Conan Morata

Chapter 8

Conan blinked his eyes and saw old man Poro. He was holding a baseball bat and the armed man who was holding the little girl had now fallen on the ground, unconscious or rather dead.

"What the... You bastard!" 

Before the other man could shot him, Conan forced himself to kicked the gun. It fell to the ground and old man Poro took that chance to finished him off.

"Conan, hurry and get up!"

"It hurts so much! I don't think I can walk!" He cried while trying to stood up. His right leg was numb in pain and his body was trembling.

"You can! Stop being a wimp!"

Old man Poro was in hurry to help him stopped his leg from bleeding. He was in rush as he kept on checking the situation.

"Who are they? What do they want from us? What will happen after this? They're going to destroy everything! We need to—"

Old man Poro grabbed his arm and breathed heavily. "I don't know what they want but they are taking kids and teens at your age."

His eyes widened. "F-For what?"

He didn't answered his question instead, he stared at his eyes intently.

"Listen carefully Conan. I have this feeling long time ago that you are special. There's something in you that I can't name and I know that you can change the world someday. Go outside and find your purpose." 

"O-Old man Poro."

His gripped on him tightened when he saw a group of men that were coming their way. "And one more thing. Garou and Agnes are not your real parents. Your father just appeared one day carrying a baby with him while Agnes was pregnant by Emma that time."

Conan was too shock to even speak. His mouth opened but he can't find a word to say. So he was adopted all the time? Then who was his real parents??

"Hey!"

Old man Poro pulled his body up. He flinched with the contact of his leg to the ground. 

"Go. We don't have much time."

"How about you?" he asked worriedly, eyes glancing to the charging men.

"I'm already old. There's no future for me anymore."

Conan gulped as he tried to control his tears.

"I just have a one request." He looked at him over his shoulders. "Don't ever forget us and the place that you called home. If we can't manage to survive tonight and new generation will soon rise, please come and help them. Give them equal rights that we didn't get to have. End this unending food chain. Can I count you on that?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He don't know why he puts so much trust in him but nonetheless, he still nodded his head. 

Old man Poro smiled. "I wish you all the best luck. Be careful in your next journey."

Conan couldn't help his tears to roll down as he was heading in the entrance. It was disheartening —everything that happened, saw and heard.

The night filled with screams of anguish. Bodies were scattered everywhere and he don't know if they're still alive.

He was panting when he reached the City's entrance. Majority of the residents went here and forcing the gate to open.

Some were crying, others were in the corners while clutching their heads, convincing themselves that everything was just a dream.

"Please let us in! They are killing us!"

Everyone were banging the gate but no one seemed to listen. 

His eyes shifted atop the wall where soldiers were just watching the scene takes place, long guns on their hands.

Conan gritted his teeth. He knew that their life doesn't have a meaning to them but can't they make an exception tonight? Even just tonight?

Everyone were begging for help. They've already threw their pride and dignity yet no one had the heart to respond to it.

Conan looked back to his beloved home. Everything was eaten by fire, every home, every memory that they had created.

"Why are you so cruel! We are not complaining with the life that you gave to us! We just want a peaceful life! Is that even hard to give?!" 

"Shut up!"

One of the soldiers on top fired his riffle in different directions. "One more word and you're all dead! Why don't you just bend on your knees and obey their orders?! Now look at what happened! If you didn't fight then the damage won't be this bad!"

"Keep quiet you say?! You want us to stay silent while they take our kids away?! And you even burned our houses! Everything! How can we supposed to live after this?!"

"Then build again! That simple!"

Conan couldn't believe the words that he had heared. They call them useless yet here they are, taking the youngster's for whatever purpose they might need.

"You fucking people!" The residents went wild and started throwing stones at them.

"Rats!"

Before the soldiers can pull their trigger, a loud explosion was heard on the other side of the gate. The residents went silent as they heard the growing commotion.

The soldiers on top of the building cursed one after another and hurriedly went down. They soon heard the exchange of fire guns and shouts.

Everyone were confused on what was happening on the other side. The residents took cover when a loud explosion occured causing the ground to shake.

Everyone had the same question in their heads.

What was happening?

The fear on their faces doubled when the gate slowly opened. They were eager to go inside earlier but they are now contemplating if it's safe to cross the line.

"Oh my god. The men are coming back! Hurry and enter the City and hide!"

Afraid to be killed, they were left no choice but to enter the gate. 

Conan squeezed in himself to the crowd, enduring the pain in his leg.

"Hurry! Hurry! Let the kids enter first!"

The first thing that they saw were the scattered dead bodies of the soldiers. Their station was destroyed. It was a complete destruction.

Conan's gaze followed the three BMW's that were leaving. They must be the one who caused this skirmish. He didn't know them nor their intention of opening the gate but hope started to grow inside him with the thought that there were still people out there who were willing to help.

The happiness that he was feeling gradually faded when he realized that they were now facing a big problem.

"Where are we going now? We might escaped those armed men but there's no guarantee that we are safe here! They were sure hunt and kill us!"

They were standing in a vast land and not far away were the City lights, tall buildings and skyscrapers.

There were hundreds of them and they started now to fight and argue.

"I'm going back! I don't want each of my family to get killed if authorities found us hiding here. And they might put the blame on us for killing their soldiers."

"What are you saying? Then how about our children? Are we just going to give them?!"

The kids started to cry as they watched their parents fight with each other.

It felt like something was squeezing his heart when the residents yield and accepted defeat. 

It's not that they don't care about their children, they love them too much to the extent of giving them rather than to see them dead.

He breathed heavily while glaring to the men who were approaching the entrance. Crying kids were behind them— hands tied down like some hunted animals.

Conan started to stepped back. It must be good that he was alone as he don't want his family to suffer such deplorable state.

"Conan?"

He looked over the crowd, finding a specific person.

He sighed and bowed his head when he didn't see Mrs. Jones. "Thank you for everything. Everyone, I'm going on ahead, but... I promise that I'll be back."

He wiped his tears, turned his back and started to run in the City.

The residents were stunned with his statement. His words ignites the extinguished fire inside them.

Conan looked back when he heard a footsteps behind him. A weak smile appeared on his lips as he focused his eyes in front.

Few residents decided to gamble and moved forward like him.

Their future in the City was full of uncertainty but if no one will stood up for their rights, nothing will change.

Conan knows that more than anyone else.