Georgia frantically packed her bags. Her baby was crying in his crib, begging for another round of milk. But she couldn't give it to him yet. She was focused on moving to seek a safer place.
The Renegade Union of Lorena retaliated with a much stronger force and armaments. The country's main defense fell. It was only a matter of time before the enemy would reach their city.
Her baby was only a month old and she would subject him to such harsh conditions. Her heart ached for her baby.
When at last she finished, she scooped her baby and placed him in her front with a baby carrier. Although it was much bigger than him, she was left with no choice.
"I'm sorry my sweet baby. Hold on just a little while okay?"
The baby answered with a cry.
Georgia's heart ached once more.
Soon, they joined the running crowd towards a lone military vehicle that would carry some of its citizens to a much safer place.
When Georgia reached the mass of people, she heard a soldier announce, "The vehicle is full. Please wait for the next one. It should arrive in two hours."
Georgia couldn't believe her ears. Two hours? But her baby....
A boom shook off the entire congregation. The bomb hit miles away but a large debris fell near them. Georgia's heart shook in fear. If they would stay in that place, then they would not last for long.
She ran towards the vehicle and raised her baby towards the soldier.
She shouted with tears in her eyes, "Please, at least take this baby with you. Here, take his clothes and milk good for a few weeks. Just please save him."
The soldiers recognized the woman as the wife of their late beloved general. They did not hesitate to bring the baby over.
"We will assure you maam that she will be properly taken cared of. Please be safe maam."
And with that, the vehicle took off and Georgia's hands remained empty. Her heart longed for her baby.
-------
"Oy Dimitri, what are we going to do with this baby? Ah goo goo~"
Damon, the soldier holding the baby said while trying very hard to stop the baby from crying.
Dimitri sighed thinking how such bad luck came across to General's family. If only the government sent reinforcements to them, this couldn't have happened.
"Damon, didn't you have a sister? Let her take care of the baby. As of now, we can't do that because we're going to the battlefield soon."
Damon sighed, fear written all over his face.
"I don't want to die yet."
"We won't. We'll make sure of that. We will survive this."
Damon nodded, slightly convinced. But they both knew it was all empty words, a last cling to hope. But they held onto it and prayed for a divine miracle to let them survive this upcoming tribulation.
They finally reached the evacuation area. It was a large, underground city concealed from above with a lush forest. The place was built for a contingency plan if ever a calamity or such war arises. The facility was packed with the resources necessary for a large group to survive.
Living quarters were placed deeper in the facility so that when something unlikely happens, mechanisms in the facility would shut out everything and preserve only the living quarters. The food station was near the living quarters and are included also in the shut out.
Near the entrance are the training ground and the command center of the military. They will serve as the last defense when the time arrives.
Damon and Dimitri ushered the people down the vehicle. A soldier welcomed the people inside the facility and guided them towards the living quarters.
Damon, who was still holding the baby, walked frantically to look for his sister.
He found his sister looking for him also.
"Elena!"
"Brother Damon! Where? What? Is that your baby?"
Damon rolled his eyes before answering, "Listen, could you take care of this baby until we return or his mother returns?"
The baby continued crying.
"Who is his mother? And I don't know how to take care of a baby! I'm still 17 goddammit."
"Sorry Elena. But just for a little while? This is General Shaw's son. His mother was left in the city because we couldn't let her in anymore."
Grief and sadness echoed on Damon's face while the baby was still crying.
Elena covered her mouth with a sob.
"Why did you leave her behind?!" she shouted angrily. "Poor Maam Georgia. Promise me you'd take her first when you get back!"
She shook her brother, "Promise me!"
"Yes yes I promise Elena. I will take her here. But for the meantime, please take care of the baby."
"Fine. I will ask some mothers around on what to do."
Damon gave her the baby, who miraculously stopped crying.
"Woah!" Damon exclaimed. "You made him stop crying. You know he was crying the whole time of the ride."
"Well I think because you have rough hands."
"No I don't - yea I do have. So anyway, please take care. We'll be back."
"Brother please take care. And come back alive." Elena pleaded.
Her brother nodded grimly and took off thereafter.
Elena sighed and followed the flow of people into the underground city wishing and praying to whoever was listening to keep her brother safe. And that the war would finally end.