Xenophobia

Stay focused.
Let nothing distract you.

I’m on my own this time – a multi-assassination mission to get rid of some of the city’s leaders.

However, I didn’t think that I would ever have to walk through here again.

Narrow alleyways. Balconies with metal rails, connected with a string used to hang-dry clothing.
Children rushing past, chasing after a stray ball.

An old woman singing in Romanian; another singing in Italian.
A Romani woman dancing to the song of flutes and tambourines.

All of them with eyes with different shades of purple and the occasional indigo.

I pulled the hood of the cape over my head, covering the top half of my face as I continued down the alleyway.

The large oak tree with branches and roots that grew across the alleyway and through one of the abandoned buildings.

“Luke, when are you going to teach me how to climb it?!”
“You have to wait until you’re older, Ana.”

“But I really want to climb it just like you, Brother!”

I bit down on my lip as the memory played through my head.

Stay focused.
Stay focused!

I quickened my pace slightly.

“Luke! Hurry up! We’re going to be late, slow poke!”

Her voice played through my head again as I glanced at the empty building that used to be our school.

I shook my head as I walked a little faster.

Focus!
Focus!

The alleyway only grew more familiar and in turn brought back more memories.

“I love you, Brother. And I always will.”

I stood in front of the door, eyes widening as I tried to keep my composure.

This is…
This is Home.

I placed one hand on the holster of the gun before opening the door and slowly stepping inside.

The first floor was empty – all of the furniture and appliances have been removed. The paint was chipping and cracking. The floors creaked with almost every step.

I slowly made my way up the stairs – I heard breathing from the last room; my old room.
I drew out the gun and walked inside, stopping at the sight.

A table. Two chairs placed across from each other.
An old man sat in one of them, hands folded together and resting on the table as he stared directly at me.

I didn’t lower the gun.

“You’ve grown a lot since I’ve last seen you, Luke.”
I didn’t respond.

“You do not remember me?”
I still didn’t speak. I didn’t move.

“Maybe this will help.”
He reached into his pocket as I placed my finger on the trigger.

Before I could shoot, he held out a silver pocket watch, slightly scratched over the years.

I dropped my hand to my side.

“You gave this to me, remember? ‘Un cadeau, de sorte que vous peut jamais me oublier.’ Remember?”
“…Grand-père…”

He smiled when he heard the phrase, but it disappeared shortly after.

“Where are the others?”
“I cannot tell you that.”

“You knew I was coming. How?”

“Luke, no matter how much you want to deny or hide it, you are Oamenii. You are my petit-fils. As an elder family member, I saw your past, and I can see your present and sometimes your future. The same with your mother and Ana.”

“So you knew what would have happened to them.”
“No, that was a future that I couldn’t see, sadly.”

A moment of silence.

“Luke, I know you killed those people to save your mother and Ana, but you’re fighting on the wrong side. Your future should not be with Inamicul and you know it!”

“You don’t understand—”
“I understand completely. I know how much you love him, and I know how much you want to protect him.”

He paused for a moment.

“But how long do you think you can keep fighting alongside the enemy, Luke? How long do you think you can trust those who you work for. How long do you think you can keep him safe by killing your own people?”

I bit down on my lip.

“You are old enough to know right from wrong. You are old enough to make your own decisions. But that is not the decision you should have made! You have a choice to leave! You have a choice to stand up and fight back against those who slaughter your people! But what will be your final decision? Him, or the peace and safety of our people?”

He stood up and walked towards me, placing the pocket watch into my hand.

“You are Oamenii, Luke. Never forget that, for your mother's sake, for Ana’s sake, for the sake of our people.”

He stepped back before striking me across the cheek.

“Now, go ahead and shoot. I will not tell you where the others are; this is Oamenii fighting back.”

I aimed the gun again, placing my finger on the trigger.

“Au revoir, Luke.”

BANG!

The gunshot rang through the house as he fell to the ground.

I let out a breath that I didn’t even know I was holding.
The house was silent, save for the ticking of the watch in my hand.

I put the gun back into the holster before opening the watch.

A picture of Mother, Ana, and myself; blood stained a couple of the edges.

“There’s no point in me having this. They’re just a memory now, Grand-père.”

I closed it and dropped it on the floor before leaving the building.

I’ve already made my final decision.
There are no sides.

No matter how many people I hurt. No matter how many people I kill.
No matter who I listen to or who I trust.
I will do what I have to, to keep Zack safe.

And I will have no remorse for doing so.