"It feels very alone… it- it feels like I'm completely different from the society. I feel left out, as though people don't consider me a human anymore."
The only sound that is heard is the sound that Gus's shoes is making with every step he has taken. The silent hovers above them with neither speaking a word to each other.
Faust looked down and tears started filling his eyes but it did not leak out. He cleared his runny nose as the cold breeze ruffled through his hair gently.
Gus became stricken instantly by the words of Faust, he stared at Faust speechlessly with a surprised face.
"I feel as though I do not have anyone to depend upon grandpa. Everyone have a family that they depend on, b-but i don't have one and no one considered me as their family. They don't like me… they are selfish, mean, evil and greedy." Faust's spills his hurtful words out as he tried to hold back his tears from bursting once again. But once his first droplet of tear broke out, the rest followed in an unbroken stream.
"Faust!" Gus feels the heartache of Faust and held him tightly in his arms. His soft shirt and his familiar scent comforted Faust with relief. He poured in all of his feelings he has been holding and cried out like how every little child would.
"Did something happened with you?" Gus asked with concerns. "N-no" Faust replied, he did not want to create any conflict or spoil the relation between Gus and his sister.
"Faust Listen to what I'm about to say okay?" Gus softly said to Faust.
"Life is unfair to everybody, and it is like the waves of the ocean, there are good days and bad days both. No matter how hard things get, never give up. Life will give you something better than you expected."
"Build patience and preserve, always learn to give first, what you give comes back to you."
"No matter what happens, try to be good. Goodness lasts with you. Be good and kind to everyone, even if you have money, power or excellence, never even think about harming someone." Gus added and settled Faust on a small stone and kneeled before him.
He cupped the face of Faust in his palms and wiped the tears with his thumbs. "As for a family." Gus whispered in a low voice and hugged Faust close to his chest.
"I am your family Faust, I cook for you, like a mom. I hold your hand and hold you in my chest and protect you like a father. I will be beside you every night and I will read you stories and put you to sleep."
Faust hugged Gus back and he sniffed his runny nose. "You will always be with me right?" Faust asked in an innocent yet happy voice, he hugged Gus closer and rubbed his cheeks on Gus's shirt. Gus chuckled seeing how cute his grandson is acting like a cute little puppy.
A few distance beside them, a sound of running noise can be heard. Gus and Faust turn to face the sound and a boy running in the snow can be seen approaching them. Faust curiously wonders why the boy was in a hurry.
"G-grandpa! The boy who came running chipped in.
Another man came running from behind the boy, "F-faust! Your grandpa drowned and died, we couldn't save him." The man came running bellowed.
"Huh? Grandpa?" Faust and the boy both responded. The boy who came running is 10 years old and present one. He recognized that the little boy Gus is holding is the 6 years old him in the past.
The present Faust panicked with the confusing scenario and was helplessly starring at the faces. Gus, who was holding the little Faust suddenly turned blue as he got up on his feet.
Present Faust just watch in distress, the child Faust stand up and held the hand of Gus. His hand by now has turned cold, blue and bloated."He is my grandpa." The child Faust with tears welling up in his eyes.
"Faust, your grandpa! He is.. dead!" The man yelled repeatedly.
The eyes of Gus who is standing had filled back and water was leaking from his mouth and he seemed to be suffocating.
Faust instantly reacted and moved forward to hold Gus and to protect him. To his surprise, the kid Faust and the man who came from behind to pass the news of Gus held Faust tightly without letting him go.
Faust is surprised that he is not able to push a kid and a man away with all of his strength and training. He helplessly witness Gus fell on the ground breathing his last breath and water swallow the whole body of Gus and disappeared in a flash.
-
"He cried and passed out again!" The villagers shout out loudly. Apparently Faust has passed out after 4 hours of constantly crying.
They carry him to his house on the hill with Bella following behind them, they place Faust near the locked door and carelessly went their way.
-
After a couple of hours, Faust wakes up at night, to see the dark sky. He saw Bella who is sleeping on him, *"Is she trying keep me warm in this snowfall?"* Faust mumbles in his head and tiredlessly goes inside the house.
He lits up a lantern in a corner and gloomily walks towards a cupboard. He takes a huge cardboard out of the cupboard, comes to Bella and dumps a month worth of dog food on Bella's plate. He then walks over to a wall and settles down with his back resting against the wall.