The view was breathtaking. A gentle breeze scattered the delicate petals of the gypsophila, sending them drifting through the air. It carried more than just blossoms it seemed to echo the strength of the ocean, stirring waves in the distance. The landscape was a quiet marvel, one that made anyone pause.
Old Grandpa, however, had no time for marvels. He was hard at work, chopping wood from a stack of logs, his aged body pushing against the weight of years and seasons through the heat of the sun and the bite of harmattan.
Janet stood just a few meters away, watching him with a mix of concern and admiration.
"Does this man ever take a break?" she wondered silently.
After setting down her load of bushmeat and supplies in their modest kitchen, she walked back to him, unable to hold back.
"My granddaughter you're back?" Grandpa asked absentmindedly, his face worn with lines of age and toil.
"I'm back, Grandpa," she said softly, taking the axe from his hands. "Go rest. Your body's too weak to keep pushing like this."
He cleared his throat and eased into the old, cushioned chair nearby.
"Don't be stubborn, Janet. I can't let you suffer. You're the only family I have left the only one who stayed when the rest turned their backs."
"I don't mind," Janet said gently. "Even if the family made you an outcast, I'll never leave your side."
He gave a faint smile. "Your mother was just like you. She couldn't stand to see old folks struggle. Always had to help. Don't you miss her? Maybe it's time you went back home."
Janet's face fell. She set the axe down slowly. "I can't. What if something happens to you and I'm not here?"
"You shouldn't burden yourself over an old fool like me. I committed treason… and this is the price I pay."
Tears welled in her eyes. She hugged him tightly, not caring that his worn clothes stained her shirt.
"No one can take you from me, Grandpa. I swear."
The old man's eyes glistened with emotion. Just then, a gunshot cracked through the air, shattering the quiet moment. A young hunter burst into view, running, breathless.
"A tiger—it's after me!"
Janet quickly helped her grandfather into the cottage, and together they watched through the window as the beast prowled the area, then finally disappeared. They all let out a sigh of relief.
"This place is dangerous," the hunter Andrew said, catching his breath. "Hunting is almost impossible now."
"Where did it come from?" Janet asked, her eyes narrowing. "I heard the barbarians have taken over the forest's edge."
"From deep within their territory," Andrew replied.