On a pitch-black night, when darkness swallowed everything, ten shadows gathered atop a remote mountain. The air was thick with a sharp metallic scent, as if the mountain itself had bled, covering their white cloaks, which had turned into a deep black. They moved in silent steps, clutching something heavy, hidden from the eyes of the world. In a moment of silence, broken only by the wind's whispers, they swore their shadows would never meet again. Then, in the blink of an eye, they vanished, leaving behind the world's scream, which filled the horizon with terror. The screams served as a backdrop to a bloody ceremony, a mark etched into history, painted by the blood that scattered across the sky like fireworks. That day marked the end of an era and the dawn of a new age of madness.
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Far from the dark mountains and the ten shadows, on a quiet evening in February 2008, the Louian family eagerly prepared to watch a movie, in a house filled with children's laughter and shouts.
"Come on, Alyot, hurry! Turn on the TV, the show's started, it's started!" Annie shouted with excitement, bouncing in place, her eyes sparkling with joy.
"Give me a moment! I'm looking for the remote," Alyot said calmly, lifting pillows and searching under them in vain. The buttery popcorn scent filled the room, amplifying their excitement.
"Come on, Louian, Kito, Allen, the show is about to start! Hurry up!" Annie said, pulling them by their hands toward the couch.
"I wonder what kind of movie makes her this excited?" Allen said in surprise, his eyes following Annie's frantic movements. He slowly touched the crunchy popcorn in the bowl, feeling its rough texture between his fingers.
"Didn't you know?" Kito said with a surprised smile. "It's a 'Bulb' spy movie, a famous series. That's why Annie is practically flying with joy."
"I should've known. Nothing in the world excites her this much except spy stuff, adventures, and… yes, definitely pranks," Allen said with a sigh, rubbing his face, though a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"I found it!" Alyot exclaimed suddenly, a calm smile on his face, holding the remote he had hidden under a pillow.
"Wait, where's Louian? Wasn't he here a moment ago?" Kito asked in surprise, noticing an unusual silence in the room.
The tension vanished when they heard Louian's voice: "Kito, help me! These things are so heavy!"
Louian shouted, struggling to hold two large bags almost touching the floor. Each bag was filled with various candies and sweets enough to last a whole month for the family. The sound of the plastic bags made a soft, satisfying noise with every step, while the scent of chocolate and candies tempted everyone.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming… oh my God, Louian!" Kito shouted in astonishment, eyes wide as she stared at the mountain of sweets.
"What? We need some snacks for the movie!" Louian replied, his small face almost disappearing behind the giant bags, but a wide smile spread across his lips.
"This is my genius little brother! Give me, give me some!" Annie shouted excitedly, jumping and reaching out as if expecting a treasure.
"For heaven's sake! What are you thinking? Give me that immediately!" Kito said in mock anger, chasing them around the couch, trying to snatch the bags. Their continuous laughter filled the room, with a few candies spilling onto the carpet, leaving small colorful spots.
Amid this playful chaos, Alyot intervened calmly. He stood like a wall between Kito and the children, smiling gently, "It's okay, Kito. In the end, they won't eat it all. We'll get our share too."
But the calm didn't last long. Worry crossed Allen's face, and he asked in a low voice, "But when will Mom and Dad get here?"
"Don't worry, I spoke to them a little while ago. They'll arrive any moment," Kito said calmly, patting Allen on the back and glancing at the old phone on the wall, a silent witness to all family moments. Below it, a small wooden table served as a base to reach it. "All we have to do is wait."
"But the movie starts in ten minutes!" Annie said, frustration clear in her tone, as if the delayed movie were the end of the world.
"It's okay, Annie. I'm sure they'll get here on time," Alyot reassured her with a calm smile.
"I hope they come quickly. I heard in the news that heavy rain is expected tonight," Allen said, rubbing his hands nervously as if he could already feel the cold rain.
"Come on, Allen, I'm sure they'll be on time," Louian said, already devouring his third piece of candy, a large chocolate smear decorating his cheek, tasting sweet and crunchy.
"Louian!" Kito shouted in mock anger, trying to snatch the candy bags from him.
"Sorry, sis, I couldn't wait," Louian replied, eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Exactly!" Annie said, stealing a piece from the bag, finding herself trapped between Kito and Louian.
Amid the fun chaos, Alyot laughed, wiping Annie's and Louian's faces with a tissue, saying, "It's okay, Kito, we can't win against their love for sweets."
Suddenly, the rain outside changed. It was no longer soft taps on the window, but rapid, violent beats, as if someone were knocking on the door with unimaginable force. The window trembled slightly, reflecting rushing drops, while the wind groaned outside like a ghost. At that moment, the wooden doorbell rang, its sound strange for a second, unlike usual. Then…
"Kids, we're back!" they heard their parents' warm voices.
"Mom! Dad!" all the children shouted, rushing to open the door, while the light rain began tapping on the window.
"You're so late," Annie said in a childish scolding tone, clinging to her father's shoulder, who hugged her gently. Rain drops followed his heavy steps as he entered, leaving traces of water on the floor.
"Yes, Mom and Dad, we were worried about you," Kito added, her face showing a mix of concern and warm relief. She grabbed the bags carrying the fresh scent of rain from their hands and glanced at the wall clock—it was nine PM.
The father smiled warmly, letting Annie stand, bending down to pinch Kito's cheeks gently. "Oh, did we worry our sweet daughter?"
"No, but Louian was really worried," Kito said mischievously, pushing his hands away from her cheeks.
"What? But I didn't… uh… mmf…" Louian couldn't finish his sentence, as Kito shoved a big piece of candy into his mouth, muffling him.
"Yes, we know our eldest daughter is strong and will protect her siblings," their mother said, patting Kito's head with love and pride.
"Of course I will," Kito said confidently, her eyes shining with the sense of responsibility her parents had entrusted to her.
Amid this family scene, Alyot quietly entered with two glasses of water, one for each parent. "You two were late, and I had to endure Annie's whining. Do you know what that means?"
The father smiled broadly, "And what does that mean, our dear son?"
"It means you owe me a trip somewhere," Alyot said playfully, a mischievous smile hidden on his face, while the other children's eyes lit up with excitement.
"To the restaurant," the father said.
"To the amusement park!" Alyot replied.
"To the beach," the father said.
"To Azra's Zoo!" Alyot said, winking at his siblings, knowing they longed to see the new polar bear.
"Yes, yes! Azra Zoo!" the children shouted in unison, jumping excitedly, while the rain intensified outside.
"Alright, agreed," the father laughed.
"But it will be Thursday," he added.
"Tomorrow."
"Wednesday."
"Monday."
"Tuesday."
"Agreed?" the father asked, a wide smile on his face.
Alyot thought for a moment, then said, "Agreed!" shaking his father's hand firmly, as warm laughter filled the house, pushing the chill of the rain outside.
Minutes of peace
"So, what did you do while we were gone?" the mother asked gently, wiping little Louian's face, now a candy-painted canvas. She raised an eyebrow with a hidden smile, as if she already knew the answer.
"Oh, Mom… we were waiting for the movie…" Allen didn't finish, interrupted by Annie rushing toward him like a storm of joy, barely touching the floor with her feet.
"Mom, Mom! Hurry, hurry! The 'Bulb' movie is starting now on the TV! Come on!" Annie shouted excitedly, pointing at the screen as if it were a precious treasure.
"Oh, you mean the spy movie series? Today is Annie's turn to pick the movie then," the father said warmly, looking at his children with loving eyes. He winked at his wife playfully, sharing a small secret about their kids.
"Of course, as if Annie's movie day could pass without spy films!" Allen said sarcastically, laughing lightly.
"As if your movie day could pass without science and chemistry films! At least my movies are exciting and thrilling, unlike your boring ones!" Annie retorted in childish anger, hands on her hips, cheeks puffed defiantly.
"Come on, kids, enough fighting! Sit on the couch and wait for us to change and join you," the father said, trying to calm the atmosphere firmly yet lovingly.
"Oh, did you bring popcorn too?" the mother asked, noticing the bowl of popcorn.
"Of course!" Kito said proudly, carrying a large bowl of popcorn, its buttery aroma filling the room like an irresistible invitation.
"Alright then, can you pour the candy and drinks into cups and not fight while we change?" the mother asked, hoping for calm. She sighed lightly, thinking that this small chaos made the moments joyful.
"Of course!" the children answered in unison, as the parents left the room.
"So, everyone grab a cup!" Alyot said, looking at his sister. "Kito, can you heat the cocoa for Louian and Annie while I pour orange juice into our cups?"
"Of course!" Kito said, rushing to the kitchen.
"Make sure you fill them equally!" Allen said to Alyot with a challenging glance, as if to say, "I'll know if one cup is more than the other."
"Of course, of course! I'm fair!" Alyot replied, beginning to fill the cups carefully.
"Fill my cup all the way, Alyot!" Louian said with a wide smile, eyes sparkling with mischief, spinning around the room like an orchestra conductor.
"Yes, yes!" Alyot replied calmly, unable to resist a slight laugh at Louian's whirlwind energy, then said firmly,
"Louian, sit down… Allen, Annie, same goes for you too…"
Alyot glanced at Allen, measuring his cup carefully with a ruler, and at Annie, hiding candy under the pillows with mischievous eyes.
"You two really…!" Alyot started, but didn't finish before the parents entered, looking at them with warm smiles that melted every tension.
"Good thing we weren't late for the movie… oh, where's Kito?" the father asked, carrying Annie and Louian gently to the couch.
"Here I am! Mom, I can't carry the cups, they're too hot. As for the tray, Allen made it a victim of his experiments!" Kito said, eyes accusing Allen playfully.
"It's not an ordinary victim… it's a victim of science!" Allen insisted, grinning mischievously.
"Alright, alright… it's okay, Kito, come and sit." The mother pointed to a space next to her, then got up to bring the cups, while the children watched eagerly.
Moments later, the show began:
"Ladies and gentlemen, children and youth… please fasten your seatbelts!"
"Mom! Hurry!" Annie shouted excitedly, pointing at the screen.
"Because today's movie is… 'Bulb the Spy'!"
As the movie started, they found themselves sitting in front of the TV, each holding candies in their hands, eyes sparkling with amazement and joy.
"How many times have I told them not to sit this close to the TV…" the father said quietly, smiling with a mix of firmness and affection.
"It's okay, let them… I didn't think anything could really calm them," the mother whispered, handing her husband a hot chocolate, then sitting beside him, savoring the warmth in her hands, clinging to this peaceful moment.
"It's only a few minutes until they return to how they were, dear…" the father whispered, looking at the children with a loving smile.
"Yes… a few minutes of peace…" the mother said, rubbing her hands on the cup, feeling comforted by its warmth.
Then she looked at the screen, where the spy was stealing files from the office, whispering softly, "I just hope they aren't affected by this…"
"I think Annie will be, Eiri," the father whispered, smiling, looking at his wife then Annie.
"Yes, I know…" Eiri laughed, looking at Annie fondly, then whispered to her husband with a mix of calm and worry, "I hope these peaceful moments last a bit longer…"
"It's okay, I'll make sure they always last…" the father whispered reassuringly, watching the children already begin playful arguments over who the best character in the movie was.
"Moments of peace… haaa, yes, let's make sure they last!" the mother said, resting her head on her husband's shoulder, looking at them as if they were the most precious thing in the world.
.
.
.
I wonder… does anyone realize that this night was the spark for everything?
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"This is my first attempt at writing, please excuse any errors!"