With my heart pounding, I open the door, it creaks, warning Kol someone is here. I take a deep breath; the familiar scent of home fills my lungs. As I step inside, I hope Kol will be in the living space, but no one is there. Not even a fire is burning. The silence is almost deafening.

"Hello?" I call out, my voice echoing through the empty house. No response.

He is not here. Maybe he went into town to get supplies. Or visit friends. That must be it. He isn't always home, and I should have expected that. I just was really hoping he would be home. It would have been sweater then waiting until he returns. Who knows when that will be.

"He's probably in town. He'll be back soon," I reassure Ezra who looks around the house.

I wander deeper into the small house, closing the front door behind me. My eyes linger on everything in the space. It is as if nothing has changed. Everything is still in the same place as I have left it. The old chairs, the stove, the family photos sitting on a table, the bookshelf crammed with books. There isn't much here but it hasn't moved.

I move to the kitchen table, hoping to find some sign that Kol will be back soon. A cup of tea or crumbs from a sandwich but the table is clean. I open the fridge, finding it nearly empty. Figures Kol would wait until the last possible minute to buy groceries.

I have imagined this moment so many times over, the joyful reunion, the hugs and tears. But now, standing alone in the quiet house, I feel a strange emptiness. He will be back soon. But I want him back now.

I sigh, leaning against the counter. With the excitement fading and disappointment rising, my side is on fire. It rises up to my shoulders and runs down my legs.

Unable to stand any longer, I stumble to the nearest chair, clasping into it. It provides just a tiny bit or relief from the pain. But it is still there, screaming at me.

Ezra looks around the room with wide eyes. Maybe he is shocked that this place is home. Maybe he expected more.

He picks up a photo from the small table—one of Kol and I with our parents when we were young. We looked so happy, so carefree. It wasn't long after that photo was taken that my mother started to lose her mind.

"These are you parents?" Ezra asks.

"That's them."

"You look like your mom."

He sits down in an available chair and places his head in his hands. He looks tired. We both are.

"I think Kol should be back soon."

He has to return soon. And when he does, I will be here, waiting for him. For now, I will let myself sink into the familiar surroundings, the memories of home wrapping around me like a warm blanket.

"Do you have any first aid here? I can help clean your side," Ezra offers, standing up, looking around the house.

"We have strong alcohol and clean linen there," I say, pointing to the trunk by the window. That is the closest thing we have to a first aid kit. Anything that needs more help and we would have to go into town for a healer.

Ezra gathers the items then kneels by my side. He locks eyes with me, silently asking permission.

"Make it quick," I beg.

He gives a sharp nod before rolling up my shirt and peeling pack the red bandage.

I bite my lip as I look at the swollen red wound that oozes yellow puss. It looks worse than yesterday. I doubt the strong alcohol will help at this point. We need more medication. Kol will have to get something once he comes back.

"This will probably hurt," Ezra says with gentle eyes as he gets the white linen wet with the clear alcohol.

I sucked in a breath, bracing for it. I know it would. It isn't my first time getting an infection from a cut. I turn my head as Ezra leans in closer.

A scream echoes the house. It radiates from my mouth. It scares the birds from outside the window. I never knew I was capable of making a sound so loud.

The pain is sharp and immediate, like a thousand needles pricking my skin, logging themselves deep within my body.

My hands ball into fists, allowing my nails to dig into my palms, as if that will help the pain.

"You're doing great," Ezra reassures me with a calm and soothing tone. Although, nothing feels great about this. I want to push him away and run into my room but as my gaze shifts to his work, I know that he isn't done. I must sit and bear it. But I can't breathe.

"Just a little more."

99, 98, 97, 96.... counting down keeps my mind busy, but it doesn't ease any of the pain. I focus on his words as my vision blurs. He works quickly and meticulously, cleaning out the pus and debris that has accumulated. There is determination in his eyes to do a good job, but each touch sends a jolt of pain through my body. My stomach churns as I grit my teeth, trying to endure it.

Finally, Ezra sighs, pulling back after he applied a fresh linen over the wound. "There you go." He gives me a warm smile. "All done."

I sink into the chair as the pain begins to subside. A wave of relief washes over me. Ezra worked as if he knew what to do. But how did he know? There were hospitals and first aid kits in the capital. He didn't need to know this information. I close my eyes as I attempt to relax. For now, that is a question for another day.

"Thank you," I whisper.

"Of course."

Time passes in silence. When I finally manage to open my eyes, the room is lit with a vibrant shade of orange. The sun is setting, and it wraps the room into a cozy warm color.

My eyes meet Ezra's who stares at me silently. Who knows how long he has done this for.

I stretch gingerly, carefully not to disturb my wounded side. "Did Kol return?" I ask.

He shakes his head.

A pit forms in my stomach. With night coming, I expected Kol to be back by now. He never was gone at night. Something doesn't feel right. "He should have returned from town by now. Kol doesn't stay out past sun set."

"Maybe he does now?" Ezra suggests.

"No," I reply, refusing to think that Kol has changed since I left. It has only been a few months.

I push myself up from the chair, feeling another rolling wave of pain wash over me. Too soon and too quick. I double over and hiss, holding my side.

"How about we look tomorrow? Give yourself more time to heal," Ezra suggests as he stands beside me, ready to catch me at a moment's notice.

I waited long enough. I need to be quick if I expect to find him before the sun set. This town is not large by any scale, but I don't even know where to start. Where is Kol? "No. I need to find him now."

I walk towards the door with slow steps. Every move hurts. But Kol is out there, I need to find him. Maybe he needs help. Wherever he was, I would find him.

I open the door and walk out. Mr. Green. Our neighbor might know something. He might be able to provide some insight.

"Telvi, where are you going?"

"To Mr. Green's house," I say, taking sure steps towards his house.

"Who's Mr. Green?" Ezra asks, trailing after me. Stumbling along in the long grass.

"Our neighbor," I say, feeling irritated by his stupid questions. I don't have time for them.

As we approach the home, Mr. Green comes into view. He sits on the front porch, rocking in the same rocking chair he has for as long as I could remember.

I wave to him which he returns with a warm smile.

"So my eye did not deserve me. I thought I saw you coming down the road a while back," Mr. Green says.

I nod. Nothing escaped his eyes. He saw so much. The silent watcher of the town. People never noticed it, but I did.

"I thought the talent contracts were normally for a few years. You haven't been gone long, have you?"

"No. I got back early," I say as Ezra catches up to me. He stands right beside me without a word.

"Ah," he hums. "It's because of the war, isn't it?"

My eyes widen in surprise. The attacks, the war in the Motherwealth. He knows which means that others know about it too. News has spread rapidly through the Commonwealths. Quicker than I thought it would. "You know about that?"

Hell was so far removed from Regal. There was very little news heard about the Motherwealth here. Most of it didn't apply to us. No use spreading useless information around. But the war. Maybe it affects Hell too. One way or another.

He gives a sad look. "It was only time that it happened."

The attacks on the Motherwealth are something I could care less about. They do not make me sad. The fight is with the Motherwealth and the capital, not with small towns like us. They do not apply to me and anyone else in Hell. And I do not owe anything to the Motherwealth to be concerned about the war it is fighting.

"You, you are from the Motherwealth, aren't you?" Mr. Green asks as he points to Ezra. "I can see it in your eyes. You don't know hardship like the Commonwealth people do."

Ezra frowns as he stuffs his soft polished hands from view. "I'm from Regal."

He gives a slow knowing nod. "I was too at one point. Glad to see not everyone buys into their nonsense."

Ezra's jaw tightens in silence. I am not sure if he is feeling awkward or upset about Mr. Green's comment.

Mr. Green looks at me then to Ezra. I am sure he is trying to figure out why Ezra is with me. I am sure he has questions, questions I don't really have time to answer. Kol. That is the most important thing on my mind. After Kol is found, I could answer any of Mr. Green's other questions.

Before I can ask Mr. Green about Kol, he speaks up again.

"That was one thing that I couldn't stand. Regal took everything from everyone, and the citizens didn't seem to care. I couldn't in good conscience go along with that, so I left. Took a train in the dead of night, paid every boarder control I could then walked the rest of the way here. Hell seemed far enough from Regal. Here I would find peace." He sighs and shakes his head. "I hope you find peace here."

"I didn't know the damage Regal caused until recently," Ezra says, walking closer to Mr. Green.

He nods. "At least you started to think for yourself. Not many choose to see. Ignorance is bliss they say."

"The thing is, I don't think most people know what truly happens outside the capital boarders. It's hard when you cannot travel city to city."

"That's one way to hide the truth..." He takes a sip of whatever is in the tan bottle. "The Motherwealth is good a lying. It's been decades since I've been back. I know a lot has changed. Long ago there used to be no boarders, people could travel as they wished. Now look at us now." He pauses and look around the grassland. "Stuck in the town we were born in unless we get approval to move."

Ezra runs his hand through his hair with a sigh. "My dad told me once things used to be different."

"Different, but never good. Maybe the Motherwealth deserves this war..." his voice trails off as he continues to rock in his chair.

Seeing this silence as my opportunity, I take a step closer to Mr. Green. "Where's Kol?"

He sighs. "He's gone."

A lump forms in my throat. The vague response could mean so many things. But instantly I fear the worst. "Where?"

"To the Motherwealth."

The breath gets knocked out of me. The one place I ran from. The one place I could never imagine Kol going to. Why? Why would he go there? And how could they let him? He doesn't have any magnificent skill. I take a step back, grabbing onto a post to steady myself.

"They took all able-bodied men to the capital to fight their war. He was one of the first to volunteer before the draft even began."

The words hit like a punch to the gut. The ground beneath my feet spin. My vision blurs. How could he do that? He hates the Motherwealth. He wouldn't dare fight in their war. This must be a lie.

"No, no, that can't be true," I whisper, shaking my head in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Telvi. I wish I had better news."

"When did he leave?" I manage to choke out.

"A day and a half ago. I think he was hoping to meet you in Regal. As soon as the first bombs dropped, he was a worried mess."

My grip around the pole tightens. I came all this way for him. He isn't even here. I must have missed him by a few hours. If I would have walked faster, I might have stopped him.

"Thank you so much, sir," Ezra says to Mr. Green.

"Of course."

With firm hands, Ezra guides me back to my home.

Tears stream down my cheeks. Kol left because of me. He went to fight a war he doesn't believe in. He wanted to find me.

"We will get to him," Ezra says confidently as he closes the door behind us. He wipes a tear from my cheek then places both hands on my shoulders to keep me stable.

Going back to the place that we ran from seem impossible. They will imprison us if we go back. Maybe even kill us. We fled and we will be punished because of it. Then what? Finding Kol would have been for not. What angers me the most is that I could have been faster to get to Hell. If we were just a little faster, I could have stopped him.

"We will find your brother."

"But what if we don't?" I whisper as fear takes hold. Regal is large, the Motherwealth is even larger. It is hard enough to find people let alone with a war going on.

"Don't say that. We will."

"We have to go. We can't wait any longer. We have to get to him," I say as I look around the house, trying to figure out what to take.

"And we will. But for tonight, we will sleep here." He pushes me gently on to the chair. "We will go first thing tomorrow morning."

"Promise?"

He nods. "Promise."