CHAPTER 2: Waking Up Into New World

"Ivan?...Ivan?"

A man's voice called out my name. It was deep yet gentle as if waking me up. The voice was oddly familiar, one I hadn't heard in years.

I felt like I was in some sort of vehicle, moving and swaying. I also sensed the fresh breeze, carrying the scent of flowers or perhaps the sweet fragrance of ripened grains, carried on gentle breezes.

"Hmm?" I responded, slowly opening my eyes to be greeted by the peaceful sunlight. "Where am I?" I asked quietly.

"Oh, you're awake, son," I glanced at the man beside me. He appeared to be in his forties, wearing a cap and sporting a beard, dressed in a red checkered long-sleeved shirt. Then, my eyes widened. There was no mistaking it. It's my Papa. I looked around, the landscape seemed familiar, and I calmed myself. I don't know why but for some reason I felt mixed feelings of sadness, loneliness, and regrets. At the same time relief and happiness washes over me. "Oh right, I'm at the farm."

"Are you okay, Ivan?" papa asked. "Ah, I'm fine," I replied.

"How was the ride on our new tracked tractor?" he asked. Now that he mentioned it, we were indeed riding on a tractor, with my papa at the wheel. I remembered, they bought me a new tractor as a gift for my 18th birthday.

"This is actually great!"

Papa chuckled. "Hahaha, glad you like it. I thought you'd ask for a fancy four-wheeled car like your peers. Are you sure this is all you want?"

"Ofcourse, papa. . I prefer using this kind of vehicle that I can use for what I want to do, and what I want to do is to work on this farm that has sustained me. This farm and you are my life and strength. I couldn't ask for anything more. Plus, this new tractor... It looks like a tank."

Papa patted me on the back. "You have no idea how proud I am of you, son. Alright, I'll head back home now. Your mother asked me to do something. Can I count on you to finish plowing the field? Can you handle driving this new tractor? We'll only be using this tracked one for now."

"You can leave it to me; I feel like I'm already an expert in using tracked vehicles."

Papa stopped the tractor and got off. "Alright, son, after you're done here, make sure to head straight home. We have a small celebration planned for your birthday."

I smiled wholeheartedly. "Sure thing, papa, thank you." He then hopped into our pickup truck and drove home.

Alright time to take the wheel and finish plowing the field. I'm excited for that little celebration hehe.

But as I was about to drive the tractor, I felt puzzled because my hands instinctively positioned themselves as if I were driving a motorbike. I didn't understand why, but I found it odd for a moment that the steering wheel was circular. I shook my head, "What the hell am I thinking? The driving wheel is obviously circular."

I shrugged off my strange and silly thoughts. Alright, time to take the wheel and finish plowing the field. I'm excited for that little celebration hehe.

Minutes passed, and I was almost done with the work. I removed the plowing disc from the tractor and started driving it home.

But before I left, I took a look at the newly plowed field. Seeing the landscape warmed my heart. It felt as if our field symbolized a new beginning, a prosperous life, a new hope for a bountiful harvest. This is my only happiness, and I wouldn't wish for anything else but this peaceful life.

I drove along the countryside road, admiring the farms of wheat, vegetables, and flowers. The air was so full of life, and everything was so vibrant. Adding to that was the azure skies, so peaceful. Ah~ this kind of life is beautiful... but why is it that... I don't know, it's been like this since earlier, but it seems like all this time I've been feeling a sense of unease. Like...

As I was pondering, I saw an incoming car, speeding fast, followed by other trucks carrying lots of things. They all seemed to be driving fast and even encroaching on my lane. They were also blasting their car horns just to get ahead. One of the vehicles was our neighbor's RV.

I honked the horn and waved frantically, halting their advance. "Where are you going, Ivan? You need to get out of here—fast!" my neighbor shouted urgently.

"What?! What's going on?!" I exclaimed, heart pounding in my chest.

"We're under attack! The neighboring country is invading! You need to leave before it's too late."

Dread gripped me as his words sank in. Though tensions had simmered between our nations, I never imagined they would escalate to this extent.

"Have you seen my parents and the twins? Are they safe?" I implored, desperation creeping into my voice.

"I don't know, but they said they'd wait for you before leaving," he replied, his expression grim.

My stomach churned with fear and uncertainty. 

With a heavy heart, I set off down the road, each passing moment fraught with apprehension. As the distant rumble of explosions echoed in the distance, I stepped on the gas real hard but this 8rx tractor could only run on 42 kph. 

"DAMN IT! Even our 70-ton tank can run faster than this! I…need…to…full…speed…ahead… Wait... how did I know that..." A moment of confusion swept over me, my mind grasping at fragments of memories from an unknown lifetime ago.

"Aaaaah what am I thinking again?!" I shook my head, banishing the intrusive thoughts as best as I could.

On the horizon, plumes of smoke billowed into the sky, signaling the onset of bombardment. Our house lay perilously close to the source of destruction. "Please, papa, mama, Lilia, and Rosaria, please... be safe, I'm coming home." My fervent prayer hung in the air, a desperate plea for the safety of my loved ones amidst the turmoil.

Suddenly, a fighter jet streaked past me at breakneck speed. Its roar reverberated through the air, leaving me momentarily disoriented. Uncertainty gnawed at my gut as I questioned whether the aircraft belonged to our forces or the enemy's. With no time to spare, I pressed onward, my eyes fixed on the familiar silhouette of our house.

As I drew closer, relief flooded my senses. Our home stood unscathed amidst the chaos

I'm almost there, nearing the safety of our home, then suddenly, a high-pitched whine pierces the air. The sound grows louder and louder, and as I glance outside, my heart plummets to the depths of despair. The fighter jet I spotted earlier is hurtling towards me!

Instinct kicks in with lightning speed as I veer the tractor sharply, desperately evading the onslaught of machine gun fire. The air crackles with tension as the fighter jet unleashes its deadly payload, a storm of bullets raining down upon me. With a surge of adrenaline, I push the tractor to its limits, narrowly dodging the lethal barrage.

But in my haste, I overcompensate, and the tractor lurches violently, flipping over with a deafening crash.

"Aaarrrggghhh!!!" My head throbs from the impact, but there's no time to dwell on the pain. I got out from the wreckage of our tractor and made a run for our house.

Blood trickles down my brow but I gotta run. Adrenaline has already kicked in. "I need to go home."

Just a few more steps, and I can already see the door of our house. I'm getting closer when it suddenly swings open, and in that moment, it's as if I've forgotten all the pain I've endured. Despite the deafening explosions echoing around us, my focus narrows to the sight of my family: Papa, Mama, and my twin sisters. They're about to leave the house, their figures outlined against the backdrop of chaos and destruction. 

Thank goodness they're safe, I think to myself. The air is thick with the acrid scent of smoke, the ground trembling beneath my feet with each explosion. Despite the chaos, the sight of my family fills me with overwhelming joy.

But why do they look so... distraught? Have I done something wrong? Their eyes are fixed above, wide with fear, as if they're witnessing something beyond comprehension. Mama stumbles backwards, her hands reaching out instinctively for support, while Papa holds the twins close, his jaw clenched tightly in a grimace of determination. The twins cry inconsolably, their tiny voices lost amidst the cacophony of war.

"I'm home, Papa, Mama!" I shout, but their responses are lost to me, drowned out by the deafening roar of destruction surrounding us. "Huh? I can't hear you!" I plead, desperation creeping into my voice as I strain to make out their words.

As my vision blurs from the blood streaming down my face, I notice a speck in the sky, growing larger by the second. I don't know what it is, but my parents' gestures seem to indicate that they're pushing me away, urging me to flee from the impending danger. Why? I'm almost there, just a few steps more, and I'll be home... Why?

Once again, I look up to the sky... and something falls from above. It's a bomb.

I reached out my hand for them. No, no... Mama, Papa, Lili, Rosie! Run! But in the blink of an eye, everything is consumed by a blinding light, the world erupting into chaos and destruction.

No!

"NOOOOOO!!!" Ivan's voice echoed through the darkness, his hands still outstretched in desperation. Tears streamed down his face, mingling with the sweat that drenched his brow. His breath came in ragged gasps, as if he were drowning in the suffocating weight of despair.