In front of a quaint, simple house nestled in a picturesque rural village slightly away from it, a young child approached his mother with a mischievous smile playing on his lips. The sun bathed the surroundings in a warm golden glow, casting a magical ambiance over their humble abode.
"Hehehehe… Mother, look at the necklace I made for you," the child giggled, his eyes shining with excitement and anticipation. In his small hands, he held a carefully crafted necklace woven from wildflowers and dandelion stems adorned with delicate petals and leaves.
The mother paused her washing, her hands still in a basin of soapy water. Her eyes softened as she beheld the precious gift her child had created. It was a testament to his creativity, resourcefulness, and love. 'Ah…. You made this for me…. ' Simple feeling of joy filled her heart as she saw the smile on her son's face.
With tender affection, the mother accepted the necklace, carefully placing it around her neck. The vibrant hues of the flowers brought a touch of nature's beauty to her attire, symbolizing the simple joys and abundance of their rural life.
The child's face lit up with happiness and pride as he saw his mother wearing the necklace. His heart swelled with excitement, knowing that he had made her feel special and cherished.
In that fleeting moment, their small house transformed into a sanctuary of love and contentment. The echoes of laughter and the rustling of wind through the trees filled the air, enveloping them in a cocoon of pure bliss.
The mother enveloped her child in a warm embrace, her gratitude and love overflowing. "Thank you, my sweet child," she whispered, her voice filled with tenderness. "I will keep it with me." Her touching the necklace made of those small petals, the mother smiled brightly as her beauty shone.
They stood there, locked in a heartfelt embrace, cherishing the bond between them and the unbreakable strength of their family. In that rural village, where their lives were woven together with love, they knew that their shared moments of joy would forever be cherished as the happiest memories of their journey together.
However, the scene soon changed…. The surroundings shifted, unveiling a scene of profound sorrow and heartache.
"OPEN THE WAY!" "HOOOORAY!" As the shouts of men with scars on their faces filled the village, the horses they were riding on stepped on the village's lands.
"Who?" A villager asked only to get his answer immediately. "BANDITS!" A scream sounded, notifying every member of the village. "PROTECT THE CHILDREN AND WOMAN!" And then, immediately getting organized, the villagers started putting up the defense as they picked up the agricultural instruments at their disposal. Some had shovels in their hands, some had rakes, and some had hoes….
However, there was one thing they did not have. It was weapons….
Shouts filled the village as the bandits immediately started plundering and attacking.
"HEHEHE! IT SEEMS THIS WOULD BE EASY!" "LEAVE THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN ALIVE. KILL EVERYONE ELSE!"
The idyllic village, once adorned with the charm of rural life, morphed into a tableau of devastation. The vibrant hues of nature turned ashen and desolate, mirroring the anguish that gripped the young man's heart.
Amidst the chaos, everyone's senses were overwhelmed. Traces of smoke danced through the air, whispering of a recent conflagration. Trees, once majestic and rooted deep in the earth, now lay toppled and broken, their splintered remains a testament to the brutality that had unfolded.
Above the haunting stillness, the anguished cries of children pierced the air, a mournful symphony that echoed through the young man's being. His heart raced, pounding with a mix of fear and desperation.
Even though the villagers put up with a front, in the end, in front of those that lived their life by doing criminal acts, their front was nothing but to avail.
The same situation applied to a young child who was living with their mother while their father was absent.
"Arden. Don't ever leave this play. Okay? Don't ever leave this place!" As his mother said, she grabbed him by his shoulders, trying to put him down into the wardrobe where they put their clothes on.
"But mother. I need to protect you! I am the man of this house!" However, the young child named Arden was firm as he was looking at his mother with bright eyes showing his resoluteness.
"No! You need to stay safe." Seeing the attitude of her child, the woman had a complicated expression on her face. "Arden." She cleared her throat and composed herself before speaking to her son. "Listen to your mother, my dear. Everything will be fine. Just wait inside this wardrobe and never come out." A gentle smile graced her face.
"Really?" The young child asked. "Yes. Just wait for a while and never show yourself, and everything will be fine." As her mother reassured him, the young child decided he should listen to his mother. "Okay." As he said that, he instantly entered the wardrobe, as her mother closed the doors. Darkness descended on the wardrobe as a small light illuminated the insides of the small crack that it could pass through.
/PAT/
The sound of something hitting the ground was heard inside the room, as the woman was no longer able to control her emotions. Her tears fell down to the ground as her breathing was ragged from the fear. "I am sorry, Arden. I am really sorry." She mumbled as her cheeks got wet from the water pouring down from her eyes.
/CRACK/
Soon, the sound of splintering wood pierced the air. The forceful intrusion of an unwelcome presence.
/TOK/ /TOK/ /TOK/
Heavy footsteps reverberated, a symphony of fear that made the woman flinch. The woman's heart pounded in her chest, her body trembling uncontrollably in the face of imminent danger. The atmosphere grew thick with foreboding as the impending presence drew nearer.
"Ah... What do we have here..." A man adorned with a tapestry of scars strode into the room, his gaze fixated on the vulnerable woman before him.
"Licking his lips in a disturbing manner, he leered at her form, causing her to instinctively shield herself with trembling hands.
The situation was dire, but in the midst of her fear, a flicker of defiance ignited within the woman's eyes. She refused to succumb to despair, gathering the strength to face the imminent threat head-on.
However, in the end, the only thing she was able to do, was to give her child the biggest trauma of his life…..
As he was only able to witness the unfolding of the biggest nightmare he would have seen until his life ended…
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I don't want to continue this chapter anymore, as you must have already had an idea of what is going to happen. Hope you liked the chapters, though.
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