It was a quiet day, accompanied by the gentle sounds of the winter breeze, resembling any other day in that small rural village.
The closely packed wooden houses seemed to embrace one another, while forests surrounded the village from multiple sides, silent… as if watching the simple lives of people who had grown accustomed to living in harmony and tranquility.
From between the narrow wooden walls, whispers of children sneaked through, faint and intermittent, carrying a mix of excitement and fear.
The first boy spoke in a pleading voice:
– Come on, Morl, just be brave.
Morl hesitated slightly. He was a small boy with fair, pale skin, dark black hair falling messily over his forehead, and honey-colored eyes that resembled pure golden honey.
He swallowed and said in a low voice:
– But, Alan… my mother always says this is forbidden.
And so does your mother, Maximus.
Maximus opened his mouth to say something. He was a slightly chubby boy with tanned skin, messy brown hair, and warm brown eyes.
But Alan interrupted him before he could speak. He waved his hand dismissively, appearing older than his age, with blond hair, pale skin, and brown eyes carrying a challenging gaze:
– I didn't go through all the trouble of stealing my uncle's cigarettes, which my aunt hid as if they were a precious treasure, for you to start whining now.
He pulled out a single cigarette and then an old rusty lighter, seemingly from another era. After two attempts, he lit it and exhaled the smoke with obvious pride.
At that moment, some children passed nearby. One of them suddenly stopped, staring in astonishment:
– Wait… aren't those…? Erdim, Exober, and Otto!
They came closer and then noticed the cigarette:
– You're… you're smoking?! We'll tell your parents, you fools!
They burst out laughing, shouting as they ran away toward the small square at the edge of the village, where women were returning from the market.
Morl froze in place for a moment, then shouted:
– Run!
The three dashed through the narrow alleys, but the village was small, and sounds did not vanish. The echo of their screams preceded them, drawing attention before they reached the end of the path.
Maximus, panting, said:
– I told you… we almost died!
Alan waved his hand, trying to regain his composure:
– Come on, it was fun!
The other two glared at him with obvious anger. Alan cleared his throat quickly:
– Alright… I was just joking.
He paused for a moment, then said:
– I'll go return these things to my aunt's house before she comes back from the field. Come with me, Maximus, you'll be the bait if she's there.
Maximus' eyes widened:
– Oh my God… why is it always me?
Alan laughed and moved away, waving to Morl from afar before disappearing between the houses.
Morl stood alone. His chest heaved rapidly. He muttered in a trembling voice:
– How will my end come at my mother's hands now?… Another bath? Or—
His body shivered.
– Ple…ase… I wish—
He couldn't finish his words. Suddenly, he felt a hand grip his ear tightly.
He looked up in pain. Kandle stood before him, her face marked with fierce anger:
– Erdim!!! How could you even think of such a thing?!
Morl, wincing in pain, said:
– Ouch, Mom! I swear I won't do it again, I promise! I haven't even tried it!
She finally released his ear and said in a softer tone:
– If you weren't so sweet and adorable… I'd have thrown you off the cliff.
Morl felt fear, yet also a sense of reassurance. He knew well that this was one of his mother's usual jokes.
He bent down and took the basket of vegetables from her hand:
– Here, I'll carry it for you.
Kandle suddenly paused. She looked at his face, then wiped the dust from his cheek with the edge of her apron.
– Come along, little one. Let's gather some medicinal herbs. They're running low, and we must do it before sunset… come on.
Morl nodded and walked beside her:
– Yes, Mother.
The two of them headed toward the nearby forest at the edge of the village, where the trees awaited… silently.