Chapter 8:
Sila woke up, alone in the woods, not knowing what to do.
“Grand,” he yelled, “Grand, where are you?”
Sila cried, “I’m a failure, Grand. I can’t help you. Why?”
Sila walked around the woods crying.
“I’ve got to find Cheewin and Kaew,” said Sila, “I wonder, did they take Kaew, too?”
Sila was so mad at himself that he slammed his knuckles into the tree.
“Why, why, why?” yelled Sila, “Why does it have to be like this?”
He stood there crying the whole time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cheewin and Kaew walked around the forest.
“Cheewin, I smell smoke. Where is it coming from?” said Kaew.
“Let’s go look,” said Cheewin.
Both ran to the place. There they saw a river and a burnt out fireplace.
“Sila and Grand must be here somewhere,” said Cheewin.
“I don’t think they’re here,” said Kaew, “I don’t smell them anywhere.”
“Really?” said Cheewin, “Then…do you smell them like from far away.”
“No,” said Kaew, “I need to get somewhere closer to them.”
“Then let’s go this way,” Cheewin pointed.
Kaew nodded and followed Cheewin.
As Kaew and Cheewin walks, Kaew’s been concentrating on smelling.
Then Kaew stopped.
“I think I smell Sila,” said Kaew, “but I don’t smell Grand anywhere. Why?”
“I don’t know, but I think Grand probably went to catch them food or something,” said Cheewin.
“I guess so,” said Kaew, “I think we’re getting close though.”
Cheewin nodded.
They continued walking until they heard someone crying.
Cheewin grabbed Kaew to hide behind a tree.
“Shh” said Cheewin.
“But…” said Kaew.
Cheewin covered Kaew’s mouth, “Don’t say anything, it might be a vampire.”
Cheewin took out his sword and said, “Kaew, you stay here.”
Kaew nodded and say, “But Cheewin…”
Cheewin shook his head and put his hand up to silence Kaew.
Cheewin walked quietly over to the person.
“Why?” said the person, “Why?”
Cheewin realized it was Sila’s voice.
“Sila, is that you?” asked Cheewin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sila heard Cheewin. “Is it really Cheewin? Has he come?” thought Sila.
“Yes, it’s me,” said Sila.
Cheewin put his sword back, “What happened to Grand?”
Sila looked down with a face of sympathy.
“The vampires came and took Grand. She gave herself away to keep me alive,” said Sila, with tears rolling down his face.
“Really?” said Cheewin.
“Have they took Kaew, too?” asked Sila, looking up.
“No, they haven’t,” said Cheewin. Then he turned around and said, “Kaew, come out.”
Kaew stepped out and said, “Cheewin, I was trying to say it was Sila, but you didn’t listen.”
“Oh, no wonder. I’m sorry. I’ll listen next time okay?” said Cheewin.
“Alright,” said Kaew and she smiled.
Sila, looking at Cheewin and Kaew made him even more sad because Grand wasn’t right by his side.
“Cheewin is so lucky,” thought Sila, “Why?”
Then Kaew walked away from Cheewin and walked right toward Sila.
“I’m sorry,” said Kaew.
“It’s okay,” said Sila.
Sila tried to hold back his tears, but he just couldn’t.
“I don’t know if I can get my sister back,” said Kaew, “All of us have broken our promise. I don’t think my Chief would forgive me either.”
“I agree,” said Cheewin.
“If only there was one world,” said Sila, “things wouldn’t be like this.”
“We have to think of a plan,” said Cheewin.
“No,” said Kaew, “I’m not one of those people who waste their time thinking of a plan. I just do what I need to do.”
“We’ll just have to try,” continued Sila.
Cheewin looked at Kaew and smiled, “You are one tough lady.”
Kaew smiled back, “I guess.”
“Let’s go,” said Kaew, “There’s no time to waste.”
“But I don’t have anything to bring with me,” said Sila, “The vampires took all of my weapons and supplies. All I have with me is the crystal that Master gave me.”
“What crystal?” asked Kaew.
“Our Master gave it to us to protect ourselves from vampires. I don’t feel like using it, or else it might hurt Grand too,” said Sila.
“Alright,” said Kaew.
“We’ll think about that later,” said Cheewin, “Maybe, you can use some of my weapons.”
Sila nodded.
“Let’s go then,” said Kaew again.
Sila smiled as he walks along with Kaew and Cheewin, hoping to see Grand again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Throughout the whole time Kaew was walking, she kept thinking, “That’s weird. Sila and Cheewin have a crystal like Grand and me.”
Kaew thought back when she was young, and when her parents were alive.
Kaew and Grand’s parents used to read them a romantic story. It was about a couple who had two crystals.
When they put it together, they turn into loving birds.
Kaew thought if that story was really true. Or was it just some story someone made up?
Kaew thought too much on the way, that she almost trip.
“Are you okay?” asked Cheewin.
“Yes,” said Kaew.
Cheewin smiled at Kaew and she smiled back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What do you need?” said Grand, not looking at the Chief.
“Why did you refuse to do what I said?” said the Chief.
“Sorry sir,” said Grand, “Kill me if you want. I don’t have anything in this world anymore. No parents. No more love because someone here has to destroy that for me!”
“Grand…how dare you?” said the Chief, as he was about to slap Grand, but then he stopped.
The Chief looked at Grand as tears were rolling down her cheeks. “How can I hurt such a poor lady?” thought the Chief.
“I’m going to have to do this,” said the Chief.
“Go ahead,” said Grand, “Do anything you want with me. I don’t care.”
“Guards, keep her lock up and never let her out. After that, we’ll go find Kaew. If she refuses like you, she’ll be locked up with you,” said the Chief.
“No, I don’t want you to ruin Kaew’s relationship,” yelled Grand and the guards were pulling her away.
“And about the boys, I’ll decide if we let them go, or eat them,” said the Chief.
“No,” yelled Grand, as she was pulled through the doorway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“How far is it until we get to the vampire’s place?” asked Sila.
“About weeks,” replied Kaew, “But for vampires, it doesn’t take long if you run or fly. But I don’t want to right now, because you guys are humans.”
Sila was so worried about Grand that he can’t even walk straight.
“Don’t worry, Sila,” said Kaew, “We’ll find Grand soon. If I get captured, it’s going to have to be you two.”
Cheewin nodded, “But I won’t let you go to them.”
Kaew smiled with tears, knowing that she’ll get captured.
Cheewin wiped away her tears and said, “I’ll protect you. That’s what I promised remember?”
Kaew nodded and smiled, “Yes.”
“Sila, let’s go find a place to rest. Tomorrow, we’ll start our trip again,” said Cheewin.
“I don’t want to rest. Let’s keep going,” said Sila.
“Sila, you look tired, just rest. Vampires are our people. They won’t hurt Grand at all. I know our Chief won’t dare,” said Kaew.
“You sure?” asked Sila.
“I’m sure. They won’t dare hurt her,” said Kaew.
“They DID hurt her,” said Sila, crying.
“No they didn’t,” said Kaew.
“Yes, they did,” yelled Sila, “They hurt her heart.”
Silence came to Kaew. She sat down on the ground and thought.
“I guess they did hurt her,” said Kaew, quietly.
“Sila, calm down. The vampires won’t even hurt her. And I mean hurt, like hitting her or something,” said Cheewin.
“I’m sorry,” said Kaew.
“It’s okay,” said Sila, “I was a little bit exaggerated.”
“Let’s go find a place to stay,” said Kaew, “Tomorrow we can get back on the road.”
Sila nodded.
Three of them walked away, wondering what would come to them next.