Until He's Gone

Chapter Nine

"I hide my tears when I say your name, but the pain in my heart is still the same."
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A soul remembered is a soul never lost. I thought it wasn't wise when people who leave tell us to forget them. Memories are precious. Each time a memory comes to life, a soul does too, at least in our hearts.

I walked silently down the street, heading home. My feet barely supported me which made me feel dizzy. Everything blurred in front of me. Yeah, it was a long frustrating day. My eyes squinted from tears and pain as I walked through the silent market. It hadn't been so peculiar before. France was always vivacious and pleasant, and it was too hard to believe that it had suddenly turned into a miserable quiet country. Bombs and screams were the only source of sound. Few people dared to leave their houses, and most of them were men; buying what they needed to support their families. It seemed to me that the fighting that was happening a few hours ago had been over. The streets and the marketplace were quieter.

France was lost like it had no past, no present, and no future. I stared at the houses, and those looked lifeless, like no soul had ever lived in between their inner walls. I pitied the widows and orphans, although I was one of the latter.

I noticed a young girl sitting next to her mother by a tent. How brutal war could be to some citizens! Her eyes were dull and sunken, and her face was weary as she rested her head upon her mother's lap. They looked homeless; from their torn clothes, and thin bodies. Besides, I assumed the little girl's father would have gone to fight in war, or was already dead. However, the girl was lucky, I thought, for she had her mother there by her side, stroking her hair, and calming her down. How I yearned for a moment like that with mom! Well, it used to happen in the past, when we had spent long worthwhile moments together. Those memories were hidden and locked for years in one of those forgotten doors in my mind. And each time I opened that door, I made way for those lovely memories to rush out and nourish my injured soul.

The sun peeped into the market to pay a visit to our lonely town and display its golden rays which illuminated every single object. The view at dusk helped me feel healed, although I wasn't. I shook my head to dismiss the thought of what I have just encountered.

But, no. Oh God, I can't.

I noticed a few people looking at me strangely and heard them murmuring, what is this girl doing alone in the lonely streets of Normandy during such situations? And don't talk to her, she looks like a slut.

I fought the urge to scream and fight and felt a strong surge of power forming inside. For a moment, I felt aggressive and wild, although I was bawling. I cried loud enough that the man standing next to the nearby booth had offered me a tissue, and I had screamed I don't need a tissue. I need the dead back, jerk, because that's what I felt like doing. Despite the look of horror on his face, I snatched the tissue and moved away.

No one knew my sufferings and no one even cared. I supposed they got frightened from me, for my eyes were red, my face was pale, and I guessed I looked like a ghost. I knew I had to head home directly, however, something weird caught my attention. It was an old woman in grey rags.

She sneaked into a faraway booth which was departed for some minutes by its owner. I stood curiously as I watched her take the advantage by stealing the cashier, some fruits, and a bunch of vegetables.

Why would anyone do that?

I grew furious at such an act. People in town were risking their lives to work and afford those foods. How could she be cheating? I grew nervous as I saw her forcing the stuff into huge bags and running away heavily. Without even thinking twice about it, I followed her. After all, I needed something to distract me from thinking about Kevin.

However, she vanished instantly between the buildings. Determined to find that thief, I scoured all the alleys of my village for her.

Oh god! Where could she have gone?

Then, a voice from within went on convincing me:

Why should you ever care Lily?! It's not your job to follow criminals, and it's none of your business! You must be at home mourning and cursing your fate!

I was lost. Every part of me told me something, but this woman was really creepy. I wasn't that kind of person to see something wrong, or rather, illegal, and shut up. I finally spotted her dragging herself in one of those narrow streets of Normandy. She wore a long, old fashioned, ragged dark gray cloak. Beneath it was a slate-colored suit with a seaweed green collar.

Shall I interfere?

Finally, I approached her cautiously, as not to be frightening, and greeted her with a fake smile,   "Hello Ma'am," pretending not to have noticed what she had done.

She turned to me, frightened. Her hair was also gray with some strands of white, and her eyes were flinty dark chips. Her face went pale, and she eyed me carefully, "Who are you and what do you want?"

Deep down, I regretted what I had just done, but answered kindly, "I just thought I could help you carry those huge bags. Well, they seem to exhaust you."

Her dark eyes widened and I sensed some wickedness in them. She finally handed me some of the bags she was carrying, and made me walk with her on a long path.

Why did I do this? Why did I exhaust myself for nothing?

I then remembered 'kindness'. I remembered those innocent and oppressed people in this world. Kevin was one of them, I thought, and this woman might be one too. I had to be kind and helpful. I had no idea what that woman must have been going through. My tears rolled down, and I tried hard to turn away my face, so that she won't notice them. After all, my hands were full, and I wasn't able to wipe my tears away. I had just encountered the second most sorrowful moment of my life. Besides, I didn't believe I'll even be able to fake a smile again.

I lost Kevin.

I shook my head trying to keep away those thoughts and walked faster, for she was already ahead of me. I knew I needed a lot of rest, rather than helping a random woman who perhaps didn't deserve it.

She barely said anything on the road, so I tried inspecting her.

  "Why did you do that?" I asked suddenly, then wished I didn't.

She stopped walking and eyed me wickedly, but fearfully, then shouted, "Do what?"

I hated her manner, but I answered, as though sadly, "I saw you sneak into the market and--"

She shook at once, "Don't make up stories kid!"

I tried calming myself down, "You know I'm not making up stories Ma'am. And-," I looked into her eyes, "I'm not a kid."

I sensed fear in her voice as she yelled, "It's none of your business. Besides, I've got no money."

Unknowingly, my eyes drifted to some shiny golden necklaces under her rag. I raised an eyebrow in confusion, "How come?" I murmured. I thought she hadn't heard me, but she turned around instantly.

For an awful moment, she stared at me with vicious eyes and grew furious. I felt scared and wished I could run home, but there was something creepy about her. And I had to find out what it was.

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Soo...Hello! How was this chapter?
Oh yeah, that creepy woman mmm...
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~Mira xx