I was hiding when they arrived. Mom picked me when I was playing with my friends and told me to not move until she came back.

It was supposed to be another peaceful day, our village was located between a forest and a mountain, providing us with a large and varied hunting ground for us to feed everyone. Boars, bears, hinds, there was so much prey the hunters could chase and bring back so we would never fear the desolation of winter.

Others less confident (or maybe just because they were more proficient in another field) gathered berries and plants for culinary addition or medicinal purpose. Herbs, flowers, roots, they even sometimes came to us children and shared a few of the fruits they scavenged for us to enjoy this sweet taste.

We even had a few who spent their days at their workshop, a few who everyone labeled as ‘artisans’ or something and crafted many necessities for everyone. We didn’t have a blacksmith to strike the iron or the copper, but I know we had a tailor, an herbalist, a woodcrafter and many more who helped maintain the village.

I was still a kid and I knew nothing of the world back then, however, I could at least tell we harmed no one and no one harmed us. We were just that: people who lived by themselves. Nothing more, nothing less. 

It was soon my 13th birthday, but there wasn’t supposed to be any sort of celebration until my coming-of-age which would come several years later. I was still a naïve, protected, sheltered, pampered little cute thingy loved and cherished by my parents. Every day I learned something new. Every day I’ve been taught and explained about this and that, and I enjoyed all of those days.

Of course, I also committed my share of mistakes as a young child, and got severely scolded and was harshly punished every time I didn’t comply with the rules. I quickly understood which were good manners and which were sinful acts, and behaved myself in order to make my parents proud of me.

But today was not for teaching. I was told I could go and play with my friends, so I did with glee. We formed a small group and spent many hours together playing ‘catch and flee’ or ‘hide and seek’. 

Today we were going to play ‘Wait and run’. It was a simple but fun game where someone closes his eyes, counts from one to three then turns back, and everyone else had to run up to him and freeze while he was looking at us. I was very good at this game, so I always enjoyed being on the runners’ side.

I was about to win the third round in a roll when it all happened. 

Our mothers all arrived all of a sudden and fetched us. My friends and I felt a tad sad and frustrated because we couldn’t finish our game, but all of that was washed away when we sensed a tinge of panic in their voice and their eyes. I didn’t have time to say goodbye to my friends as I was so swiftly brought back home.

My mom never answered my questions, I’ve never been told what was the hurry or why I couldn’t finish my game with my friends. She silently but hurriedly brought me to our house’s hideout, then told me this short order before closing the entrance.

“Stay here, and wait for me to come back.

…”

Then… Everything turned dark. 

… It all became suddenly silent as if the world behind the closed door ceased to exist. 

I felt nervous, left alone, stranded in this place, separated from my family. My eyes could not get accustomed to the shadows, the faint light circling the door’s shape was the only sight which proved I was still awake, that this was no dream I could hope to escape.

This was reality. Something was bound to happen sooner or later.

… And it did.

The battlecry echoed even through the walls of the hideout, there were voices I could recognize who shouted indistinguishable words, and also growls I did not comprehend at first. I heard metal clashing against claws, roars filled with wrath, soon replaced by echoes of pain, then fury, and also agony.

I cowed in a corner, fearing for my life, for everyone’s life. I prayed for my safety, for everyone’s safety. The howling from both sides made both the building I was hiding in and my own very soul shake, the whole world seemed to be hanging on one thin, fragile thread the invaders were about to cut.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I looked for the secret exit, hidden somewhere at the back of the room; a narrow tunnel blocked by a commode I had to push with all my strength just to make enough place for me to slide in. The room I was left in was dark, but this path here was painted in black, I often hit my head against the ceiling or scratched my arms against a sharp edge. 

At last, there was light at the end of the tunnel, hidden behind branches and leaves that I had no difficulty pushing away. This escape route led me somewhere behind a hill near my village, I kind of already knew about it because I used this place in the past as a secret playing ground. From here, I knew where my village was located. I then ran at the top of the hill, looking in the direction of my home.

But it was all gone, the houses everyone was living in were now… Were now crumbled, ruined, reduced to ashes. 

I… I didn’t hear… I heard no more voices… No more clashes… 

Everything became silent. That was how the ending dawned on me.

I was alone.

Rachpilai

Thanks to Daikael for editing.