Meet me on the battlefield

Chapter 2

The day I fell for her charm was the day after we moved to the tiny island of Tonga. She brings back good and bad memories every time I look at her. I wasn't happy about moving, but I settled in fine:

"Put your things away, I don't care how much stuff you have!" Bolt's mother had told him and his sister, Lianna when they had complained about having 4 suitcases each. 'I wish dad was here.' He thought to himself. Bolt had lost his father when he was only 5. Killed brutally in a war to protect himself and his family. He couldn't even think about it. He shivered at the thought of his father, whom he remembered all too well.
He had been shot in the stomach, blood was pouring out everywhere. It was just him and his dying father.

"Bolt," his father started talking between coughs of blood. "Promise you'll take care of the others." He nodded with tears streaming down.

"Please stay, I can't let you go, dad."

"We're tired soldiers in this war, remember what we're fighting for. We may be the first to fall, but everything could stay the same or we could change it all."

Bolt didn't know what he meant, but he nodded anyway. "But you'll be ok, right."

His father didn't reply. Nothing. No sound. His father had truly gone. Bolt couldn't control it anymore, and he yelled before collapsing on his father's bloody body. Just then, something was in front of him. Something, singing. He looked up, but all he could see was light. He shielded his eyes before seeing the light creature's face. She looked like perfection in itself. Blue eyes, brown skin, perfectly flowing hair, and a strange mark on her shoulder. But her voice was like an angel. She was singing a haunting song.

"Meet me on the battlefield, even on the darkest night. I will be your sword and shield, your camouflage, and you will be mine. Echos of the shots ring out, we may be the first to fall, but everything could stay the same or we could change it all."

His father had said that last part, but he didn't have time to think anymore, because the creature was covering his father. Panicked, he screamed at the creature and she left with a jolting sound. She looked sad but obeyed and sunk into the blood-soaked dirt.

Anyways, now wasn't the time to think about it. But his father's haunting last words still rang in his ear:

'We're tired soldiers in this war,
Remember what we're fighting for.
We may be the first to fall,
But everything could stay the same or we could change it all.'

He felt tears collect in his eyes, before quickly brushing them away. He was expected to be brave, strong, the man of the house. He didn't have time to grieve on what had already happened, no crying would fix anything.

"You ok bro?" Lianna had always cared for him and helped him when he was weak.

"Oh, yeah. Just thinking about dad."

Her face dropped. She wasn't there for his death, only Bolt was there. She and her mother had found them after he had died. But Bolt hadn't told anyone what his father had told him. "I wish he was here too." She pulled him in for a hug.

"We should get back to cleaning and unpacking." Bolt said after a while. She nodded and left her room.
Bolt was unpacking the last of his bags when they heard a knock on the door. Unsure of who it was, he opened it and a man and a woman were holding a basket of what looked like food.

"Hello! Welcome to Vatinia! We are so glad you are here. I am Paula, this is my husband Launchy." The man bowed slightly. "And this is our daughter Ocha." The girl stepped out from behind her parents. Bolt thought he was dreaming. It was the girl. The one who had tried to take his father. He looked at her intensely. It couldn't be, could it? He was sure he was hallucinating. Whatever it was, this girl looked almost identical, except he couldn't see her shoulder. He realised she was looking at him, and his stomach turned to knots. He smiled politely, brushing the thought aside that she was the creature. She blushed and turned her gaze to the ground. For now, he would just stay friends with her. He would uncover this mystery later on.