After the Last Tear: Rising from the Ashes of a Broken Marriage By Cassila K

Chapter 41

I resumed my work as a doctor.

Three years later, the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo was even worse than before.

The areas controlled by armed groups had expanded to an unprecedented scale.

There was a food crisis, cholera outbreaks, sexual violence, and an endless stream of kidnappings.

It felt as though this place had become a "land abandoned by God."

Every day, witnessing the hellish reality around me, I couldn't help but wonder whether, for Doctors Without Borders, their treatment was extending hope or merely prolonging suffering.

A few months later, Adam told me he had found five of the children from that group.

Among them were Ray and Mary.

They had successfully escaped that day.

They later got in touch with their relatives and were now living with family members in Kisangani.

This news was a breath of fresh air.

I rushed to meet them.

The moment the car arrived at the meeting point, Mary rushed out.

She threw herself into my arms, eyes brimming with tears.

"Zoey!! You finally came!"

She had grown much taller and had blossomed into a young woman.

Looking anxiously into the car, she asked,

"Where's Doctor Joseph? Why didn't he come with you?"

I hesitated, then said, "He's too busy."

immediately tightened her fingers. "...Has

death are especially sensitive to vague

shook my

he's fine. I'll show

through my phone, but found I didn't have

at them, I had stored them all away in my computer when I returned

very end and

a white coat, reading medical records under

strikingly similar to

and her face lit

then pulled

to be a doctor

other children chimed

"I want to too!"

want to heal

patted their heads and asked the

What do you want to do

glanced at the camera hanging on

to be a

I was taken aback.

see

seen, maybe someone will reach out to

I gathered them all

were still here, he would be so happy, wouldn't

I gave my compact camera to Ray

Mary and the other

flushed with

living in the depths of hardship, still hoped

like Joseph

there is hope, there is a

Months passed.

for Joseph's body

the

since it was night, I had no idea which direction I

choice but to