Farolito: A Mother's Sacrifice

Farolito: A Mother's Sacrifice

That horrid smile…the smile that haunted her whenever she closed her eyes. It spread across his face once more as he lifted his arm pointing a gun at her chest,
“Truly my darling wife…after all these years do you still underestimate me? Did you really think that you’d be able to escape so easily?” The gun clicked after a slow movement of his thumb.
“…dumb bitch.” Karen clenched her teeth, fear and anger overtaking her thoughts. She squeezed Diana to her chest whom slept blissfully unaware of the events around her.
“No!” Karen breathed through her gritted teeth. Kaya growled angrily at her heels while Eric seated atop her looked on in fear. Eric shivered incessantly, well aware of what his father intended to do with that gun.
“NO!” she said once more glaring straight into Rughes’ eyes. He flinched slightly his grin slowly disappearing into an angry frown,
“I would rather die than let this opportunity slip by. You may have been able to take my life away from me, but I will never let you have my children’s!” Rughes growled angrily, his fury causing his body to shake violently. Eric trembled along with the gun in his father’s hand.

Karen turned quickly, starting to run towards the forest again. Kaya ran ahead of her with Eric clinging to her fearfully.
“Stupid, fucking, whore! How dare you defy me?!” He roared and a gunshot quickly followed. Karen stumbled forward briefly before stopping dead in her tracks. Kaya trotted up to her mistress barking worriedly. Eric, seeing the look on his mother’s face, feared the worst now. She slouched forward still clinging to Diana, a blast of pain shooting through her. Her mouth hung open, but the only sounds that could be heard were barely audible whimpers. Karen’s eyes were wide and tears began streaming down her cheeks as she fell to her knees.
“Mommy!” Eric jumped off Kaya and ran to her side calling out hysterically. He looked up at his father; he was laughing…a psychotic laugh as he stood with his gun in the air, its barrel smoking.
“I hate you…” Eric whispered as hot tears ran down his cheeks, Rughes began to laugh harder,
“I HATE YOU!” He felt his mother softly tug at his arm, “Get back on Kaya…” She sounded weak and blood was now starting to pour from her mouth, but she looked just as determined now as before. Without a word Eric did what he was told as Karen shakily stood up once more. She ran once again, straight into the forest. She would see to it that her children were free for as long as her body would hold out. Rughes’ laughter began to fade as they ran further into the forest. A wary soldier tapped Rughes’ shoulder delicately,
“Sir? Would you like us to go after them?” He snorted and slowly turned his head toward the soldiers,
“There is no point. That whore’s good as dead and my children will die along with her. They cannot survive without her.” He grinned maliciously.
“…maybe someday I will return to pick up their corpses.” He grunted and began to walk back to his lair.

Karen ran on through the rest of the night. As morning broke through the trees of the thick forest she knew that her body would soon give up on her despite her restless spirit. Her lungs burned as she struggled to get air in and out of them. Her blood was flooding out of her body quickly, leaving her light headed and weak. Karen’s blood had already stained the blanket wrapped protectively around Diana. She finally stopped at the bank of a river, slumping down in-between the roots of a large tree. She gently laid Diana near Kaya, whom quickly sat watchfully over her. Eric got off her and walked up to his mother wearily and afraid. She lifted her arms invitingly and smiled weakly. He began to cry from the sight of the blood that soaked her cloak, but fell into her embrace and clung to her. Karen held him as tightly as she could, with whatever strength she had left in her body. She placed a soft comforting kiss upon his forehead and wiped away his tears.

“My precious Eric…I’m so sorry…you do not deserve any of this…” she wept and stroked his hair lovingly. He shook his head and smiled faintly,
“It’s okay mommy.” She smiled and held him close, her body trembled from exhaustion.
“I love you both so much. You and Diana are my angels…the only reason for me to ever smile and my only reason left for living.” she paused and sobbed silently. Eric clung to his mother afraid to let go while Kaya whimpered softly.
“There were so many times I wanted to just end it all, but you and Diana always gave me hope…my only regret is that I won’t be able to see you and Diana grow up now that we’re free.” Eric fought to hold back his tears wishing he hadn’t heard what she had last said.
“Please, look after your sister and our dear loyal friend Kaya…”
Eric sobbed, she pleaded once more,
“please…promise me!” He wiped the tears from his face and nodded. Her voice was fading gradually,
“Remember my beloved son…that even though you won’t be able to see me…I will always…be around you and Diana…watching over and protecting you both…and always loving you.” She closed her eyes as her body began to go limp,
“I love you…I…love you…so very…much……..” Eric stared at his mother’s face. He felt time stop as her body finally became lifeless. She seemed to finally be at peace, so serene in her motionless sleep. Eric could not recall a time where his mother had ever truly slept. He bit his lower lip while his eyes filled with tears. He knew what death was, he had seen it so many times around his tyrant of a father, yet his mind refused to believe the same fate that had befallen so many of his father’s victims had also befallen his mother.

Finally Eric forced himself to accept it. He lifted his head towards the heavens and let out an agonizing cry. He cradled his mother’s face in his hands and sobbed loudly.
“Mommy!” He cried in a desperate attempt to awaken her. He gently clutched her face tighter,
“…mommy…” He let go of her abruptly and ran to the bank of the river and screamed into forest until he was out of breath, his mother’s last words echoing in his mind. Eric turned to look at Kaya who miserably looked over Diana whom still slept in exhaustion. He slowly walked towards Kaya, wiping his tears away and hiccupping all the way. He gently picked up his sister and accommodated her over his shoulder. He patted Kaya’s head softly and began to walk along the bank of the river.
“Let’s go Kaya…there is nothing left for us here and I won’t let mommy’s gift to us, her sacrifice, go to waste.” He reluctantly took one last look at his mother before he made his way deeper into the forest not knowing where it would lead him.

To be continued...