Safe Space

To protect

The next two days were terrible for the two boys. They weren't given any food. One of the men them two bottles of water and that's it. Today, the two boys were woken up by loud voices. Zee instinctively hid nunew behind him. Men in police uniform came in. They have smug looks in their faces. They looked around and found the two kids.

"Alright boys, we are here to save you. Come on now so we can all go home." One of the policemen told them.
Is this how you treat an injured abducted children? What a load of lies Zee thought.
Zee picked up nunew despite his body protesting on him. One of the policewomen tried to take nunew from him. Zee looked at her with a deadly stare.

"Dont you dare touch him." He growled at her. The policewoman was shocked but kept her composure. Zee carried nunew until they got out of the old building. He can see their mothers from a afar. He breathed heavily when he saw them. He then ran. He ran with nunew until their mothers are infront of them. He kneeled and cried as he reached them. He didnt let go of nunew up until Pornthip was the one taking him away from him. Nunew protested at first, he didnt want to let go of Zee. He then realized it was his mother when Pornthip hugged him. Nunew cried. Nunew cried so much as he hugged his beloved mother. Malee and Pornthip was a crying mess too. They didnt care if the press sees them like that. They have their children back. And that's what matters the most. They then all entered a car. Nunew cried until he fell asleep while his mother hugs him. He reached for Zee's hand, which the older one didnt hesitate to give him. Zee realized they were heading for the police station. He panicked. His breaths grow rapid and tears started to fall. His mother got worried and asked him what's wrong.

"Why are we going to the police station? Why are there so many people there?!" Zee asked his mother

"You will just give a statement son. Nothing more. Officer Badin will speak to the press for us. " Malee told him

Zee then thought of a plan. It might just work. He hopes it works. For his and nunew's families sake.

"Ma, can i speak to the press instead?"
Zee asked his mother. Malee looked at Pornthip asking for advice.

"Zee son, this is not something you have to do. That's why we have the grown ups. Plus you guys have been through so much. " Pornthip told him.

"I really want to do this auntie. Please let me do it" Zee pleaded to them

"Are you really sure about this?" Malee asked him. And zee just nodded.

Pornthip talked to Badin as they exit the car. He looked at zee and nodded.

Zee approached the press and as the press started asking him questions, he started talking.

"I am talking to you so that you can pity me or my friend. I am not here to do the blaming game but I am here to reveal the truth. Please listen carefully to what you are about to hear and you can be the judge of everything". Zee looked at nunew and his mother who has a confused look her face. He then took out his pen and played the recording. Everybody could hear the voices of Badin and Atid. As the recording ended, the reporters bombarded Badin. He fell back as he was trying to escape. Zee noticed someone next to him, he looked down and was surprised to see nunew. Nunew nudged him to pick him up which Zee did.

"The other man is uncle Atid. Im sure that it is his voice as he always calls my parents phone" Nunew bravely said as he reached for the microphone. The two children then looked at their mothers who couldn't believe what happened. They hugged their children and decided to not enter the police station. They asked the driver to go to the hospital straight away to get the children checked.

Zee insisted that the doctors check nunew first before him even though it is him who looked very rough. Nunew cried as they tried to separate the two. Nunew wouldn't let go of Zee. So the doctors decided to just do it the examinations together. Nunew is so far fine, just tired and dehydrated. Zee on the other hand is a different story. He has a broken rib, dislocated left shoulder and a sprain on his left ankle. That and he is also severely dehydrated. His mother can believe that Zee still insisted on carrying Nunew when he is at this state.

Pornthip cant help but cry. He knew how Zee struggled to keep his Nunew safe. It was him who took the hits so nobody would harm his Nunew.

"Zee, I dont know how to thank you for protecting Nu with all your might. I am forever in your debt." Pornthip cried to him as she held his hand

"Auntie dont say that. Nunew became my strength. If he wasnt with me, if i was not thinking of him. I might have given up." Zee told the older woman.

"Auntie Pornthip, uncle Narong tried to save us. He gave his life for us. I promised him that I would protect Nat and Auntie Beam " Zee told them

"We know about Narong nong. Nat and Beam are at our house at the moment so dont worry about them. We should also tell you about what happened to your father" Pornthip was teary as she says this.

"We know Ma. We heard them talking" Nunew suddenly said. This made the two women cry and kneel infront of their children.

"We are sorry. We should be the one protecting you. And not putting you in this situation." Malee told the kids

"Ma, it is not your fault." Zee said as he hugged his mother. Nunew hugged his mother too. Hoping that somehow it would ease their burden.

Zee looked at Nunew. Then to their mothers. He vowed that he will do everything he can to protect what is his.