"Ria pass me the salt please", her mom said as she ran around the kitchen. Ria didn't look away from her book as she handed her the salt, "Mom I heard the troops are retreating"
Her mother paused with the spatula in her hand, "That's what they always say. ", she shook her head unsurprised, "just some pretext"
The TV buzzed as a frequency of glitchy voices emerged, "The commander in chief has requested a ceasefire. I repeat, the military is wanting to retreat. While the entire news is still unclear we can conjecture in the future more manpower will be sought after. "
A pause, "seventeen boys have been killed in action. The local authorities have shared their immense critique of the use of young people. Please stay safe and follow through "
Ria sighed as she leaned back in her chair, I would have written about the war. Everyone is ignoring this as she lets her fingers glide through the pages, "Mom, why do you think the school magazine is asking for a romance rather than a serious issue?"
Her mother said, "Pass me the spinach and check outside to see if your aunt is back or not"
"Ok"
...
...
Rupert ran his fingers gently playing an almost melted form of solace in the form of soft and hard melodies with his guitar, his focus on the image on the mirror.
With each stroke a different story emerged. A different colour appeared before his eyes. When the speed of his fingers became faster a sharp sting made him wince as he abruptly stopped.
His hazel eyes dimmed as he ran his hand through his hair. The phone beside him buzzed. He didn't pick up until the third ring, "Hello"
"Have you seen the records!? Your album hit 100k this week! Fans are demanding a live performance"
Rupert got up keeping his guitar in place, "I have exam this month"
The voice began to lose its cheerful edge to a more uneasy and displeased one, "You do realise there's no choice. "
After the line goes quiet. He let go of his phone. It dropped onto the floor with a loud thud.
"Ria", he mumbled before storming out.
...
...
"How are the customers still almost non-existent!? I changed my entire recipe thrice! THRICE!"
"Well it's not my fault people don't visit our weird cafè", as Ria's aunt fixed her hair before the mirror.
Her mom pursed her lips, "Janice, look at me"
Janice turned to her , "I am the only staff there so I don't understand why you always blame me"
"I am not bla-"
"Stop!"
Ria stood up putting her books down, "Both of you. Enough"
Her aunt and mother looked at each other before turning away with silence. Ria picked up her bag and turned towards the front door when it opened revealing Rupert.
"Oh shi- you scared me", Rupert said, holding his face and stepping back.
Ria stepped outside and closed the door, "Weren't you supposed to practice?"
He sighed, "... it's not going too well. I lose control"
As they walked he stared at the notebook Ria held, "Are you done writing?"
"No"
"So you and I are in the same situation?"
"No!"
Rupert crossed his arms, "Exactly. How can Ms. Perfect, be in the same place as me? We are like the ground and sky. "
Ria rolled her eyes, "The theme is weird and..."
She trailed off when she noticed the circle of a lot of people on the way to the main road. She crinkled her brows, "What's happening?"
Rupert shrugged unbothered, "It's usual. It's better to ignore it"
Ria pressed her lips in a thin line, her grip on her notebook tightened, "It seems too serious this time"
There was a military tank at the side, a few young soldiers smoked at the side of the road watching the commotion with leisure.
The guy shook as blood drew out of his entire body through his white clothes into the ground. People stood at least a foot away. Most people either acted they weren't looking and doing their work.
While younger people watched with terror. The guy tried to get up as he got suppressed by the soldier's foot.
He mumbled, "S-sorry...s...sorry "
While the man standing before him remained quiet. His one hand holding a bloody bat, "Too late"
Ria pushed through the crowd as she held herself back from intervening. Rupert held her arm as he asked quietly, "Aren't they from the military's main troop? "
Ria nodded as she stared at the perpetrator still beating the poor guy. She was about to open her mouth when the soldier with the bat suddenly looked up, "What are y'all watching? Want me to do the same to you too? Huh?"
His eyes were dark red, his face distorted into a twisted pleasure at the bloodied sight.
As he turned to his minions his voice trembled with maniac excitement, "Catch them all"
That was all for chaos to unveil. People started to run and Rupert who reacted first tugged at Ria but due to the people clashing everywhere they lost each other.
Ria's heart rate spiked. An immense sense of fear popped its way into her system when she felt the pressure of the gunshots. She gasped in heavy breath when one of the bodies fell right before her.
Blood pooled around the area until it almost reached her clothes. She couldn't get her voice out as she tried her hardest to scream,
Suddenly she got pushed to the side and fell down on the ground. Her breathing started to get slower. The unsaturated purple began to ripple before her. Footsteps and gunshots began to drown away.
"I am here"
The same distant voice echoed.
"Hey! Hey!"
She shook her head as the voice continued, "I am here..."
It wasn't until the tug on her arm she came to her senses. Before her the same tall and lean frame held her arm. The same locks of dark brown hair covered her face
He had pulled her against the wooden planked column. Her eyes shook at his close up.
"Aiden?"
He turned to her, "You would have been killed just now"
She began to shake as her breathing started to become uneven. He pulled her more to the side, "This area is bad. Why are you here?"
She turned to him as she held her chest with her hands, "I was- how are you here? Who even are you?"
It took a moment for Ria to clock how he was talking very casually almost as if he and she were closely acquainted.
He stared at her, "I am Aiden "
"I know that"
Ria shook as another gun shot pierced through the ambience. She looked around to see he had pulled her inside the outside canteen of the base.
The wooden pillars were a good use of cover. She felt his eyes on her, "Do you have something to say?"
"Aren't you a writer?"
She blinked, "What??"
She couldn't understand how he asked such a question during this insane time.
He looked at the side to see the area was almost cleared of the crowd. The military men must have left, "Rupert brags a lot about you."
She shook her head as she averted her gaze from him. She couldn't understand why seeing him makes her feel so heavy and confused.
She stared at him. She couldn't even calm erratic heart , he noticed as he said, "You should get used to it. It will happen a lot more now"