1 Pictures of the past

When the Russo-Ukrainian war would not end, the record of countless deaths had gone across the world. It was impossible to flee,  how could one try? 

Fight and die for your country, be a hero, or run and die as the enemy, too hard a choice to make. 

The remnants had gotten used to the sounds of bombs and bullets expelling from guns,  it all then sounded like fireworks.  Many could not leave the windows open, the air had a stench. 

In their hiding places, families perished once they ran out of food and medicine, others tried to be brave and only met the same fate outside. 

But somewhere underground, was a safe house where many gathered away from the brutality out there. The ones who held onto hope that the war would end.  

Down there they had supplies, it was as though Noah had prepared again. Noah,  or so they called him. They saw him as a saviour. The one who would keep them together and alive until the world was corrected and they could return to a better place, a fresh start with meaning. 

"Max! Max!" 

A man in his forties called out to someone who seemed engrossed with whatever conversation he was having with several of his rescues. 

They seemed like they were rendering their gratitude while he seemed to be explaining something. 

"Oh, f*ck it, Noah!" the man called out again and this time the man turned. 

He brought the discussion to an end and began approaching his caller. He was wearing a blue sleeve shirt and trousers. He looked well, his hair short and dark but he walked with difficulty, almost like he had a wound on one of his feet. 

"What is it, Roy?" Max asked in a concerned tone once he got close enough. 

"We have a problem," Roy responded.  

Roy was an older man, it was obvious a blade hadn't touched his face in a long time. He didn't seem to mind. He wore a polyester shirt and shorts with his hands on his waist. 

Heaving a sigh, he turned around walking toward the direction he seemed to have come from. 

"Come with me," Roy said, 

—— 

"How did this happen? Why wasn't I informed before things got to this point?" Max sounded pretty upset despite how much he tried to contain his rage. 

"That isn't the major issue now," Roy responded. 

"The f*ck it is!" Max fired back. 

"We can't take in more," Roy told him. 

"You don't get to tell me what to do, Roy.  Unlike you, I do not have the heart to watch them die knowing I could have done something!" Max replied. 

"F*ck you Max, we are running out of supplies! The more of them you bring in here, the less we have to supply them and then what happens?" Roy said, 

"We get more supplies," Max said, turning away. 

"You are one bloody bastard," Roy said, disappointed. 

His words had paused Max's steps and he took a deep breath, controlling his right fist. 

"Haven't you sacrificed enough of us for them!" Roy yelled. 

"You sound like we weren't one," Max said, turning his head halfway backwards. 

"Accept it or not,  we aren't. We are privileged. We saw this war coming and we prepared. We did and where were they? 

Criticizing us, clubbing, going about their businesses, f*king,  simply because they thought we were crazy when we warned them. We warned them, Max!" Roy said, 

Slowly,  Max turned towards him. 

"How would you sleep knowing that you let them to die? Women,  men, and children. How many things did our parents warn us of, and how many did we flaunt? 

They didn't kick us out. That's love. They may not be related to us by blood but we are all one,  I am asking that you let love lead." Max told him. 

"You really have gone mad.  Down here there is no window or door to look out of but the last time we went up, we did. We looked out the damage and saw what it was like outside! 

Think they care that we are one? That we look alike and should have human sympathy? They f*king put a bullet in my wife's head from a distance. She was f*king pregnant!" Roy responded. Tears gathered in his eyes instantly. 

"I told her to stay — back!" Max said, 

"After making yourself a Jesus, she trusted your protection blindly!" Roy fired. 

"Which is why you don't have to come with me. I can get the supplies without you." Max told him and then took a turn towards the entrance. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++

NIGHT. 

"He still blames me for her death," Max said, wearing his pyjama shirt and standing before a mirror in his bedroom. 

"It's only natural. He loved her." A lady voiced from a corner as she approached the bed with a box in her hand. Dropping it there, she walked towards him. 

She was a beauty. Her body was perfectly hidden in a ladybug print dress. She placed her hands on his shoulder gently turning him towards her. 

"He is your best friend. You two shouldn't fight. He needs you now more than ever. He is just finding it hard to heal and for now, your temper should be in check." she told him. 

"I am trying. It gets harder every day with him." He said, 

She smiled and then planted a kiss on his lips. 

"I don't want you to go." She told him. 

"We need the supplies." He said, 

"We don't. They do." She told him and walked away towards the window. 

"You can't keep putting your life on the line every time. I know you want to save people but the truth is, not everyone can be saved and we must be careful. 

We are running out of rooms and that only means more people off the streets. The enemies will soon figure it out and they— will find us." she said, 

"They won't, Pat. " He said, 

"You have always been the positive one and i— realistic." She said, 

"Fine. I promise after now, no more," he told her. 

"Can't remember how many times you've said that." She walked away from the window. 

"What's in the box?" he asked once his eyes caught it. 

She took her seat at the edge of the bed. 

"Pictures." She said, 

He moved over and sat next to her with his eyes fixed on it. 

"Pictures of the past I guess," she replied, placing the box on her thighs. 

He looked at her. 

"Things will get back to normal. The war will end." He assured her. 

"We are not even from here. How are we so unlucky? We move here and get caught up in a war. 

When you perfectly saw this war coming, we should have left." She told him. 

"We tried to,  you know we tried but they made it hard.  The government, the embassy. I just had to make up a plan B and this is it. 

This storm— will pass and once it does, we are justified and free to go anywhere in the world to start all over but we must survive this." He told her. 

Just then, they heard a knock on their door. 

"Dad?" A soft feminine voice called out from behind the door.

"Come in, Love." He said, 

They had both turned towards the door with a smile. 

Stepping in was an even more beautiful young lady shutting the door behind her. She was wearing a red nightie. 

"Is it true?" the girl asked, 

He heaved a sigh and nodded affirmatively. 

"What if you don't come back? We can't always be lucky. You taught me that." the girl said, with folded arms. 

"I will come back." He replied, getting on his feet and holding onto her face. 

"Many—don't come back, daddy." She said, 

"You don't have to worry, " Pat said, 

"You don't get to lie to me!" the girl responded. 

BRRRRRRRRTTTTT!!! 

They were all startled. 

"What's going on out there?" Pat asked in fright. 

"I have to help," Max said, rushing for his weapons. 

"What? No, no,  Dad!"  the girl said while being restrained by her mother. 

"You both stay here, lock the door once I am gone and If you hear footsteps coming towards this room, you hide." He instructed sternly. 

"You have to come with us!" the girl had already begun crying. 

"I am always with you." He said and embraced them tightly while planting kisses on both their faces. 

The sounds of gunshots had increased and it seemed as though the war had been brought to the safe house. 

He took out a minute to deeply kiss his wife before freeing himself and dashing out to prevent them from changing his mind. 

"I love you!!" he yelled in a teary tone,  catching a glimpse of them one last time before shutting the door. 

"Hey, Hey.  Listen.. Look at me." Pat sniffed while holding onto her daughter's face. 

"I have to go help him but first you must promise me you will go down the tunnel till you see a light," she added, 

"Mum, no…" 

"Hush.  You are stronger than you know. We will meet on the other side,  just promise me, love,  promise me you will stay alive till we meet again." Pat said, 

"What about you? Will you stay alive?" The girl asked amidst tears. 

BAAAAANG!!! 

An explosive sound was heard and the walls, The ceiling, and even the ground began to shake. Pat began pulling her daughter towards a direction while talking to her. Her daughter who couldn't hear a thing could only see her mom's lips moving. 

They went down a secret staircase she was sure no one else knew about and it did lead to a tunnel. 

Pat said some words to her and then kissed her forehead.  Still finding it hard to hear or stand properly, her daughter wouldn't stop blinking her eyes as time seemed to slow down. 

Pat left her anyway and shut the iron door from the other side, blowing her a kiss. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Sir! Sir! She breathes!" A young man about the age of nineteen called out. 

"She doesn't look like one of us." A deep but cool voice responded. 

The young man still had his eyes fixed on the face of the young lady he had found just outside the tunnel. 

"Sir, please! You saved me! Let me — save her!" The young man said, 

"The portal will not remain open." The deep voice responded again followed by the image of a man wearing a black leather cape that covered from his head to his feet. 

He kept walking till he disappeared. 

"cool." The young man voiced with a smile. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++

"Edric!" A lady called out angrily while barging into a dark room. 

"For f*cksake put on some lights." She said, snapping her fingers which caused the room to brighten up. 

She could see him standing by the balcony,  sipping from the glass of wine he held. 

"What were you thinking?" She dashed to where he was. 

"What do you mean?" he inquired calmly as he turned towards her. 

"You brought in a human." She said, 

"You sound like we all are monsters." He said, 

"She could be a spy." The lady said, 

"She isn't." He replied, walking back into the room, and gulping all that was left in his glass. 

"You do not know!" She said, following behind him. 

"Do you, Guin?" He asked, 

Heaving a sigh, she does her eyes from her right side to him. 

"I couldn't pick up anything from her aura. That is worrisome enough." She said, 

"Your paranoia is top-notch." He said, turning to her and pulling her closer to himself. 

"Why have you really come here? To scold me or to f*ck me?" He asked her in a soft tone. 

"She could be dangerous," Guin whispered.  

"Remind me again when danger has ever been my problem. I must have forgotten." He inquired, swiftly throwing her on the bed.