His face is crimson, and he is crying. His eyes are red and wet. Tears quickly become waterfalls, and his nose is runny as well. He looks at me, not with sadness nor hatred. I don't know why, but I lean in and hug him. He collapses into my arms crying his little heart out. Soon my blouse is a puddle and he lets go.
"My family is dead?" he whimpers, and I wish more than the world that I could say no, but I have to tell him the truth. I just do.
"Yes." he starts to weep again. "If it helps, we are your family now. And family sticks together." I say soothingly. "Right?"I add.
He just starts crying again. I hold him by his shoulders and get down to his height, and I look him in the eye.
"I know it hurts. I really do. I've lost my family too. My friends all are imprisoned or on what might be a wild goose chase across the ocean to find freedom. We don't need you to tell us anything, we can't make you, but we would really appreciate any help you can give us." I tell him confidently. He looks up at me with bright brown eyes.
"We can start with your name," I offer him, and sign. I can tell he will not share anytime soon what color his moms hair was, much less what had happened at the village. Or his name for that matter.
"Kadek" he barely whispers.
"What?" I ask him
"Kadek" he says louder.
"Is the translation broken?"I ask a technician. She shrugs. That sure was helpful.
"My name is Kadek, meaning youngest child." he snaps. Then the anger seems to melt away. He slumps down and puts his head in his hands. I'm about to leave when he gets up. "I will help you if you take me to my village. I will only help once I can see for myself." He states boldly.
I look around and then face him again. "You are not ready to see your home. I'm sorry. I know you said you wouldn't help us," I pause and study his face. He is seemingly emotionless. I slowly start again
"I know you said you wouldn't help us but we sure could use it. We need it, actually. We do not know the land like you surely do. We need help, and maybe one day we will show you the village, but not soon. It's enough to scare me, and I'm about 6 years older then you are. I'm sorry, but you are not ready. It's not a pretty sight."
He seems angry. Then he starts pouting. People start arguing quietly about whether or not he should go.
"We can't take you there at least till morning, and we are only showing you the better half of the fire."One bystander speaks up. I give her a glare.
"What?" She asked innocently. I roll my eyes.
"He is a big kid, he has a right to know, ya know?"She starts but I just put my hand up.
"Sorry your highness." She mutters. I ignore her.
"Well I guess it's settled. Get a good night's sleep, you won't be sleeping for a while." I grumble to him "I say you aren't ready." I continue.
I walk outside
YOU ARE READING
An Inch Of Infinity (Short Version)
ActionIn the near future the entire world is conquered by a group of people known as Royalties, or the Royals for short. They declared war on the planet. If you were not with them, you were against them. by the end of the 21st century the world was utter...
