The Gatekeeper: Realms Of Afterworld

03. What Doesn't Kill You

Tiragen is my home. This borough has seen me through the finest days and the direst nights of my life. And so have its people. My hometown, my people.

I still remember how on the night of mother's death, sweet Aunt Tala, our neighbour at the time, struggled to pick up a bawling Amara in her arms, as my little sister clung hard onto our mother's cold resting body. Once she'd managed to take her in her arms, she smoothed out the inconsolable child's hair, gently stroking it, but it felt more like the gesture was meant to soothe out her heart.

Then with Amara's little head resting on her shoulder, Aunt Tala held my hand, and took us both to her place. Her husband made us some piping hot vegetable broth for supper.

I remember how the steam calmly swayed above my bowl of a stomach filling meal on a cold rainy night. I remember how Aunt Tala blew on it, before she fed us a spoon each, and then more.

I wish all things scorching would cool down the way our broth did that night, just from a bit of blowing.

But the heat emanating from this bright orange blaze I stand before now, that's rising up in the middle of an otherwise dark and dingy night, is a far cry from that small bowl of hot broth.

I feel my nails dig ditches into my sweaty palms as my fists curl in tighter. My jaws hurt from how my teeth are gritted, but I don't hold back from inflicting this pain upon myself.

This pain is the only thing that's keeping me from going numb with shock.

I can hear Riven and Jade's cries for help, somewhere far off, from the bottom of a pit. Or is it me, who's trapped deep under the ground-- I can't tell. My vision's turning blurry, whether from the smoke or the weight of my moronic tears, again, I can't tell.

"Mirae," I hear Amara's distraught voice call out to me. She's far off too. Her wail-- a mere whisper.

"Mirae!" I snap out of it.

I turn my head to look at my little sister. Eyes welled up with tears, an ugly purple bruise on her cheek, a bleeding nose. Clothes burnt in places, her hair looks like it was pulled hard at. And her body-- covered in black patches of soot.

That arose from the fire Karl set our house on.

I realise I wasn't breathing until I looked at my sister.

Get a grip on yourself, Mirae!

"Amara!" I cup her face. She winces at my touch.

"It was Karl-" and with that she collapses in my arms, crying her already swollen eyes out. I hold her tight. Rather, hold onto her myself.
My knees are buckling too, but I stand my ground.

"Amara, I'm here. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you alone. I'm so sorry, my love. I really am."

Why her? I'm the crass, irresponsible one. All of this is my fault. She had nothing to do with Karl, or the loan I took. She had always been generous even around the worst of humankind. Then why her?

"No-" she tries to gather her words. "No, it's not your fault. Karl was, he was-"
I will smother that rogue with my bare hands.

"He said he knew we didn't have his money. Said this was a glimpse of what's to come tomorrow. They took everything with them, Mirae. I tried to stop them-" you brave, silly bug.

"But there were four of them. All hefty. I- I had blacked out from, well- from the blow and by the time I woke up...the- the house... I'm so sorry, Mirae" and with that, she breaks down into thick, hot tears.

She's blaming herself. She shouldn't. I failed to protect her. This is all on me. Today, I hate myself more than any other day.

Riven and Jade are putting out the fire with the help of some more villagers. It has subsided to an extent now, but it's too late. There's a rubble and a ghost of a house standing here. As I hold my sister in my arms, trying to console her out of her uncontrollable grief, I vow to her quietly-- I'll make him pay.