Short Story - Walk of Freedom - PART 1

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Here is a tale of anger and hate, of burnt bodies and of spilled blood. Much is lost and little is left to gain. A little boy sits awhile clutching the wretched fragments of his mother's night wear. Lost in thought and drenched in tears, he tries not to recount the horrible experience of the last few hours. His thoughts push back at him in an unending bid to win this mind tossle. The boy is helpless, hopeless and drained of all his energy. He is all alone in a dark, cold and unfriendly world. He grits his teeth as his thoughts overpower his strong resolve. An evil man and a black horse, a rider a thief, he breaks in, in the late hours of what has been a beautiful night for a rich family. A merchant father, a loving mother and a bright boy. Young, and very full of promises this family has proven to be. Sitting among royalty and rich folk is customary and normal.. A life one dreams of and never anticipates it's passing.
Long and hard, he fights hard digging his small nails into strong ropes anxiously trying to break his hold and yet it makes no difference. He tries to close his eyes, but the distorted voice of a woman shouting in pain as she is plundered by the same man who has killed her husband just a few moments ago makes it impossible for their little boy to shut everything out. He wishes that he is not alive, then he wonders what his mother's wishes are... but from the look in her eyes, as she stares at him, he knows that she only now fears for his safety, tied as he is to a concrete pillar.
Without blindfolds, he easily recognizes him as the tall ragged-looking brute who came to their trade house in search of mere farm produce. The mischievous look on his face sending chills down his spine, but now he isn't afraid, only raging with anger and hate.

Twenty years later and the bright little boy is now a man wrought with a burning desire to get revenge for his parents and for the past twenty years of his life spent as an orphan. The agony of the past has left him without a soul, filled with darkness and yet hollow.
He now lurks in a dark corner watching the family eat and laugh, happy as he once was. He takes a step toward the light but retraces it in an instant. He is suddenly afraid and tears well up in his eyes for how can he make this decision to let this family feel the pain he once did, he is trapped, not able to move forward or go back. He has been for the past twenty years but not anymore, he is tired of being stuck in the same bubble.
Finally, and swiftly he turns his back on them and walks away into the darkness, determined not to become the man that he hates with all his might. As he walks, he weeps, leaving behind all his pain and sorrow.
He is finally free!

Thanks for reading!