A Gun To My Heart

39

As we leave the car, lights flash in our direction. I barely see anything around me and grip onto Aries's shoulders as his guards make way for us to move. People are screaming and shouting around us. I even think I glimpsed a girl faint because she saw him.

When we arrive at the building, the green spots in my vision are slowly fading, and my eyes are gradually getting normal again. "Welcome, Aries and Azia. It's been a while."

I look at the round man in front of us. His clothes aren't nearly as elegant as ours. It looks like he tried to dress fancy, but failed miserably. They shake hands and his eyes turn to me with curiosity. "Maeve Ambrose, what a surprise to see you here."

I smile, greeting him. His grip is strong and calloused. "You can call me Filip. I'm helping Aries when it comes to updating him about the villages."

I look around us. The roof is low, and the lights are dim. Flickering. Batteries almost dying out. The floor is clean but worn out. Creaking with every step we take.

"People are so excited to see you. You're going to get a lot of questions and gifts from them."

I turn to the others as we follow him down a long right, hallway. Both of them are keeping their gazes towards him, ignoring my reaction. Gifts?

"Why do they have gifts for us?" His big feet continue to walk through the hallway. "You're role models for them."
I narrow my eyes as my nose wrinkles.

"How?"
He turns around to me, almost questioning my sanity.

"You ask very strange questions, Miss Ambrose."
We arrive at another door. Over it, there is a sign with the word exit carved into the wood. "Enter the villages when you're ready. I'll meet you guys later." He vanishes into the shadows leaving us alone with the tall guards. "Explain."

Azia sighs annoyed, speaking before Aries can. "They look at us as role models because we take care of them."

I scoff at her words, interrupting Aries again. "You taking care of them? Does that look like care to you? Their houses are almost collapsing!" My arms wave in the air aggravated, as the guards around us stare onto the ground. Trying not to look interested in our conversation.

"You do realize, that if we try to build their houses like ours, we'll run out of resources?"

"I'm not telling you to build every house in this country like ours. I'm telling you to at least try to make their homes a tiny bit better."
Every time our sentences stop, Aries tries to speak. But we're too furious with each other to let him intervene.

"That would take years, Maeve. Don't be so foolish, " she hisses back, flashing her teeth in the process. I take a deep breath, trying to control my boiling anger.

"I don't care if it takes years. These people deserve something much better than this. And you two have to influence to let them have it." Her mouth twists. Knowing that I'm right. Instead of proceeding trying to intervene, Aries studies the conversation.

"You are so selfish," I say, boring my eyes into hers.
She snarls at my words. "You are the one being selfish here." Turning her head, glancing at him, and then back at me. I raise my eyebrows in surprise as her words sting one by one.

"Look at how you're treating people in this land. If I didn't bring this up, you would allow them to live like that. Not change one thing! Doesn't it make you feel bad for them, Azia?"

For a split second, it looks like her porcelain mask will shatter, but she stops it. It remains standing. So cold-hearted.
"How can you not?" I sneer, shutting her up. Once again, my expectations were wrong. I truly thought we could begin to fight together against this injustice.

The thought almost makes me laugh hysterically. Amazed by how stupid I was. A person like her will never give up some of her luxuries to help others. Never. It pains me.
Knowing that these people exist.

"Can we discuss these things later? People are waiting, " he says strictly, already moving towards the exit. This time we're not blinded by white flashes. There are only some cameras here. Quietly taking photos.

People are standing in a line on each side of the road. Some girls are screaming after his attention, while I catch men checking out Azia, or simply admiring her beauty. Aries is in front of me, and I'm in the back. Looking at the children. The teens.

Their clothes have holes in them, revealing their dirty skin. Aries and Azia start to talk with them, accept their gifts. Put them in the baskets his guards are holding. They are giving gifts to selfish people, thinking it will save them. Help them. They are living their lives based on a lie.

"Maeve! Maeve!" I look to my right side, watching a teenager desperately shout after me. My approach makes her widen her eyes in excitement. Three other girls are standing around her, and they all begin to explain their gifts to me.

They spent money on that. Money that could help themselves. They chose to give it away.

"Please remember me when you'll be the one leading Insuria one day."

I tilt my head, stunned by her sentence. 'When you'll lead Insuria.' I will never lead Insuria. That's something Sabrina will do. Not me. Before I can reply the other girl starts to speak.

"I made this for you, please accept my gift."
A small painting reaches my hands. It's a painting of me using the samira to help heal a child. We're smiling in it. Something I've missed doing. Feeling the emotion. Joy.

"This is amazing, " I mumble as they freak out again. My finger traces the edges of the vulnerable frame. It feels like the wooden frame is going to break every second. "My little brother visited me and told me you communicated with him. Everyone here has heard lovely stories about you now."

Lucas. Her gaze burns with hope, excitement, happiness.

"You're well known all over Sarjia for being so kind and caring. Everyone talks about how you helped him... the servant if you can't remember." The guard yanks the painting from my hands and puts it into the basket.

Of course, I remember him, I want to tell her. However, she speaks before I can. Her hands gently hold mine. "We know you won't lead Insuria, right now. Just know that, to us, you will always be some kind of leader. We appreciate you!" One of the guards drags me away sooner than I can reply to them. I send them a weak smile, thanking them for everything.

Clueless. That's what they are. Clueless about what's going on behind the screens. When the cameras aren't running. Clueless that the three last words they told me, saved me in several, various ways.

We appreciate you.

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