Is she Alive?

We look back hearing Tachibana move. Densetsu goes to see if she is alright. The sun rose about a minute ago. After he refused to sleep, we didn't have any verbal communication during the rest of the night. I went out once to collect more wood. Densetsu didn't join me though. Probably because it was more necessary to keep her company. He doesn't want to be me after all, no one does. Both our hands are covered in charcoal and mud.densetsu has some on his forehead too. Probably tried to fix his hair or something. Tachibana is trying to clean it. She thought it was a wound.

"Do we have anything to eat, love birds?", I say.

"Yes, you." Tachibana says while giving an embarrassed angry look.

"No, we don't. We need to go downhill.", Densetsu says.

"But doesn't that what they expect us to do?"

"You mean the military?", Tachibana asks.

"Yes. Or why else would they attack us?"

"Could It be that....", Densetsu doesn't finish his sentence.

"Father.", I say.

"What??!", Both of them exclaims.

"There's no way.. it can't be!!", Tachibana says.

"I don't get it?!" Densetsu says, " Why is your father... What is happening here??"

Tachibana and I look at each other.

Looking at Densetsu, "I think it's time you knew what happened all those years ago."

Some of you guys might think walking downhill might be easier than walking uphill. But it's not. It's actually way harder since you are facing the way down. A constant fear and reminder that you might fall always comes to mind while going downhill. And it's also harder to control your speed as well. For me it's not as hard as Densetsu since he is having to carry Tachibana as well. What a distinguished gentleman should I say. When you think of a forest, you think of dried leaves, big green trees and birds chirping. But not during a war. Dried leaves are replaced by burnt leaves, birds chirping are replaced with pin drop silence. And a constant stench of burnt ash covers the air.

Densetsu isn't talking at all. Probably taking in the situation we are in now. My father, a war lord. He could never think, let alone Tachibana being a part of my family. Should I break the silence? I should not. He is probably even thinking of us as guilty, me having the most amount of guilt. I'm not sure of it. But it is a possibility afterall. you can see it on his face, the gloominess, the questions, they're eating him up.

When we reach downhill I see something I expected but not at this scale. it is really a military base now. Guards and watch towers, VTOL (Vertical Take off and Landing) jets, tanks, armoured vehicles, mortars, they have it all. Another thing that catches my eyes is a lady in white shirt and black skirt. Aiko?! is it really her?! Is she really alive??! What is she doing with dad? Is she a prisoner? or is she really working with dad? Or, is she being forced to do so. isn't it better to keep her as a prisoner? or is it that dad actually felt pitty and affection for her. My mind freezes. Tachibana pulls me to one side and Densetsu covers my mouth so I can't talk. We land inside a bush. A tank goes through the road we were standing on along with 10 soldiers on both sides. The rythm of their boots is almost deafening. They go through a checkpoint and a big armoured gate to get inside the base. While we were lying in the bush I feel something under me. As I try to look what it is, I find an awful smell and a dead body of a rebellion. Tachibana tries to scream but stops herself immediately. What on earth is going on in this goddamn twisted world?!