Chapter Text
Sandra
She lost her parents in the crowd. The townspeople heard the distant booms of battle; the soldiers told everyone to head south. The girl did not know where her parents were. Hoping to find them, she scurried back to her home, but every room was empty. Neither her father nor mother were anywhere to be seen.
By the time she returned outside, the streets were all empty. Down the road, she saw drab-green soldiers setting up sandbag blockades that cut off access to the lower half of the town. Barbed wire stretched across the walls to discourage anyone from trying to climb over.
Sandra found herself stuck, unable to think clearly. She was scared; alone, with no one to help her. There was no sound but the howling wind and the muffled thuds of artillery some kilometers away.
Then the gunfire began. The shots came from everywhere, but she could not see where it was coming from. She had to run. No – she couldn’t run, the streets were blocked off. The soldiers had disappeared behind the wall of sandbags. She had to hide. Running down Main Street, Sandra hurried into the first alleyway she saw. There was a stack of crates in the corner with just enough space for her to hide behind. She did not hesitate and sat in the corner, behind the crates, hidden from view – hidden from the world.
For minutes, Sandra sat. The gunfire came closer. The closer it got, the faster her heart raced. Her skin tingled with fear. Where were her parents? Why did they leave her? She found herself trying to remember the best moments of the past sixteen years. But she could not think, for panic overwhelmed her mind.
The gunfire reached Main Street. Sandra heard every sharp snap and crack of the rifles — the sounds startled her each time. She should have anticipated each gunshot, but every loud pop still frightened her. She wanted it to stop. Her hands shook with every breath, unsure of what was to come. Tears ran down her cheeks; Sandra felt weak, powerless, and unable to do anything. She found herself crying loudly, but she was too scared to stop.
The girl was curled up, her head buried in her arms. The gunfire had died down, but she was afraid to come out of her hiding spot. Sandra sniffled, wondering how long she’d have to stay hiding. Was anyone coming to save her?
Silence. The wind howled, and the gunfire completely stopped. She was hungry and thirsty, but she was still too scared to move. Her heart was beating fast, and she could feel every vein in her body pulsing as her heart thumped. After what seemed like an hour, Sandra finally lifted her head. The large crates she hid behind blocked her sight of the alleyway, and the sun was beginning to set. Its light was the only thing that could see her. At that moment, a large shadow blocked the sunlight. Sandra looked up at the silhouetted figure. unable to tell who it was. How did they find her? Her eyes adjusted, she realized it was a soldier. but he wasn't wearing drab green. His uniform was gray, and a black helmet sat upon his head. The man's eyes stared down at Sandra. She looked straight into his face and saw his expression. He looked sad, disappointed, tired, or all of these emotions at once. One thing she knew for sure was that the soldier was not on her side. The girl stared back at him, not moving a muscle. She was afraid any movement might make the man break his stance. Her heart thumped hard in her throat. Surely, the man could hear her heartbeats. Within an abrupt motion, the soldier began violently climbing over the crates, his hand reaching out. to grab Sandra.
“No!” she shrieked.
“No, no, please!” She held her arms up to protect herself and moved as far as she could into the corner. The man grasped her arm. Sandra tried to pull herself away, but the soldier was too strong. She screamed, a sudden burst of tears flowing down her face. The soldier's grip hurt her. He grabbed her hair and dragged her out of the corner. Sandra yelled and sobbed as the man pulled her out of the alleyway across Main Street. with the course unpaved road scraped her bare skin. She cried for help, but she knew there was no one to help her. Other soldiers in similar uniforms watched as the girl was dragged, but none seemed to care. She tried to make the soldier release his grip, digging her nails into his hand. and flailing her arms at his limbs. But the man seemed to be unfazed. He pulled even harder on her hair as he dragged her. When the sun had completely set, the dark violet sky was speckled with stars. The night atmosphere was all Sandra could see, while the soldier yanked her towards the forest outside of town. She tried to grab onto the tall grass in an attempt to break free. but the man had a steel grip on her hair. The girl cried and screamed the whole way, trying to get the attention of anyone who could help her. But no one came.
“I will cleanse this land of these pagans.” The soldier muttered as he continued dragging Sandra.
“None shall live by my hand.”
“Stop, please!” Sandra begged.
“I don't want to die!” The soldier did not even turn his head to look at her. He kept his focus on the trail. After minutes of tugging her across the ground, the soldier stopped. They were deep in the forest, where muffled artillery and gunfire could be heard to the west. Sandra was still crying; her skin had been grazed across the gravel and dirt. her scalp had been pained from her hair being pulled, and still with no one to save her.
“Please, please don't kill me.” She sobbed. The soldier ignored her. He let go of her hair. and Sandra dropped to the ground. Her body told her to run, but she was too weak to stand. Her arms moved as she tried to crawl away. Sandra has successfully dragged herself a few feet. until the man walked over and pinned his boot on her back. The hobnails dug straight into her spine, causing her to let out an ear-piercing scream. Cries of pain and pleas for mercy echo throughout the forest as the soldier kneeled on the girl's back. He began to saw off her limbs. with a serrated bayonet, one at a time. Her hands were dismembered first, then her forearm, then her upper arm. By the time he was done with both arms, she was still alive. squirming around in excruciating pain. She begged the soldier to kill her, but he did not comply with her wish. He continued with her legs and cut off her feet. Sandra bled out by the time the man had begun to slice off her calves, but her death would not stop him from finishing his job. He severed her thighs, and finally, cut off her head.
“Here is my offering,” the Corvun said to the sky, his light gray uniform soaked in Sandra's blood.
“Help me purify the land they have taken from you.”