Chapter 2 OLD DOCTOR

10 years had passed. The hot wind blows from the south while the sun looks above the clouds. A child in rags stands atop a broken car, looking over the dried horizon. The hot wind hits his face, and his eyes turn slits.

"Papa. Storm!"

A shout came from a small mouth; people under the shed also looked in the direction the child was pointing. A man with an unkempt beard heard the child's familiar voice and abruptly started running to find the source.

"Zedric, go down there!"

Finally, the father found his child, and Anthony called out his son's name, but it seemed the child didn't hear; the child's attention was somewhere else. By this time, the people finally saw the cloud of dust and sand rising until it reached the sky. Seeing it, the people fell into panic, running away and scattering.

"Zedric!"

Anthony again called his child with urgency while protecting himself from the people running, stumbling down, which meant being stomped to death. The child finally appears to hear his father, looks back at him, and says.

"Papa, we need to leave; we hide there."

Zedric pointed toward the tall, rocky mountain near them, but before the child could say more, a callous hand grabbed him from the back of his clothes and lifted him. Anthony saw the sandstorm coming, and any minute was essential to survive. Although other people's lives were necessary, it wasn't more meaningful than saving their own life, especially his son Zedric. Anthony dashed toward the rocky mountain, and there he saw the old doctor already readying her footholds; Anthony didn't waste time and searched for a place where he and his son would be safe. He turns his head and then finds a gap. Anthony hesitates for a moment because he does not know the depth of the hole, but ultimately decides to jump down, and just after that, the sandstorm arrives.

***

After finding out that his daughter died in the desolate place, which was also a nameless spot, province mayor Garren and his subordinates continue their expedition nonstop to find the ingrates stained with his daughter's blood. Garren's anger was seething and now profoundly rooted to his bones; no one in his life was more important than his own daughter, yet he let someone take her hand after she fell in love with some random guy, and now she died. He blames himself, but he will correct his mistake no matter what happens.

"Boss, the sandstorm just passed. Some of our men suffered; they need time to recuperate."

Garren's wrinkled face turned to look at his advisor before his eyes surveyed and observed his other subordinates. He was surprised to see all of them had varying degrees of injuries.

The leading buggy car suddenly stops making all subordinates turn their heads with a puzzled faces. The advisor looked at them with an awkward countenance because he did not expect their leader to suddenly stop.

Garren did not wait, came out of his buggy car, and told his subordinates, who were still in their vehicle.

"Those, anyone of you wanted to back out? This is the best time for you to say it. I promise I would not pursue it nor take it to heart."

Everyone glanced at each other upon hearing Garren, but no one stepped up or raised a complaint after a few minutes. This made Garren furrow his brows and speak once again.

"Do you guys not trust me?"

Before Garren could speak more, the advisor intervened and quickly said.

"Boss, please don't say that. We have been grateful to you ever since you accepted us and gave us everything. Now is just the right time to give you our full support."

Garren looked again to his advisor before scanning his other subordinates, and he was surprised that all of them seemed to reach a tacit agreement to stay as they looked at him with firm eyes. Garren felt gratitude and contentment from the bottom of his heart, but since many of them were injured, he decided to slow down the search to give time for them to heal their injuries.

***

After the sandstorm, a random in rag clothes person lay motionless, like dead on the sand, but suddenly, her fingers flinched, and his body began to move slowly. The woman's consciousness started to return, and open his eyes while groaning.

"Ugh..."

A woman shook her head to clear her mind. She remembered the sandstorm and realized that she just survive a disaster. A wry smile appeared on her lips, and she began laughing dryly. Suddenly, a silhouette from a distance makes the woman rub her eyes.

"Vrooom!"

Noises of buggy cars entered her ears. The woman sat back up with a trace of fear in her eyes and said in an unbelieving tone.

"No, it can't be possible. It has been 10 years. We're sure we already lost them!"

Rocky mountain gap.

"ZEDRIC!"

An old woman's voice buzzed in Zedric's ear, waking him up from doze. The kid opened his eyes and realized he was not in his father's arms; instead, he was held by the old doctor. The sand dirtied his face, but it couldn't hide his tender skin. The kid searched for his father and wanted to get away from the old doctor's hands.

"Zedric, I'm sorry!"

The old doctor's tears fell onto his face, although young Zedric still sensed what she was implying, and he didn't want to believe; thus, he struggled more intensely to break free to the point Zedric biting her arm.

"I won't let your father's death be in vain. I need to get you out of here!"

The old doctor tugged the rope, and a mechanism started pulling them up the entrance. Zedric kept looking down, hoping to see his father, but he couldn't see through the dark dept. The old doctor held Zedric hand tightly. As they were about to reach the gap, a scream entered their unprepared ears, and the old doctor, pupils, dilated from apprehension.

"Zedric, hurry, let's go!"

The old doctor pulled Zedric, but as they were about to run, the Buggy car's engine roared, and a nonstop gunshot filled their surroundings. Zedric was scared as he saw many familiar faces die from bullets flying. After surviving the sandstorm, the refugee is still killed but at the hands of men.

The old doctor's eyes move past the escaping people. The situation was dire; there was no gap in the encirclement. Thus, she places Zedric in the basket where she tied the rope and drops the basket inside the hole, hoping no one will find the child.

Zedric raised his head and watched the old doctor distressed face as she tried her best to bring him down slowly. Still, unfortunately, soon, the gunshots eventually reached the old doctor's location. In an attempt to hide Zedric, she gladly covered the gap with her aging body as soon as she realized where their gun's muzzle was pointing.

"Ratatatatatat."

The enemies unhesitatingly pulled their triggers, aiming at their sole target. The old doctor closed her eyes and let herself be showered in bullets.