Last Ones

Chapter 4

“Yes little one?” The baritone voice of his old man answered cheerfully when the call finally went through.

“Help.” was all Alain managed to say, and even that was in a whisper.

“I'm on my way little one, hold on and try your best to calm down and breath.” The older man replied in a serious and concerned, but soothing tone.

When Alain heard that his pa was on his way the phone slipped from his hand and he broke into silent sobs. He curled up on the bench and and hugged himself so much that his sides hurt.

He was shivering and sobbing mess and had difficulty to breath. He prayed that his pa would be there in the short time and held on. Not allowing his conscience to slip away. He knew if he allowed it then everything he was experiencing at that moment would seem like a child's play.

One image after another started popping up in his head. Fire, their faces, tears, pain, darkness, inability to move or break away. It was making his state worse and worse and no matter what he did he was not able to take his mind away from his nightmares and terrors. Fears and pain that were torturing him every single day for years already haunted him again.

It hurt, hurt so badly that he just wanted it to stop, to feel numb, to go away. So he uttered a single word“help, in a barely audible voice that was so broken that it was simply soul-wrecking, once again.

Suddenly, he felt someone touch his shoulder. His head snapped up in alarm. His vision was blurry because of tears and headache that was killing his way into his very soul. The pain was eating him away. He did not recognize the man that touched him which worsened his panic even further.

“Hey, beautiful, look up. yeah, good job… I mean no harm… good... now what made a gorgeous flower like you fall in such a state?... hmm, listen to my voice honey… take a deep breath, no need to kill me with a glare… good job, now exhale... once more... good... you are doing great…”

The deep voice sounded in the quiet park. It was not as deep as Alain’s father's but it was rougher and made goosebumps appear all over Alain’s body. He was rather pissed off by the forms of address that the man was using to calm him down, but his voice did wonders. He did not feel that he was about to die from the lack of oxygen anymore.

He felt the man touch his hands which made him tense up immediately. He tried to pry them away, but the man had a death grip. Alain felt his breathing picking up again which made him panic even more. His body started trembling much stronger as he actually choked and started coughing non-stop.

“Shhh, little one, you were holding onto your sides too strongly, you were harming yourself... no need to fear me, try to breath deeply... good... you are going to be fine... inhale... exhale… good job…”

Alain felt big warm hands surround his ice-cold shivering ones. For some reason this simple action from the unknown man reassured him and helped him to somehow take control over his breathing; to some extent that is.

It was at that moment when Alain and the man heard engine of Range Rover. Alain was relieved to hear the sound. He would recognize pa’s car's sound anywhere.

True enough, soon he heard that worried baritone voice calling out to him asking if he was okay and spitting thousand curses at the poor man who tried his best to calm Alain down. The man was rendered speechless as he listened.

Alain felt embarrassed by his pa’s protective antics and whispered out pa he was helping out.” as soon as his words were out the surroundings turned deathly silent. Josh (pa) sized up the man his son actually defended despite his mental state, up and down, weighing pros and cons he grabbed the said man's hand and dragged him into the car. Then, he gently took Alain into his hands and seated him down at the back of the vehicle. He asked the man to take care of him for a little while longer.

The man was stunned speechless. Josh even suspected that he was mute to begin with, so he did not even wait for the answer. He closed the doors and drove or rather raced his way home.