THE EAR ARCHER Part 1 (Completed) #wattys2022

RAIN

Sefth grabbed one of the sisters
"how do you call for a retreat? "
"we....... "
"save it,  just do it,  get your sisters out, get them out now.
A hand full of sisters who heard the call fled, those that  didn't were slaughtered.
The company was able to slip back unnoticed to Ferdil's home.

Rutherford slithered cautiously, the streets were filled with dead bodies. The amount of sisters killed were beyond sad.
He made it back to Ferdil's house. Finally, he would be reunited with his family.
He would abandon Xan and lead his family someplace else,  someplace safe where they would be a family.
He walked into find his colleagues sitting around, fear evident on their faces.
On a normal day, he would have asked after their well being but he didn't care, he had no interest in them..
He scanned the room, Ferdil was playing with a soup spoon, Gob and Dalian were curled up against the wall and the rest of the team were in similar positions.
He didn't see her

"where is she? " he asked directing the question to no one in particular.
"she's gone " Ferdil replied.
"she left this" Ferdil dipped his hands into his pants and produced the blue pipe.
He walked up to Rutherford and placed it in his shaky hands.
"she left words"
"I want to hear it" Rutherford muffled trying to choke back tears.
"my heart" Ferdil began to recite
"do you remember the first time we met?, you were a recruit. You met me on the streets of Xan trying to drag some hay home.
You picked it up effortlessly and told me you would always carry my burdens as long as I stayed by your side.
All these years, you carried not just my burdens but our children's burden and you've never complained.
Am sorry,i can't stay by your side anymore. I have changed too much.
I will train your children in a manner that you will be proud. All I ask in return is that you drop the hay, drop the hay and live.
I love you Rutherford, always did, always will"
"you memorized all that?" Rutherford joked faking a small laugh.

" I have a good memory " Ferdil replied.
Rutherford broke down and cried, the cry of a man who lost everything.