Title: The Red Amph – Chapter Two
Genre: Fiction / Adventure
Description: A fictional account of an event within the Kurdish Republic a year before Ali Al-Sarshees declared war against the Empire of Azadistan.
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Chapter Two: The Monster In The Cave
Sajid crept slowly to the entrance of the cave. All of a sudden, a though entered the young boy's mind. When he was younger, his father used to show him images of gigantic weapons of destruction known as Mobile Suits. Mobile Suits are robotic, humanoid weapons that had taken the place of the obsolete mobile weapons of old. They were huge. The largest Mobile Suit on record was as tall as a two-storey building. Mobile Suits had the capacity to carry a variety of weapons such as mortars and rocket-propelled grenades, and the most advanced models could even fly in the air!
The young Sajid drooled at the idea of having one. A Mobile Suit would be the perfect choice for an adventurer like him. He imagined himself inside the cockpit of one as he traveled across the sandy terrain of his domain. Finally, he would be able to go to the end of the horizon and see for himself the mystery beyond where the earth and the sky meet. Even without taking a look, the young boy knew what was inside the cave. There was no other possible explanation.
Indeed, the young Al Fahid was correct. Inside sat a brown metallic monstrosity that Sajid had only seen in his father's stills. This was the real thing. Sajid knew that this was a sign of things to come. If he was correct, this was the first time a Mobile Suit ever set foot in the Kurdish Republic. The young boy definitely smelled the scent of war.
"Who's there!?"
Suddenly, a loud, booming voice echoed throughout the cave. It was a voice typical of a rugged war veteran. Immediately, Sajid hid himself behind a large pillar of rock.
"Who's there!? Show yourself!"
The young boy's hear pounded like the heavy beating of a drum. He knew that a wrong move could spell the end of his pathetic, little existence.
"Come out, you little piece of shit! Show your bloody face before I squeeze the hell out of you!"
Sajid knew that this was serious. Sajid had been in the face of war ever since he was born into the cruel reality of the Middle East. But never before did he feel the intensity of an angry soldier. The young boy witnessed the wrath of his father whenever he disobeyed him. But it was nothing compared to someone who had stained his hands with blood. Sajid's hair stood on end at the thought of what might happen to him in case the man found him. He had to escape before it was too late.
As Sajid was about to run, the man immediately grabbed his neck from behind the rock. Sajid didn't notice that the man was watching him all this time. The little boy knew that this was the end for him.
"Where are you going, little brat!? Never thought I'd find you, didn't ya!?"
"Let go of me! Let go of me!", shouted Sajid as he struggled to break free from the clutches of the enemy.
"You'll never get out of here alive, you motherfucker! Say yer prayers, you little twirp!"
Sajid's vision began to blur as the man's grip grew tighter. The young boy smelled the scent of his death at his side. Memories of Sajid's life began to flash before him; his prized oases, his beloved homeland, his gentle mother, his hard-working father, his magnificent cave, the horizon where the earth and the sky meet...
Sajid realized that he hadn't gone to the end of the horizon. It was his dream. It was his mission. And he won't let anyone stop him from reaching that goal.
The young boy was determined to escape from the clutches of the blood-stained hands. Sajid focused. He had to find a way to break free. Looking around, he noticed a knife in the man's chest pocket. Mustering every ounce of strength left within him, the boy grabbed the knife and plunged it into the man's throat.
A shrill cry echoed throughout the cave. For the first time, Sajid's hands were bathed in blood. The man immediately let go of Sajid and tried to cover his bleeding throat with his hands. But even this wasn't enough to stop the gushing crimson liquid on his neck. The man tried to say something against Sajid, but only the gurgling sound of blood escaped from his throat.
Sajid ran away from the man panting, gasping for air. The little boy was relieved to see that he had escaped from the grasps of death. But he was also horrified at what he had done. Never did Sajid imagine that he would be a murderer at his age. He was ready to kill when necessary, but not when he should've been bathing in the crystalline waters of the pool in the cave.
The little Al Fahid looked back at where the man stood. The man lay on the floor. Stagnant. Blood oozed from the spot where Sajid struck. The young boy began to cry. He never intended for this to happen. If only he didn't go to the cave. If only he didn't find the cave. If only he didn't dream of becoming an explorer.
Sajid decided to go home and tell the villagers what happened in the cave. He didn't care if he would be punished for his deed. All he knew was that he wanted to be in his mother's arms right now. He wanted to be young again. For today, Sajid became a man.
Suddenly, the young boy remembered the reason why he was there in the first place. Sadness turned into excitement as Sajid claimed his prize. It looked exactly like it had been in the photos...
Only this time, it was real.
And this time, it was his for the taking.
- to be continued...
