Wai Woph (Completed)

Journal, Log 16

Log 16
Writer: Dr Neil. S. Stein
Date: 21st February 1778
I see no point in writing this in this journal now since it will serve no purpose. But in my heart, I feel that I must put an end to this tragic story. Here I will describe what happened after Agnes died and before our departure.

It would take us a few days to gather supplies for our departure, so we decided to leave on the 11th of February. Naturally, it took a heavy toll on Michael to still be in a place where he lost his beloved and the approaching anniversary of their engagement made it worse. There had been no killings, but farm animals had started to disappear.

  Quite late in the evening of 9th I went into Michael’s room with some food. As a surprise to me he looked much better and started eating as soon as I handed him the bowl. After he finished, he asked if he could speak to me. He asked me pointing, towards the mountain fort that was visible through his window, “How do you suppose they defend that fort?” I replied eagerly, “Cannons, I reckon. Why do you ask?” To which he said, “Spent a lot of time staring at it so I got curious.” I then told him that I was glad he was doing better, and he replied that he was. It was the next few words of his that I should have paid attention to.

“Tomorrow is our last day here right? It is the anniversary of my engagement with Agnes, so I want to spend some time alone with her on her grave. I do not think I will ever return here so I might as well say my goodbyes.”I agreed and told him that nobody would disturb him and Agnes. Told him to give her my regards. He smiled at me.

The next day on the 10th he left for the grave which was close to where Garret was buried but near a beautiful Maple tree. As agreed none of us went with him and I planned to come pick him up in the evening. But that was not what happened. All through the day I had an uneasy feeling in my gut. So, I left early to check on Michael even if from afar. When I got there, he was nowhere to be found so I checked the grave and found a poem, two rings and a few flowers. The poem ran thus:

The tallest tree falls
The strongest men, pass.
Remember these crumbled walls,
For the truth is that nothing lasts.
The only thing constant,
Is the unstoppable change,
That life is just for this instant, but,
To be without hope is, love estranged.

So, I panicked and looked around for a long time but to no avail. I ran back to the camp and told the others but by this time the sun had already set. We feared the worst. A man like Michael who was rational at every point of his life did so because he could be emotional with his beloved. But now that he had lost her, nothing was stopping him from going on a rampage. And that is what happened. We found a note in his room saying that he will finish what he had started and the burden of all the lives that were lost in the venture and because of it fell on him.

So, we gathered some villagers who knew the area and started searching the forest. That is when it happened, we heard a loud explosion from the direction opposite to where we were searching. We rushed there with guns in hand and soldiers with us.

  It was an abandoned stable on the other side of town near the fort. The stable was on a small hill and the trees were scorched as we got there. Fortunately, the snow had stopped the fire from spreading. I alone went inside the crumbled ruins of the stable and saw what will haunt me for the rest of my miserable life. I could see Michael’s clothes hung near the doorway and insides of the ruin were smeared with blood. At this point I could guess what hadhappened. But we had more important matter to take of, the soldiers outside started shouting and the villagers chanting. I went outside to see what the commotion was, and I saw it. There on the ground it was, the monster, its body blown to bits and only its torso left intact. One of its arms crushed and the other missing its hand. However, it was still moving, trying to get away from there. A hideous sight, something like this should not exist in this world.

  So, I descended to where it was and took a gun from the soldier and taking aim shot it in the head to put the thing out of its misery.

Heading back to the ruin I looked for any sign that Michael had escaped but careful observation revealed otherwise. There was a stagnant smell alcohol and burnt gunpowder there. Not realizing what it all meant tears started flowing from my eyes and so I left the ruins to go outside. I stood there on the hill and I watched the villagers set fire to the monster. The body caught fire quickly as it was doused in alcohol and gunpowder, remnants of the explosion I believe.

Looking around I saw the fort and it came it me. That day when Michael asked me about the fort he meant it for this.

The next day on the port when we were about to leave Mr. Ali came to see us off. He told me that the soldiers in the fort told him that Michael had come and bribed the officer there with some gold and took a few barrels of gunpowder that they used to fire the cannons. He then set them up in the stable and poured alcohol on the floor. As the sun set he knew the monster would come for revenge and so he planned his own. And it did come, and when it entered the stable Michael fired his gun at one of the barrels so that there was an explosion that blew the monster to bits and himself with it.

  The next day we collected what remains we could, as much of his body was still intact and buried Michael right next to Agnes under the maple tree. He always said that there is no happy ending in this world and that there are no heroes. I knew this to be true as we both fought in the war. But today the people of this land have a hero that they will never know.

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