"I used to dream about my father. He was a kind and loving father, always rushing everything with his dumb big smile on face. Protecting me from any kind of harm may happen. We used to play hide and seek, and he always easy to find."
Syal contemplating about his good old days. He's talking with guys in military uniform.
"Weird enough everything i remember about him is always about our activities on home. I never knew where his work at, or what he do for living. Probably because I was never care about all those stuff. I was still a little boy at the time."
Syal keep telling him story, but now he's starting to cry.
Not because of missing his father, but because guy on uniform bring him a bad news.
"But now though, I really regret doesn't know soon enough. I regret that I didn't spent enough time with him."
Syal cannot hold it anymore and started to cry. His tear flowing from both his eyes to the ground.
"Your father is a hero, Syal. He give himself for the country, for the people. He bravely take mission no one wanna take. Pity he can't do that anymore."
The uniform guy put his hand on Syal head.
" Cry, is okay to be sad. I also very sad. You have your father black hair and his blue eyes. I also hope you also have his Courage and determination. You already 18 this year, If you don't have plans about your future, seek me. You can serve the nation like your father did. Turn your sorrow to energy and uses it as driving force. Here's take this."
After say some brainwash propaganda bullshit and giving him "The Package". The uniform guy left Syal alone crying his late father that will never return.
Syal that still can't believe what happened, he's crying for long time. He's only had his father.
Before this his father disappearience already common thing. He's father already gone for months, the longest even take one year before back. Syal a little bit mad because his father break his promise to attend graduation ceremony few weeks earlier. He never thought, his father wouldn't just 'break his promise' but not back for good now.
"He says he definitely attend my graduation, hich,... Hich... If, even if he comeback late, he will home before my 18th birthday. But now, now... Liar hich... Your a liar father."
Syal say's while whining. Even though only himself on his room, his home.
Memories about his childhood keep repeating on his head. Time's where he still 5 or maybe 6 year old where he come home crying because got bullied. Time's when first time he lost on forest only, his crying that whole time. His father only found him at night, sial only 8 when that happens. And lot similar memories played in his head.
Mostly his memories consist of crying and his father who consoled him.
His father once say "Remember this sial, the world mau make you sad, make you cry, give you sorrow, but you must give smile to world okey."
"How could I smiled if this hurt?"
" One day you will learn, smile is antipain of anything."
In his eighteen years of life, it's been first time he cry this much. In last six year, he even doesn't shed any tear. Tired with crying, Syal fall asleep while sobbing.
"I am such a cry baby." His mumbling.
That night he dreaming about his childhood, time when his father always around him.
***
The next day Syal wake up feeling depressed. He just lost someone he love. He also need to prepare funeral for his father. Well actually he doesn't need to prepare anything.
His father is someone from military. In his country, military man get privilege. One of those privilege is family get taking care of if something happened. Also funeral will be held by country. They will make heroes type funeral and the family only need to attend it without need to prepare of anything. The only thing he need to prepare is suit for himself.
But coming from well of family, Syal already have bunch of suit to wear.
The funeral schedule still haven't noticed to him though. Usually military will break it to family when they come for notice of dead like yesterday. But other than give some national brainwash speech. The military guy doesn't informed him anything about funeral.
"Maybe I need go to military barracks? It's probably they new plot so someone sign up for militar. Yesterday he recruiting me after all."
With nothing to do anymore, syal decided to visiting military barracks.
With little styling himself. Syal look dashing with his black hair, blue eyes, and above average youth looking face. For the visit he wear white shirt and black blueish two-layer cape. For the pants he use pretty common black pants and black shoes. Syal also wearing gray newsboyhat, to cover his curtains cut haircut style.
"Father used to say, gentleman need to look neat and tidy all the time."
With that preparation, Syal goes to barrack.
***
Syal only need around quarter hour to reach his destination. Syal living close to military zone, probably because his father need to quickly answer military call or whatever. The city outskirts are designated military zone and inner city is civilians zone, at core were government zone are.
The military barracks located on the outskirts of the city near City wall, have a simple but sturdy appearance. The building consists of two floors with walls made of reed brick and a roof made of clay tiles. Large windows and wide doors allow natural light and fresh air to enter the building. The windows have wooden frames and thick glass, while the doors have wooden frames and are equipped with locks and handles. The building itself is pretty big, as big of his old school.
In front of the building, there is a large field used for training and parades. Beside the building, there are several supporting buildings such as warehouses, canteens, and sports facilities. There's also few tend around the field as well. All of it surrounded by iron fence. Many soldiers is looking busy on the barracks field.
The barracks have post guard at others side of field. There's two soldiers guarding it. But of them lazing around yet aware their surrounding. They both has musket and sword with them. Of course they have military uniform with them.
A military uniform from is consisted of a coat, waistcoat, breeches, and boots. The coat made of wool and adorned with intricate embroidery. They wear blue colored coat meaning they're enlisted.By the way, The military guy from yesterday wearing red coat meaning he's officers. Back to topic, they wearing white breeches. Breeches were tight-fitting pants that were made of wool. Boots were knee-high leather boots.
Syal can spot them, so they also could.
When syal close enough for conversation, one of them asking him with their firm tone military kind of voice.
"State your purpose of visiting!"
"Good day sir, eum, I am here to meet colonel Glenn."
Syal take out the name card that given to him yesterday.
The soldier do formality body check and told him to go straight to the basement.
Bewildered with where the basement are but to scared to ask, syal just noded and go straight in.
Syal feel like a monkey on the zoo because so many soldiers eyeing him. Probably because his dashing look. Actually because most of soldier know him, they yesterday also gone to his home but all of them just stay outside. He is son of Him after all.
Syal doesn't know his outburst crying yesterday witnessted by whole batalyon. If he know he will be terribly embarrassed.
Those field length walk fill like eternity for syal. At least he reach the building without do other embarrassed thing.
Inside, the walls are made of wood, with wooden floors and ceilings. The rooms have fireplaces for heating. The interior architecture is characterized by tidy yet glamour style, with symmetrical proportions and decorative details such as pilasters, cornices, and architraves. There also some painting here and there. There some soldier too inside the building, some of them sitting on chair, lazing around.
"Wait!"
Someone call syal from behind, it's the soldier from post earlier.
"I forget you probably doesn't know where the basement is. Let me guide you."