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Mantra

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The man took my hand and helped me up to my sore feet. Reaching further, he gently scooped up my tiny brother before lifting me up with his other arm. It seemed so effortless-- had he done this before?

"Alright, there we go. Do you both have names?"

"Tyler!" squeaked my brother.

"Well, hello Tyler! Nice to see you're awake!"

Tyler gave the man a big grin and a laugh, seemingly unfazed by what was happening.

"And you?" the man asked, turning to me.

"...Veran."

"Now that is a very pretty name. It's nice to finally meet you both. My name is Montreal, but I just get called 'Monty'."

With that began the slow plodding through the skeleton of a town.

"Hi Monty!" laughed my brother.

I could muster a slight grin but quickly looked away, down to where we had been.

"Veran?" came Monty.

I looked back to him, if only briefly.

"I know the both of you don't know me, and I don't expect you to trust me yet. I'm sure that's bothering you more than you're letting on."

My heart skipped a beat. In this situation the last thing I needed was for him to be angry.

"Were I in your situation I wouldn't be so quick to trust a stranger, either. It's alright to be distrusting, even scared."

I swallowed.

"I can only imagine what the both of you have gone through to get where you are. You are very strong and very brave, and I must thank you.

"...Thank us?"

"Despite all you've gone through, you're at least letting me try to make right what should have been so long ago."

"Where are we going?" asked Tyler, in awe of how far off the ground he was.

"Northeast from here, far away, to a town by the coast. With time, maybe you'll call it 'home'?

Tyler's big eyes lit up. I couldn't help but smile at his reaction.

"Of course, it's still quite a ways away. We'll be stopping through some other towns before then for sleep and supplies, okay?"

Tyler let loose a string of excited giggles as he watched the world slowly go by.

---

<New clothing. Fresh food. Warm baths. Privacy.

What did we do for this?

Thankful? Yes.

Cautious? Very yes.

My brother, though? Not a worry, nothing of the sort.

If he was okay, then maybe I could be too.>

Tyler had already passed out on our bed as I stared out the window to the dark night sky.

A door unlocking. I jump.

Monty walked in carrying some small bags of what looked like food and clothing. For us?


"Still up?" he whispered.

A nod.

"Hm," he set the bags down by his pack and mace. "Still worried?"

...Another nod.

"Could you please come over here?"

My feet carried me, slowly, over to the large man. He knelt to meet me and took one of my hands into both of his own.

"...I cannot, and will not, force you or your brother to do anything you don't feel right doing. I'm not here to hurt either of you, and I'm not here to take you away from anyone. If you would like to go back, I will take you there. You need only say the word."

Even I was surprised by such a thing.

"...Why are you helping us?" I choke to ask.

He took a moment to think.

"Veran-- when the world suffers, we suffer. When we suffer, the world suffers. I help because, honestly, I just want to make the world a little better however I can. If I have space and resources, I will share them without a second thought."

"Even us?"

"Especially you. You're not the first, and I have a feeling you won't be the last."

"..."

"Like I said before, I don't expect either of you to trust me easily, not with your backgrounds and given you hardly know me. But can I ask you something?"

"...Yes?"

"Will you please let me try?"

"...I...I guess so."

A sigh of relief, a small laugh but a big grin.

"Thank you, Veran. That really means the world to me."

He let go of my hand and turned back to packing up the supplies. I waited there until he was done.

"Alright, that's done. Should last us through tomorrow. You need anything?"

I look away, but he stands up. One hand holds out.

"It's quite late, and if your brother is this tired I'm sure you're exhausted."

I put my hand in his and we walk to Tyler's bed. Monty carefully draws open the covers and I slip inside. Once settled, he covers me up again.

"Comfortable?"

A nod.

A smile and a pat on the head.

"Do you need anything?"

A shake of the head meets a gentle smile.

"Alright, I will be on the other bed. You can wake me if you need anything, okay?"

"...Okay."

"We've got another big day tomorrow. Goodnight, and sleep well, Veran."

"...Goodnight."

The lights turn off, the large man turns in for the night.

---

<The weather is calm.

Warm, a breeze.

Around a hill we go. A pause to look ahead.

The last day.>


"Are you both ready?"

---

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Comments3
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Exzeedvelocity's avatar
I'm actually thoroughly interested about this story.