Pixabay by StarFlames
Seeing how the grass has grown now, it seems impossible that the past of this hillside is so dark, although of course the fog does give the feeling that this landscape holds a secret that cries out to be told.
Yes, we will not always know all the stories, because when those involved are not known their story just passes like a flower in the meadow, it grows and dies without any recognition other than death itself.
That is why today I will tell you the story that makes me come back to this place every spring, the story that nobody knows and how today I am more from this place than from anywhere else in the world.
Pixabay by -MayaQ-
The day Richard found me I was crying on a kind of swing that had formed at the hospital for orphaned children in Santiago the day the bomb exploded, that day planes were flying nearby and out of fear I froze. I remember the images of having lost my parents only a few months earlier when the terrorist attack began came to me and I could not leave with the others as they fled in terror.
I had hidden under my bed, and perhaps that was what made me survive, for after the planes passed over the hospital, they dropped that bomb that shattered all hope that shone that day. In wars there are no innocents because in the end they seem to attack everyone; so although the hospital was full of innocence it all vanished that day.
When the smoke in the room dissipated, it was while I was still in a daze that I came out and saw that everything was a mess, yet I felt a warm calm of sadness that made me think that I had finally found peace, I heard nothing and I felt really comfortable among that pain that escaped in the form of tears from my eyes I was just sitting in the air with broken hopes.
Pixabay by -MayaQ-
And out of that black smoke from one of the doors appeared Richard, some white rays of sunlight rested on each side like wings of an angel, although with some scratches on his cheeks like a true warrior, his mouth said something that I could not hear, my memory only remembers something like a celestial song in the majestic note Si#.
He took me by the hand and gently checked that I could still move my legs, I had never seen that boy before, and as my hearing returned; we stealthily slipped away towards an exit or perhaps the entrance of a foreign war to which we never sought to belong.
Outside, the war seemed to have vanished, yet Richard, however, measured and calculated each step as if he were putting together a Rubik's cube. In my eyes the fear had returned and every inch of my skin trembled, Richard was also afraid but it did not show.
Pixabay by -MayaQ-
Between lost footsteps and eternal silences we arrived at a small forest where no one would ever think that two children would be spending the night. The night fell frivolous and merciless as a wolf on that small forest, where a cave was the perfect shelter where I would spend the quietest night of that summer.
Richard took out from inside a small Justice League backpack, an electric heater that still had some battery to warm us up that night. And while I rested from the long day, he went out to build several campfires away from the cave as protection to ward off any intruders.
When he returned, I was in the mood to talk, and he gave me a small rabbit he had managed to cook on one of the campfires and we ate. It was there that I learned his story, and he mine.
The war had started 3 years ago, in the first 2 months I was an orphan, Richard for his part had lost his parents only a month ago, his parents taught him how to survive in the forest and therefore he knew many techniques despite his 12 short years, during the war his parents had been helping many to cross the border so that the people of New Victoria would welcome them.
Pixabay by chiplanay
A month ago, his parents had been discovered and to save Richard they diverted the soldiers so he could escape. He knew it would be the last time, for war is never merciful. And although he tried to escape, the path he knew was already guarded so he was living in the forest.
He had already found another route that was not guarded and thought he could help the children in the hospital to cross, that's how he saw the mess in the hospital, he searched for a while without getting anyone and when he was about to leave he saw me.
In the morning Richard stealthily woke me up, apparently the soldiers were approaching so we had to leave, without picking up anything we started a race that seemed impossible from anyone's point of view.
We ran without rest and felt the icy breath of life linger behind us as if death itself was holding us, claiming us as its property. As we hid in a large hole resulting from an aerial bombing a soldier caught sight of us, approached us and with his rifle aimed at us.
Pixabay by TheDigitalArtist
At that moment my heart was beating a thousand per hour, and the crying did not stop, Richard although he had seen many weapons this time he was also terrified, still trembling he hugged me and standing in front of me tried to protect me.
The soldier could not contain the impact of seeing two children protecting themselves and a tear escaped him, that image broke him inside, but with nothing else to do, he turned around and tried to lead the others in the opposite direction.
Fear had paralyzed us and we didn't know what to do, but I held Richard's hand tightly and he knew we had to run, so we ran as best we could. Until we reached this very place, the spot where I am telling you this story today.
Pixabay by StarFlames
This slope is a little lower now that the years have passed; but back then, as kids, it was a real challenge to get down. Richard got a rope and lowered me down little by little, and as I went down I heard again the noise of war. When I reached the ground a hand touched my shoulder, the fear was terrifying and my body could not stand it any longer and collapsed...
- Here again?
- Yes brother, I like to remember how lucky I am.
- If that's the case, I imagine you had a bad day.
- There are just days. Even on the ones that could be bad you can find a family.
- Yeah, that's how we've learned in life, come on let's go home I'll make you some hot chocolate and you'll see how it all gets better.
- If it's all right. Everything always gets better.
Pixabay by mohamed_hassan