~ Erik's Point of View ~
What happened? Wait, why is it so dark? I don't know if I'm in a room without lights or if my eyes are just closed, which is why I can't see anything.
The surroundings are getting cold. I feel the wind brushing against my body. Wait a minute? This feeling is familiar.
The air smells wonderful, and I feel the warmth of the sun on my skin, but still, I see nothing but darkness.
I feel that I can move my body, but I can't see it. Even when I speak, I can't tell if the words are coming out of my mouth or if I'm just saying them in my mind.
In that instant, I hear a voice. A soft, feminine laugh. I can't place her, but it sounds familiar to my ears.
"Can you see the beauty of the surroundings?" the mysterious voice asked.
The voice was asking me a question, but even though I wanted to answer, I felt like I couldn't. I didn't know why my mouth wouldn't open to respond, or perhaps I simply had nothing to say because I couldn't see anything around me.
"A clear sky, clean water, abundant trees, green land, and a peaceful environment where animals play. Isn't this place so beautiful?" the mysterious voice continued.
Wait, what is she talking about?
I didn't know what my reaction should be. If I considered it, she wanted to show me a place, but I didn't know how to see it.
"Do you see it? Isn't this place truly marvelous?"
As those words were spoken, a strong wind seemed to sweep over my body. This time, I felt like I closed my eyes and shielded my face with my arms to ward off the wind.
I slowly opened my eyes again and realized I was sitting next to the driver's seat, leaning against the truck door while sleeping.
~ End of PoV ~
The man driving was Kardo Malasi, the driver. He was forty years old, with short, dark hair, a muscular build, and a somewhat dark complexion from being constantly exposed to the sun.
He had been a vegetable vendor since childhood, so he was experienced and knew a lot about their work system.
Especially their situation regarding the rebels and the Spanish officials who obstructed them. He knew that caution was required at all times to avoid trouble and anything that could put them in harm's way.
The truck continued on to the third destination despite the incident where Erik was attacked.
His head was bandaged, and his arms were bruised from falling on the street. At that moment, the young man hadn't fully processed what had happened the previous night.
Kardo greeted him and asked how he felt. Erik couldn't clearly recall how he ended up in the driver's seat or why he had a bandage on his head.
"Wait, don't tell me you got amnesia after being attacked by bandits?" Kardo said.
A moment later, Kardo recounted what happened, which shocked the boy. Erik then asked about the sequence of events that led to him being seated there.
The boy hadn't expected to be victimized by criminals and robbed by them.
The rebels were violent and bold due to the kind of life they lived. The Spaniards would immediately kill and shoot them on sight, so they had to act quickly when committing crimes.
The young man knew about that, and he thought it was his own fault that everything turned out that way because he didn't listen to Kardo's warning the previous night.
He blamed no one but himself for taking action contrary to the group's custom and the elders' instruction not to go out alone, especially at night.
He looked down, sniffing. Tears suddenly dropped from his eyes as he remembered what happened.
"Hey kid, are you crying? Yes, what happened was scary, but it's over now, kid. You're safe," Kardo said.
Though he tried to stop himself from crying, the boy couldn't halt his tears and continued to rub his eyes with his arm.
~ Kardo's Point of View ~
Miserable kid. I don't know why my chest feels tight now that I see and hear him crying. Maybe it's because I pity him.
He is too young for this kind of work. I don't like seeing children working as vegetable vendors. The vegetables we carry are so heavy, and it's truly surprising that he never complains.
Our life here is really exhausting. From morning till night, we have to carry and sell. We have no time for other things, like the fun that this kid should still be experiencing.
By doing this, he's wasting his youth. He should be looking for friends and enjoying life before experiencing this back-breaking work.
That's right. At his age, he should still be in school, and what he should be holding right now are paper and pens, not these vegetables.
As I thought about those things, I furrowed my brow and gripped the steering wheel tightly, my knees moving in irritation.
I don't know why I'm irritated. I feel annoyed listening to this young man continue to cry.
Wait, what am I angry about?
What's happening to me?
Maybe I feel this way because I also have children his age, children I'm still sending to school.
That's right, my children are the reason I work as a vegetable vendor. I don't want them to only ever be vegetable vendors, so as much as possible, I want them to have a good life.
I probably can't help but compare my children to this boy. I feel that if my children became vegetable vendors at their age, they would also go through what this young man is experiencing.
I can't bear to see that. As their father, I won't allow that to happen to them. Never.
At that moment, I looked at the young man and imagined the faces of my children in his person as he cried.
I sighed and did nothing but reach out and touch the young man's head to comfort and calm him down.
But I was suddenly startled when he blurted out, still sobbing, the words:
"I lost the money I earned from the vegetables. I need to get my earnings back so I can bring something home to my mother," Erik sobbed.
"My mother and father worked hard to plant those, and they're expecting me to bring home money," he added.
I was shocked by what he said, not because of fear of what happened or the pain in his body, but because of what was making him cry now.
Even at the end, the only thing he was worried about was earning money to bring home to his family.
I wanted to shout at this kid and smack his head to make him realize what he was saying.
He's foolish. He was almost killed, and going through that kind of situation is no joke.
That's a traumatic experience, especially for a child like him.
The moments when I was caught by the rebels and beaten to get the money I desperately tried to hide suddenly flashed back in my mind.
I don't know why this kid seems to be disregarding himself. His arms are trembling from physical weakness, and he doesn't seem to care at all.
It's obvious he's abusing his body to its limit just to earn. What kind of mindset does he have?
I can't stand this anymore.
I'm irritated...
But...
But should I lecture him?
Do I have the right to stop him from what he's doing?
He's not my son or even a relative, so I shouldn't care what happens to this kid.
What if the Spaniards abuse him or the rebels rob him?
This young man is stubborn.
He chose this, so he should face the conditions of this job.
End for part 1
Please support the kasarinlan series.
Like, share and comment on this video.
Thank you.