Chapter 17 –short- Special Chapter: Remembering
Will rose from his bed and pushed the curtains away, slightly wincing in the sudden burst of sunlight shining through the window.
"Let's see...what do I have? Uh..today is...November 11? What's that flower doing on that day." Will read his calendar. He heard a muffled call through the door, "Hey Will, you up yet?"
"Yeah." As he turned away and prepared himself. As he got his usual style back on, he opened the door which he was hit with the scent of something really good floating from the kitchen. The kind of smell that made your stomach growl with anticipation.
Alyss and Will finished their breakfast and headed down stairs, the front security guy wore a similar type of flower on the right side of his chest.
"Good morning you two, off early?" He nodded as they passed.
Alyss flashed a bright smile, "Yep!"
Will became more and more aware as they stepped out on to the side walk, nearly everyone around them had the flower. He then saw Daniela waiting around, she notices them and turns away.
Alyss cheerfully greets her, "Good morning! Good night sleep?"
Daniela nodded, "Right."
Will noticed the same flower again on her coat and points to it, "What's with that red flower anyway?"
She looks down at it and turned away from him, "Something."
Alyss nudged Will, "I think it's something about today?"
The ranger looked at her, "No really..."
Somewhat hurt, Alyss questions again rephrasing Will's original inquiry, "So....something I should also have too?"
Daniela sighed and visibly, saw the shoulders go up and down.
"Today is a day where we remember about those people who died to protect the right of freedom." She explained.
"Uh...?"
Daniela rummaged through her bag and pulled out an information pamphlet about the history and the rest of the good stuff.
"Wow, a day just for remembering about soldiers who died?" Will asked which Daniela nodded.
Will thought about the past, also the fact his father was also a soldier too who died in battle against Morgarath.
"I see..." Will said with his mind off in another dimension.
Daniela saw some pain his displayed in his eyes, "I'm sorry."
Will shrugged, "It's okay. Of course, there are a lot of things that has happened."
Louise jumps down from the wall beside them, "Heeeyyyy!"
Alyss yelped in surprise at the unexpected face, "-what? AH!"
"So Will, what day is it today?" Louise asked.
Will replied without a second thought, "Remembrance day or something?"
Louise took a few steps backwards, "W-what?! Oh my sparrows Will! COULD THIS MEAN..."
There was a pause. A very long pause.
"Mean...?"Alyss started.
Again, silence stretched. Then Daniela sighed loudly and began walking away towards the direction of the school entrance.
"..Will finally know an event day!"
Will shook his head and jerked his thumb behind him, "She told me." And waved the paper in her face which her head hanged down, staring at the ground.
Alyss lightly pats her back, "Come on, we've been only been here for a couple weeks, we can't know everything now can we?"
"Sure.."
They heard the obnoxious bell ring in the distance, "Welp, that's the bell. Let's get moving."
Louise muttered, "They really need to change the bell ring, it's really wearing down on our school name."
Will waved his hand and started singing, "Oh Redmount High, we are one might, who can put up an unexpected figh-"
"Can you not?"
Alyss continued as she ran down the walkway, "Bring! Bring! Bring it up! We can stand towards if we put our minds to go for-ward!"
Louise screeched, "Not you tooooo!"
Will sighed and randomly commented, "I wonder where can I get one of those poppies."
Louise pointed to one of the guys at the door, "They're distributing them now."
Practically, the whole school was busy with organizing some things. Throughout the day, his mind was in the past. Back at the cabin and the constant feeing of practicing shooting the bow, every sense of satisfaction of the arrow hitting right where he wanted it. How the sun shined and the birds around chirped with a somewhat melodic tone, as if there were some intent conversations fired between each bird.
As they closed in around 10:30am, Chris, the team captain ran up to Will.
"Will! I need your help."
Raising his eyebrow, there wasn't much left to do. He accepts the plea of help.
Ooo
"Wait WHAT? Come ON I can't.." Will protested as he saw the big crowd as nearly everyone in the school was gathered there.
Will whispered to Chris who gestured encouragingly, "That will make everyone hear you better."
He looked doubtfully at the little black stub on sticking off the podium. Everyone was still chatting, and they needed some time staller before the place gets out of hand. Will was their vote, of all times he thought.
"But that's not the problem..." Will turned his head which he was gently shoved onto the stage.
"Well...ahem." Will spoke into the little black thing, slightly surprised how loud and clear the sound reached to the smallest corner of the room.
Everyone's eyes and teachers looked at the speaker. Surprised that it was someone they known but not known.
"Uh..." Will utterly was shaking mentally. There was a ton of people and this was completely thrown right in front of him within a few seconds, think of something that can relate to today.
Will mutters, "Right, why couldn't you get Miss. Holiday herself Louise?"
The nervous ranger cleared his throat, "Well...Hi all."
The rest of calmed down, it was close to dead silent.
Think! Think! Something! Anything- Will then came up with an idea.
"So let's go with a story. A long time ago, there was a great kingdom. Everyone was loyal to the king but one." Will started and he finally saw Alyss who was at the edge and nodded with a radiant smile.
With that encouragement, he continued, "One baron, who had relentless and a twisted mind, sought after power. As any bad person would, but a great team defeated him and his large army. Heroes maybe be those knights who led the battle, scouts and spies who reported with accuracy."
He paused, noting that everyone was actually paying attention to his half-real story. He continued on for about 12 minutes, he didn't even notice the war vet was already inside the auditorium, wanting to listen to Will's interesting and lively story. Describing down to the closest detail. Not one person in that room couldn't picture what he was saying.
"Of course it was those people with skills and impressive minds that won the battle, it was also the minor soldiers who also help defeat the opposition." Will spoke.
Everyone looked at each other, confused muttering "what".
"A great man, merely a low soldier who was a farm hand. Defeated many enemy men, emotionless things that weren't scare of anything..but that soldier. He protected another man who he didn't know with his life." Will spoke, holding back a choke.
The air in the room stood still, quietness settled if it was even possible.
"He lost his life to protect him, managed something an ordinary soldier had done that even the man he protected..was a knight." Will said.
There was a low whisper around the room.
"Not that so, if it wasn't each of the soldiers to help create a strong force of a unit...say a javelin or spear thrower, one won't do much. One hundred? That's another story...always even you didn't lose someone, think about your friend or extended ones who had...just like me. Didn't know my father when he passed. Thanks." Will finished. There was utter silence as he walked off stage, everyone was resisting the urge to clap, since this was a formal session.
Chris went up on stage and puts a hand on Will's shoulder, "That was great. You went over time, but it was good enough. Sent a clear message, good job."
Will nodded and went towards the back. Which Alyss did too.
"Alright, thanks Will for that. Let me introduce the war veteran, who was also..."
Ooo
Will leaned on the tree outside on the field, cherry blossom petals fell as the wind blew. Alyss saw him and strode over. She sat down right beside him and leaned on him.
"That was a good story." She comments.
Will nodded, "Sure."
"Certainly I knew what you were talking about right?" Alyss asks with conviction.
Will nodded again, "Definitely. Anyway it's well in the past." Pausing about how well in the past it was, " Even if we were talking about this then, it's far back."
It was Alyss' turn to nod. "I was surprised, didn't know you were going to go up."
Will shrugged, "Neither did I, Chris needed someone and they got me up there to buy time. Since the host guy wasn't going to make it on time to the hold up on...cars? That thing where there are too much cars...car jam?"
"Traffic Jam."
"Right."
They sat in silence under the shade of the tree from the sun and bright blue sky with little amount of puffy white clouds.
"Will?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think we'll ever go back to where we originally came from?"
Will thought about it, "Even I don't know."
"Oh. That's okay."
He slowly slid down, till he sat right beside her and then puts an arm around Alyss and pulled her closer who leaned close to him. Both of them watched the beautiful pink and white petals drift like snowflakes.
Heyooooo
Well right now we have a day called Remembrance Day. Nov11 talking about the vets served/serving in the war and its lost lives. People who have that in their country probably have a special day for that, it goes with that too.(Veteran's day or Armistice Day etc.) Canada is on this day so yeah...anywayy..
Pulse!