AFRICA:2008
(Kilimanjaro mountain)
The vibrant green grass stretches under the warm sun, while a white bird sings cheerfully.
"What?"
The child stood in the midst of the grassy field, perplexed.
I had thought it was winter.
He heard laughter coming from behind him. Turning around, he saw a man and a woman holding hands with a child between them. They all had smiles on their faces that he had never seen before.
"Meow."
He lowered his head and looked down, spotting a black cat on the ground.
"What brings you here?"
He raised his head to see a man and a woman with weary expressions.
"Are you lost?" the woman inquired.
"I believe so," the man responded.
"Where are your parents?"
"I'm not sure," I replied.
"Ooh, would you like to join us?" the woman gently asked.
"You can play with Oliver; he's been feeling lonely lately, and I know he would love some company."
"Wait, where's the black cat?"
the child wondered. Noticing the black cat slowly making its way toward the child, the kid ran,
"Waiiiittt!" the kid screamed.
He dashed toward the child.
"Stop!"
The cat began to transform.
"Noooo!"
Suddenly, it transformed into a massive black wolf.
"Don't!"
the black wolf growled, saliva dripping from its mouth as it opened wide and bit down on the kid's head.
The kid leaped toward the wolf, grabbing it by the neck. shouting, "Dieee, dieee!"
The wolf's face morphed into that of the man who had raised him.
"Wake Up, Training Time"
"I'm awake," the child replied, his face twisted in frustration.
"What's bothering you this morning?"
"On my twelfth birthday, I was stabbed, and the man who raised me murdered my family, so I'm feeling a bit worn out."
The man's expression contorted with rage.
"You are a wolf," he reiterated, his voice low and sorrowful.
"Yes."
"So Get Up and go chop some wood."
The child stood up, slipped on a shirt, and headed outside. The man gazed out the window and declared, "Weather Today's is Beautiful."
"Ahhhhh."
A scream echoed from outside. In a rush, the man dashed through the living room, snatched the shotgun from the shelf, and flung open the shack door. There, he saw a man gripping a child from behind, brandishing a knife at the boy's throat. The intruder spoke in a chilling voice.
"Long time, no see, Wolf6."
The Kid said "wolf6." He lifted his gaze, feeling the blade press against his throat, and noticed the man's eyes were devoid of color, completely white.
"What do you want, 7?" he asked, trembling.
"There are consequences for your actions. You were supposed to eliminate the baby and the husband; you failed. I assume this is the kid," he said, glancing at the boy.
Wolf6 locked eyes with the child. He subtly gestured to the left, the boy understood what he meant.
"I thought you despised family. What's changed?"
Wolf6 chuckled, "Family? I suppose age has made you sentimental, 7."
"Sentimental, are we? You're the one who kept the target alive."
"Now, leave the kid" Wolf6 ordered.
"and let's Kill Each Other." Wolf6 said
"So, he means nothing to you, huh?" replied 7.
He gestured with his knife, ready to slit the child's throat.
Just then, Wolf6 fired his shotgun into the air, causing 7 to loosen his grip. This gave the kid a chance to dash to the left. Wolf6 quickly aimed his shotgun at 7 and pulled the trigger again.
"Bang!"
The shot struck him right in the chest, sending him crashing backward into a tree. His body hit the trunk, and he fell, lifeless. Wolf6 approached him.
"Is he dead?" the kid asked.
"Yes," Wolf6 replied.
"So your name is Wolf6?" the kid inquired, a playful expression on his face.
"It's a codename. We don't have real names; his was Wolf7. He was a Kin,"
Wolf6 said, his expression turning somber. The kid had never seen Wolf6 look sad before.
He stepped closer, took Wolf6's hand, and said. "He came to kill us, so don't feel sad."
Wolf6's sorrow morphed into anger.
"He came to kill you, not me," he said, his voice rising.