"God can help us, grandpa, mama said so back then."
The man stared at the little girl as she held a small bucket filled with sand.
"…. Is that so." The man only apathetically smiled and rubbed her head.
"Yes, mama said that we should worship and repent. Whatever that means."
"…"
Worship? Repent? Hadn't he done that his whole life and yet nothing still changes.
Though he wouldn't say that to the child. He can't let whatever the past did to him affect her, it would only be hypocritical of him to do so to a child.
"Mn. I see." He smiled and stood up, "Its almost noon, can grandpa ask you to gather fruits for me?"
The little girl turned to him and smiled; her two hands raised up high in the air. "Of course!" Then she ran to the house and grabbed a basket before running out.
The man smiled and stared at her leaving back.
Not knowing the dangers that were coming to bite him again.
The man then waited while he prepared for their lunch.
He waited, and waited, and waited, and waited.
And yet the girl was nowhere to be seen. He looked up and saw that the sun was still rising up in the sky, so he waited. She was probably still finding fruits, right?
And so, he waited, and waited, and waited once more…
Until he couldn't near it anymore. Grabbing his gun and knife, he rushed out of the house and went into the forest. Then he walked to the path that the girl usually took.
At the middle of a path was a shoe print of a toddler.
And a paw print of a large animal.
The man froze, a chill froze his spine.
He swiftly followed the trail. At one point, he found the basket that the little girl took with her. It was destroyed and the fruits were smashed into paste.
His heart turned cold.
"God can help us."
He suddenly recalled what the girl had told him today.
He didn't want to do it but he had to. He had to beg for help.
As long as hope exists, he needs to do it.
If praying could truly help others, fill them with strength….
If it truly does that….
Then he'll do it.
"Oh lord, please, please protect her. Please…"
The man ran swiftly while holding his knife and gun as he followed the trail.
"God help her."
The man prayed.