Old memories flooded your head.

Bloody memories, cruel ones.

Although you didn't want to think about what might happen if those old memories crept back into reality, your legs carried you back so fast that the children could hardly keep up.

The farm already appeared at the horizon as your legs froze and you remained motionless in terror.

Taken by surprise, the boys ran into your back. But before anyone could make themselves noticeable you grabbed them by the collars and jumped back behind a rock.

Like an instinct, your hand wandered to your back to wrap around the handle of your gun. The cool plastic nestled into the palm of your hand like a friend that had been gone for long but never unforgotten.

You loved and hated it at the same time. It felt like some of your past self had returned. It was hard to tell if that was a good or a bad thing.

"I'll go first.", you locked eyes with Moro, since he was the older one, in hopes he'd be mature enough to understand that this was not up for debate. "Do not look. Don't follow. No matter what. Only if I call you, do you hear me?"

With his eyebrows drawn together in fear, Julio grabbed your leg and refused to let go.

"I'm scared!", his voice was shaking. "Please don't leave!"

With a sigh, you helped Moro to peel the boy off of you.

"Listen, mijo, this is important.", you kneeled down in front of him to try and calm the nerves as much as possible. "Your siblings are in the house. The people who visit aren't invited."

"Will you kill them?", Moro asked all of a sudden.

His eyes were as dark as sin as he looked at you. There were no emotions visible on his face. He wasn't afraid nor shocked. This was just another day for him.

The fact that a boy his age managed to be so cold send shivers down your spine. But it wasn't his fault. This world had taken his innocence before it had been time.

"I'm not sure.", you admitted. "But it's likely. If these people are who I think."

His lips curled.

"I'll help you."

"No.", immediately you shook your head.

"I've killed before. It's easy.", he insisted, teeth bared and hands clenched.

It had taken ages to get his emotions in check. The first few months that he had stayed with you and Alejandro he's had major anger issues and lunatic episodes because he had smashed a man head with a brick.

You had found him on the streets with his sister, scrawny and hungry, his face covered with blood. After that day you had sworn him that he would never have to go through that ever again.

But the trauma in him had killed something that day. And now he couldn't have cared less about a life.

"Moro.", you grabbed his face with both hands to press your forehead against his. "War is over. You don't have to kill no more. I'm here. And I'll protect you. Every single once of you. No matter what."

All of a sudden his eyes turned glassy. Tears shimmered in the corners of his eyes.

"I want to help.", his voice sounded like it was about to shatter.

"No, mis pequeños.", you whispered and pulled the boys into a tight hug. "It's my duty to protect you. I promised you that nothing would hurt you ever again."

Sobbing slightly, their hands dig into the fabric of your shirt. It felt like they would claw into your flesh and never let go. As if you were the only thing that could keep these boys from falling off the deep end.

It broke your heart to know just how cruel life had been to them.

"Will you save them?", Julio asked in a whisper. "I don't want Niña to be hurt. I didn't apologise to her yet..."

A sigh made your heart pull together. It felt like tearing a piece of your flesh out as you let go of them to look each boy deep in the eyes one last time.

"Do not look.", you asked in a calm yet serious tone. "Don't come running. Keep your ears shut. Close your eyes. And if somebody who isn't me comes over I want you to run as fast and as long as you can."

"We can't outrun bullets.", Moro whispered and let his fingers run along his shoulder.

He had been shot once. The bullet had been stuck in his shoulder. Since he wasn't a trained medical expert the wound had healed with the object inside. It had given him iron poisoning.

Alejandro had been alone at home with the kids as Moro had passed out because of it. He had called you for advice. To this day you had never heard him be terrified like that ever again.

Swallowing hard, you decided not to comment on it and instead looked at them one last time to make them silently swear that they would listen to your instructions.

Both nodded.

Julio grabbed his brothers hand. He was younger than Moro, but also so much less brave. There was still this innocence in him. Even though he had been traumatised as well he had retreated to the shadows instead of hardening like Moro did.

Either way, you needed them to listen to you in that moment. Now more than ever.

"I love you.", you whispered over your shoulder as you rounded the corner and stepped out into the open to approach the sandy road that led up to your home.

At first glance you could spot three black vehicles. Range rovers. Quite expensive for this area. Most people in close range were farmers. They drove old trucks, run down and dirty because of the heavy work they had to do.

These cars looked clean and well kept. Perhaps even new.

At second glance you noticed that they didn't have license plates.

You knew these kinds of cars from your past. Hopefully you wouldn't know the people who drove them to your place.