The hero

After the rain, the clouds made way for the sun rays, lifting the depressing mode. Nikolai had been watching him for a long time, watching Iver mourning with a blank face. When he couldn´t watch him any longer, he decided to step up and confront the child.

"Hello, kiddo, my name is Nikolai Dev. I´m a friend of your father. Maybe you have heard of me...if not it´s alright, don´t worry. Everyone left already, why don´t you also go home?"

Iver, immersed in deep thoughts and memories, almost didn´t hear him. "I heard about you from dad, he used to talk about you all the time, you being his saviour and so on. My mom never liked you though, she always had to start a fight whenever your name was mentioned... but now they´re no longer here anymore...." he started to talk.

"Alright, what´s your name little boy? " Nikolai asked.

"I am called Iver."

"Nice to meet you, Iver, it´s my pleasure to be aquainted with you. Now, do you want to stand here all day? You already stood there for more than four hours, look, the sky is turning dark soon. Go home, little kiddo." , said Nikolai with a gentle tone.

"I don´t have a home to return to anymore, my parents died. How can I stand to live in the same home without them anymore? I just can´t...." Iver responded with a pitiful look.

"Then do you want to live with me? I own your father at least this. I will be your guardian until you reach adulthood. " said Nikolai with a promising look.

Hesitating, Iver almost whispered, " I can´t, my other relatives have custody over me. My uncle and his family wants to take all of my inheritance. I heard them when I wanted to go to the toilet in the middle of the night. But what can I do, they are the only family I have left now....Say, Uncle Nikolai, are you also after the money my parents left for me?"

As soon as the little boy told him about his grievance, Nikolais gaze turned softer and he bent his legs so that they were the same height and said " Good boy, Why should I covet what others have? I have enough money to last me more than three life times. About your uncle, let me handle it. I have my ways. "

With a twinkle of his eyes, he grabbed the child´s hand and lead him to his car. They drove to Ivers home, facing his uncle´s family, who already treated this place as their own.

After the funeral the whole family just left that poor child and went home on their own. That alone shows how little they cared about their nephew and cousin.

"Ah, little Iver, you´re here already? Who is that handsome man beside you?" his cousin asked curiously.

The said handsome man was in the prime of his life, emitting a powerful and oppressive aura, his hair as dark as the night, his eyes as cold as ice. His height over 180cm, dressed in a black suit, Nikolai looked like a CEO in novels.

Ivers cousin was immediately bewitched by him. Even her mother couldn´t look away, making his uncle fuming deep inside. `This dumb mother daughter duo.`

Admist this silence, Nikolai casually added " Iver go upstairs, I want to have an important talk with the rest of your family."

The little boy did as he was told, going to his room, he almost fell asleep, the last days have been exhausting for him but as soon as he laid on his bed, he started to have trouble breathing, almost suffocated. He couldn´t sleep the last few days, falling asleep and waking up almost immedaitely, not being able to breath, he had struggled for a few minutes until he had been able to fall asleep again, only to be awoken again. The thought of closing his eyes alone left him with a stuffy feeling in his chest. This problem started after his parents died, after he heard the voice message left by his parents. It seemed that they didn´t want to wake him up so they left to get the luggage to the airport first and to later pick him up so that he could sleep longer. ´I should have left with them´, he thought, ´then I could have died together with them and be reunited...`

Immersed in pain and sorrow, he became unable to relax. So he sat upright on his bed and waited for Nikolai to pick him up. ´I heard from dad that Nikolai watched over him and maybe he can take care of me until I can repay him for everything....Nikolai is my dad´s hero, so he will be mine as well. At least that´s better than staying with uncle and his family.`

After ten minutes, Nikolai picked him up and told him to pack his stuff and that his uncle already handed the custody over to him.

Almost like a puppet, Iver packed all his stuff and helped his new uncle to get them in his car. The uncle and his family, staring at them with a nervous and scared look.

´I wonder what he told them for them to agree so easily...`Iver thought when he got inside the car.

Breathing in and out, he gradually relaxed his posture. A new beginning, a new life.