Chapter 42: Day 3 Morning
“We’ll be there soon,” I hugged Teegan, “Be strong.”
She smiled, “Always.”
I hugged Seth next, “Protect the right ones okay?”
He smiled back at me, “You know it.”
“Are you both ready to go?”
They looked at each other, then back at us, and nodded.
“Okay,” I took a deep breath, “Good luck. We’ll be there soon.”
“We love you,” Pilote added.
“We love you too,” They both smiled.
All of us waved as Seth and Teegan put on their back packs and raced out the door and up the stairs. The rest of us stood there for a while looking at the door. We did not know what to do now. We’ve said goodbye to the first two of the day. The next time we see them we will be fighting and there will not be time for talking.
“What do we do now?” Layal asked.
“We wait,” I replied, “The next group leaves at noon. Carlot and Vince, I want you to go say goodbye to your family. When you’re done eat lunch and we will be up here to say goodbye to you before you leave. Everyone else, stay in our house for now and do not go down to Murera. We have a few hours of down time before Carlot and Vince leave so you can do whatever you want until then.”
They nodded and we walked through the meeting room and down stairs to our house. Carlot and Vince ran ahead of us to their families. The rest of the chosen ones scattered to their rooms while I stayed in the entrance room and searched through the computer. Pilote brought me some coffee from the kitchen and came back.
“What are you looking for?” he asked me.
I sighed, “I just want to make sure I haven’t missed anything. I feel so out of it sometimes that I tend to miss details and I can’t let that happen this time.”
“Rolla, there are nine of us, 11 if you include Topanga and Sam; nobody missed anything. We’ve helped you and made sure you have every detail to win this.”
“But there are dozens of books up here we never got the chance to look through. What if there’s something important in them that I missed?”
“There’s not, Rolla please just calm down. Seth and Topanga just left and we only have a few hours until Carlot and Vince leave. Don’t stress and over work yourself now.”
“Then what should I do?”
“All the bags are put together, all the weapons are made, all the soliders are ready, everyone is saying goodbye to their families, and all the plans are already made. The only thing you can do is relax for the next few hours and keep yourself head strong so you can say goodbye to everyone that’s leaving.”
“You’re right, but I don’t want to mess up.”
“Come on,” he took my hand and walked towards the book shell. He hit one of the shelves where the book used to be and the bookshelf moved out of the way for us. We walked through the meeting room and down to the living room. I sat next to Layal and put my head on her shoulder.
“Stressed?” she asked me.
I nodded.
“Can I show you something?” she asked again.
“Sure.”
“Let’s go to my room,” she stood up.
“I’ll stay here with John,” Pilote told me and let go of my hand.
“Okay,” I smiled.
I followed Layal to her room and she quickly went to her book shelf and took a book from the top shelf. She opened it to a certain page and pulled out a piece of paper. She walked back over to me and handed it over.
“What is this?” I inquired.
“It’s a letter I wrote in case I don’t make it out of this.”
“You can’t talk like that –“
“Rolla, I know you’re trying to be nice but I might not make it out of this and we all know it. None of us know if we’re going to make it out of this. You, Pilote, Topanga, and Sam are the exception but the rest of us just don’t know. If I die I want everyone to hear something from me. I don’t want other people telling my life story for me. You guys all know it and we have that book we wrote and gave to your parents, but I wanted to write this letter about the war and who I am in case I die.”
“What do you want me to do with it?” I questioned.
“I want you to put it in your room in a safe place. If I make it out of this war alive then I want you to burn in. If I die in battle I want you to publish the letter. I want every Tigma in Murera to know my story and why I knew I was meant to be in the chosen ones. I want everyone to know that I was proud to die for our freedom. I know I’m quiet, but I think this will explain a lot.”
“Can I read it now?”
She nodded, “I thought you might want to. You can read it and I’ll go back in the living room with John and Pilote.”
“Okay.”
I unfolded the letter and held four pieces of paper in front of me. I don’t know if I’m emotionally ready to read this. It’s clear this is something Layal thought about for a long time before putting it on paper. She’s probably written dozens of versions of this before deciding this is the one she wanted to go with. I don’t want to have to publish this. I want her to live, but she’s right. None of them know who’s going to make it out. I took a deep breath and began reading the most incredible, inspiring letter I’ve ever had the chance of reading.
Dear Rolla,
I gave you this letter first because you’re my leader, our leader. If anybody should publish this letter for me it’s you. There’s only one other rule to this letter. You have to send a copy to my family in Mexico City. The last time I talked to them was the day I found the chosen ones while I borrowed your phone.
To my family in Mexico: I’m sorry I left so suddenly. You always knew I was destined for greatness. You believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. You never thought I was a monster like a lot of people think of people like me. If you’re reading this it means I’m gone. It means I died for my people, but it means I died fighting. I fought for something I believe in more than anything: the Tigma’s freedom. We’ve been in hiding for too long, and people like you prove that we can get along with humans and other races. I love you so much and I’m sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye. The days leading up to the battle all I did was stay focused because I couldn’t let my emotions get in the way. I hope you don’t have to read this, but if you do then always remember that I love you. I love you more than anything and always know that you made me who I am. I wouldn’t be me without any of you.
To the Chosen Ones: You helped me open up in ways I didn’t even think was possible. Every one of you accepts people no matter who they are or what their story is. I’m still quiet, but I’m more me than I was before. You’re my family too. I’ve lived with you for years now and I’ve never been happier. Even though all we’ve been doing is planning a war, I feel like we still had a lot of fun on our days off. I never told any of you this, but you’ll never know how much you really mean to me. It does not make sense to me how anybody could hate you because you’re just so incredible. Every one of you is sweet, caring, strong, and determined to stand up for what is right. You never hesitate, you just fight. Fight to the death if that’s what it takes. You taught me to believe in what I think is right and be willing to fight for it no matter what. I’m so thankful I was chosen to be part of this group.
To the Tigmas: The only Tigmas I had the chance of meeting was my biological family. Who knew I could have so many families? I love you brothers and sisters. I love you mom and dad. I love you grandma and grandpa. I love all of you even though I’ve only known you a few years. You gave birth to me. You’re the reason I am part of such a strong, amazing race. Thank you. To the rest of the Tigmas, I may not have met any of you but you saw me on TV at the ball. You’ve seen me walking around town with the rest of the chosen ones. We are all just as determined to give you your freedom, and I promise you I never stopped. I fought as long as I possibly could in that battle and I hope we won. I know I’m quiet, but please never forget me. I’ve tried my hardest to be me, to be a Tigma, and to do right by all of you so I hope people remember that.
And Rolla, you’re the best leader anybody could ask for. I’ve tried my best to be there for you and help you through this. I know you doubt yourself as a leader, but you shouldn’t. You always put everyone else first, and I know it’s really affected you lately. Always make time for yourself and remember to let us take care of you too. You don’t always have to take care of us. Thank you for everything.
I just wanted to do the right thing for the Tigmas. When I’m in that battle all I am thinking about is all of you. My family, the chosen ones, the Tigmas, and my human family are all I’m thinking about because we all deserve to live in peace with each other. Someday I want to be looking down on all of you and I want my human family to have the chance to meet my Tigman family. I want everyone I love to know each other. Nothing would make me happier than seeing the world in peace. The Tigmas deserve freedom. Every race out there deserves freedom. Nobody should have to hide who they are.
Sincerely, Layal Lisela.
I folded the letter back up, put it in my pocket, and wiped my eyes. I walked to my room and set it next to my computer before joining John, Pilote, and Layal again in the living room. I sat between Pilote and Layal and hugged her.
“That was beautiful,” I whispered to her. “Thank you.”
She pulled away and smiled, “No, thank you.”
“I promise I’ll do what you want me to.”
“Thank you.”
I nodded and looked back at Pilote, “Anything interesting happen?”
He shook his head, “We’ve just been catching up on our cartoons.”
THE END CHAPTER 42!
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