Chapter 19 - Shattered hope

BAAAANG!

I was already prepared for the worst to come; however, rain of bullets has suddenly occurred and inserted in the middle of my near death-scene, and I quickly ducked to cover myself from it.

With just a flash, the firing has stopped, and I then looked back to try figure out what was going on. Being unbelievably luckily, it looks like the guys surrounding me were the only ones that were aimed at as they all fell dead on the ground with blood gushing out of them.

"The loosed civilian is still alive."

Staring at a room of a certain structure, I was surprised of what I saw.

What in the heck? A miracle! Double the luck!

After a few seconds of silence from that short and quick firing, two soldiers came rushing to me.

"Come on kid, we have got to get out of here!"

One of the soldiers then pulled me up, and we started to move out of the place quickly yet warily. But as just as we had made a few steps from walking, we noticed faint sounds of footsteps at somewhere in the nearby area, alerting our very presence at the side of the road.

"TAKE COVER!" Then the other soldier instantly shouted, probably has confirmed his suspicions using his keen observation.

RA-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!

Unexpectedly, more hostiles have shown themselves out and were still around, but having a glimpse of them before we rushedly dove to hid inside another building, their numbers were only a few, about 5 to 7. In correspond to their likely ambush, the soldiers made their resistance and were exchanging bullets with them.

While under heavy fire, me being the only passive guy and civilian in the area, I was just relying on the soldiers to deal with the situation while I was covering myself down until this could somehow end.

BAAAANG!

"That's the last one, area clear!"

"Let's go!!!"

At last, after another quick minutes of reciprocating bullets, they called the area safe, and we started to make our move once again. The same soldier pulled me up once more, and we jumped out of the building and have started making quick, light steps forward.

*BONK*

"Huuh!?"

With just having to move again recently, we heard another suspicious sound coming from an object that was likely thrown hard onto the ground behind us and was making rolling noises.

"GRENADE! WATCH OUT!" Trying to know what was rolling, the same soldier who pulled me up twice shouted and has pushed me away before I could even get a look of the--- grenade.

BOOOOOM!

"GAAAAAH---- AAAACK!"

For the nth time, I got thrown hard on the ground, but this time around, it hasn't taken my consciousness away.

I looked back, seeing that both of the soldiers were also down because of the grenade that seemed to be a 'high explosive' one. One was knocked out unconscious and while the other was barely opening his eyes. There was still one hostile left nearing us with his leg that was severely wounded. The rebel was slowly trying to approach first the two wounded soldiers, seeming to finish them before me.

While not knowing what to do, I worriedly looked around of my surroundings, and in the process have seen a pistol lying on the ground. I hesitated for a moment, but as the rebel was about to pick up a gun, I came rushing to the pistol that I saw to pick it up.

Without having a second thought after acquiring the gun, I aimed, and fired the pistol spontaneously before the rebel could even fire his.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The rebel dropped down to the ground, but he wasn't dead as he was screaming in pain when I shot him at his legs, and at the same time I returned the favour by saving the injured soldiers from the brink of death.

I pant from my inevitable decision with my hands shaking a bit while holding the pistol, couldn't believe of what I have just done, yet it didn't stop me as I unhanded down the gun to the ground and have started moving again towards the farm.

"Wait kid, where are you going?" The conscious soldier asked me with a low voice, bearing his pain of the impact.

"Thanks for saving me sir, but I still have something to do." Without having to look back, I exclaimed before I left the injured soldiers behind and hurriedly have gone running.

Under the bright moon in which had lightened the path, it was a non-stop marathon for me as I was dropping sweats on the ground despite the cold temperature, and after a long way and time, I finally got to arrive at the farm and have stopped with my running, looking at the place for a moment while heavily gasping in for air.

I pant again, and shortly after have continued moving forward with my body slightly swinging side to side from the exhaustion. Feeling hopeless, I again stop at the entrance gate, seeing that it was completely destroyed when I got a closer look of it. I sigh. I haven't got to notice it from a far. In the first place, I already expected of what to happen, but I continue moving forward anyhow towards our shelter to check things further despite the likely probable result.

I opened the door, and I nervously took my time as I made slow and small steps inside from seeing the room that was awfully messy. Things were all over the place; scattered and destroyed appliances together with broken plates and other utensils on the ground and on severed cabinets. As I got further through, a familiar fresh scent not long ago before arriving here has reached through my nose.

On the ground, the bodies of the people that I knew were all lying lifeless with some others who were put into a weird position. Feeling my chest being stung as if it was stabbed by a sharp knife, and a maddening frustration rising up within me, my gaze was focused at Bob and Rosalie whose chests were full of holes from shots and with their faces that had seemingly showed and begged for mercy, and most likely it was the same as for the others as well.

I stared at each of them, but not knowing why with the usual poker-face, and with just seconds from seeing this massacre, I went my way back outside of the shelter, couldn't bear of the cruelty that was displayed in front of me.

Slowly I walk, going around the shattered place, and still what has happened was hard for me to swallow.

Deep inside, my heart is currently beating in sorrow, the frustration is making me want to cry because of it.

I want to cry, I want to cry, I really want to cry--- but why? Why am I not crying in this very moment?

Although I completely understand of my situation and have put it in heart, why am I just feeling calm about all of this?

Aaahh~ Am I this greatly broken inside already?

I sigh. Because of my desperation, I got insanely focused on myself and have taken things for granted, especially to the people that surrounded me, but these weren't just the case.

Yet still, this was quite a nice place for me, I had the necessities, but more than that, the people treated me kindly. It was supposed to be the place where I could change, but it was all gone just a moment ago. The light of hope has fade, vanish, disappear, and I'm back to where I started because of this incident. I can barely think as of the moment, and as I realize, my head feels heavier than usual.

While I was wandering around, I start to feel as well the great pain in my legs as it began hurting, probably due to muscle fatigued.

"This is already expected to happen, but what was I doing exactly all this time? Maybe, I felt like I wanted my life--- to end at the process."

Knowing that my hope was taken away from me, why would I even bother continue, right?------- or maybe not. I know it sounded crazy and suicidal, but it's just that I don't have anywhere else to go at my side.

Eventually, I found a chair outside and have sat down. I rested under the moon which was giving light to the dark sky. I looked up at the stars and have tried counting every single one that I could find until, slowly my eyes have exhaustedly dropped.

While having a bit of consciousness, I napped while sitting down on the chair safe and sound, and while also heavily yet slowly breathing under this bloody night.

-----*-----

"Are you fine kid? Does it hurt somewhere?"

Slowly I open my eyes as I was being carefully shaken by someone. It was not even about a few minutes since my arrival but, the military soldiers have shown their presence in front of me at this place.

"Come on son. We're going to get you safe."

"Wait. Can I get my things first?"

"Uhhh— Okay. " Somehow, the soldier agreed to my request.

Being that as I requested, and with the soldier's unexpected approval, I went to my room to pack all of my things. I took my time in getting my most prioritized stuffs down to the least while leaving the other things that were unnecessary. I then went back outside looking like someone preparing for a trip or camping.

Farther away, their vehicles were in standby near the shattered entrance gate, and I have gone moving forward to go inside it, letting myself to be escorted by them. The vehicle then started moving in making our way back to the city.

As we were passing by, I once again caught the view of the devastated towns, buildings, and establishments, and especially the people whose lives had passed away and with their dead vessels that were being taken under custody. Furthermore, the blood that has been shed remained and became dry on the ground, representing as an evidence of this unmerciful massacre.

As soon as we arrived at the city where the evacuation was put to place, I stepped out of the vehicle, and once more have seen the people that were full of sorrow and agony. I stared at every one of them, taking pity, especially to myself. There were also a lot of government officials around securing and facilitating the situation.

With the sudden attack ended, there was a great amount of casualty. The news of the incident has also spread quickly. And now with nothing else left to do, I'll be spending my time again at the streets. The agony that I felt during the incident has not completely disappeared, and will never be.

Though knowing that I could get and receive some help by staying here in this evacuation center, I decided to set off away anyways from the place since maybe further way in the process it could lead me into my own demise. The thought of having myself to return to the bird cage that I once lived in got me fretful.

-----*-----

Currently it is already Sunday in the morning, and abruptly it has started to rain.

Feeling the moderate drops of rain on my head, I went running at the side of the road with haste, and eventually have found myself a place to take shelter in which was under the roof of a 'sari-sari' store. As I was just about to get underneath it, the rain has gotten intense in an instant.

I put my bags down that has gotten slightly wet not a while ago and have sat down on a cemented seat that was attached to the store. I then quietly stared at the pouring rain around me with my ears full of its sharp, loud dropping sounds, and as usual, yet feeling a bit of guilt inside, I sat up straight wearing a poker-face.

"So I'm back to square one, Huuh?"