Primitive Man
Chapter 7: My friend's story

Garnt's rugged form leaned against a sturdy tree trunk, his breaths labored and his face etched with lines of pain. The events that had led to this moment were still fresh in his mind - a daring battle against a formidable Cenzoic Fang Wolves within the depths of a treacherous forest.

His body bore the marks of that encounter, wounds that oozed blood from his hand.

Eva, a voice resonating inside Garnt's head, manifested as a true guardian angel that only he could perceive. Her words reverberated through his thoughts like a haunting echo.

[You absolute idiot.] her voice rang, tinged with frustration.

[Why are you so stubborn? You need to go back to the cave and get treatment from your mother. This is not the time to be worrying about unwanted things!]

Garnt's jaw clenched, his gaze drifting towards the distant forest that he came from. The thought of returning there, even for his mother's skilled hands, sent shivers down his spine. The memories of pain, fear, and the bitter taste of defeat still lingered within him.

"Eva," he muttered, his voice strained, "I know you're right, but you don't understand. I can't go back there, not now. Not with all these wounds, she will be worried to see me like this,"

Eva's ethereal presence seemed to bristle with impatience.

[This is not the moment for your pride to get in the way! You're injured, Garnt. Your wounds will fester if you don't get them treated properly Besides won't she become even more sad if you die here leaving her all alone, Don't act like a kid, do what I ask you to do]

She quickly realized she was putting too much pressure on this kid, so decided to say it in words that he could understand.

[Garnt, just like how you treated her when she was sick, your mother also wants to treat you, that's the reason why we have families, She might get scared seeing your wound, but she will be even more scared if you leave her all alone, so quickly run back to your cave and seek your mother.]

[Listen this story is about 'one of my friends'. She was a really intelligent woman, she actually thought her work was the priority, so she kept avoiding her family until one day, she had to pay really bad consequences for her behaviour because of her unwanted pride.]

Garnt kept listening to her words carefully, and just like a normal kid he started to realize there's more to love than just caring about slight emotional pain. He started to realize that he was being too short-sighted, so he quickly got up from his position holding his hand in pain.

"Eva, I'm sorry you have to deal with me, I'm stupid so I'm glad I have your support"

Garnt's footsteps were heavy with regret as he trudged back through the dense forest towards his cave. With every step, he felt the sting of his wounds deepening.

While Garnt was walking the sun dipped below the horizon, shadows deepened in the forest, and the leaves continued to rustle in the fading light.

As he approached the cave entrance it was already dark, but his heart sank at the sight that greeted him. There, before the entrance, was his mother, tears streaking down her face as she huddled in a mixture of sorrow and longing.

The sight hit him like a physical blow, his chest tightening as he realized the magnitude of his actions.

"M-Mom?" Garnt's voice trembled as he spoke her name. He took a hesitant step forward, his own eyes beginning to well up with tears. The emotional pain in his mother's eyes mirrored the pain he felt in his heart.

"Garnt!" His mother's voice cracked with a mixture of relief and anguish. Without a moment's hesitation, she rushed towards him, her arms outstretched. The distance between them closed in an instant as she threw herself into his embrace.

Her arms wrapped tightly around him, holding him as if she could shield him from all the pain he felt. "Oh, my dear, dear Garnt, where did you go? I was so scared," she whispered, her voice quivering with a mixture of worry and tenderness.

But as soon as she pulled back slightly to take a closer look at him, her expression shifted from relief to sheer horror. Her eyes widened and her hands flew to her mouth as she saw the extent of his injuries.

The wounds on his hands, the weariness in his eyes, and the way he seemed to be favouring one leg all struck her like a hammer blow.

"Garnt, what have you done to yourself? These wounds, don't tell me-" Her voice wavered with a mixture of fear and panic. She gently placed her hands on his face, her touch both loving and urgent. "Come on, we need to get you inside.

You're hurt, and you're in no condition to be out here."

With a surprising burst of strength fueled by a mother's protective instinct, Gundo gently but firmly guided Garnt towards the cave entrance. She kept a watchful eye on his every step, her heart aching for the pain he was clearly experiencing.

Once they were inside the dimly lit cave, she found a relatively comfortable spot for him to lay down.

"Mother, sorry for breaking our promise, I couldn't make you proud," Garnt muttered as his mind started to give up into his drowsiness. Gundo wasn't in her right mind to listen to him, but she knew it was her time to take care of her son, and she was ready to do that no matter how hard it was.

"You're my cute son, I don't care if you break one or two promises, as your mother I will punish and forgive you," Gundo muttered and quickly decided to do her part.

With a tenderness that only a mother could possess, Gundo began to clean Garnt's wounds with water she had gathered from a small pool in the cave. Her touch was gentle, her hands moving with practised care and wiping away the dirt and blood that marred his skin.

With each stroke, her heart tightened, the sight of her son's pain fueling her determination to ease his suffering.

She remembered the way he had been by her side, offering her water and sustenance, his presence a comforting feeling during her times of weakness. Now, it was her turn to reciprocate so she was ready to do anything.

"Garnt, we only have each other, so please don't ever leave or scare me like this, after all, I can't live without you, my cute son,"