Days ago, Sandara told him that he had to survive, no matter what was going to happen to her. But why? Why would he have to live in such a cruel world of humans?

The ten-year old redheaded boy was still trying to find her. She had to be somewhere here in the center of the palace courtyard. He needed to protect her. She was his one and only family. Sandara should not die like this. He ran through the crowd and tripped over someone’s foot. The ground was wet. His face became dirty. Mud covered his small hands. He struggled getting up, but he had to, no matter what. They were going to kill her.
A few steps away from the executioner, two guards stopped him. They held him back.

“Xiah! I love you!”, Sandara called out for her son with tearful eyes.

Sandara was looking for her son in the crowd. She was already panting in pain.

“We, the entire people of Gongju, have gathered here to eliminate the devil! She is a Dokkaebi!”, announced Jaejoong, the great king of Gongju.

The people cheered. Heartless.

“No! Mother!”, shouted the little boy, “Father! Please, don't!”

His breath caught. His voice broke. He could not talk anymore because of so much sobbing.

“Behead her!”, Jaejoong ordered with the coldest expression ever.

Xiah opened wide his watery eyes and tried to escape the grips of the guards.

“No! No!”, the little boy's scream imprinted itself into everyone’s mind.

Still, no one thought of resisting or defending the young mother. Nobody cared for the child either, not for a Dokkaebi’s son.

Two men dragged her over to the wooden beam and tied her wrists. As she fell to her knees, she finally noticed her son. Sandara felt a little eased and smiled at Xiah. Her tears flowed like a river, but she kept smiling. Her red eyes reflected sadness and were fixed onto the most important person of her life. Her little son. She kept a lovely face because she needed Xiah to stay calm. He should not fear this moment.

Then the moment hit fast. Everything happened far too quickly. It only took few seconds when the executioner beheaded her. Her long red hair flew into the air. Her black blood spurted everywhere. One or two drops even found their hold in Xiah’s face. Xiah’s little frightened face...
Sandara smiled until the last moment.
The people cheered again. Everyone threw their arms into the air. They whistled loudly, laughed, and clapped. They felt finally freed from the threat. The Dokkaebi was dead.
Xiah stood motionless, he no longer tried to escape the grips from the guards. His eyes were shaking, and he had a lump in his throat. His tears flow dow