*Secrets.*Goro thought to himself as he watched his best friend fight for her life. Holding back tears, he clutched the necklace in his hands, remembering the day he'd met Lali. He'd been walking when he saw two older boys cornering her. Without thought, he jumped in, tackling the stronger one. They wrestled until the second boy joined in overpowering Goro. Lali had watched helplessly, frozen in fear, until the boys grew bored and left, laughing hysterically. Slowly, she knelt beside him, smiling. It was perhaps their greatest mistake.
"Are you alright?"he asked, grinning through split lips.
She nodded yes as she helped him up, and on the way home, she told him how they'd tried to steal her bug. She then showed him a black bug with a purple abdomen. At Garo's home, his mom was happy to see him and offered Lali a place to sleep after calling her parents. Lali said her bug needed a place too, showing it to Garo's mom. In every sense, his mother looked... scared. Maybe it was the thought of a girl holding a bug? Or perhaps she was scared of bugs herself. But Garo noticed. It was the start of their friendship.
That night, Garo's dad repeated how proud he was of his son, and later, his mom sat by his bed and told him to always take care of lali.
Now, at Lali's 18th birthday, she lay atop a bed unconscious, diagnosed with a deadly rare disease, with days left .
Three subsequent knocks came through the door, and Sephan- Garo's other best friend-walked in. He smiled, hugging Garo as he sat beside him. Throughout, Garo tried to hide his pain but Sephan saw through it.
"How is she?"Sephan asked.
Garo looked down drawing on the floor with his foot,"W- worse."
He said all this with a cracked voice,"Something's off Sephan."
It was strange to Sephan Garo calling him by his full name,it was always Sephan.
"Why so?" he asked concerned.
"Well,She had been studying with my mom, privately ever since they met when we were young. "Garo's mother, Dr. Sumeya... was a renowed virologist famous worldwide for her work and admired but to some nations feared. Two years ago a virus caused an epidemic in a rival country Ament ... Her county Hinya... was remoured to cause it and ofcourse, their scientist.
"And ... Garo continued," she's sick, what if she caught a virus? she told me they were researching something a-and "
... Garo then broke down crying. Palms on his face.
"You're overthinking this, "
Sephan then took Garo's hands," look at me," Garo lifted his watery brown eyes to meet Sephans.
"Garo you're strong, and you'll always have people who love you, me, Benin, Lali..Troy "
It was if he was trying to look for words
"And I don't know what to say but it'll be fine, maybe not today, definitely not tomorrow. But one day you, me, Benin..." his voice cracked.
"Lali?"
"Yes even lali.we'll watch the sunrise and the artic tern migrate into the horizon"
"Promise?"
Sephan promised. Garo sighed and for the first time he realized just how broken Sephan was,he cared about others more than he did himself,a good,good person.his parents were king and queen of Hinya and so he never got to spend time with them as they were always busy ,they couldn't care less about him.
"Sephan" ,Garo said meekly,"I have a bad feeling.Nothing had been alright for a while now ,I'm doubting everything around us, something isn't right."
Sephan understood as he could feel it too but he decided to encourage and half an hour later he left.
At midnight,Garo got up and stood beside lali pecking her forehead before leaving. As the doors closed behind him lali opened her eyes,she had heard everything and could no longer hold back tears.She let loose careful not to make a sound.Tears rolled down her Rosy cheeks soaking her sheets and sadly she wiped them from the bed ,to the wind and Garo who was away she wispered,
'sorry... sorry you have to see me like this,I.
.I " she started sobbing again this time uncontrollably.
"I promise you we will watch the sunrise.".
Garo walked home feeling rather low.That night he saw the world differently.He walked on seeing friendly faces on the road.On the other side was a road whose residents seemed less happier.Hinya's community was diverse consisting of believers who were referred to as Anara and the non believers who were called Lunara meaning against anara .The Anara being the inhabitants we're wealthier and employed the Lunara who even before working would have to clean their hands to avoid making what belonged to Anara filthy.A sad reality that was justified by a long ended war. Physical interaction between the two was prohibited and all sorts or relations , even friendships were wrong.Despite all this it was safe to say everyone was actually happy,unfortunately non believers we're not allowed to believe as it was said to be an order from their god's.
Garo walked up to an old bridge onlooking the city lake.A scenic view of Isinya- the capital- soother him a bit.It was a meeting point for him and the love of his life ,a lovely girl named Benin .Benin was gazing upon the stars quietly when Garo came creeping from behind where he joined to her side.On seeing him she found herself wrapping her arms around him matching his breathing.The night behind them grew prettier with the sounds of crashing waves beneath and a cold night breeze ruffling her hair.In that moment underneath the cresent moon and occasional cricket sounds,he felt better,inlove, happier.
"I love you so much Benin,so so much"
She replied with I love you more daring not to break the hug ,"Have you eaten"
Garo nodded no as he broke it off.He shifted his eyes to her purse and back to match hers.
Benin sighed sarcastically,"normally no but I'll make an exception for you."
She drew a packet of biscuits from her purse and handed it to him,"And if you ever tell anyone I carry this around..." She then smiled shyly.
"Our secret"
He chewed one and rather surprised he asked if they were grape flavoured . Benin nodded yes which was even more surprising. Throughout her life Benin's grandfather forbade her from having grapes Never saying why,ofcourse she dismissed it as a silly belief, however,she obeyed it,when it came to grape flavoured food though she drew the line .For once she could tell he was not alright and she also knew why but lacked the words to console him.
"I couldn't make it to the hospital ,I can't bare to see lali like this"
"It's alright,by the way were watching the sunrise soon, you,me , Sephan, and Lali too"Garo made sure to sound confident.
"What about Sephan's new wife?"
That's right,Garo thought to himself,in two days Sephan was to get married to a girl he had never met as an act to unite two kingdoms.Sephan did not refuse putting everyone first as always.
"Maybe",,he turned to her matching his eyes to hers."You're as beautiful as you were the night we met ,no matter what happens I promise you I'll always love you."
Benin sensed something bigger was going on and he was indeed hiding something.Nevertheless she took a breath and replied,"I hope to one day show you just how much I love you"
Garo reached into his pocket and drew two necklaces that formed a cresent as one.He took one and put it around her neck ,he wanted to say something but by now he was all out of strength.She followed taking the other from his hand and on her toes she reached to him putting it on him.instantly they pulled closer and formed a whole cresent.
He held her hand as they walked to his home chatting in a mixture of hurt and joy,they knew they were each other's.When they arrived,Garo knocked and a few seconds later his mother opened the door,she gasped audibly in excitement hugging Garo and Benin.
"I was worried about you."
"Hi Mom" Benin greeted Sumeya.
She had visited them often and Garo's mom was basically her own. Dr Sumeya let them inside serving them which to them was considered an act of love.Sumeya explained how Garo's dad, Council member Han was in a late night meeting at the white room.Gia-Garo's older sister - was in a school event.
'She could at least try to lie' Garo thought,he knew there was no event happening.He had noticed she was acting differently but of late,who wasn't?. Garo's mom noticed the hurt in her son's eyes,he took his hand gently and smiled at him.
"When I was young,at around 10..,not sure.I was lost in a forest at your grandparents house.I had been picking wildflowers all day." In her mind she remembered the beautiful flowers of pink and blue petals with bees buzzing over and in them.Below the flowers she noticed a bug,black with it's abdomen purple.It had beetle like wings with eight extensions from it,she could tell they were legs but one was cut off.Gently she poked it with a dry twig and realized it was trying to dig something up.Quickly, she parted dirt and uncovered a familiar metal like crystal which the locals called dasite.Inside was a bug like it only smaller and had six legs like a normal bug.Sumeya thought it was a female.
"Mom."
Sumeya had gotten lost in her mind."sorry, I felt sad and alone ,scared . maybe how you feel.At night I sat on my feet with nothing but my thoughts and a just as I lost hope,one of the god's came before me in a beautiful light ." She remembered the white golden light with an outline of blue.
"He looked like you Garo,or Maybe cause he was just as handsome," she giggled to herself softly as Benin and Garo shared an awkward smile."He took me home and I know it sounds crazy but things get better.No situation is permanent and everything happens for a reason, alright sweet heart.See some times we don't find growth in an easy life,we find it through the storms we sail through.Great people rise from the ashes they are burnt in but it all depends on how you take up challenges.I believe in both of you and I love you both so much.I know it might seem tough now but together." She took Garo's hand and placed it gently on Benin's."Together you can over come anything." She sighed showing her vulnerability and they realized Lali meant alot to her too.
"Goodnight" she pecked both on their foreheads heading straight to bed after.Garo's mind was flashing,he had heard the story many times and never did it make sense but now,it did.Just then Gia entered freezing at the door.She stared at them hand over heart for a second before breathing out in relief."you scared meeee"
"Hi Gia" Benin greeted resuming to her food.Gia walked across the room taking the seat her mom was on,"hi Benin" she replied smiling.
She grabbed Garo's plate causing him to stare at her narrowing his eyes,all with a spoon in his hand.Benin took the spoon and gave it to Benin giggling at Garo who shifted his eyes to het.,"heyy,"
"Girls gotta work together."Benin replied laughing softly.
"You said is sis"
The three gave each other company talking cheerfully.later on they retired to bed Benin taking the guest room and in the morning she went home .
Garo's mom dropped him off at school and he thought to himself how that day was the day.It was the first day of his final year in school.He got to class late where he knocked nervously and went in daring not to look the teacher in the eyes and going straight to his desk.Class X ,as it was called comprised of 10 best students in the country where they were taught more than would be normal.In theory it was a class of the best from the best,it's students would be chosen for kingdom administration and advice.They were taught all kinds of secrets, fighting styles, strategy,diplomacy and advanced technological knowledge,they were well,the best.
"Welcome, class X" Mr Leon Hart started,once Garo sat, a certain someone was almost late.
"Sorry sir ... won't happen again"
"You said that last time,and the other last time," Mr leonhart smiled at Garo and said something rather unexpected"I'd take some action but this class would not be the same without you."
"He has a girlfriend Mr leonhart" Troy joked from behind.
The class collectively giggled and so did Mr leonhart who had been their teacher for 4 years.Only he was entrusted with the position .
Gia,Benin,Garo and Sephan were in class X and so was lali supposed to be,Garo peered into her empty seat and on noticing Mr leonhart began.
"Children,.."his voice turned cold stone out the blue pulling everyone's attention.
"In most classes you'd hear congratulations,but here today I'll welcome you with the truth"he made a smirk and eyed the eager class which pleaded for continuation.
"Of late I have not seen a class nearly as good as you, perhaps with the exception of rose class X"
'Thats right' Garo thought,'rose class X, famous worldwide for amazing missions well done,all performed exemplary well .They however all vanished one day following up on a mission in the kingdom of Mildina.'
"Now"Mr leonhart proceeded,"I I know you know our history,the war we won against the Lunara and and event known as the over night war . would someone remind us about it?,,yes Shawn"
"According to legend we were loosing bad as the world powers know as Inahin-ya cornered us from all fronts.On the night of the solar eclipse something happened,in the morning they had lost the war mysteriously."Shawn finished and looked back at the teacher.
"Damn,so cool,,,you were taught that it was extraterrestrial help,we had advanced help and they returned back home after wards to the very stars they came from.Absolute master piece.
After we won we established a new kingdom in 1235 named after the very power we fought against, great Hinya..Back to our present where we have our own culture,a rich history and the most powerful nation in the world led by our great king and the seven council members.As you are aware the council will come from you and thus it is time you learnt the truth .
The world is changing and though it may seem like we are at peace that is far from true.We are mass producing nuclear weapons and future combat technology to keep safe,two of your classmates are on a mission to gather intelligence on a new arising threat,... I'm tired of all the chaos,all this for what? "
The rooms attitude changed and a fear gripped the hearts of the students,then ,he went silent and took off his glasses sighing in exhaustion.
"Mr leonhart, are you alright?" Gia asked.
"Yes,just utterly sick,"he paused a while longer seemingly in thought of whether to say something or not,"not you, you're all like the children I never had,I care for you." He started to tear up and his voice began to crack,his fingers his glasses trembled and fell to the ground cracking on impact.Aryanne seated next to Sephan stood up to go pick them,he stopped her.
"No my dear,I'll pick them myself,class X ,, listen up,the overnight war which we won , something else happened that night,what well I don't know,we made up most of our culture including our god's to try and explain the situation for even we don't know what happened.Something saved us and we have been trying to figure out what or WHO.
The only thing we do know is that the solar eclipse played a part and the same year tonnes of dasite ore were extracted."
He suddenly stopped talking when he looked at his class ,their lives had just changed then and there.They sat everyone to themselves contemplating silently no longer paying attention to him.Everything they knew was just a sad explanation of a a darker mystery,what's out there? Who's out there?Why save us? What now?
"I'm s-sor- sorry ,I know how you feel and this was the only way to save you and everyone we love ..I can't let you suffer the fate of former class X rose,I have grown fond of you and I,,I"
Sephan got up and approached the teacher slowly hugging him as the rest remained frozen,"listen sir,we love you and you have been like a father to us"
"Like ,"Shawn interrupted,"you are a father to us.
"Exactly, and we appreciate you for this and I don't mean to order anyone but no one can know about this , alright?"
Uncertain nods passed around and everyone glanced at each other to try and convince them,they were aware that if anyone was to find out they would be at risk.
"Students,"Mr leonhart continued,"I know you have questions,so do I,Be brave and wise and act after thought only."
Mr leonhart picked his glasses and made a slow uncomfortable wave of good bye, something he had never done.The class remained seated after he left, something they had never done.Everyone was taking it differently,Benin was scared,Gia felt betrayed and Garo,well his suspicion was now true.
Benin was first to leave , followed by Garo then ,Aryanne and one after the other they all left except for Sephan who wondered why he was never told the truth,his father,his family had lied to him.He wondered where everything went wrong and he thought of how for the longest time he was hating himself for choices he never made.Everyone wanted something from him and he was happy to give, now he had nothing left except a love for some one on a mission elsewhere.Now they wanted that too and he had agreed to that too.Could you blame him? He promised himself he wouldn't shed a tear and a voice convinced him it would all be alright.
That night Sephan stared into the mirror all dressed up,he remembered the happy little boy he once was running around the palace .He raced across the compund in the warm sun rays and one time he bumped into his mom who was busy planting flowers . Reality rudely interrupted and he couldn't recognize who he saw now,he wanted to escape into the past where at least he was happier but it was no use,he then questioned why it always had to be him.
He went downstairs where Garo,Benin,Gia and Troy were waiting and on seeing him they playfully bowed.
"His majesty" Troy greeted.
"Peasant,"Sephan replied ,they laughed together as he led them to a place they knew all so well.They sat together as he served them ,their love was the only thing keeping him together.They knew he didn't want to marry someone else but still they showed him happiness as it was the greatest gift they shared.