C1 Chapter 1

A white object was sparkling in the dark. It made me both anxious and curious. What was it? My feet wanted to get me closer to it. Yet, my brain warned me to run. In a short while, the white light formed a smirk. The hissing came out of it. The rustling wind and black-turning leaves created a spookier moment. A shiver ran down my spine, driven by either the breeze or the horror atmosphere.

The twilight just passed by. Other people might have entered their houses, rested and slurped the flavor of delicious food, or had a great time with their family. Meanwhile, I was still walking down the blackout street and grumbling due to skidding into the hole. Rescuing myself, I dragged my obsolete shoes. I looked so bad at this time. My only school uniform was shabbier. The color of my bag turned black, covered by the mud. I didnt even have time to comb my messy long black hair with my fingers.

Trapping in a long line to sell the junk for some amount of money after scavenging today got me to return home late. Nevertheless, I was convinced that nobody would worry about me including my parents. My mother was getting used to it. Our poor financial condition forced me to work after school. I did anything as long as I could earn money.

The object in front of me started moving, closing the space between us. The surrounding was dark. I couldn't see anything. What if it was a robber or a thief? I reached into my pocket. The money was still there. No one would save me if something bad happened to me here. My heart beat faster and faster.

Could it be a ghost? But, how could I be afraid of ghosts?

I witnessed wars almost every day and fought against hunger. Ghosts? Starving was much scarier than devils and friends. I almost wept, not because of the horror but my bad luck. I detested. I hurt every time I realize that I had to bear the torture of fate.

" Who are you? I am not interested in playing around," I yelled in high intonation.

" S-sorry... I'm Reno, a y-your schoolmate. Sorry, I am following you from school." The white objects were the teeth of an invisible young boy. The darkness hid his face.

"Why are you following me?"

"Sorry. I just want to thank you."

"Why is it you always say sorry? Can the word sorry satisfy your hunger?"

" What?"

"Forget it. You should go away from here. This place is dangerous. "The boy didnt argue.

"See you at school, then." I ignored what he said and turned around.

Mnamees is Ilana. What a beautiful and classy name it was. The name should have brought me to the palace. With that name, I should have been crowned as a princess. At least, it allowed me to dwell in a big house without dealing with ultraviolet rays. The fact, I was trapped here, living a very pathetic life.

I resided in a small place that didnt look like a house in size and shape, just like a tiny hut among fancy big buildings in the suburban area of Jakarta. The roof conducted hot energy during the day. In contrast, you would feel like sojourning in the North Pole at night. A thin blanket did not protect my slim and weak body from the attack of cold weather at all.

There were two rooms only, a bedroom and living room that at the same time functioned as a dining room and kitchen. I stayed here with my parents. Marrying my father brought my mother's life to hell. She had to work days and nights, doing whatever she could as a breadwinner. Having been fired from his previous job, my father's life got wrecked. He spent most of his time on alcohol and gambling. He was only home to extort my mother. I couldn't breathe every time his face emerged in my remembrance. Gamble and alcohol had dragged my family to the brink of misery. I wanted to kill all the memory about him, my father.

"Why don't you sleep? It has been late at night," my mom admonished. I just nodded and pretended to close my eyes.

Morning came too early. I didnt have time to rest sufficiently and recover from the fatigue. It was time to work again. The lizards on the wall stared at me as if teasing me. The wall in my house was a perfect place for the spiders to make webs as their shelter, indeed. The floor covered by carpet transmitted cold to puncture my feet. Did you know what the most difficult thing was at this time? It was fighting against laziness.

I got up, shooing all reluctance. For people like us, a dream was the most precious treasure. My mom was busy working. It wasnt like other housewives usually did, cooking. The furnace didnt always emit smoke. And this morning, we had to eat the disappointment to hold hunger.

Go to Mrs. Alis's house. Send and pick up her laundry, my mom commended.

The fog still locked the area when my steps slowly left our shack. We rent that old dilapidated house five hundred thousand rupiahs a month. My feet without slippers collided with the gravel and pebbles, bleeding. It caused blisters. I got accustomed to the wounds on my feet and kept walking.

Mrs. Ali welcomed and smiled at me as soon as I arrived at her porch. Her magnificent house was located in the elite neighborhood, about one kilometer from my cot. We exchanged the plastic from the laundry. Her pink lips opened, expressing gratitude. She looked adorable with sweet dimples and twisted black hair. Her big towering body was wrapped in a fancy nightgown. It was clear that life treated her well.

Suddenly, Mrs. Alis's shadow led me to the comparison between that rich woman and my mom. My mom's physical appearance was different from Mrs. Alis's. Her face was not attractive at all. God granted my mom wrinkles, raised cheekbones with full black spots, thin grey hair, and a skinny body. The sun burned her skin to scorch.

I inherited my father's honey skin despite not being categorized as a pretty girl. Pretty? The time never even gave me a chance for a hairdo or makeover. The destiny had set my detailed schedule as routines: slept, got up, did the laundry, schooled, worked, and scavenged.

It was still early in the morning. A drama had been playing before my eyes. It wasnt my first time watching a frightening tragedy like this. Voices of yelling and cursing exploded in my house. The cry boomed in there. I rushed to the door.

My father, the man I tried to get rid of my mind raged, rampaged, and threw anything away. My body sank. He finally realized my coming, gripping my arm and pushing me to the wall, followed by my mom's scream.

He took a gallon of water and poured me like rain. Water wetted me from head to toe. It made me shiver. I was wondering what kind of mistake drove me to this disaster. My mom kept begging for his mercy. Her effort was futile. He was trying to send me to the grim reaper by flushing, kicking, hoofing, twitting, and blaming me for all his bad luck.

My mom got panic when she found out my weak body not moving. Her mouth murmured something like reciting some prayers. After that, my world turned out black.