I woke up to the soft rustle of leaves outside my window. Stretching my body as I rose from the straw mat, I couldn't help but notice Vitra's absence.
"Hmm, Vitra isn't here?" My brother was acting weird; he had gone out at night, and I wasn't sure if he had come back. Worried, I left the cottage to look for him.
"He could have just woken up early and gone to fetch water from the spring," I consoled myself. Since our parents mysteriously disappeared, my brother was the only family I had left. I just couldn't help but worry if the same had happened to him.
After going quite far from home, I was close to our corn farm as I rushed to the spring. I took a glance at it, but my steps came to a halt. I saw my brother, but something was wrong; he wasn't moving. Kneeling, he was looking at the sky, his eyes wide open.
I ran as fast as I could and reached my brother. I shook him to bring him to his senses, but there was no reaction. I shouldn't panic, not now. My brother is here; what should I do?
I tried to calm myself. My brother was breathing, but why wasn't he responding? I should take him back home and go to Uncle's house for help.
I attempted to carry my brother on my back, but I could only lift him a little and drag him to our house. It was tiring, but I still reached our house. After lying my brother on a straw mat, I hurriedly left the cottage, closed the door, and ran to our uncle's house.
…
Ahhhhhh!
I feel like my whole body is being burned from the inside out. Why is this happening to me? I want to cry, I want to scream, but nothing. I can't feel anything, just darkness. I can't feel my hands, feet, not even my face. I can't see anything, just darkness.
Has it been an hour, days, or even years? I don't know. All I can say is I want to die. I want to be free from this pain. I can't; I want to die. Am I even alive? Is this hell?
I feel like I am being crushed, burned, and torn apart uncountably. Why is this happening? Who is doing this to me? What did I do to deserve this?
Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Pain, pain, pain! All my world is pain. Nothing! I feel nothing. I can't see where I am. What am I?
No, no, no, no! I am Vitra. I am the son of Gin, who was a strict father but also a hardworking farmer who worked hard from day till night for our family. And Rita, who was a very kind mother, who never complained and always made delicious meals even with little we could procure and ran the family.
And I have a brother. We always played around, joked around, did mischief, but now that our mother and father aren't here, I have to look after him. I can't die.
I can't, I can't, I can't dieeeeeeeeeeee!
Ahhhhhhhh!
The pain started to get intense as if telling me to give up, but I can't! I don't. I have to live. I can't give up with the little will I have left. I started to convince myself to live.
But I can't give up. I have to live. I will not lose; I will not give up. I will live.
I WON'T DIE!
Slowly, the overwhelming pain turned to warmth. The warmth flowed slowly from the top of my head to all of my body, and I could finally feel my limbs. Still, I couldn't see. I feel like I am floating. After a long time, I am at peace. I don't know why, but due to this ease, I started to lose my consciousness.
{WELL DONE}
…
"Uncle! Uncle!" After running to my uncle's house, I shouted his name.
Druk!
A woman who is around 30 years old comes out of the house.
"Kirin, what happened? Why are you in such a rush?"
"Aunt, where is Uncle? Something is wrong with my brother, so I need Uncle's help to take him to the shaman."
"Ah! Your uncle has gone to the spring. You can go there and take him back to your house. I will go to your house and look after your brother, so hurry."
"Okay, Aunt."
I ran to the spring near our settlement. It is far, so I had to hurry.
After some time, I reached the spring. I saw my uncle with his son fetching water.
"Uncle! Uncle!"
Suddenly, hearing his niece shouting for him, he looked back and saw Kirin running towards him. But seeing him slip in the mud, he ran towards him in a hurry.
"Kirin, why are you running here? You know it's slippery! What happened?"
Helping the boy up, Sin scolded him and dusted him off.
"Sob sob! Uncle, brother isn't waking up! He isn't moving! Please help!"