3

Mom was stressed out over the next few days because she had fought in the last war and it had been bad. She looked worried all the time. She kept asking Dad if he knew if the war would start. She checked the news and newspapers and asked her friends.

    One time during lunch, I asked,

    “Why do you think a war would affect you more than most people?”

    “I would be scared if it affected anyone,” Mom said.

    “I agree.”

    “The ghoul war has damaged the kingdom and killed a lot of people. And ghouls are sadistic.”

    “Why are they like that?” I wanted to know.

    “Because when you do nothing with your life, you feel empty. They want to avoid feeling empty. And since they are violent, that’s what they decided to do.”

    “Does that keep them from feeling empty?”

    “Yes. Instead of finding something profound to do with their lives like the other species, they attack. Humans only fight them in self defense.”

    “They always thought they were better than the other species because they have more knowledge of the world,” Dad said.

    “The ghoul leader thinks it’s what’s best for the kingdom if the ghouls declare war and kill lots of humans and took over everything, not just the main decisions. The authorities couldn’t fight against them because it was determined they are the smartest species. The spell kept us from declaring war on them the way they did to us. So we couldn’t get rid of them or protect the kingdom. Only some civilians fought and I was one of them,” Mom explained.

    “Why?”

    “Because I wanted to help people.”

    “How many civilians fought?”

    “I don’t know. There were many throughout the kingdom.”“Do you know any of them?” I asked.

    “No. And the ghouls hate me.”

    “Really?”

    “They would remember me.”

    “Did you know any of them personally?”

    “Mostly the ghoul leader,” Mom said. “He attacked me many times. And I had to protect people from him sometimes. He hates me because he knows it would hurt him and other ghouls, if I and the other civilians who fought kept killing them.”

    “Do ghouls care about each other?” I asked.

    “No,” Dad said. “But they work together as a species in order to flourish. The ghoul leader appreciates the others as allies and followers.”

    “I protected people and I fought a lot of ghouls and I killed some,” Mom continued.

    “Why would they remember you specifically, if other people fought too?” I asked.

    “Because I was one of the people who fought the most. The ghoul leader remembers other people just as well too.”

    “You’re worried the ghouls would target you,” I concluded.

    “Yes. I’m also worried about what they would do to everyone else and the whole kingdom. You wouldn’t believe the damage they caused to the city. And the fact that they killed a lot of people is even worse.”

    “But the kingdom bounced back after the last war. Maybe we could be okay after this one.”

    “Maybe, but there was so much damage and death last time and there could be this time.”“I’m scared too,” I said. “How long do you think a war would last, if the ghouls started one?”

    “The ghouls could make it last for as long as they want to,” Dad told me.

    My heart went cold.

    I thought of what I could do to get rid of everyone’s stress. I suggested Mom and I paint and play guitar together, which we did sometimes. Mom said later because she had a hard time focusing. I tried to cheer her up, but it didn’t work completely because Mom remembered the war and it was horrible. We were both afraid the war would start because we were worried about the kingdom and the people. Mom’s worry made me realize more how bad a war would be. I hoped the ghouls would decide not to start a war.

    Over the next two weeks, I continued to practice martial arts, mostly alone, so I would be ready. Sometimes I practiced with Mom. I already had a black belt, but I practiced so I would stay just as good and get even better. I was going to practice martial arts and playing the guitar every day because I cared about them and I wanted to be as great as I could be. I wanted to be a professional musician.

    My whole life I wanted one thing where I was the best. Everybody I knew had areas where they were better than I was.

    Dad was a doctor and he was very successful and good with a lot of sciences and math. He wasn’t good with martial arts, but with other sports. And he played them better than Mom. He played with his friends all the time.

    Mom was good at martial arts and a teacher. She painted and was good with some sports but not great.Dad witnessed the exams for all of my belts. Mom was one of the examiners for me and all of the students with me. They had been thrilled when I passed, but they had faith in me.

    One time, I was practicing martial arts in my room when Mom came and saw me. After practice, Mom told me I kept getting better. I always wanted to be the best I could be. I wanted something where I would be the best, so it would make me happy if Mom was right.

    Mom raised both of her hands and I gave her two high-fives.