Ashes

East Saint was a picturesque village nestled between two rolling hills, its houses and shops standing proud against the backdrop of the meandering river and lush green fields.

Two young boys, Ethan and Ryder, were among its inhabitants, their laughter often echoing through the planes as they explored their surroundings. The sun always seemed to shine a little brighter here than elsewhere in the country, each day passing by in a blissful haze of contentment. They had been living in a foster home since they were young children, taken away from their parents at a young age. Despite this, they built close relationships with the other kids in the home and grew to love the small village that surrounded it. Every day brought something new and exciting and they soon felt as if this place was their true home, truly loved by all who lived there.

The young boys, barely eleven years of age, would spend their evenings engaged in an exciting yet friendly game of football amongst themselves. The boys would often play football on their own field. The field had been outlined using rough wooden sticks that jutted out beyond the perimeter of the boundary line. Each piece was carefully assembled and securely fastened, forming a sturdy framework that would last for years to come. The wood had been carefully chosen, its quality and strength tested long before construction began. With each final nail hammered in place, the structure was complete - a testament to the immense effort and skill of those who crafted it.

Years ago, the village was just an empty expanse of land, devoid of life and activity. Slowly but surely, families began to move into the area and soon a small settlement was established. Over time it flourished into a peaceful community, with good-natured people living in harmony with each other. David Adams had been instrumental in the growth and success of the village; he had worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those who called it home. He eventually rose to become mayor of this tranquil village.

It was a tense game between Ethan and Ryder, the silence occasionally punctuated by their cheers and jeers. Suddenly, they heard a distinctive whirring noise above them, and looked up to see a shadowy figure slowly coming into view. An object was flying ominously over them, its presence sending chills down their spines - nobody knew what it meant, or who was watching from up above. It was very rare to see one flying so close to them. Without warning, a mysterious object emerged from the object, small and menacing. It seemed to hover in the air for a moment before slowly descending towards the ground below. It was unclear what it was or where it had come from, but whatever it was, it could not be ignored. A feeling of dread filled the air as the object continued its descent, until finally disappearing out of sight...As they thought.

Suddenly, the world around them shifted. A deafening roar filled the air as the building next to them crumbled, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the sky. Screams of terror echoed in their ears as everyone inside it was crushed beneath its weight. The sheer horror of witnessing such devastation left them in a state of shock, unable to comprehend what had just happened before their eyes. Ethan and Ryder's ears were filled with the torturous ringing from the devastating blast. They felt their bodies shake and their hearts pounding in fear, succumbing to the terror of the moment. As the deafening sound of bombs filled the air, the terrified children were dragged off of the field by their panicked foster parents. Ryder and Ethan began to cry uncontrollably as bombs started dropping around them. With their hearts in dread, they looked up to the sky, only to see the horrifying sight of a tree that had been hit by a bomb falling onto their foster parents.

There was nothing they could do but stand in shock as life was mercilessly taken away right before their eyes. Ethan's heart stopped as he watched in horror, the sky becoming a rain of artillery and explosives. He couldn't believe his eyes, feeling like he was living a nightmare as he heard the sound of hundreds of bombs descending from the heavens. Time was running out and they had to find a safe place away from the deadly bombs. Everywhere they looked, there was danger - the explosions were so close and it seemed like their only hope of survival was to locate somewhere secure, somewhere far away from the destruction. With shaking hands, they scoured the area for any sign of refuge before it was too late.

Ethan, then realized the sorrow of the moment. His foster parents were dead. Ethan began to shake and sob, mourning his loving parents'. Tears streamed down his face, unable to hold back the overwhelming emotions flooding his mind.

Ethan made a concerted effort to get Ryder's attention, as if he were trying to tell him something. His words were urgent and filled with unspoken meaning. It became clear that they had to leave the community immediately, and that unless they did so quickly, it would be too late. Ryder was told to follow close behind Ethan as they made their way towards what they knew would be the one safe area beyond the explosion—their makeshift treehouse.

The two of them ran with fierce determination, their feet pounding against the ground as they raced to get out of harm's way. They could hear the thundering booms and see flares of light in the distance, urging them on even faster. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached their destination and went inside.

After climbing the creaky ladder to the treehouse, they finally felt secure - or so they thought. The world below them seemed still and quiet in the dim moonlight, but something looming in the darkness made them uneasy. The flying object suddenly soared above them as it took a route of escape.

Ethan stretched his arm up to the treehouse balcony and grabbed the brown bag, the rough fabric scraping against his palm. He hoisted it onto his shoulder, feeling its unusual weight as he climbed up the tree. Ethan roared with defiance, "Not my village!" With a resolute conviction, he leaped off the treehouse and grabbed onto the flying object, taking a bold leap of faith. He was determined to revenge his people and he knew no obstacle was too great for him to overcome.

Ethan stared up in wonder as he pondered how he managed to grab onto the helicopter. His heart was pounding rapidly in his chest, excitement coursing through him. Ryder peered back as he was collecting supplies from the treehouse and noticed Ethan on the object, desperately trying to rush to join as well. Unfortunately, his attempt was unsuccessful.

Ryder slipped off and began to fall...

Ethan was filled with worry as he quickly acted. He grasped the bar firmly in his left hand before shimmying down and grasping Ryder's arm tightly. The object began to creak as Ethan tried to lift Ryder up. Ryder was trembling in shock and on the brink of screaming out in terror. With strength and courage, he firmly secured Ryder onto the waiting flyer.

Ethan suddenly realized that their time in the sky was coming to an end. It was only a matter of time before the pilot noticed them or the bomber found them. Then he took a small object from his bag, revealing a shiny metal pocketknife. Ethan roared out and with every ounce of strength he had, plunged the knife deep into the object's engine in an effort to bring it to a halt.

"HANG ON!" He shouted frantically as sparks flew from the blades, trying his best to keep both himself and his friend safe. Suddenly, the blade flew out of the engine, inching closer and closer to Ethan's face. He held his breath, not knowing what was coming next. Would he end up with a close shave or something even worse?

Ethan leapt from the aircraft, a thin white line of scar tissue now sitting proudly on his forehead. It would serve as a reminder of his narrow escape from certain disaster, a reminder he wore with courage and pride. However, Ethan was falling... Ryder's voice echoed loudly in the night, shouting out Ethan's name with a desperate plea. But, Ethan's plan had worked and the helicopter was becoming increasingly erratic - falling quickly from the sky before it began wildly looping around in circles. Ryder's fingers were slipping, every second closer to falling from the sky. His breath was coming in short, sharp gasps as his feet desperately sought purchase on the thin legs of the aircraft he was clinging onto. He felt a bead of sweat trickle down the back of neck as he teetered precariously in mid-air, his eyes wide with fear at what awaited if he let go.

Ryder's heart sank as he heard the shrill ringing of an alarm echoing throughout the aircraft. He knew all too well what that meant; they had discovered his presence. Ryder finally spotted his chance and saw a large bramble bush in the distance. He quickly jumped, plummeting through the sky as he made his way. With the chopper still flying overhead, Ryder landed into the bush just as it began to pass by. The aircraft had been ripped apart by the impact of the crash, it's metal frame twisted and mangled from the force. Fire quickly engulfed the wreckage as it came to rest at the peak of the mountain, smoke billowing up against an empty sky. The sound of sirens echoed in the distance.

Ryder awoke in agony, his eyes adjusting to the harsh morning light. He glanced down at himself, noticing how his once-pristine clothes had been torn and ripped apart as he had lain motionless in the undergrowth. His shirt was tattered and stained with dirt and blood, while his trousers were marred by countless rips and holes where sharp branches of shrubbery had pierced through the fabric. Ryder cried out "Ethan!" with a desperate edge to his voice. Ryder forced himself to his feet, his eyes frantically darting around the area. He realized that he was in the middle of a desolate wasteland, with no sign of Ethan anywhere. Ryder made the brave decision to turn away from the mountain, forgoing his chance to revenge his village by killing the bomber. He instinctively knew he needed to find Ethan, and so limped back along the treacherous path to reunite with his best friend. Despite any possible dangers that awaited them, it was a risk he was willing to take because ultimately their friendship mattered more than anything else.

He stumbled upon Ethan, crumpled against a spiny, vine-covered tree. His left leg was covered in crimson blood, the source a deep wound inflicted by his own pocket knife. What remained of his clothes were stained and saturated with the lifeblood that had been swiftly drained from his body, creating an utterly gruesome sight.

Ryder rushed towards his friend, the urgency of the situation weighing heavily on his mind. Ethan's skin was pale and waxy, making Ryder worry that he was already too late to save him. He grabbed hold of Ethan's shoulders and tried to wake him up but to no avail; it seemed like Ethan had already passed away....

Ethan jolted awake with a loud gasp, his eyes creaking open as the brightness of the sun filled his vision. He felt a cold sweat covering his body and his heart racing in fear. His eyes focused on Ryder. Ethan tried to recall the sequence of events that had taken place, but all he could ask himself was: "What happened?".

"Ethan... Our village was bombed. Our peaceful village, destroyed just like that... And nobody survived but us."

A sudden rush of memories overwhelmed Ethan, paralyzing him with fear. He couldn't help but gasp as the horrifying flashbacks raced through his mind, a barrage of traumatic images that threatened to overwhelm him. The vivid recollections pierced straight through his soul and left him trembling with anxiety. Ethan disregarded this fear and turned it into anger.

Ethan advanced up the mountain determined to take out the bomber, tying only his leg with a bandana from his bag. Ryder however, pleaded with him to turn back and not continue on with his mission, which sparked an argument between them.

No matter how hard Ethan tried to convince Ryder, he refused to let him continue. His mind was made up and he wouldn't back down. In the heat of the moment, Ethan lost his temper and pushed Ryder away in frustration. Knowing how important it was for Ethan, Ryder jumped at the chance to be there for him, determined to support him no matter what happened.

To their disbelief, the bomber was nowhere to be found when they arrived. Ethan moved towards the ruined helicopter with a rage-filled stride, angrily picking up a rock and hurling it towards the debris with all his might.

He bellowed in anger, stepping away from the wreckage with an unbridled fury still coursing through him. Ethan was getting too close to the helicopter, and Ryder cautioned him not to go any further. He warned that there could be bombs left in the aircraft, and he urged Ethan to stay away from it, just as a precaution.

"Besides, what would we do to the bomber? We're just kids, and he's probably a trained soldier." Ryder said.

"Doesn't matter. He needs to pay for the destruction he has caused." Ethan responded.

"Well, we have time to heal up, so let's take that time. We can't stand a chance if we can barely walk." Ryder said.

The night sky was illuminated by the orange glow of the bonfire they had built, its light casting shadows on the ground that flickered and danced in time with the flames. They chose a spot beneath a large tree to take shelter and rest, hoping that they could find the elusive bomber during their watch. They sat near the fire in silence, their eyes peeled for any sign of movement as they huddled together against the cold. Ryder and Ethan, however, grew more and more exhausted until eventually their eyelids fluttered shut, their heads lulling forward as they slipped into a deep slumber.

As the morning sun started to wash over them, Ryder's clear voice broke the relative silence of the morning. "We should go back to the village and gather whatever supplies are left."

"I agree." Ethan said.

Visiting their treehouse always filled them with a sense of nostalgia and joy. The sight of the familiar wooden structure, built with their own two hands long ago, stirred up memories of laughter and friendship from days long since past. They would often find themselves lost in thought as they surveyed the tree house, remembering moments of fun and adventure that had taken place there. They found solace and comfort in the knowledge that this special place had been there for them all these moments, unchanged by the bombs. They climbed inside the treehouse, but they could see that nothing of worth remained. The room's walls were barren and cracked, cobwebs stretching along their length. Dust particles swirled around in a faint light that trickled through the shuttered windows, giving the room an ethereal atmosphere. Furniture was overturned or broken beyond repair and there were no usable tools or materials in sight.

"Let's check out the cotton shop. My shirt's torn." Ethan said.

" Sure, my shirt is also torn." Ryder responded.

They made their way to the ruins and were met with a tragic scene. Everywhere they looked, all that was left was debris and destruction; the cotton shop completely wiped out by the bombing. Even amongst the rubble, they could see pieces of clothing that had somehow survived; although they were even more tattered and torn than Ethan's shirt is. Ryder and Ethan coughed as they pulled pieces of fabric from the rubble to fashion makeshift masks, desperately trying to protect their lungs from the noxious fumes that filled the air. The acrid smoke burned their eyes and throats, leaving a bitter taste in their mouths.

With a heavy heart, they sprinted to their foster home, only to find it reduced to rubble. Panic set in as they searched desperately for Ethan's leg bandages and medication, but there was no sign of them. A sinking feeling descended as the reality of their situation sank in-- What would they do now?