Half a day since Yuga had found the young boy and he was still the sitting cross-legged on the floor, waiting for him to awake. Before he'd started drying out the boy's clothes, he checked to see if there was anything else that would fit. Surprisingly, Yuga found several pair of clothes that fit the boy just right. And that put a thought in his mind....
Bored of watching, Yuga decided to continue one of the books he’d left unfinished. He looks up from his book at the sleeping boy, he had blonde hair and fair skin. He was smiling in his sleep, he must’ve been having a good dream.
It was sad to see.... Because the reality that awaited him was not pleasant in the slightest.
"Mama, mama..." the boy moaned in his sleep.
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It's a bright sunny day, the sky was a clear blue littered with small wisps of clouds.
A nine year old Luke is sitting outside on the green grass. He’d just finished all his chores and didn’t know what to do with himself now.
Mama was inside the log house, preparing to make dinner. He didn’t know what she was making but he was sure it’d be delicious, after all, mama was the one making it.
The sound of crunching of leaves gets Luke's attention and he turns his head in the direction of the sound. Papa was back from the forest and he’d brought wood for chopping with him. He drops them next to the tree stump they normally used for chopping logs and goes inside to get an axe.
Papa never let Luke chop wood but today would be different, he was determined to make it happen. He quickly runs to the tree stump, waiting for papa to return. His father returns from the house with a huge axe in hand. He moves towards the tree stump and starts chopping the wood, paying no attention to Luke.
"Papa, can I-“
"No, not until you’re big enough." replied his father before Luke could finish his sentence. Luke asked this every time his father cut wood so he was already prepared with a reply.
Luke runs into the house now angry and sulking. He knew his father wouldn’t let him do it, he was mean!
"What’s wrong, Luke.” said a voice in concern as soon as he entered the log house. It was soft and sweet to his ears, the soothing voice of his mother. She was sitting on a bed as she had been all day. She didn’t do much these days. Mama had explained that she was pregnant. That meant that another person was living inside her, and her stomach got bigger every month.
"Papa never lets me chop wood, he says I’m too weak.” replied Luke.
His mother chuckles at his response. "No, you misunderstood his meaning. He just means to say that chopping wood is really hard and it’s better for mama and papa to do it.”
"But I can do it too.” said Luke, pouting.
"I know, but it’s not for you to do.”said his mother. "How about this. You can still help help bring in the logs. An extra serving for every ten logs you bring.”
"Really?!” exclaimed Luke.
"Certainly.”
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"Deal!” said Luke excitedly before running off to drag in every log he could find.
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"Aaaaaghhhh!”
"Breathe slowly and push.”
"Aaaaaaaghhhhh!”
It had been many hours that mama was screaming like that. She was giving birth papa had said, and he'd told Luke to stay outside. That meant the person living in her was finally coming out. But it sounded painful....
It was very late and Luke was very sleepy but he couldn’t sleep yet, not till he was sure mama was ok. After about an hour more of screaming, it finally ceased and was replaced by the sound of crying.
Luke walks over to the window of the birth room and looks into it. He could see mama lying on the bed, looking worn out. Next to her was papa, holding something in his arms. That's where the crying was coming from.
Everything looked fine now. He could finally sleep. He curls up on the ground and sleeps off, his mind at peace.
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"He’s finally asleep. He stayed awake all the while, waiting for her to be born. He wouldn’t rest till he knew it was ok.” said Mayhon looking at his wife.
"He’s a strong boy with so much love in his heart.” she replied.
Mayhon smiles. He was a sweet child wasn’t he? He gently picks up Luke and drops him in a bed.
"Goodnight, Luke. You’re not alone in this home anymore.”
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"Say hi to your sister, Luke.”
Luke had just woken up. His mother was sitting on the bed, holding a little person in her arms. He walks up to her to see the baby. She was smaller than he imagined.
"Hi....” he said softly as he slowly waved at her. She smiles in response, a cute smile that warms his heart. He had a bright smile on his face too now.
"She looks just like mama but smaller.” said Luke.
"Yes, she does. Now you have a sibling, and as the older one it’s your job to protect her. Always.” said his mother.
"Why, she looks like mama, isn’t she strong like you?” asked Luke.
"She will be, but not yet. Until then, you’re her guard.”
"Oh, ok. I won’t fail!” he assured his mother.
"I know you won’t, you’re a strong boy.”
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Everything is silent and peaceful in the loghouse, Luke was making sure of that. The baby was sleeping and it was his job to make sure she was fine. Some flies had come around earlier but he quickly dealt with them. He wouldn’t fail.
He paces up and down the house checking for the slightest danger and until he was sure there was none, he wouldn’t rest. But in spite of all his efforts the baby woke up with a cry.
"Mama, the baby is crying!” shouted Luke in panic.
"Don’t worry too much, it’s normal for babies to cry.” explained his mother. She walked in and soothed the baby till it fell asleep again.
After many hours, the baby was still asleep. It baby hadn’t cried once and Luke had started to worry. “Mama, she isn’t crying, is something wrong?”
His mother just face-palmed with a sigh at his needless worries. “She’s ok, you can go off duty now.”
"He’s slow for his age.” said Mayhon, standing by the front door.
"I think that’s ok. He’s honest and has good heart. That’s all he needs.” she replied.
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"What do you think we should name her, Luke?”
"Eliane, like mama, because she looks just like you.” said Luke.
"No, she needs her own name. Don’t you think it would be confusing if we had the same name?
"Oh, right.”
"Hmmm, I think I know what to name her..”
"What?” asked Luke.
"We’ll name her….”
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"The battles between the voyagers is getting closer to our home.” said Mayhon, worry written on his his face. “To think that even our log house far off in the forest wouldn’t be safe either.”
"We’ll leave, maybe to your brother’s house. Tell him to come get us.” said Eliane.
"Where are we going?” asked Luke, standing by the door. He was thirteen now, nearly old enough to cut logs.
"To see your uncle and cousins.” replied his mother.
"The journey will be long, do you think you can keep up?” asked his father.
"I can.” Luke said confidently.
"Of course you can.” his father said with an assuring smile. “We’ll leave tomorrow morning.”
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"Papa! Keep moving! Mama is, reilum ok?! I’ll come take her!” screamed Luke at the top of his lungs. They’d been traveling for days on foot and got caught in a blizzard in the middle of their march. It was too late to go back now, the only way was forward. The snow was so much they could barely see in front of themselves.
"No, you just keep moving. Mama will handle this.” replied his mother, clutching her baby tightly.
She told him she’d handle it but the reality was that she was on her last legs. The cold had sapped away all her strength and she could barely move herself forward. Her husband and his brother had already fallen on the way, probably dead by now. She would have fallen too if she wasn’t holding her baby. She could die but at least the child should live.
She kept pushing forward but soon fell to her knees. She couldn’t move forward any longer, this was it. She lay in the snow, shivering, desperately holding on to her baby, trying her best to keep it warm. Once she died so would the baby but she couldn’t just stop trying. Mothers were like that. She clasped her hands together, desperately praying to something, anything, to save the child at least.
How much time had past? She couldn’t tell. They should’ve stayed back, at least they might’ve had a chance. Luke.... where was Luke? He’d gone ahead, he was still going strong when she last heard him.
Luke, you’re still moving, even when the rest of us have fallen. That’s what mama loves the most about you. You might not be the brightest but you’re honest. Your honesty and unshakable faith in what you believe makes you as strong as you need to be. This is the end for mama, I’m sorry, I couldn’t take care of your sister but you keep moving.
But how will you do without your mama and papa? We’re all you’ve known. You wouldn’t know how but please try. Don’t stop trying, don’t stop living....
And with those final thoughts her life came to an end, in the cold harsh snow, hugging her baby close to her heart.
A little ways ahead was Luke still moving, defying the blistering cold his life. Mama and papa are probably ahead already, have to catch up. Can’t slow them down. A little further, just a little further....