The wilderness was deserted, and the night was dark. The October sky was dimly lit with stars, and dark clouds hung high in the vast sky. A crescent moon, resembling a cat’s claw, half-hidden among them with a somewhat eerie moonlight.
When the wind blew, a weak voice came through without energy.
“Is anyone there? Help me… Mommy, Daddy… Sasha is scared.”
“Help! Help me!”
“I miss my mommy and daddy. Aunt Cheyenne… Oliver, Cierra… I want to get out of here. Please let me go.”
…
The towering bald mountains in this desolate place were unimaginable to have any living beings around.
Natural caves had been artificially carved out and expanded many times over their original size.
One cave after another connected with each other like a huge maze that one could not tell from which cave the cry for help came from at first glance.
In one of these caves, a strong smell of blood permeated through damp air that even medicinal scent could not mask.
Seven or eight children who had just been captured were tied up by ropes on their hands and feet while blindfolded by black cloth inside this narrow cave.
They did not know how long they had been kept here; from crying loudly at first to now being weak as if on death’s doorsteps; many children had given up seeking help altogether.
As such, the little girl’s crying sounded particularly abrupt here.
Finally, she cried herself tired and could only sob softly.
People around her even spoke continuously to provoke her, “You should save your strength instead of crying; no one will care even if we starve to death. What good does it do for you to cry now?”
“That’s right! Someone who got caught along with me can cry more than you but still ended up dead anyway.”
Sasha dared not cry anymore but whimpered like a small animal instead which made people feel more sorry for her than before.
Just then, a hoarse yet gentle voice sounded softly beside her ear. “Don’t be afraid; we won’t die temporarily. Don’t cry because tears won’t solve anything.”
Sasha listened intently as she wanted to see this boy comforting her but unfortunately couldn’t see anything due to being blindfolded by black cloth covering her eyes, completely leaving nothing visible except darkness all around them.
All she could do was sob twice before stopping completely while sweetly saying, “Thank you, brother.”
“What is your name?”
“Sasha Weaver.”
The little boy responded weakly and then leaned against the mountain wall to rest. He had suffered serious injuries during his escape, and now his wounds were infected and he caught a high fever. He was delirious and even speaking was difficult for him.
But the words “Sasha Weaver” were imprinted in his mind.
It was a pretty name, and he imagined the one who talked to him was a lovely little girl.
It was cold and damp here, and Sasha was very hungry. The unknown fear made her purse her lips and want to cry again.
But the boy said that tears cannot solve any problems, so she can only endure it.
She buried the head on the knees, silently shedding tears.
She missed her dad and mom very much.
After an unknown amount of time, someone finally arrived. The heavy footsteps grew closer and closer, and before the person even reached Sasha, they could smell a faint scent of orchids.
In the next moment, a clear and gentle voice as soothing as water sounded above her head, “Are you Glenn’s beloved daughter?”
‘Glenn is my dad’s name.’
As the person approached, Sasha felt increasingly cold and instinctively moved back a little.
“Who are you? Why are you trying to capture me?”
The man’s icy fingers gently pinched the little girl’s chin, and his thumb wiped away the tears on her face. This gesture was full of compassion.
“You are crying so pitifully, it breaks my heart to see.”
The piercing cold made Sasha feel extremely frightened, and she stood frozen in place.
“Uncle, do you know my father? Are you his enemy?”
“No, we are friends.”
The man smiled lightly and released her chin, looking at the little girl’s face still covered in dirt. He kindly wiped it off with a handkerchief.
“Friend.” Sasha didn’t feel the same way inside.
If he was Dad’s friends, he should have been like Uncle Kelvin instead of tying her up.
“Uncle is a liar, I don’t believe you.”
“Hahaha… Uncle didn’t lie to you. Your father and I were supposed to be people from the same world. You will know soon.”
He didn’t expect a little girl who was only three or four years old to understand the meaning behind his words. He just wanted to see the girl that made Glenn give up everything he once owned.
He saw her now, but she was just a little girl who didn’t know anything.
“Sasha, just because of the fact that your father and I were friends, I will give you a new place. Someone, come here and take her away.”
As soon as the words fell, two people quickly walked in and carried Sasha like a sandbag, ready to leave.
“Since Uncle is a friend of my dad, can you take this little boy with us too?” Sasha asked. The little boy looked confused since they had never met before and he didn’t know where this man was taking them. Why would she make such a request?
The man looked up and saw the little boy in a white shirt, barely conscious against the mountain wall, his lips dry and colorless. He looked seriously ill.
“Why?” he asked.
He was not a good person by any means, even if this little boy was about to lose his life; it wouldn’t evoke any sympathy from him. If he couldn’t survive, it meant that death was his destiny!
Sasha’s voice trembled as she replied, “Because… because I like him!”
Like? That word sounded cute to him.
The man paused for a few seconds before smiling lazily, “How old are you? Do you really understand what ‘like’ means?”
Glenn left the organization for the same reason years ago, just like Benson betrayed him because of Cheyenne.
In Sasha’s world, “like” is just an innocent expression of emotion like how she likes her dad or mom or Oliver and Cierra… It’s an indiscriminate feeling.
But for this boy abandoned by the world, those word was precious beyond measure. His heart suddenly felt warmth inside. No one had ever liked him since he could remember; everyone who saw him showed disgust and hatred.
This girl who had never met him declared that she liked him! Did she really know anything about herself?
The man remained silent for some time while Sasha became worried again. “If you’re my father’s friend, why can’t you even agree to such a small request? I don’t believe you.”
“Hahaha… Sasha, you’re so smart! Since you’re so cute, then Uncle will take him with us.”