The only thing to fear is yourself..because you are the substance of nightmares692Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡByEEOL8chh
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This is a quote my father once told me before I had to go to war. At that time, I was curious because his words made no sense to me.What is there to fear except your enemies and fear of your own life?
I kissed him goodbye as my father gave me one last look before returning to the house. I wondered if we ever meet again..
I was only 16 at that time and my kingdom was at stake. All young men who aged 14 and above were required to serve.
Time had passed. I made new friends at the training camp.We were subjected to intense training in the cold weather and had to crawl on the cold snow shirtless. One boy at age 14 tried to run away but he was imprisoned instead. The only food we could eat were cold rice and bread.
After 3 months, we were split into groups.Me and my friends,Erik and Richard, along with 10 other boys were taken into a village. Our leader, Mr.Goines , ordered Richard to blew the horn to gather the villagers at the village’s entrance.
I was surprised to see how malnourished these people were.Men,women and children all were like ghosts. Pale skin, extremely skinny arms and legs.
Mr.Goines cleared his throat loudly and with a commanding voice, demanded the villagers to pay what they owe to the king now or we will seize their food and property. It was a total of 50 gold coins each.
The villagers were horrified. Mr.Goines did not hesitate and told us to ransack the place. It felt like a bad dream and my legs felt soft. 692Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWnGZy3Pm36
No..this is not right..
“Barnes,follow orders,you fool!”Mr.Goines hit the back of my head with his whip.I cried out painfully.
With a heavy heart, I went into the house of an old couple. I went in and heard them crying out to me,begging me to stop.
Richard scolded them,”You got what you deserve! We were just following orders! Barnes, search for food!”
I saw they had nothing but two bowls of rice.I hid the other one under the table for them and only grabbed one bowl of rice. Then, we found some jewelry from the couple’s marriage and seized them all.
It was my first mission and I felt like a monster. My heart felt numb. I was haunted with nightmares that night.
But it was only the first of a thousand nightmares to come…
As we ransacked and looted more ‘enemies’, as Mr.Goines called every poor villager and travellers ‘enemies’, I became more and more used to it.
At first I would always left some food or a gold coin for the house we ransacked or the travelers we ambushed.
Then I saw how my friends’ lives were transformed.They went to the city full of gold coins and had a very good night at the annual feast.I did not go because I felt guilty spending all that blood money.
My friends’ stories of riches and a good life got into me. I went one night with them to a city called Frensworth. I spend ALL of my money there, because the all that food..all that beverages..all that treasures…besides, I could always receive money, now working as a soldier at war.
I stopped having mercy or leaving gold coins for the ‘enemies’. All I cared about was pursuing a good life as soon as I ended my career as a soldier.
Everything that I wanted, I could get it using the name of the king..every diamond, every gold, were all ours to share.
When I turned 20, I went back to my small village as a young,handsome, rich man.I wore boots made out of the finest leather and clothes made out of gold. I was elated to see the villagers staring at me in awe.I carried a bag full of gold coins and my sword.
When I reached my house, I knocked at the door and my father opened the door.My father, who had aged quiet well as he retained his lovely smile despite his now fully grey hair and wrinkles on his face, greeted me.
“Son, I was glad to see you!”he said. Then he looked at my clothes and the bag. His smile vanished in an instant.
“Father, I came to bring you the life you always wanted,”I smiled.
“My son..it seems you had not listened. You did not take heed of my warning.”his eyes reflected sorrow and his mouth began to quiver.
“My father..all of that would not have mattered now…we could start a new good life,”I stepped forward and embraced him.
I was surprised to feel his body trembling and found out that he was crying, tears filled his eyes.
“After you left, a group of soldiers came here and ransacked our home. They took all our belongings away.All of your mothers’ jewelry and all the rice. My feet..”
He lifted his pants and I gasped at the sight of a wooden leg at where his left leg should be.
“This is what they do. The monsters took what is valuable to us.I persevered because I had one thing valuable to me.You.”he paused.
“My son you are not the boy your mother was proud of anymore.Take away all of the worldly riches back to your place,Barnes, for this is not the place for it,”his tone was cold.
I was burning with anger,I had worked hard for this.How dare he? I slapped my hand across his face and he fell to the floor.He cried out in pain.My eyes widened as I realized what I had just done. My father looked up at me, with eyes that did not seem to recognize me anymore.
I opened the door and ran outside , the rain soaking me wet. I felt warm tears running across my face.
“The only thing to fear is yourself..because you are the substance of nightmares..”
If only I had take heed of his warning..if only I knew…it wouldn’t be like this.
I am the nightmare.I am the monster.....
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