Together We Make A Clover.

Chapter 59: The Oblivion of True Despair.

After some time and a prayer that we had learned back home at the church, Asta had the courage to carry the little girl's body. The child corpse was covered by her red coat as her legs dangled lifelessly. Walking, people around reunited with their loved ones, calling out the names of those they knew, smiled brightly as they thanked the magic knights for saving them, cheered and applauded that the attack was over...people just lived while we looked ahead not knowing how to feel. We began getting closer to where the group had decided to meet up once we finished our search. We heard our names being called out by our own loved one.

Yuno: Asta! Vannellope!

We simultaneously came to a halt but we did not turn around. Yuno walked to us and said,

Yuno: I found you two. By any chance, have you found the little girl we seen earlier with the red coat, Vanellope? *smiles* I found her parents and told them what we did for her.

[That was it. My emotions are completely shot.]

We both turned to Yuno as his sweet and pure smile faded slowly. His eyes were getting glossy as he seen Asta holding the lifeless body of the girl we thought we saved. Shocked, Yuno asked in a mortifying voice.

Yuno: What..Happened?

Asta: Come look.

Cautiously, Yuno stepped up and slowly lifted the coat. A gasp escaped as he covered his mouth by the horrific sight. He gently place the coat down and mentally collected himself. In a very serious tone he stated.

Yuno: We have to show them.

We waited as Yuno walked back quickly to where he came from. Standing there aimlessly and patiently, I continued to say nothing when Asta broke the silence.

Asta: Vannellope, this little girl, let's continue to pray for her to have peace.

I nodded as rapid footsteps were heard.

Yuno lead everyone to us; Nozel, Noelle and the parents of the girl. Once they got there, the despair that grew on the parents faces was so grim that I couldn't look at them. Asta went to the mother and handed the child she bore for 9 months, raised, fed, and loved until this very moment. The mother got her daughter as Asta took a couple steps back next to me while he was drenched in the girls blood.

[This next moment will not be easy.]

Blood-curdling screams of the mother flooded the air as she saw her beloved child dead in her arms. She fell to her knees cradling her precious baby. The cries of agony continued as she rocked back and forth hugging the baby girl. The father cried uncontrollably as he tried to comfort the agonizing mother.

The Mother: My baby! My poor precious baby!! How can anyone do this to you?? Oh dear Lord! No! No! Please God, No! Bring my Genia back!! Oh my Genia!!

[Genia. The name I didn't get to hear when I was weak and couldn't protect her.]

The grieving mother continued as I trembled more and more with each yell. Everyone watched in horror as they seen the distressed family huddled alone on the pavement. The haunting sight of a mother holding their child was absolutely insufferable on our hearts. Yuno wrapped his arm around me for comfort but I knew...I didn't deserve it.

[These are the consequences losing valuable time in a situation like this. The casualties vary from anyone who fall victim to the attack. How does anyone come out of this? How do the magic knights deal with this? Especially when seeing a dead child?!]

While the mother continued to grieve, Captain Nozel rounded us up and said,

Captain Nozel: Witnessing such outcome will take a grand toll on your souls but you mustn't allow it to desensitize your mind for when that happens, nothing shall feel real anymore. I'll take care of the family, you all continue to find the others.

All but myself: Right. *salute*

Captain Nozel went to the family but the mother wasn't having any of it. She stood up while holding her daughter and came straight to me. She asked...yelling at the top of her lungs.

The Mother: DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED?!? DID YOU NOT PROTECT HER?! YOU CAN'T EVEN HAVE THE COURAGE TO LOOK AT US! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! MY CHILD IS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU! AM I WRONG??

I stood there frozen, wide-eyed, watching the mother become more up front as she started getting closer to me.

[What do I do? Should I tell her to back off? She has every right to be absolutely enraged with me. The corpse she held was her warm and innocent child.]

Captain Nozel became impatient and went to the women.

Captain Nozel: That's enough.

The mother went away from Nozel and screamed.

The Mother: What's the point of having magic knights if they can't protect the kingdom and it's children!

Staying professional and calm as usual, Nozel once again went to the mother and spoke gently.

Captain Nozel: I understand the grieving you must be facing but please, let's go and hand this in another location.

He placed his arm around the women and gently lead her to the empty shelled husband. The husband embraced his wife and their child. Yuno looked at me as he rubbed his hand up and down my arm while he too kept holding onto me. Everyone then turned to me with sympathy and concern in their eyes.

Noelle: Vanellope. Are, you going to be ok?

And for the the first time since finding the girl, I answered with a barely audible,

Me: no.

Noelle let out a gasp as she didn't know how to react to my response. Then,

I burst into tears. They all gaspaed as Yuno turned to me and gave me a full on tight hug. I cried into him and soaked his cape with my tears. I can hear Noelle start sniffling. Yuno started rubbing my back as I started to choke out.

Me: I....feel...like I failed tremendously. I——I didn't mean for anyone to die.

Yuno: This is not your fault Vanellope.

Me: *crying* How is it not, Yuno? A little girl lost her life. She——she—could've lived a lot longer and had a happy life. But now, she can't have that because I couldn't help her have that life.