I can still remember how my mother grabbed my hand that night. We ran as if hell itself were chasing us; the recent rain had left the ground soaked and slippery, each step sinking into the mud. Her hand was firm, but I could feel the tremor of her fear as we left our home behind, swallowed by flames that licked the sky.
The crackling of the burning houses and the villagers' heart-wrenching screams mixed with the smell of burning wood and flesh, hitting me like a drum in my chest.
"Run, Selene! Don't look back!" my mother shouted, her voice breaking with desperation. In the distance, the attackers moved like bloodthirsty shadows, killing and destroying without mercy. Every house that disappeared behind us was a memory burned forever.
I tried to stay close to her, but in an instant we reached a dead-end alley between twisted trees and treacherous roots. A piercing scream and the cry of a baby reached us before I could react. My mother froze, trembling; in that moment I knew they had caught up to us.
Through the trees, three men emerged like specters, their swords gleaming in the firelight. My mother stepped in front of me, protecting me with a scream that resonated through my soul.
One of them grabbed her arm and, his voice venomous, said:
—Don't make this harder, pretty girl. I'm going to enjoy this.
My mother struggled, and with a desperate movement, she grabbed the dagger from the man's belt and shouted:
—RUN, SELENE!
My heart shattered. I couldn't look back; I had to run. I dashed through the forest, leaping over roots and mud, the smoke filling my lungs, until I reached the burnt wheat field that looked like a sea of red and gold. The screams and the chaos of the falling village chased me like ghosts from my childhood.
I fell to my knees, exhausted, aimless, hopeless. I just cried in silence, sobs stuck in my throat, while the wind carried the stench of death and fire that made me want to vomit.
Then I heard a deep growl nearby, from the inner part of the forest. My instinct told me it wasn't an animal; maybe… my mother, freed from her captors, searching for me. I stepped cautiously, each leaf crunching under my feet like an alarm drum.
And then I saw her. A girl, trapped in a cage on a broken wooden cart, surrounded by corpses wearing strange clothes. Her eyes were wide and terrified, and her hands reached toward me, silently begging for help.
—It's okay… I… I'll help you —I whispered, gently taking her hand. I didn't know if I could trust her, but something in those eyes forced me to decide.
One of the nearby bodies held a key. I took it from its lifeless fingers and opened the cage. The girl lunged at me, hugging me tightly, her tears soaking my clothes. She didn't speak; she just clutched my hands and back while sobbing.
I knew I had to protect her. I grabbed her hand and we searched for a safe place to hide. After a while, we found a hollow under a stump. Small, damp, probably crawling with worms, but it didn't matter.
We crawled into the hole, and she didn't speak, only hugged me. I hugged her back, and between tears, we finally managed to sleep, if only for a moment.
The sun began to rise between the gray clouds, light filtering through the hollow. For the first time since we had fled, I felt a thread of determination burning in my chest. I left the hollow carefully, without waking the girl. The wind rustled the leaves around us, but all was silent. When I turned, her eyes were on me, full of fear, hesitant to step out. I extended my hand and whispered:
—Don't worry… I'll protect you.
The girl hesitated for a moment before leaving the hollow. Her fingers trembled, clutching the edge of the stump as if it were the only safe refuge she had ever known. The gray morning light illuminated her pale face, smeared with mud and tears.
I extended my hand again, firmer this time.
—I promise.
She blinked, lips slightly parted as if she didn't fully understand my words. But then, with a clumsy movement, she lifted her pinky and touched mine. It was a fragile, almost childlike gesture, but in that instant, I felt we had sealed a pact stronger than any vow.
Her eyes softened a little, though the fear still lingered deep inside. We stood up and began walking together, the forest stretching endlessly around us. Each step was uncertain, but the mere fact that we weren't alone gave me strength.
We didn't know where we were going, or if we would find help. Only that we had to keep moving, away from the smoke that still stained the sky.