The Rose

26

7 months later

"What if we colonize Neptune?"
"Huh... that's not happening silly". Frederick pinched Maya's arm smiling. Maya rubbed her arm, mingling her brows upset.
"Why not, silly?" She talked back. Frederick turned the page and flattened the book by crushing the sheets with his hand.
They were sitting on a big table, in the library, on which they had put a great number of books and maps about the space roads* and astronomy. They were here since lunch time and the school was about to close but they didn't care at all.
"Because, my dear silly, Neptune's atmosphere isn't ideal for us to live, neither its surface and we can do nothing about that". Maya looked at the opened book with the pictures of a big blue planet that was looking like a huge bubble coloured with the colours of sky and ocean as well. Neptune -an untouchable planet.
"Hm... why not?" Frederick pointed with his finger a paragraph right under a picture of the planet, taken in the early 2500s.
"It says here why. Neptune's atmosphere is made from about eighty percent hydrogen and nineteen percent helium. It also contains a small amount of water and methane, which gives rise to the green-bluish color. Which means that... if we ever try to colonize such a Hell of gases, we're going to die". Maya didn't respond, she just kept quiet listening to Frederick talking with passion about Neptune and why people couldn't colonize it.
Library's door opened wide making a strange noise that scared both of the kids and they turned their little heads to see who had come at their usual meeting place.
A young man, named Klaudio Walker, a teacher who was usually teaching for the greater classes, was standing next to them, looking at them smiling while his arms were resting behind his back.
"I think it's time to put your books in your school bags and return home. It's late and your parents might worry". It was true that when Mr Walker said your parents, he was completely ignorant about the fact that Frederick had no parents and the child lowered his head awkwardly. Well, his father might be on the battlefield at that moment, fighting against the "rebels", but he wasn't sure if he was dead or alive• his childish, innocent and broken mind had already put his father in a beautiful, wooden coffin ready to be turned into ashes.
Maya put her books and some papers into her school back, Harlock mimicked her and then made their way out of the library together, accompanied by Mr Walker.

As soon as they arrived at Hellmina's house, they entered the house without knocking. Hellmina had gave them the right to enter her house any time they wanted to without asking. It was her lovely children after all.
Hellmina was ill lately. She complained about pains on her back and weakened legs and arms. All the children from around the town of Heilingestadt, were usually visiting her, helping her with the household and cooking, gardening and farming as well. Now it was time for Maya and Frederick to visit her and help her do some work.
"Frau Hellmina! We are here!" Maya shouted. After a moment, the door of the woman's bedroom opened and Hellmina appeared at the living room, supporting her body with a long, wooden stick. Frederick approached the old lady and held her arm. She was looking frighteningly tired and her eyes weren't as bright as they used to be -something that worried Frederick and his friend.
"Are you okay? Do you want us to help you with the farm?" He asked kindly. The woman smiled at them and made some steps towards the sofa which were located near to an old model of television. She sat down and she nodded with her head to children to sit next to her.
"Sit down, I have to talk to you". Her voice's tone looked tired and serious but it was still sweet. The children took a sit next to her and waited patiently till she started talking.
"You know, kids, we live in a really difficult era. Illumidas' army killed thirty two people last night. The people who killed were simple citizens of Earth who were living under poor conditions• they were hungry and sick, like me, and they wanted some food, water or medicine. Those people were living in a ghetto near the town of Dortmund. These people had travelled many miles from the region of Asia to Germany and asked for a shelter to protect themselves from the Asian Illumidas forces who were after them because they had rebelled some years ago. Well, as you can guess, the German Illumidas forces knew exactly what happened two years ago and they had to find those people and capture them or kill them". Both of the children were listening to the woman without making any noise or movement. They knew that the era they were going through was the toughest of the millennium and bad things happen all around the world, although they couldn't understand the reason why Hellmina was telling them such things.
"Did they find them?" Asked Maya. Hellmina caressed the girl's blonde hair and shed a tear. The kids got nervous.
"Yes, my child, they found them and they killed them. But I'll tell you something that a stranger told me yesterday who was present the time this horrifying event happened. He told me that, when an Illumidas serviceman asked the people why they were resisting and why did they rebel back then, some people answered this; "We are against you and your oppressive regime! We fight for freedom and we will keep fighting till our flesh melts and the only remaining pieces of us are our bones! Earth will be freed, people will live again, the sun will rise for us Earthlings!" Then, Illumidas executed every single of them". She stopped talking. Her voice dragged the children into wild fantasies and made them think of what those people said before they die. Frederick was staring at Hellmina• his eyes were brighter than ever and his heart was beating fast, just like the way it beats when his teacher catches him unprepared and shouts to him. Freedom. That was the word! Freedom! Those people were fighting for freedom, the rebels, the "criminals" who were able to turn everyone against the powerful Illumidas by preaching to poor, oppressed and scared masses and singing loudly their mottos; "For Freedom we fight, for Freedom we die". But his father was fighting against those rebels, wasn't he? It was his duty, that's why he left again. It was true he was a good warrior but for whom he was fighting for... He was fighting against the Illumidas forces or was he a good friend of theirs. If that's so, Frederick didn't want that man to be his father and he decided this immediately after his thoughts. He was against Illumidas' Empire, he was expressing a strong negativity towards their regime and rules, and his father was fighting by their side against other people from the same generation and kind? That was betrayal! That was immoral, it was pure cowardice and shame. He was so angry and desperate for truth that he started crying. Hellmina pulled him close to her chest and caressed his hair.
"Poor boy, we have no time for years!" She whispered.
"M-my dad fights against our people... isn't he?" He said between sobs. Hellmina flinched, she almost stood up from the old coach and she looked at the crying boy terrified.
"My Goodness Freddy! What on Earth are you talking about!" She screeched. Frederick wiped his eyes puzzled. Hellmina was looking more stressed than any other time.
"Your father is against the Illumidas Forces! Yes, he might fight by their side but he also helps the rebels and the humans who fight against Illumidas! He gives them food and weapons and he steals supplies from their headquarters and gives them to the poor. Dear Lord, you kids are unbelievably naive..." She stood up and took the stick with whom she helps her balance. Then she disappeared to her kitchen. Frederick looked at Maya almost relived and smiling and she touched his hand with her soft juvenile fingers.
"I knew your father was a real hero". She whispered to his ear.