"Ma, I can't see you," Tanvir whispers. "I'm scared where are you? Ma? Ma, where are we going—"
Ma clamps a hand over his mouth.
"Across the equator. North."
"But it's too cold there."
"It is cold, but it's safe. You have to be silent, Tanvir. Be silent!"
What is colder, sea or snow?
Why can't both be warm?
The truck jolts to a stop.
Why is it bright?
Flashlights.
"Ma, who — Don't grab me! Don't hurt my ma! Don't hurt me! You're hurting me!"
“Eye 0, this is Eye 1, radio check, over.”
“Eye 1, this is Eye 0, roger, over.”
“Eye 0, deserters tracked and captured three kilometres from the equatorial border, break…”
“Returning to Elisus to deliver them to the Commandant, read back, over.”
“I read back: deserters captured, returning to Elisus, over.”
“Correct, over.”
“Eye 1, over.”
“Eye 0, out.”
Ma, I can’t see you.
It’s dark in this kennel.
Ma? Ma? Where are you?
Where are you? Where are you?
My jaw, it hurts, they hit me
It hurts–
“Salis et Sanguis.”
“Who are you? Where am I? Where’s my mom?”
HAHAHA
“Why are you laughing at me?”
“I’m not laughing at you, those are pachycrocuta.”
“A pachy-what?”
“Hyenas. Did you know that they laugh when they’re scared?”
“No.”
“Call me ‘Commandant.’”
“No, Commandant. What’s going to happen to my mom, Commandant?”
“Do you know what a firing squad is?”
“No, no, you can’t kill her, Commandant!”
“But what if she asks you to desert me again?”
“I won’t desert again, Commandant!”
“And you’ll answer all my questions?”
“Yes, Commandant, I’ll answer all your questions.”
“Where were you going?”
“North.”
“Trying to escape the draft, yes?”
“Ma said I’m too young to fight.”
“Did you know they already closed the border?”
“No, Commandant.”
“Follow me.”
Commandant
Kali
Destroyer
Mother
But not my Ma.
“What is this, Commandant?”
“A crossbow. I’m going to teach you how to shoot it.”
“Okay.”
“Affirmative.”
“Affirmative.”
“Pick it up by the handle…hold it to eye level…aim along the arrow. You see the target over there? When you’re ready, pull the trigger and try to hit it in the centre.”
“Affirmative?”
“Roger.”
“Roger.”
“I did it, Commandant! It hit the centre, did you see, Commandant?”
“Affirmative. Follow me.”
The sea is cold.
The snow is cold.
At least the kennel is warm.
About the Creator
Wen Xiaosheng
I'm a mad scientist - I mean, film critic and aspiring author who enjoys experimenting with multiple genres. If a vial of villains, a pinch of psychology, and a sprinkle of social commentary sound like your cup of tea, give me a shot.
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