EDGE

The sulfuric air burns the lungs of people walking tirelessly in the land of war and corruption. A bearded man with an unkempt appearance stretched his hand to drag his weary body while beside him, a frail-looking woman with arms comparable to twigs of a tree was bearing a child. She walked with a careful step as she held her tummy when she saw her husband fall. The wife attempts to help her husband, but the bearded man tries his best as he grits his teeth and stands again. He rises up while his knees are shaking from lack of balance.

"Don't mind me, my wife."

This bearded man was still young, if not for his growing beard. His eyes looked at his wife with tenderness, but he shook his head. His wife's beautiful smile brings unexplainable energy to him. She nodded obediently and started walking again, her husband in her hands; they helped each other step by step.

"Anthony, it's hard to breathe."

The wife said her complexion was becoming paler as cold sweat started to form on her forehead. The husband looks at his wife with worried eyes and stops for a moment. He holds her and sits down to rest.

"Anthony, we can't stop. That person might get still on our tail."

An old woman in her white coat walked back from the crowd and spoke to the couple; however, she saw Anthony's wife's complexion getting paler and deemed the situation an emergency. She frantically rushed to prepare her equipment.

"Let them come then. I'll fight them to death."

Anthony's eyes flickered with a dangerous light; he was raging from inside. His hatred was visible in his eyes as he spoke. Laura, his wife, was lying on the ground and replied weakly.

"Anthony, don't. How about our child?"

The doctor returned and checked Laura's condition, but her expression turned grave.

"Anthony, this is bad! Laura can't hold on much longer. We must get the baby out right now, or both of them will die!"

Anthony had a panicked, stricken face. The doctor immediately told him what he needed. Before he realized it, his body was already moving on its own. A few minutes passed, and all tools and items requested by the doctor were already acquired by Anthony with the help of other refugees.

"Doctor, how was she?"

The old woman in white robes didn't move nor bother to reply to Anthony, and from her expression, he could tell she was in deep concentration, so Anthony chose to calm down and patiently wait. Luckily, he didn't wait too long, as his ear perked up when he heard a crying sound coming from the thing the doctor held; it had little hands and feet, and the thing wouldn't stop crying. Anthony was ecstatic from seeing his and Laura's son but immediately shocked when his eyes moved to his wife. Anthony saw his wife's vitality slowly fading from her loving eyes, and he couldn't help but moan and wail in agony from helplessness. An arm as frail as a twig was stretched, and thin fingers touched Anthony's unkempt face. He could feel the undying love and care in her rough hand.

"P-protect him."

Laura said in a shaking tone as her eyes began to moisten and her hand on Anthony's face eventually weakened and fell to the ground. A tear also falls from Laura's face.

"Laura! No!"

Anthony finally bursts into tears, and his cry resonates with his son, to whom they haven't given a name yet.

Three weeks had passed.

Buggy cars were speeding in the desert, leaving a cloud of dust in their trail. The leader was obviously the fastest and on the lead buggy car; these people seemed to be searching for something based on how they scanned their surroundings with their sharp eyes. The leader has a red bandana on his head and wears a black leather jacket. The leading buggy car suddenly came to a halt, and all buggy's also slowed down and stopped near their leader.

The door opened, and the leader came out of the open door. His eyes have a dangerous glare, making all his subordinates turn their heads to avoid meeting them. The leader is obviously not in a good mood, especially today, but why? Question of all subordinates while watching their leader approaching some pile of rocks with a piece of branch sticking into it.

His name was Garren. He's 48 years old and one of the mayors of numerous provinces here in Knox; Knox is a land where 70 percent is a desert while 30 percent remains habitable land, but due to war and corruption, those 30 percent start to dwindle, and become 25 or so. The land of Knox is substantially divided into provinces, and this province was governed by a mayor, and Garren was also one of them. While other mayors are prone to conflicts and corruption, Garren could be considered an exception. He was a good leader and the sincerest of all his subordinates had ever seen or had been under.

Garren approached the pile of rocks, and there he confirmed what he saw was a piece of clothing. Although it was pretty damaged from the design alone, Garren could say that this fabric came from an expensive dress. The subordinates looked at his back and were surprised when Garren started to frantically dig up what seemed to be the grave of someone. They immediately ran, stopped their leader, and asked him to let them do it. The old leader looked panicky and worried, but he agreed. The subordinates start to dig the grave. Garren's eyes never leave the grave, like it's someone important to him, so his men are careful.

The subordinates finally see the body while digging, but someone suddenly jumps in and throws rocks away madly. They're shocked that Garren has reddened eyes and is on the verge of tears. Garren didn't stop; even his hands started to bleed until he finally saw the corpse on the grave.

Although the dead start rotting, the beautiful face of a woman is still there, and Garren easily recognizes his own daughter.

"Laura!!!!"

Garren screamed like a lion who had lost its cub; he bit his lips and started to bleed. Coupled with his reddened eyes, all the subordinates feel heavy, and blood also starts to drip from their clenched fists.

"Vengeance!"

Only one word resonates in their minds as they watch Garren drown in pain while holding his daughter's corpse.

It was night. 6 hours passed, and Garren finally moved from his position. He raised his head and looked at his subordinates.

"Kill all those ingrates! No one shall be spared alive!"

Garren's face was ghastly pale, but even then, his subordinates could see the seething flames of wrath that came from his eyes. The stars didn't appear this night, and people were subjected to a cold and lonely night.

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.

The old doctor died, and her body finally blocked the last ray of light in the dark cave. Zedric was welcomed by darkness and silence. He tried to tug the rope with his tiny hands. Still, nothing happened. Zedric looked around his surroundings and started crying. He could not see anything in the darkness, and the coldness made his little body quiver.

Zedric reached out his hand to discern his surroundings. Although his weeping was loud, nothing happened to him. It seemed the little kid was all alone. Getting himself out of the basket, he continued until his hand reached and stopped on something. Zedric, with his young mind, instantly realized it was a person because of the fabric he felt in his hands that was likely to be clothing. He was puzzled for a moment; No matter how he shook or called, why wouldn't the person wake up? Zedric suddenly recalled what the old doctor had said not too long ago.

"Daddy?"

Zedric was unsure and touched the unmoving person's face until tears dropped again, sniveling as his nose moistened. He complains in a whining and tearful way. His voice became smaller until an hour passed; his voice box couldn't produce sound at this time. The child clutched the clothes of his diseased father and just hollered silently in the darkness.

A week passed, and a foul odor started to emanate from Anthony's corpse. Without any choice, his son Zedric was forced to finally let go of his father's body and find a place where Anthony's corpse could rest.

Tiny hands were bleeding while holding a piece of rock. Zedric's malnourished body tirelessly covered his father's corpse with stones to give him a burial. His small body quivered from misery, tormented by the loss of his only remaining family; the boy looked weary and anguished. Fortunately, God didn't forget about him; there was still food for him to eat in the cave. It was slithering and creeping. The young Zedric had no idea what it was, but he was grateful anyway because, despite its unpleasant flavor, it at least satisfied his hunger.

Months easily passed, and the young boy didn't realize that he had started to build immunity toward toxins. Slowly getting used to the darkness and finally gaining the ability to see through dark places like any other nocturnal animal, month after month, Zedric, the previous 10-year-old boy, completely changed.

Zedric already forgot human language, but now he's used to imitating the sound of snakes living inside the cave.

After another five years, Zedric learns how to control snakes using an unknown language. Inside the unlit cave, Zedric was sitting and seemed to wait for something. Snake hiss din shortly filled Zedric's ears, but his youthful eyes were unperturbed, and you could guess he was in control from his calmed expression.

"How's the search?"

Two snakes started to rise up to his torso until reaching his shoulders and hissed at his ear. Zedric closes his eyes; although he can command the snake, he still struggles to understand them. Impatient and without any choice, Zedric spoke.

"Lead the way."

Snakes, except the two that climbed to his shoulders, tunneled to the ground, and the snakes pointed a direction for him using their heads. Zedric started to walk nonchalantly, and after a few hours of walking, he abruptly halted in front of the end?

"Where's the entrance?"

Zedric was getting vexed, and the two clever snake's on his shoulder seemed to understand his mood and started to reproach each other. Looking at the two, he sighed and jerked his head Zedric eyed the wall of rocks that his pets guided him to, but after a while of searching did not see any opening. His young face showed a loss of patience.

"Come out, you guys."

Hissings of snake rang from his grounds, but Zedric attention was elsewhere, and he gave his order thoughtful face.

"Check outside."

The snakes give him a curious glance before burying their heads in the sand. Zedric keeps a somber eye on his pets. He knew exactly where the entrance was; confirmation wouldn't do any harm. In addition, he was still considering how to leave this place.

Zedric tried to talk to the snakes when one of them suddenly sprang out of the ground.

"Is there any passage for me?"

The snakes look at him with innocent eyes and start to hiss, but Zedric cannot understand much. Compared to his two snakes, this pack is particularly silly. Zedric had a little option; he calculated how long the snake had to leave and return and found that it would only take a few minutes.

He stretches his hand, and the two snakes on his shoulder coil out toward his arm. Zedric started communicating with his pets once again. The two snakes have different colors; one is light brown with hexagonal blotches, and the other is golden and has dark bars under its wide neck. It was a rattlesnake and a king cobra.

Zedric tried to ask the two snakes in his arms if there was a tunnel under the ground; if yes, he wanted to know how large it was. He didn't expect an elaborate answer, but Zedric hoped his question was understood. The two snakes continued to hiss at each other before looking at him for a few minutes until Zedric got his response.

The two snakes cannot give a proper answer to their master; thus, they drop down from his arm and shift their heads before burrowing them into the sand. Zedric immediately calls the pack, and the snakes start to help him show the way. It's possible that maintaining an optimistic view of life is not a smart idea, but he still needs to get out there. Zedric has been here for years and can't always rely on the snakes to give him food. Even though they were his pets and the snakes didn't seem to mind, Zedric felt bad about eating them because he thought of them as pets. This was one of the reasons he wanted to leave. Zedric thinks back to where he started and remembers that day as yesterday.

"Dad..."

Suddenly his hand hit something hard, catching his attention, and Zedric saw the snake stuck through the gap of rocks and immediately believed it was the entrance. He was thrilled and removed the stones in haste. After releasing the trapped snake and taking a deep breath, the boy lifted the enormous boulder beneath him and saw a faint light streaming through the crevice beyond.

"Haaa!"

When Zedric had enough, he hurled the big boulder away, making a loud bang within the dimly lit tunnel.

"Finally!"

Zedric quickly covered his eyes due to the unbelievably intense sunlight that met him with the sand beneath his feet and the scorching heat above. Before fleeing away, he stepped out and gave the cave one final glance. A large number of snakes trailed behind him like loyal followers.

Two snakes slither up Zedric's shoulders, and while at first glance it is obvious that they are incredibly deadly, Zedric treats them as the cutest pets. When he finally felt the heat on his toe, his pace slowed due to hunger and fatigue. This area was scorching and vast; he could not see the end of it in comparison to the cave.

He was close to passing out and was drenched in sweat. When Zedric spots silhouettes in the distance, he feels lightheaded and moves closer to them to investigate. As he gets closer, Zedric hears voices right away.