After spending 2 weeks away from work, I opened the workshop back today. As I opened the shutter, two things were easily noticeable. The familiar smell of woodwork and the visible accumulation of dust and small webcobs at the corners of the shed.
I spent my two week vacation by spending time with my family and friends. Nothing grand, just appreciating their presence in my life. I had grown to love and appreciate my life more than ever. It was that beauty of the bond that I had overlooked over the longevity of the relation. During these 2 weeks, I also started practicing and getting back on track with my craft.
After two weeks, I started work. Due to it being the fall season, fortunately there was not much work to be done, which I neglected till now. Only a few orders to be completed by the month end. And so, my life was back to normal, only with a few noticing my sudden buff.
About the armour and sword, it was thrown inside the storage room after being cleaned.
The days began to move forward peacefully with no disturbances. I and Evelyn went on dates on weekends, ate dinner with her parents once a week and once a week with my family. I was content.
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5 years later
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"Mom, I am here!"
"Did you come alone? Are lucas and claire sleeping?"
"Yeah mom, Arthur is looking after them."
Passing her a teacup, the old lady told,"Here, I made it just now."
She sipped the tea and started humming pleasantly.
Her mother has always been a worrywart about Evelyn's well-being. Being her only child, Evelyn was the biggest concern for her. Even until Lucas was born, she used to worry how her marriage was going. But seeing that she has gotten to a point, that she doesn't have to question about it, shows how happy Evelyn was. But, regardless the concern now went to her grandkids. Pondering about the children's education and future has become a favourite activity nowadays.
Evelyn's father was a busy man. Though he couldn't chat with her as leisurely as her mother, they still had regular conversations over the phone. He was always the one to push her outside her comfort zone, to let her experience new things. He was played a huge role in shaping Evelyn's personality to what it is now.
Her in-laws, Arthur's parents and his sister, had become a irreplaceable part of her life. From being someone who she barely knew to ones actually helping her whenever she had some problem. His sister, Angie, was a widow who lost her husband in an accident and has a girl of eight years. Angie helped Evelyn through her pregnancy. She was the sister she never had.
Evelyn was a primary school teacher in the nearby local school. It was her dream job and she never felt the heavy workload as a burden for she liked to do it. Though she had taken maternity leaves twice, she was more than happy to return to work soon after. Arthur used to praise her saying she was a superhuman to tackle everything together. But only Evelyn understood his importance in her life, a pillar that was always there for her.
During that day, when he broke down crying, she couldn't handle it. Not because it was too much information to digest, it was because how pained and hurt he looked. Arthur never realised that when he had nightmares he would be groaning restlessly in his bed, only for Evelyn to soothe him. Whenever he felt a sudden rush of painful emotions, she was the safeguard for him. Though Arthur felt like he has always burdened her, she was always willing to do anything for him, for the one she loved.
Though their income of a primary school teacher and a seasonal worker was not lavish, they could more than get by with their life. Arthur and Evelyn lived satisfied and happy ever after.
That would have been the case, if not the ascension of beings known as Eltrius, a name given for the collective group of monsters that had come out of nowhere. Their origin was unknown. They were simply monsters that were similar to dinosaurs. Just beings that feasted on anything suitable without any concern.
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Kneeling in front of my parents's and sister's crushed corpses, I could only scream and cry, till my throat started aching. My house, the one which held all my childhood memories, was totally destroyed.
"ahHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" I turned my head towards the sudden agonized scream that I heard. Moving the debris in the direction, I found my niece, bloodied with her arms and legs crushed. Blood pooling under her. Looking at me, her eyes began moistening again from the pain she was going through. Moving the rest of the debris away, I slowing picked her up in my arms.
"Uncle Arthur, is everyone else ok? Where is mom?", she was terribly frightened and shaking from her pain. Trying to hold back my tears, "They are alright. They are at a safe place. Now, don't worry Uncle will take you to the hospital to treat your pain." Moving her proved to be even more difficult, but what pained me was where would she even be able to be treated in this disaster. Still, holding on to a cheap hope, I moved to the workshop, the only place away from the disaster, hidden inside the woods.
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Standing in front of the workshop, holding the now cold body of my niece, I could only see blood and organs splattered all over the place. I couldn't even muster the strength to cry. Under that crushed mass was my wife and her family with our children.
After placing the body of my niece inside the grave, I filled it up and just sat down in a nearby tree, staring at the dark sky with no moon, for who knows how long.
Hearing sudden creaking sounds, I stood up startled. Only to notice a jeep, from which people wearing armour similar in design to the one I had, walking out.