War of the Worlds

Hearts and Minds Pt: 2

NOTE 1: Special thanks to my new friend DannyTheWeeb from Wattapad for proofreading this chapter

Chapter 16: Hearts and Minds Pt: 2

Sylt, Wall Rose

Kass Maier wipes the beads of sweat as he finally makes it through the crowded road and reaches his small house, which was at the other end of the town.

"Phew...It is really crowded today" He dusts himself up and then knocks at the door.

A woman, in her mid-thirties, opens the door with a broad smile.

"You are Back Carmine..." She stops when he looks at Kass's Face. Her cheerful demeanour vanishes and is replaced by one of pain.

"Oh...Welcome back, Honey" She says as she leaves the door open and walks right back to the kitchen.

He walks in and shakes his head. Since the day they received the news of their Eldest son Carmine's apparent death in the Battle of Trost, his dear wife Dame had changed completely. She never accepted it. Whenever he tried to talk to her about it, she always demanded proof except for the letter from the government, which he could not provide, she was in complete denial. Every day she would anxiously wait for their son to return. Her actions were not only straining their marriage but also led to her ignoring their second child, Burle, who had just reached the age of eight.

Things became much worse than before in their family, and Dame's mental health since the daughter of one of their neighbours who had joined the military with Carmine was declared dead by the Royal Government had returned home now crippled with a left leg and hand lost and traumatized from the ordeal but alive. This gave hope to Dame that her son would eventually return to her.

As he sat down on their bed. The eight-year-old boy who was playing in his own room saw his father and came running towards him.

"Papa.."

He smiles and picks him up and holds him in his arms.

"How is my little Burle today ?"

"I am a good father but..." he gets himself close to Kass ears and whispers "Mother is still mad and gets angry she is not like she was before big brother Carmine had left to be a soldier."

He sighs and places his son down.

"Play in your room, okay"

The boy nods and leaves.

"This all has to stop she has to accept or our family will fall apart."He thought to himself as he decided to confront her today.

He walks up to their kitchen to see his wife peeling up some potatoes in the corner.

"Hon..." He was cut off mid-sentence when she raised her head and looked dead into his eyes. He could feel the hate in her for him to question their son's survival.

"If you are here to talk about my son, then please do not.."

"He was not only yours, but he was also mine as well," He retorts.

"And still you say he is dead!" She yells at him.

"Please listen...if he is alive he would have already come to us..he would not let us be worried sick for him."

She shakes her head "He is alive and I can feel it"

As the couple argued they completely ignored the soft knock on their door. Their son though who was in his room sacred as his parents were fighting again heard the knock. He tiptoes from his room and peeked through the front window.