The Eyes Of 'Rah

Dear Father

Seraphine gasped continuously as she finally found the familiar building she saw her father in her dream. After rigorous moments of asking questions from the very few people who were bold enough to look at her and spared her some minutes.

She never thought the town would be that large and full people. To avoid attracting people's attention, she had lowered her eyes which made it slow for her to find her father's location. She got used to being knocked around by people in haste as they went about their businesses.

Just by the stroke of luck, she had overhead two men talking about a man who was caught for stealing the factory's products. Instinctively, she had followed them when one of them urged the other to follow him to that factory.

Feeling perched after emptying her satchel of water, she coughed dryly as she stared at the back of the men, trying as much as possible to move her tired feet in order not to lose them.

She stopped as she watched the entrance of the factory, heavily guarded with men on uniform. Studying how a small object was being shown to the guards by people who wished to gain entrance, she knew it would be difficult to enter.

While debating on how to enter, a loud commotion broke out not far from the gate, she looked as the two men from earlier engaged in a brawl with another men. What better distraction could it be if not that? Thankful when the guards left their post to break up the fight, she ran in.

Seraphine quickly entered the room she found empty, looking around to see it wasn't as empty as she thought. Inside the room were loads of grains piled atop one another. She peeped into the corridor, looking out for guards before starting her search.

Finding the road clear, she tiptoed as she leaned against the wall, the only sound she could hear was the beating of her heart. Moving along, she started to hear voice of humans and the whirring of machines. She doubted if her father was near there, quickly she turned to the opposite direction, the passageway which seemed silent.

The tiny window she saw ahead confirmed her suspicion, it was the exact window she saw in her dreams. Carefully, she walked along, checking each room as she came across them. Finally she saw the room with the barricaded door.

She peered through the space between the barricades, however, the room was locked and see could only see the things in her line of vision.

"Father!" She whispered yelled, hoping to hear his voice, "it's me Seraphine. Are you there?" Looking over her shoulder to ensure no one was approaching.

"Seems you're the criminal's daughter" a raspy voice answered, "how did you get in?"

"Where is my father and why are you calling him a criminal?"

The voice heaved in laughter, sounding like someone who was laughing forcely. He must have been beaten pretty bad, "your father stole some of the factory's products, thinking it won't get noticed and sold it at a lower price. I don't know if he did it or  didn't do it as he claimed. Perhaps if you had come a little bit earlier, you would have met him. He has been dragged to the town square" the voice coughed severally before he continued, "if you're a good runner, you should be able to say your goodbye on time"

Seraphine's leg buckled, never had she been frightened about something this much until now, deep down she knew the answer to what she was about to ask but she asked anyway.

"What happens at the town square" she whispered. Her heart drummed in apprehension.

"Where he will be stoned to death"

Without waiting further, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her, paying no attention to the guards at the gate who might wondered how she got in. Her only focus was getting to the town square on time. The tears rolling down her face didn't allow her see the way clearly but that didn't deter her from increasing her pace neither did the way she kept stumbling upon people or their goods, the only thing that mattered was getting to her father.

She slowed when she came across a large crowd, who seemed to be concentrated on whatever was happening in the centre, worming her way in between the onlookers till she got to the centre, she fell by the horrific sight in front of her.

Her father was badly injured, blood seeped out all over his skin, the only decent cloth on him was the one wrapped around his waist for decency sake. He looked unrecognisable, the contours and swollen bloody face was not a good sight to look at.

"Father" Seraphine cried out as she ran towards him, murmur rose from the crowd, pointing fingers but she cared less. She looked around, "please help my father" weeping as she wished people could assist them but they were all just staring at the drama as it unfolded, whispering and pointing fingers with their judgy eyes.

A voice from the crowd shouted, "this is what you get for stealing. There is honour in working hard to put food on the table. Thieves are meant to die shamelessly when they're caught " the crowd nodded.

"He is not a thief " Seraphine' defended. Feeling her father's hand as he placed it gently on her shoulder. She turned back to him, shielding him from being stoned again by kneeling directly in front of him, weeping helplessly.

With difficulty to breath, Patrick looked at his daughter, "I didn't steal anything" he slowly uttered, trying to control the blood which continued to spew out as he uttered each word.

"I know" she assured him, stopping him from talking to avoid losing too much blood.

"I was foolish enough to trust them" coughing, he paused, Patrick felt regretful that he might leave his daughter alone in this cruel world, he was more worried about who would protect her as much as he does than worrying about the calamity that befell him.

Seraphine wouldn't stop crying as she tried to lay him down to a more comfortable position but was unable to. Grunting and gasping as she tried to move him again, suddenly she felt a very painful sensation hit her lower back, crying out as she looked behind her to see the Stone which was thrown at them.

Summoning the energy he thought had waned, Patrick pushed his daughter off of him when he saw another stone coming his way.

Seraphine landed painfully a little bit far from where she once was, gaining back her balance, she looked to see more stones had been thrown at him.

"Stoooooooop, please stop" she yelled while limping back to where Patrick lay. The crowd had halted when they saw no movement from the man.

Seraphine placed her father's head on her lap, urging him to wake, "father?" She kept calling, terrified of what his unresponsive body could mean.

"No no no!" Shaking her head in disbelief as she shook him. She screamed and shouted, calling her father's name as the crowd thinned.

Some distance away, two people concentrated on the scene in front of them, young Xavier who had come with his friends to town, looked at the situation before being pulled by Daniel Manchester to continue their exploration.

Not far from Xavier's location was Damien, the King of demon in a cloak, who intently studied the young girl.

"I know that poor man and his daughter" Damien turned to meet his companion's eyes, "tell me more about her"