"But what about you? Arent' you coming?" I asked with tears in my eyes, I already knew the answer, but I had to ask, just in case.
"No, this is my destiny, to set you free and help you find your way."
"But-"
"No buts," He lowered himself so we were the same height. "We were all born with a purpose, we were all created to do something. Your purpose is not here, it never was. You must promise me that you'll never look back, you'll just keep going forward from here on, are we clear? You're going to run as fast as those skinny legs of yours can take you and you will not stop until you can't stand anymore. They'll look for you, day and night, and they won't give up easily. Your life will be in danger the second you step outside, for they will know and they will do everything in their power to either bring you back, or take you down, you hear me? You'll stop only to sleep and eat and maybe rest but never more than 10 minutes, that's it."
"When will I be able to stop running?"
"When you reach Nocte Caelum."
"But how will I know I'm there?" I'm shaking now, but it's not the cold outside, it's the one inside, the fear.
"You'll see the warriors that shine like stars, and the plants will faintly glow all around you.
"Warriors? You never said anything about any warriors, what if they attack me?"
"They won't."
"How do you know?"
"Because they've been waiting for you, they've been waiting for you for as long as they've existed." I just stare at him, none of this makes sense. He must've noticed, because he sighs loudly before continuing. "I know you're scared and that you don't understand but you have to trust me. Verloren was never meant to be your home."
"Then why was I here?" I see him look down for a second and bite his lip like when he's struggling with something inside.
"It was a mistake that was never meant to happen."
"What do you mean?" He looks me in the eye with a very serious look, it frightens me a little.
"I knew I'd have to tell you someday," his right hand flies to the inside pocket of his worn vest and comes back out with an old envelope, "everything you need or want to know is here, but don't open it yet, we don't have much time left." He hands me the envelope and I look at it a couple seconds before putting it away in my satchel.
"What's in it?"
"A couple of letters."
"From who?" I watch him hesitate before answering.
"From your parents." My jaw drops and my hands turn to fists at my sides. Don't have a panic attack, don't have a panic attack.
"But you said-"
"I never said anything, everybody else did."
"But you never contradicted them!" I'm shouting now, I can't take the pain that I'm feeling inside, it's like my heart twisted inside of me.
"Shh, shh, calm down Láska. I did what I did for a reason, I had to, it was all so you'd come to this point in your life when you'd finally be free, it all had a purpose."
"You keep talking about this damn purposes, I don't get it." I say in a tiny voice.
"I know you don't, not right now, but you will, oh you will my dear boy." He strokes my hair and then the first sign comes, there's the blue flare, making it's way through the sky and I feel a shiver go down my spine. He notices and pulls me close to give me a hug. "Be brave, Láska and run towards your future and forget all this, forget this forsaken place but don't forget me, for I will never forget you." I feel my eyes welling up and I hug him tight and take a breath so I can take his scent with me as a memory.
"I will never forget you, Gabayan. Never." The tears are now running freely across my cheeks. "I will forever remember everything you gave me and all you did for me. I'll miss you, Gabayan, I'll miss you more than anything in the world."
I can hear the humming of the fireflies that are awakening, that's the second sign, I'll have to leave soon. Gabayan pulls away and looks at me.
"What?"
"Nothing, we must hurry, we don't have much time left." He stands up and pulls the twisted key out of his pocket and inserts it in the keyhole, makes it turn and the door clicks. He yanks it open just as we hear the siren, that's the third sign. He gives me an encouraging nod and a half smile. My stomach burns as I turn around, take a breath, and start running. Six seconds. I run for six seconds when I hear a pained grunt behind me, and that's how I know they're already after me, because they've already killed Gabayan.
_____________________________
Up with your turret,
Aren't we just terrified?
