“Mortis, wake up”

 The sound of raindrops hitting the windows and the wind howling outside was loud, but inside of the house, it was completely silent. A small light flickered on in one of the rooms and the sounds of the wind were drowned out by the soft hum of the light bulb.  The lights flickered again before shutting off altogether, leaving the room dark and almost unnerving. 

“Lets go, Mortis”  Jakob said softly, his voice barely audible. He had his hands clasped behind his back as he looked around the darkened room slowly. 

There was no response from the boy standing at the door frame to the bedroom. He was still wearing his night clothes, a thin black tank top, loose shorts, and shoes. “let me get ready, uncle” said mortis in his sleepy voice, looking up at his uncle with a tired smile on his face. His hair was sticking to his face and neck and he looked like he hadn’t slept all night.

“I want you to go downstairs with me, Mortis. Your father will be here any minute. We are going to have a chat” said Jakob calmly, his voice unwavering. 

Mortis put on a denim jeans jacket over his tank top then grabbed his backpack, stuffing it into the bag quickly. As he zipped the bag closed, the light flickered again and he saw the faint outlines of the shadows of his uncle through the thin curtains of the window. He frowned at the sight of the shadow on his window.

“Come on now. Hurry up! I know your father is waiting for us. Go downstairs quickly now and we can leave right after” said Jakob again, not taking his eyes off his nephew. The light flickered again and Mortis heard the sound of the wind outside and rain beginning to fall outside.

His father was present at the dinner table when they finally got there and Mortis sat quietly next to his father on one side while Jakob took the seat next to him at the head of the table. Their dinner was quiet, with the only sound being the soft clinking of silverware against the plates in the silence. They continued eating without saying anything until Mortis spoke up first. 

“Is there something wrong, dad?” He asked, glancing briefly at his face.

His father stopped chewing, swallowing before speaking. “Mortis, you are leaving with your uncle later today, I am leaving this country for some time” said his father as he put down his knife and fork on his plate.

“But…” Mortis tried to protest, his brow creasing in confusion at his father's words. He didn't understand what was happening. They were leaving so soon? He hadn't finished eating yet. Why did they have to leave so soon? 

“Remember, son, do what he says. He knows best” said Jakob. Mortis nodded silently, looking down at his plate. He couldn't help feeling scared. He wanted to ask questions but he felt that would just upset his father even more. 

The silence was broken by the vibration of mobile phone that was kept on the dinner table. Jakob picked it up and answered the phone with an annoyed sigh. He began talking in German to whoever was on the other end of the line, Mortis could tell it was some sort of business call that Jakob was having to take care of, and Mortis continued to eat the food in front of him.

“Anthony.. we are doomed, they are here” said Jakob in a panicked voice . “They found us” he continued and Mortis looked up with concern written on his face.

Jakob hung up the call after speaking briefly with someone else. The atmosphere in the house grew darker. It was obvious that whatever his uncle told his father earlier on had changed his mood drastically.

“Tell our men to guard the house, save my son Jakob” Anthony  said calmly. He turned to look at Mortis for the first time and Mortis swallowed nervously. He noticed the bags under his father's eyes and knew that whatever he told Anthony must have been really bad. Anthony stood up and kissed Mortis's forehead before walking away. Jakob was left alone with Mortis who remained seated at the table.

“Lets go Mortis” Jakob said in  a calm voice as he held Mortis's hand and helped him stand up.

Mortis followed along silently. The two walked fast towards the garage where their fathers car was located. They arrived there quickly. Mortis opened the trunk of the car and placed his backpack there, then shut the trunk of the car and locked it. Jakob opened the front door of the car

 and climbed in.

“We need to hurry, Mortis. Get in the backseat” said Jakob calmly.

Suddenly the gates  that blocked entrance of the property from the road to the house opened up and several vans filled up with armed guards poured out through the gate as though it was nothing more than empty air. 

The sound of screeching tires echoed around the area and Mortis gasped loudly when two armoured cars drove straight towards them. The sound of guns shooting and bullets firing were deafening, and Mortis covered his ears. His legs were shaking and he tried to step away. “Get into your Father’s Car Mortis, its bulletproof. we have to get out of here  now” he said hurriedly. Mortis obeyed and jumped into the back seat. The doors locked and the engine roared to life.

Mortis sat there stunned as he watched the soldiers surrounding him. The car swerved and jolted as shots were fired everywhere around them. Mortis looked back at the house through the backwindow of the car and saw it engulfed in flames and smoke.

Jakob was gripping onto the steering wheel tightly and looking ahead through the rear view mirror to see where their driver would steer. The car slowed down and moved forward, making its way across the large road. Mortis gripped the arm rest on the back seat of the car tightly. 

“Mortis, wake up” Jakob shouted into Mortis’s face, shaking him awake.

“Dad” mumbled Mortis groggily, waking up immediately.

A few seconds passed between them and Mortis started breathing heavily, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

“Are we safe now?

“what?, lets go Mortis” said Jakob in a  harsh tone.

Mortis came into senses and felt so relaxed by the smell of his bedroom. Everything was fine and he was fine and they were okay, but it wasn't until Jakob's gentle voice broke his moment of euphoria that he realised exactly where they were.

He looked around and realised they were in his house and felt deja vu wash over him.

“It's okay Mortis, let's go” said Jakob

Mortis looked at the flickering light and the buzzing sound it made and he felt he is reliving  it again.

Everything happened all over again.

“I want you to go downstairs with me, Mortis. Your father will be here any minute. We are going to have a chat” said Jakob calmly looking at the startled face of Mortis. “I know Uncle”. Mortis rushed to the dinner table and saw his dad  sitting there and talking on the phone.

Mortis hugged his dad tightly.

“I thought you were dead Dad” he said quietly. “I missed you so much” Mortis whispered sadly.

“What are you saying Mortis?, Did you eavesdrop while i was on call?” asked his father in a firm tone, staring sternly into Mortis's eyes.

“No, this house was burning. There were men in vans carrying guns, shooting” said Mortis, looking at his father in fear and sadness. Tears started rolling down his cheeks as he continued talking to his father, who seemed to be trying to calm him down and make sure he was okay. Anthony stared at his son with wide eyes. 

“Are you playing video games all night, Mortis?” his father  said sternly, getting up from his chair and standing in front of Mortis who was crying softly.

“Mortis, answer my question” he insisted, placing his hands gently on Mortis's shoulders.

“Yes Dad, yes I am playing video games all night” replied Mortis, tears falling faster from his eyes as he shook his head slowly.

 “Sorry”.

Mortis wiped his tears away, his eyes meeting his father’s eyes.

Suddenly the dining room lit up in a flash of light and the glass windows shattered behind them, raining down pieces on the ground. Mortis screamed and stumbled backwards in panic, running away from the window. Jakob was already moving toward the kitchen when he realized the window had exploded into pieces. 

It was  loud. Mortis closed his eyes tightly against it, wincing at every bang, scream and explosion that went off in the room around him.

Eventually the noises stopped and Mortis opened his eyes. It was dark. He felt like something heavy pressed down onto his chest and his mind went blank as he tried to remember what was happening. He felt tired, his eyes felt heavier and heavier as the moments passed. He looked around, noticing that his father was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly everything seemed to fall quiet as he heard footsteps coming towards him from behind.

“Mortis, son, are you alright?” Mortis looked down at the figure that was lying on the floor.  A man in black suit and sunglasses, with his body laying lifelessly beside Mortis. It was hard to recognise who it was in the darkness of the kitchen. Mortis slowly pulled himself upwards and got up from the floor.

“Father? What the heck is happening , why are they trying to kill us?” Mortis said quietly. He couldn't move his limbs well, they didn't work properly anymore.  Something felt very odd.

“Mortis, save yourself Son” .

“No! No, please, no! Not again! I don't understand! Don't do this! Please Father! Don't leave me”.

“Mortis, please listen to me. I know you're scared right now son, I'm scared too. But you need to trust me, Mortis”.

“I can't do this, Father. I don't know how to” Mortis sobbed.

“Can you drive, son. please leave here now”.

“But…” said Mortis

“There's still one more thing you have to do Mortis” said his father.

“I.. I... wha...? Why are we even having this conversation?” Mortis muttered. “I can't do this anymore” he added louder.

The man sighed and smiled at his son, slowly closing his eyes. He was still smiling when he died. The blood gushed out of his mouth as blood spurted out of the wound in his neck. Mortis screamed. He dropped to the floor and rolled around frantically until he finally calmed down and sat upright against the kitchen counter. The pain and fear faded as soon as it came. Mortis ran to the garage , grabbed his bag and ran out to his car, which was parked nearby outside. He unlocked the car and quickly jumped in, putting on his seat belt and starting the car. He drove off, leaving the house he was used to call home for the last time. 

“Mortis, wake up..your father wants to meet you at the dinner table”  said Jakob. 

“I...I....” Mortis stuttered and came to senses. The shock of what he had just witnessed was still coursing through his veins.

“we are all going to die Uncle” said Mortis in a frightened tone. He felt nauseous and was sweating profusely. Mortis ran towards  his father who was sitting at the dinner table. “we need to get out of here, now father. the house is going to be in flames”  said Mortis urgently.

“Mortis, relax son, take deep breaths. We're safe, the house is secure and we will be leaving soon, everything is okay. I've spoken to Uncle Jakob and he has agreed to help us leave tonight”  said Anthony in a stern voice. 

Mortis turned to look at the other side of the dining room, where his uncle stood. He could feel his heart racing and his body trembling uncontrollably knowing what’s going to happen next. “please Dad,  don't let anything else happen to us, please!” said Mortis desperately. His words seemed to have no effect on his father, and he seemed completely unresponsive.  He took a step closer to Mortis, who stepped backwards in an attempt to keep distance between them. “Please, please, don't do this. Please! I can't stand it anymore, I... I can't...” he trailed off, struggling to find words to describe the terror and pain that consumed him from the inside out.

Mortis backed away further and further towards the opposite side of the kitchen. He bumped into the edge of the island table. The garage door was open and  his fathers' car was already waiting in the driveway. “This is happening again and again” mumbled Mortis. “Please, don't make me live this same nightmare again.. please” he pleaded. Suddenly he could hear the thrashing noise  coming from somewhere, and then he turned in its direction and saw the gate door of the house being completely destroyed. 

The roar of flames echoed in his ears. He gasped. Mortis fell back against the wall and stared at the devastation  and chaos that filled the living room and dining room. The whole room was engulfed by fire. Everything in his apartment was on fire. He saw his father in flames  burning alive.  All of sudden his eyes grew blurry as he lost consciousness and slid to the ground. Darkness enveloped him once again.

Mortis felt cold. He tried to open his eyes. Nothing. His whole body was numb, he felt nothing but emptiness. Nothing but darkness. He wanted to scream but he couldn't.

“Mortis, wake up”