Stain of Red: Crimson Fate

Chapter 33: Game of Tag (Part 10)

Sitting on a wooden chair and holding a paper at hand that seems to be slightly crumpled, she turned to face the only son she has that just got home, "My son..." she uttered.

Han Dae dropped the basket in surprise. There's no denying it. That hair that seems to burn and those eyes that seems to put one at ease– they were definitely his mother's.

"Mother..." his eyes are still unable to believe what he sees. But everything feels real. She smiled kindly at him with her chapped lips and tired eyes. Even if she looks extraordinary, she is only a single parent who is raising her son, that resembles her face, without a father.

"Good thing you're back. I have something to tell you." She stood, putting the crumpled paper inside a book. After that she opened a locked cabinet under the table that even Han Dae never opened before.

"Huh?" Han Dae wandered as he began thinking that everything is oddly familiar. Him coming from home after receiving a basket of food, his mother holding a letter from someone he doesn't know, and her opening a locked cabinet that has never been opened before.

Yes, he knows this had happened before.

When he's still younger.

"Mother, what are you looking for?" he asked when an image flashed into his mind.

A three-year-old him asking the same question to his mother...

"Ah, found it!" she exclaimed indifferently without a hint of happiness nor sadness. Her eyes are hollow and darkened.

... and a response he heard before.

His eyes widened upon seeing a rusty knife from his mother's hand. It was a fancy dagger with a gold handle and a customized ruby placed on it. However, the knife also looks worn out with all the rust. I cannot even amount to fifty silvers even if it is fancy.

'Don't tell me... today is...' he trembled as his right foot took a step back.

Yes, today is his mother's death.

She began walking towards him without life in her eyes, as if she became empty inside.

"M-Mother..." Han Dae helplessly uttered, "S-Stop..."

Her eyes widened as emotion began flowing in her grieving face. Seeing her son in front of her brought tears in her eyes as she fell on her knees, "Forgive me."' She whispered in repeat before finally exclaiming the same word over and over again.

"Forgive me Han Dae! Forgive your poor mother! I cannot do this anymore! I cannot live without him!" she shouted at the stoned, fear-strucked Han Dae. As if she was driven mad, she laughed in tears to cover up the stinging pain she feels in her chest.

"He said he'd come get me!" she giggled, "I can't wait for him to get me!"

Han Dae flinched and gasped in horror. 'No...' he thought, 'I don't want to lose mother again...'

"Mother please let go of the knife!" Han Dae begged as his eyes watered in panic but she laughed and laughed without giving him any thought, "Mother I beg you!" he continued.

She became sad once again and cried, "Han Dae..." she raised her head to take a look at her trembling son. Smiling bitterly, she said, "Mother loves you okay?" before stabbing herself as blood splatters to the ground before she bathed on her own blood.

"No..." Han Dae's tears fell as he hurried to his mother's side, "Why? Why mother?!" he cried falling down on his knees. "Mother wake up! Wake up please!" he carried his mother's dead body while shaking her with the hope that she will get better in no time.