The Protectors: New Generation Book 1

51 - Erbyn Revolt - 16 Years Later - Tallulah POV

Today is the day I've been dreading since I learned about my birth parents. On this day sixteen years ago they lost their lives to that evil man.

We all wake up before dawn, and the Elders have a special ceremony to honor the people who died on that day

It's a solemn affair, since six of us lost our parents that day. That doesn't mean Dominic and Jonah don't have their own grief to deal with, it's just that this day is so big. They will probably be instrumental in helping their respective girlfriends during this day of remembrance.

After the ceremony is over, we have a feast to honor those who died. It seems the followers of Zoidrys think it's better to celebrate all events in life, even death. For them, death is simply a doorway to the next life. One in another realm that is still connected to the living. From what I've seen, it's becoming clear that this might be a religion I would follow. I've never been religious, per se. I've always believed that there is some sort of supreme being who created all that exists, but I never found solace in attending church. There were some people that genuinely executed the joy they felt by being part of the church and appeared to follow the teaching and beliefs spoken by the minister. But I saw the ugly side, too. The one's prejudiced about different things. The ones believing that only certain people will make it to heaven and putting down anyone who didn't believe in what they believed. I can certainly be wrong, but isn't God supposed to be about Love? If He is full of so much love, why would he condemn people who believed something different but lived every day according to these beliefs. Who treated people with respect, understanding and compassion. The ones that didn't discriminate and treat people differently because they had a different skin tone, different gender, different customs or a different religion than them. Isn't that treating another as a human being. And anyway, who knows what awaits us when we die. Maybe even the followers of Zoidrys are wrong. The living won't know the absolute truth until they die. Even the four members of Zoidrys admit that they could possibly be wrong about the afterlife and crossing over. But they have something in common with most people of other faiths that live a relatively happy life: faith. They don't know for sure what's out there, but they have faith. Faith seems to be something shared by all humans that live joyful, content lives—no matter what the circumstances.

I'm brought out of my musing by a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm going for a walk. It might be nice for you and Michaela to join me," she says with a hopeful face, but I understand the underlying meaning behind her words.

"I'll go get Mick."

"Meet me out front," Grandma says before walking off somewhere I can't see.

The hallway is still and oppressive as I walk towards Mick's room. I knock on Mick's door, and she opens it slightly.

"Grandma wants to take a walk with us."

Mick frowns. "What for?"

"I believe she might answer some of the questions. I know it's a difficult subject for me, and maybe it is for you too. Wouldn't you like to have some answers?" I ask.

She's opened the door further, so I can see her signature shrug, but there is curiosity in her eyes.

My eyes lock with hers. "It will be painful, but it might help us move on."

She lets out a sigh. "Okay."

She goes to her closet and picks out a pair of boots to put on.

Within a few more moments, we are greeted by a sad woman outside the cabin.

"Let's go, girls," Grandma says while hugging both of us around the waist. She would have hooked both of us around the shoulders if she was tall enough.