Chapter 33
A sudden loud thud woke Shuja from his daydreaming. He turned around and saw a tall man in a black coat with thirty-three b.u.t.tons and a gold cross hanging down by the neck. It was the priest of the church, Father Hilarion. He bent backward, and a crackling sound came out. "Ah, that felt good," The father sighed in relief, "Thank you again, Shuja. These boxes are hard to carry. Good thing G.o.d had you travel along my path. Hahaha." He laughed.
"Don't mention it, Father. Glad I could help. I should probably get going, do you need me for anything else because I'd like to get going."
"Nothing that I can think of, my boy. You're free to go then."
Shuja ran down the stairs while waving and yelling goodbye to the priest. Father Hilarion watched as the young man he once knew as the rebellious thug goes down the flight of stairs as an excellent, responsible adult. Shuja was a child that only acts before thinking — always fighting against the other boys in the streets. But Father Hilarion knows he fights with good intention. He would not be surprised if Shuja picked a fight with a pack of wolves to save someone.
Shuja finally reached the front lobby. He dashed out of the church and ran back home and a smile on his face. The reason for his excitement, Shuja's mother, was preparing his favorite Qatayef. His mom only makes them during Ram██an for her close Muslim friends.
Shuja found it odd at first why his mom was making them today. It was not Ram██an, nor is his father coming back from the ██t██. But he hasn't been home since Friday. After getting the permit to work outside the city, he has been staying with a friend. It made sense that his mother will make him his favorite food for his return.
Shuja finally arrived at their apartment. Outside was their landlord, ███ loitering at the entrance. Next to him were a pile of boxes and bags. The two exchanged greetings. ███ seemed nervous, but Shuja did not pay much attention. He ran up the stairs, opened the door to their apartment, and sniffed the sweet aroma filling the apartment.
The living room had old sofas with old Persian rugs lying on the seats. An old coffee table sat in the middle of the living room. On it was a Chinese vase filled with different kinds of flowers and underneath seats a round placemat with a lotus flower design. Picture frames and old paintings were hanging on the walls. Below an old large picture frame containing Shuja's baby pictures were carvings with a number next to each incised line. They measured Shuja's height, starting from the age of six to the age of twelve. A giant, blue Persian carpet was covering most of the hardwood floor. Its blue colors complement the Chinese vase and the navy blue curtains that were hanging in front of the gated windows. Another blue curtain was hanging from the top of the kitchen entrance, separating
Shuja's excitement turned to confusion. He walked to the kitchen and saw his mother holding a plate of Qatayef. Instead of a kitchen table, they were boxes with 'fragile' written on its side. "Mama, what's going on?" He asked.
"What?" Shuja's question took her by surprise, "Shuja, didn't I tell you over the phone?"
"Told me what?" Shuja raised his voice unintentionally. He knows what's happening, but he doesn't want to admit the worst-case scenario just happened.
"I told you already. The █████ is taking over the building. They think terrorists are living..."
"Well, they're f.u.c.king ain't one!" Shuja yelled. While Shuja was yelling, someone knocked on the door. "Who the f.u.c.k is it now?"
Shuja walked towards the door and opened it, revealing a █████ soldier. "Get out of here. This entire building is being evacuated." The soldier entered the apartment. He grabbed on Shuja's collar.
"Get the f.u.c.k off of me!" Shuja grabbed on the soldier's arm. He turned around, pointed his b.u.t.t upward, and back kicked the soldier's left leg. He pulled the soldier over his shoulder, slamming him to the floor.
"Shuja, stop!" His mother ran toward him, throwing the plate away.
"Mom, get back," Shuja gets tackled right by another soldier after finis.h.i.+ng his sentence. The soldier wrestled him to ground, wrapping his arm around Shuja's neck. The soldier Shuja threw to the ground got up, went to Shuja, and punched him on the liver. Shuja's body entered a state of shock from the pain.
More soldiers entered the room. Shuja's mother got in between her son and the soldiers. She pleaded with them to let her son go. The soldiers guided her out of the building while carrying her son.
They threw him on the curb then entered back inside. Shuja got up and tried to follow them into the building, but he was pulled back by his mom. "Mom, get off!"
"No, I will not have you go fight those █████ and get yourself killed." His mom started crying. Her tears flowed down her cheeks and fell on his back. "Don't do anything stupid."
Shuja turned around and embraced his mom. "I'm sorry. It's just that, what now?"
"Are you alright?" His landlord asked. Neighbors and other tenants approached them. Most of them were evicted, along with Shuja and his mom. The soldiers would come throwing out boxes, luggage, and garbage bags filled with personal belongings that the people didn't have time to take with them.
The neighbors helped the evicted tenants move their luggage. Everyone was all heading to the basketball court. There they set temporary tents to spend the night. While pulling a cart full of their kitchen wares, Shuja asked his mom where they will.
"I'm going to ask Father Hilarion if he has any room for us."
"I don't know mama. Their apartments are already so full. I doubt they have room for us. How about we move in with aunty?"
"I will not leave this city. Our city." She burst out. "This city was full of Christians, but ever since those █████ came, our numbers have dwindled, forced out of their houses. They moved to the other side, leaving the city where it all started for an easier life. But I am not one them, Shuja. This city is our home. I'm not crossing the other side."
"But mom,"
"Don't 'but me,' Shuja!" She hissed back, "They can force us out of our apartments, or houses. But never give our land, our home. Because if you do, that means they won."
Her hateful and determined eyes pierced through Shuja's heart. She was a gentle and loving woman unless she is angry. Then that image of a hardened, determined mother disappeared. Darkness surrounded Shuja. The only thing present was a mirror and its reflection, a goblin.
Sun opened his eyes. There were dried up tears on his tear duct and cheeks. It was a nightmare Sun did not expect to remember. So much information and emotion.
It was early in the morning, but it was still dark outside. Sun tidied up his bed then walked out to get water. It was a cold and dry morning. Very few goblins were at the well. Most of them were goblin men. Next to some of these men were goblin women holding their babies close to their chest. Among them was Dawn, who was chatting with another mother. "Dawn, good morning."
"Oh, Sun. Good morning."
"How have you been? Rock has been looking for you."
"Oh, um," Dawn was trying to search for the proper words. Suddenly her child cried. "Oh, baby cry. Need go change, baby."
"Alright, see you later." Dawn got up and hurried out. Sun walked up to the well and got his water. He boiled them by the fireplace and then walked to their cottage. The water splashed out from the bucket now and then. Sunrise has yet to come.
When Sun returned, Smoke and Stick started already woke up and was preparing their bed. Rock was still sleeping. Sun dipped his hand on the bucket, then flicked his wrist over Rock's face. "Wake up. We got work to do."
Rock slowly opened his eyes and pushed himself up. He looked out the opened window, "The sun isn't even out yet."
"Don't matter," Sun said sarcastically.
The brothers started preparing their bags. "Alright guys, make you have everything," Sun said. "We need a bundle of paper, four bags of water, some beef jerky, and that purple stuff Flute gave us. We are going to use that stuff as a replacement for ink. We have one object today, and that is to make a map - a map that can guide us out of here. Now let's go!" Sun cheered.
The brothers got to work, making sure they have everything they needed. By the time they finished, the sun finally appeared out of the western horizon. Sun looked at the rising sun and wondered why the sun rose from the west horizon. The four left the cottage. Before heading to the gate, the brothers went to the slave quarters to say goodbye.
Then they went to the eastern wall. The eastern wall was not as heavily guarded as the western one. There wasn't even a wall, to begin with. The most they had was a long wooden fence separating the town and the wilderness. Goblins under the orders of Cancer guards this gate. Few goblins go through this side since most of the games are found by the mountains.
The goblins asked the brothers where they are going. "We are going for a hunt." Smoke told the guards.
"Didn't brothers killed wolves days ago." One of the guards said.
"Yeah, but we want to hunt some more. Doing nothing all day is pretty boring."
"Cinder see point. Go on hunt, but still careful." Cinder said.
The brother crossed the fence and entered the forest.