Flames, screams, and wails of the villagers permeated the chaotic air as a boy frozen in fear was carried by a woman who seemed to be sobbing as well. The sound of beating drums and hooves of horses thundered around the village as most of the structures gradually succumbed to the violent flames. The boy could still hear the shriek of people being murdered by ruthless foes that suddenly overran their village by surprise. Flames started to rain from the sky, devouring what little remained of a once lively village.
For a moment, there was darkness then a little splash of moonlight met the boy's face as they emerged from what seemed like a tunnel. The view of the bloody night sky, then of the trees filled the boy's vision who could do nothing but to let himself be carried along by the one who seemed to be his mother. "An escapee! After her!", a voice that the child hoped not to hear echoed, instilling even more fear in his heart. He could not clearly see what else had transpired around them but he knew that they were still in grave danger. He could feel her mother speeding up in spite of the obvious shortness of her breath. The sound of what seemed like a knife piercing a flesh with her mother suddenly gasping made the boy's fear even worse. "Don't worry Shinku, everything will be alright. I promise that I will protect you no matter what." Shinku wanted to be calm but none of what has transpired around him could seem to help him cast his fears aside.
Bushes, several grass blades brushed through the boy's body as her mother frantically ran for their lives. It wasn't that long when the sound of horse hooves thumping could be heard almost near their place. With that, her mother finally stopped. "Listen, from here on you will be all by yourself. I know you're a brave boy please stay alive no matter what. Run away from this place and never come back. And remember, we always..." With words still hanging from her lips, the woman decided to cut her speech and run away from the thick bushes where she left the boy. Shinku tried to crawl towards the direction where her mother ran but the sound of approaching horses made him freeze in fear yet again. Some of the shrubs covered his view but from afar, he could see her mother limp towards a big tree. "Found ya! You filthy good for nothing woman!" The yell of a man with a husky voice made the boy avert his eyes from his mother towards a couple of men on horses. The man standing tallest among then dismounted from his horse and walked closer to the boy's mother. Shinku covered his mouth to stifle a scream from his mouth for he knew that what was about to transpire wouldn't be a good sight. He wanted to close his eyes but he couldn't bear to lose sight of his mother. What broke his heart however, was the fact that he couldn't do anything about his mother's impending doom. The man raised a spear the moment he got in front of the boy's mother. Without any hint of hesitation, the man struck his spear right through the lady's heart. "Eh! That must be the last of 'em. No one will ever know what we did here!" Not satisfied enough, the man dragged the woman and loaded it on his horse like a simple baggage. The boy could only weep in silence as the ruthless men left along with the body of his dead mother. Anguish, fear and hatred all mixed in his heart, consoled by the heavens that suddenly wept with a heavy rain. The sky thundered, expressing the hatred that started to reign at the heart of a boy who had to witness the murder of his own mother. He winced, his hands clasped on his chest that stung in a pain more than anything that he had felt in young life. Numbness started to creep throughout his body, his senses gradually failed one after another, then finally, he succumbed to darkness.