Inside a small hut that could break with the blow of a wind, A dim light coming from a rusted oil lamp placed on the dinner table was the only source of light for the family inside.
Wearing paper-like fabric to cover their skinny body, A family of four gathers at the table. A man in his thirties wearing rags for clothes, ribcage visible, cheek sunken. His hands that are all bone picked up the blackened pot that was simmering on the stove.
Trembling, he placed it in the middle of the table and shared the porridge with his wife and children. A yellow porridge that tasted nothing, smelled nothing. The grainy texture was like pigfeed but it was enough to keep them warm and alive until the winter ended.
The one sack of potato that should have lasted until spring has been depleted only containing the dirt at its bottom.
Gripping the spoon in his hand, he looked at the small bowl of porridge that wasn't enough for his stomach. His body which was once full of scars of war and was hammered to endure any harsh weather had turned saggy like that of an old man unable to resist the cold embrace of winter.
His wife who always looked at him warmly has changed. Dried lips and eyes that were tired of living, a sickly body that was waiting for death to come and his two children are starting to lose the strength to even lift the spoon in front of them. "I will go out tomorrow" He said looking at her wife as if to ask for her blessing but the woman did not utter a thing.
She stopped what she was doing and looked at his husband with dread in her eyes as if she was looking at an already dead man."Our food isn't enough" He said unable to look at his wife, guilty of the state he put her in.
"Let me accompany you, you're in no condition to travel alone" she replied looking at her husband and waiting for his precious answer.
"Ellen, please care for my child" The man said looking at the two small children who were looking at him with wandering eyes
He wanted to tell them that everything would be okay and he would return safely but refrained from saying so, afraid that he might make them hang on his word like hope when he knew death was the only thing awaiting him outside
.
Thud
His wife put her bowl next to him, "I'm full so eat" she said stuttering. She managed to put on a warm smile "You need energy to travel"
"I'm glad I married you" He said starting to sob.
Tears dropping to the porridge he was eating, he faced his wife "I'll come back with food Ellen, a lot so we don't need to endure any longer"
"Now, now. finish it before it gets cold" Ellen said
"I love you, Ellen," He said
"love you" The two children repeated his word looking at their father.
"I love Rina and Mina as well!" he said with joy
"My children, what about your mother?" She asked and the two children looked at each other before saying in sync "Love you", at night no light was kept open in fear of what would come from outside curious by light.
the four cuddled in a small spot. their back was supported by bedding made from hay, and their body covered by thin fabric but it was not enough to escape from the cold.
The man of the family jolted his eyes open hearing the constant coughing of his wife. with no words exchanged he reached to her back gently patting it for each cough. until she fell asleep and the night became silent, he cuddled with his family embracing their warmth before falling asleep.
Mina, one of the children woke up from the constant cough of her mother. not learning how to speak all she could do was come to support her already weak mother but she was stopped by her father who hugged her tightly.
"Take care of Rina and your mother." He muttered, his father was dressed heavily wearing a coat covering his entire body and sack at hand. "Ellen" He called embracing his wife before opening the door that led outside.
The cold wind entered and Mina was frozen in place unable to move all she could do was watch the figure of her father slowly vanish eaten by the white mist outside.
Her mother closed the door and said to her gently patting her cold head "Go to bed Mina it's still early"
Mina hugged her mother's leg tightly remembering her father's words 'Take care of Rina and your mother'.
"Love you," Mina said before heading to bed.
"There, there" The gentle voice of her mother, Mina's eyes opened to the scene of her brother crying under her mother's arm.
Ellen gently pat Rina's back helping him calm down "Your father will be back soon, there is no need to cry" "You don't want to welcome him crying do you?" She whispered wiping his tears away.
While comforting Rina she felt a tug on her clothes, it was Mina holding a wooden bowl.
Ellen smiled at her "Your mother will prepare something"
Her hand is red and numb, Ellen dumped the snow she collected outside into the pot.
Hot water, that's all she could do with no spare potato or anything to consume.
At least with water, they can stay warm until her husband arrives, water is better than nothing.
Coughing uncontrollably She served the water to her children.
At the dinner table the light coming from the lamp seemed to get weaker, Ellen drank the water while her two children slowly drank theirs, getting used to the tasteless porridge they always ate not even knowing that what they eating for today was no longer that porridge
"Careful it's still hot" She said getting more of the boiling water to drink.
while her daughter put her Bowl next to the pot asking for more.
The next day at the dinner table. the two children eat in silence under the light of the rusted oil lamp.
Ellen coughs and coughs, unable to even move her limp body out of bed.
'Just One day more, I only need to wait until he arrives.' She thought still unable to stop the itch in her throat, hundreds of worms were crawling at her body with the unbearable itch.
Even her children started to get worried giving her their share of food thinking it would cure their mother's condition.
Cough!, cough!
Blood smeared the thick fabric of their bed. her finger dripping with red all she could do was look at the door waiting for her dear husband to open it.