5 CHAPTER 5

The moment I exited the underground hideout what I saw shocked me. The backside of the library was destroyed, I saw limbs scattered in the rubble of the once tranquil library.

The library was destroyed due to a literal cannonball that hit it, it caused an opening in one of the walls. Looking outside in the ocean, I could see 3 pirates ship bombarding the town with cannonballs, people were screaming for their lives, mothers carrying their children as they try to escape the bombardment. Death was in the air, it was a feeling that I saw familiar with.

"Damn it, how are they here?!", I heard Uncle Ray said as he tried to help a man that was pinned down by one of the cement columns of the library.

"Uncle Ray!", I shouted as I immediately went towards him. The sounds of screams and continues cannonballs hitting the town was becoming stronger and louder by the minute, small fires were already happening everywhere.

Seeing me still alive and well made Uncle Ray happy. After helping the pinned man, Uncle Ray went straight towards me and he went to one knee and held my shoulders firmly.

"Listen to me boy. Inside the back of this library, there is an un---",

I interrupted him by saying, "The devil fruit...I'm sorry Uncle Ray I ate it", I with genuine guilt in my voice.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA", Hearing me say that to him made Uncle Ray laugh, after laughing, he said to me, " Well done boy. I know you have a good head on those shoulders. I need you to listen to me and listen good. RUN! FROM THIS TOWN, UNTIL YOU CAN'T SEE THE TOWN WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING BEHIND YOU. PIRATE SHIPS ARE HERE WHICH MEANS THAT THE NEAREST MARINE BASE HAD BEEN DESTROYED, THE FARTHER YOU GO IN THE MAINLAND THE BETTER IT IS FOR YOU!" while saying this I could see the image of Uncle Ray the Marine Captain, a visage of his past.

He pushed me, and I immediately began running, but instead of getting out of town, I went deeper into town. I wanted to find my father.

As I ran, I could see people crying, young and old, some were bleeding in their heads. I saw a 3-year-old girl crying in the middle of the streets because she could not find her parents. I saw people running while bleeding due to missing some of their limbs. This scene reminded me of the scenarios of the battlefield in my past life.

Even wherever you go, there is always a battlefield. I went to go to the locations where my dad would often go, but he wasn't there. Most of the time my dad would play pool table with his doctor colleagues.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, let's loot baby!!", a heard a pirated shouts.

'Oh, shit! There near my location. Need to hide, need to hide', I thought to myself.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA, I call dibs on the first woman we find, hahaha", another pirate shouted.

I was nearly spotted by them, I immediately went to one of the alleys and saw a large garbage can.

"Fucking Shit", I said in a whisper and I immediately jump into it, and close the lid.

The loud shouts of the Pirates, the screams of women who were clearly being molested can be heard as I remained hidden. I did not move, I did make a sound in fear of getting caught. I did not know how long I was there but I believe it would have been a few hours.

The moment I opened the lid of the trash can it was already night time, perhaps near midnight. In truth, I could have gotten out when the sounds of the pirates were gone, that was probably 3 hours ago, but my paranoia wanted me to remain hidden from them. Besides, I didn't even know if the pirates left the town, or they were on the coast drinking their spoils.

I carefully watched where I was going in fear of being spotted by any remaining pirates in the vicinity. After a while of walking, I didn't see any pirates lingering in town. I went towards one of the buildings that weren't hit by cannonballs and I went straight to the rooftops.

"Their gone", I said as I look at the docks. The only reason I could see the docks was because of the fire that was still on-going in that area. It gave enough lumination for me to see the surrounding port.

"They must have left immediately after looting the town", I said.

I went straight towards my house and I could see the door was open.

Dread filled my entire body, my mother was there alone today. I ran towards the house, fearful at what I would see. I deep down in my heart that my mother was safe, I really hope that she was fine.

The moment I entered the house I could see the body of my mother, she was pinned to the dining table by two knives, one knife in each hand. She was naked and dry blood can be seen on the floor.

I went towards her head and saw that she had no life in her eyes, I close them up and took a blanket and covered her body. Suddenly I heard a sound at the entrance of the house, I took one of my mother's kitchen knives and waited for what was coming inside the house. If it was a pirate the was left behind then I would fight, I would fight with everything that I got.

The figure was sluggishly going to the door, the moment I clearly saw the face I was shocked and worried.

"DAD!", I shouted and I unnoticeably drop the knife and went towards my father who was injured.

"Enzo", my father said weakly.

"Dad, lie down. I'll stop the bleeding first", I said with tears in my eyes. Being a soldier in my past life I realized the severity of my father's wound, but I would not stop until I try to stop the bleeding.

Before I could do anything my father place one of his hand on my shoulder and said with all the energy he could muster, "My son, forgive your parents for not being for you when you grow up, but…but…alwa…ways….remember….we….l…love….you….and we…w..will..al…ways….be….watching….y….y…you….ar….are…no..not….al..alone". Those were the last words of my father as I saw the life of his eyes leave his body and he slowly fell to the ground.

Seeing my father die in front of me, broke me. My family, my own biological parents, something I didn't have in my past life, now dead, the pain was unbearable. I soon began to cry in the abandoned house, alone, in a town that was still burning.