A Painful Goodbye
All he needed was one more hug
Drew stared at the charred remains of his home. His wife and children are gone. How long had it been since he had been home? Eighteen years, nineteen maybe? The days blended, and he lost count. Everything he did since leaving was to save them, but he failed.
He blinked back the tears threatening to spill down his cheek. He should have been here, not out on some mission for the king. He should have stopped cowering from the king’s witch, Freya, and just stood up to her, then maybe his family would still be alive.
Drew dropped to his knees, closing his eyes as he remembered the last time he was here. They were in the front yard, he, his wife, and his son, Levi. It had rained that morning, leaving behind puddles of water to splash in, and that was exactly what they did. Laughter filled the air as the sun slipped from behind the clouds, turning the dreary morning into a bright, sunny afternoon.
A smile spread across his face at the memory. He could still picture Levi running through the water, splashing and laughing. It was the best day until that damn mark on the back of his neck started to burn.
Giving no reason, he left his family and ventured out into the woods. He was trying to keep them safe, keep Freya away from them. But she knew about them. She always knew.
He opened his eyes and pictured his son, five years old, playing in the water. His wife, pregnant with their second child, sitting on the porch, smiling. It was joyful and painful at the same time. Seeing them so happy and knowing he had to leave.
His mission for Freya kept him away for so long, too long. He knelt, just like he did the day he left, and wrapped his arms around himself, imagining it was his son. He had felt so loved that day, and he would give anything to have that feeling back. He wanted to feel that comfort and love, that hug from his family.
He let his hand drop to his side and stood. No matter how much he longed for it, he would never feel the warm embrace of his family again.
This story was inspired by a prompt from Promptly Written.
Thank you Bella Smith ⭐ for the great prompt!