HUMAN

Chapter 39 - Refugees

23:20

Frank took a rag and cleaned the barrel of the shotgun. He checked the barrel once more and was sure that there weren't any spiders inhabiting inside it. Now he hoped that the corrosion wouldn't affect it too badly.

Leo shuffled around in the dark. All lights had to be turned off.

"Frank, are you sure this is the right decision you're making?" Leo asks as the shotgun was handed to him. He picked up a few shells and loaded it in. Frank shot a glance at Leo and tilted the brim of his cap down. It was only a moment, but Leo noticed his eyes were glazed over.

The lips weren't displaying any signs of malice nor a frown. Just total neutrality.

He'd been convincing Frank to abandon the home and find refuge in a different location. But Frank refused. "Vincent deserves to know." Leo finally exhaled a breath. "The kid has a lot on his shoulder, Leo. And I got my own worries as well. I told you more than twice now to leave." Frank replied more coldly than he'd expected.

He grabs the loaded shotgun off of Leo's hands noticing that the safety was still triggered then passed it back to him.

They stood in the kitchen, a silence stepped between them. Ammunition and armaments spread across the counter top. The message and the recording of what happened was replaying over and over on Frank's phone, the voice of Sol and the Anthro that murdered him plagued his mind.

Leo grabs it and shuts it off then sighed heavily seeing that he won't be able to move Frank from one place to another. He checks his watch and peers through the blinds, the full moon shining brightly on the open field. Ahead, he scanned for any movement amongst the tree line then turns back to Frank.

"You carry your burdens by yourself, Frank. We are here to ease that load." He sets the shotgun down and takes a seat. Frank seemed quite irritated that this bear won't leave him alone. But for good reason, that is. "Back then, we were doing this so that you can ensure that we kept our mouths shut. Now, we do this with our own heart" Leo brings his fist to his chest. "Because such cause should not be carried by one Anthro alone." He said.

"And we realize that you are of kindhearted Anthros that risk their lives for these perilous missions. . .to just make our lives a bit better." He added. Frank rubs his forehead and scrunched his nose.

"I'm losing my friends, Leo. . .I. . .I cannot lose more." Frank barely whispered. He feels a large hand land on his shoulder. "I know how you feel Frank. The loss of a loved one is one of the greatest sorrows in this world we live in."

The hush of the wind brushed against the dark pines that swayed back and forth. Branches would crash onto the roof as if they were pushing against each other to peer closer to the window to see how this would all unfold.

"I offered you and Pennie safety. Yet you stayed." Frank asked, confused and trying to find reason from Leo. He knew what Frank was getting at - "No man left behind. Supposedly, a human quote that I heard from my grandfather long, long, time ago when I was a small cub." He said. "I forever kept it in my heart since, and what kept my heart beating during the war."

Frank's ears flicked up, and his hands subtly slide towards the deagle. "You took act in a war?" Leo's eyes shot towards the gun. "Calm, comrade. I was just a victim, Pennie too. Although, that does not mean I laid dormant in some ranch and did not defend myself. I know my way around guns but mostly the old ones." He said, Frank eased up. "I assume you partook in the same war?"

Frank nodded and pulled out a cigar from his pocket then lights it up. "Yes, two decades ago." He simply answered. "Might you tell me more about your story?" Frank couldn't help but ask. Leo and Pennie were still a mystery to him despite tapping into their online data. Yet he doesn't know their personal stories.