Don't Open That Door - GoM 1

12

The Guardian appears at the cave access, a burning torch in his hand. The changing light hurts my eyes until they adapt to the glow and I'm finally able to see. My heart shrinks when I see you.

He stands at the access behind me without a word, as if enjoying the view of my failure. I keep trying to bring you back, even though I know it's in vain. Until everything spins around me and I'm forced to stop.

I feel so sick. I'm afraid I'm gonna pass out if I as much as try to move a finger. So I don't bother to look back and face The Guardian.

"You lied," I say, my voice but a hoarse cawing. And I don't even wanna think it, 'cause it just can't be true, but I hear myself utter the words: "He's dead."

"I never said you would find him alive."

I hate him with every cell of my body. Had I the slightest hope of doing him any harm, I'd jump on him to strangle him with my own hands.

"I swear to God that if I don't walk out of here with him alive, you won't have a forest to guard anymore. I'll see to it."

"So you are no different from him and his boss in the end. Then I cannot let either of you leave here."

I hate him. I hate him. I hate him.

And I'm so gonna make'im pay for this.

"Go find yourself some deep ditch to hide, you son of a bitch. 'Cause the dozer's gonna tear this goddamn hole apart. And after that, I'm setting on fire anything green still standing."

"You would be doing the work of the darkness your friend follows without knowing, bringing grief to the land and all that lives above and beneath. I expected you would know better, being the hunter's child."

What the flying heck is he talking about!?

"All I've been trying to do is saving lives and keeping your precious land from harm! So bring him back or get the hell outta my sight!"

"Did you ever ask yourself why the old hunter taught you all he knew? You need nobody's help to wake this man up."

He walks away, or disappears, or whatever. I don't know and I don't care. I bend over to rest my head on your chest, cold and still. And I cry again, aching so bad I feel my heart's gonna break apart any moment now.

Because now I understand this is all on me. Because seeking out what I wanted, I never cared about giving you what you needed.

So you're dead and it's my fault.

Because I couldn't love you as I should have.

And because of that, I was too late to save you.