As the villagers and the girl arrived at their village, a chorus of voices rang out, "They're back!"
"What happened to the village over there?" one villager asked the village head.
"They have vanished," the head responded softly.
"How could this have happened?!"
"We are not very sure... The entire village resembled a nightmarish, war-torn hell, with corpses strewn everywhere..."
"What a tragic..."
Soon, they noticed the girl who had returned with them.
"Who is she? Is she a survivor?"
"Probably. She remained silent throughout the journey back. Take her to Dr. Apgar."
"Alright! Leave her to me." A female villager replied and quickly led the girl to Dr. Apgar's house.
"The village head instructed the villagers to return to their homes and get some rest. His face bore a grave expression, and it was evident that he had a multitude of thoughts racing through his mind."
"Are you all right, sir? You seem worried..."
"Just exhausted. We've been through a lot to find a moment of peace. But now the war is starting to spread here as well..."
"Indeed, those dead soldiers we saw earlier... Should we inform the others about them?"
"Don't tell anybody just yet. I'll gather everyone tomorrow for a discussion. It's clear that this place is no longer safe."
After concluding his conversation with his associates, the head made his way back home.
Meanwhile, the female villager brought the girl to Dr. Apgar's house. Dr. Apgar invited them in and quickly examined the girl and found no injuries.
"She's fine... Lady, no worry." Dr. Apgar responded with a smile.
"Thanks god..."
"Could you let her stay with me? Just in case..."
"Are you sure about that, Doctor?"
"Yes, it's fine. She hasn't suffered any physical injuries. But perhaps her wounds run deeper," Dr. Apgar said, pointing at the girl's chest.
"Very well, doctor. I'll entrust her to your care."
The girl remained expressionless, devoid of emotion, resembling a living doll. Dr. Apgar began a series of questions, but she remained silent as he patiently queried her. With no response forthcoming, Dr. Apgar eventually gave up and led her to an empty room with only a bed, allowing her to rest.
"This is your room. You may rest here for tonight."
The girl glanced at the vacant room, displaying a hint of reluctance to stay.
"Don't dwell on it too much. This is the world we live in. Just go get some rest."
The girl lay on the bed in Dr. Apgar's empty room, but sleep eluded her even after some time had passed. She sat up, her gaze scanning the room until she noticed the window. Opening it, she perched herself beside it, slowly closing her eyes and slipping into a dream. In the dream, meteors streaked across the sky, but suddenly, one collided with another, causing it to crash to the ground.
Startled, she awoke from the dream, gasping for breath. She glanced around the room, and the morning light streaming through the window caught her attention. She was gazing at the beautiful orange hues of the morning sky. Her eyes, once soulless, gradually filled with life and warmth.
The woman arrived at the house, carrying a basket of bread in her hands and knocking on the door. She heard a knocking sound at the door, prompting her to search for Dr. Apgar. However, she discovered that the doctor had already left the house. Unable to find her, the girl decided to open the door herself.
"Did you manage to get some good rest?" the woman asked.
The girl nodded her head.
'Finally, she responded!' the woman thought.
"Well... Dr. Apgar went to the city and left a note for me, asking me to check on you. I assume you're hungry. I brought you some bread. Would you like to have some?"
As the woman took out a piece of bread and offered it to the girl, the girl became startled and stepped backward.
"Don't worry, it's just bread. You can take it and eat it."
The scent of freshly baked bread whetted her appetite. She cautiously reached for the bread and took a small bite. Surprised and curious, she began devouring it in large mouthfuls. The woman left all the bread with the girl and headed to the village head's house while the girl followed behind her. Everyone, except the children, gathered at the head's house.
"Is everyone here?" the head inquired.
"Yes, except for Dr. Apgar." the woman replied.
"That's fine. She is not one of us; she's more like a guest to us."
"What really happened last night? What did you all see?" a villager asked.
"I believe the soldiers from the southwest continent attacked the village last night."
"Soldiers from southwest continent?!" Shock rippled through the crowd.
"How did they manage to reach here? We are in the eastern continent."
"I suppose some countries allowed them to infiltrate and wreak havoc upon others," the head replied.
"How could this have happened?"
"But I'm not concerned with that. Our safety is what matters."
"Do we have to move again, to another place?" a villager asked.
"I believe we have no choice if we want to survive."
Silence fell upon the room, and worry etched across everyone's faces. Panic began to set in for some.
"Everyone, calm down. Regardless of the circumstances, we must relocate. Think of your children."
"Yes, leader... Perhaps you are right..."
"Prepare yourselves. We will leave tomorrow morning. Understood?"
Everyone nodded and left the head's house. The head took a deep breath and turned his head, only to be shocked to find the girl sitting behind him.
"Who the hell... It's you! How long have you been sitting behind me?!"
The girl did not respond, simply staring at him.
'How did no one notice she was behind me the entire time?!' the head wondered.
"Well... anyway, are you feeling better now?"
The girl slightly nodded her head.
"That's great. Did you hear our discussion just now?"
The girl nodded her head slightly.
"Yes, we have made a decision, and as you heard, we have to move. But I'm not taking you with us; it's too dangerous. I will ask Dr. Apgar to take you to the city with her."
The girl did not respond. Instead, her gaze shifted around the house, and fixating on a bookshelf. The books on the shelf have caught her attention.
"Hmm? Are you interested to read these books? Would you like to read them? Well, here, take them."
She took over the books from the head.
"My wife wrote these storybooks... for our child... but... Just take these books and leave now, we are busying right now."
The girl nodded. Then she took the books with her and left the house. Carrying the books, she followed the sound of a waterfall she had heard. She arrived and sat beside the river, immersing herself in the stories. Her lips moved as she read, and a faint sound escaped her mouth.