I wanted to pretend I didn't know that voice because accepting it was accepting that he was probably being controlled by that thing.*

Dionisio: Aren't you going to greet your father?

Sonia: —She kneels— Noooo... nooo... please —Agony— *We all knew it was my father's voice, but that wasn't my father.*

Merly: —Starts crying— Daddy... Nooo... please, not you. —She covers her mouth—

Kouji: Father... father... sorry, father, forgive me. It's my fault, if only I had listened to you... forgive me. *Of course, I felt guilty, I knew that the one behind the door was no longer my father.*

Dionisio: It's okay. It's not your fault, Kouji. Well, I didn't expect much from you either. Kouji... you disappointed me, you ran away and didn't come back with help. You left me with your uncle, you are a disgrace to the Thuru name. I never thought I would say this to my own son, but you are not it anymore, you are just scummed. *It pierced my heart. What he was saying was worse for me, as I understood how difficult it was for my father to say that word because for my father it was the worst insult, "Scum" and I was the worst of them all.*

Dionisio: Aldreuno... you should have been my son instead of this one.

Kouji: Nooo, dad. Please forgive me, forgive me... *I knew he wasn't my real father, I knew that. However, his voice... the way he spoke, the pauses, and the loud sounds. They were definitely his, and it hurt, every word he let out hurt more than anything. His words were stabs, directed straight to my chest.*

Linnethe: —Approaches Kouji— Stand up, brother, that's not our father. He would never say something like that.

Dionisio: Yes, listen to your sister. She is the most reliable in the whole family. Right? You desired your sister's partner so much. Why don't you tell them that you were the reason he left?

Linnethe: What? *My sister Merly. She got involved with a traveler, he told her he would take her to visit many lands. Distant lands very different from ours, with forests, glaciers, and never-before-seen flowers, beautiful landscapes, and precious cities. However, after staying in our village for 9 months, he left. None of us knew why he left, he just did.*

Dionisio: Why don't you tell your sister how things happened? Let's start with... How did you sleep with her fiancé or how you lured him? Ha, ha, ha, and all because of jealousy of your sister's beauty. You didn't even want him, you just wanted what was Merly's. Tell me, how did that make you feel? Did you feel powerful! Did it feel good to have his cock between your legs while you thought you were better than your sister?

Linnethe: Shut up!!! That's not how it happened! *Quickly, my sister sought my sister Merly's approval, who was bewildered, not knowing how to act.*

Linnethe: That... wasn't it. *My sister Merly only responded with an incredulous and startled look. The abrupt and rough information overloaded my sister's mental stability.*

Sonia: No, you're not my husband. You, you're not Dionisio, Silence! You're just being controlled!

Dionisio: It is possible, but what I said is true. What are you afraid of? Why are you silencing me? Why, woman? Are you afraid that everyone will know what a bad mother and lousy wife you are? You're boring, you're lazy, and you're common, any woman would have been a better wife than you. You just served me to have some shitty kids who only know how to cry and hold grudges within themselves. Not only that, but you're nothing more than a compliant woman, afraid of what others think of her. That's why you forgave me when I cheated on you... OOOhhh you don't know how much I laughed at you behind your back with my friends, while we drank and laughed. The pleasure that woman gave me cannot be compared to all the nights I shared with you. You're just a woman seeking comfort, I hate you for that. I could have been the Boss of the village, but you never supported me and instead of helping me and encouraging me, you smeared me with your comfort. That's why the Thurus never accepted you, you were and always were to me... disposable. *I thought it wouldn't affect my mother, but just seeing her, I understood. They didn't have the full and beautiful life I saw passing in front of me, my mother was full of anger and tears because of the words of that which controlled my father. She was hurt by the statements: because according to my mother's knowledge of how my real father felt, before being controlled, it could be true. It was possible that he did all that, but he was just hiding it.*

Merly: Enough! Enough. That's not true. You don't know my father. My father would never think that. *It was true, but only seen from one perspective. My father was an example for everyone, an example even for many outside the family. However, everyone has their bitter side and my father never let us see his human side.*

Dionisio: No? Just look at your mother...

Merly: Mom? *She was deprived of everything: lost in her thoughts, looking at the ground, with startled and teary eyes. She knelt on the ground and began to murmur "It's not true" "It's not true" trying to make herself believe that this possibility wasn't true.*

Dionisio: AHHH... and my best daughter. My eldest daughter, the one who was supposed to love her old man. I gave you everything, and among the 3 of you, I supported you the most. Perhaps that's why I neglected Linnethe, so you are to blame for her hating you. Not only are you an impure one who had a misfortune outside of marriage, you're the filth in the family, a leech. How many times have you dishonored this family? You're just a nobody and, as if that weren't enough, worse than all that... You think Nina is a burden, I've never been more disappointed, you're only another scum. *My father had a word he never said unless he was so disappointed. And in his life, he had only said it to one person. To his father, who abandoned my father along with many of his brothers. My father had to be a father to them because he was the oldest. There was no food or water, and every time his father came home, he would beat his mother, leave a few coins, and leave. My father wasn't like that, he would never behave in such a despicable way, much less hurt the people he loved with words. That's why it hurt to hear his voice saying such things. Hearing him call us "Scum" was akin to hearing the voice of your hero telling you "Failure".*

Merly: —Looks at Nina lying in Linnethe's arms— No. I love my daughter, even if you're right, and I didn't love her before, now she's my whole world. You can say what you want about me, you can say what you want about my sister, but those are things that happened and will stay in the past.

Linnethe: —Looked at Merly with hope—

*Again, the head of the thing came out over the door*

Thing: Hee, hee, hee... Are you sure you've left things in the past? Again, it made that horrible sound, regurgitated, and vomited something out of the door.

Artur: Hello...? *It was his voice... It was him*