YOUR PRESENCE
I watched the few people entering the small Rush dry cleaning and washing Store, each carrying a basket of a different shade. The number of employees had increased from last time. There were three new girls which were helping around.
One had curly ponytail, the second one had unkept hair that almost looked like mine and the third one had short hair. They didn’t seem to mind me, even with my bandages all over my body. In fact, they respected me.
My hand pulled the ink pen and my mother’s diary, where she wrote everyone who had fetched their laundry, which was beside me.
My week fingers held it poorly. Weekly I started doodling the old man who had just entered. He was bald, wore a nevy suit eating a doughnut. He was kind of funny, almost like a character in one of the books I had stolen from Sorrow Haze., called Mr. Panman. He too was a bald man who wears a suit, a conman to be exact.
Well as growing up I had been in l
BATTLING EMOTIONSI stopped walking.“Are you okay?” Lona asked.“Yeah, I’m fine,” I replied leaning against the wall of the pawn shop. “Just need a rest.”She gave me a side glance then stared at the young kids riding a bicycle.I ran my hands inside my pant’s pocket and came out with a cigarette and matchstick. I notice she was watching me from the side of her eye.“Mind lighting for me?” I asked.“No mam,” she replied taking the cigarette and matchstick from my hand and lighting for me. “Here,”I took it and slid it inside my mouth.“Thank you,” I said. “You can now go, I’ll be fine alone,”“But mam…”“It’s Siren,” I corrected her. “Why do you even call me mam? Not like I’m wealthy,”“But everyone deserves to
HER STORYI slowly walked up the stairs, still recalling what Jack had told me. The loud yell was what got my attention. I quickly recognized the voice, it was definitely Miss. Claw. So, she was still alive.Each step the louder her voice became. What was up now? Probably she was fighting with someone, like she always did. My eye caught sight of haired man beating up Miss Claw inside her apartment.Blood covered her face, while she begged the man to stop.“WHERE IS MY FUCKIN MONEY BITCH?!” the muscular man asked.I watched people passing. They did nothing like always. I walked pass. She wasn’t a good person, she probably deserved it. Even have convinced myself I still couldn’t seem to really walk away, she was someone’s mother. She was Tydo’s mother, although Tydo and I hadn’t been in good terms I couldn’t help but feel guilty for his death.“IF YOU DON’T SPEAK I&rs
STRENGTH“OH, how nice the whole family gangs up against poor Mr. Byrans,” the huge man spoke in mock.A bullet pierced the wall beside him. “Cut the shit and get out before I blow your brains Byrans!” Miss. Yellow coat painter firmly stated.“I want my money!” Mr. Byrans angrily spoke.“I DO’T GIVE A FUCK! NOW MARCH OUT BYRANS!” Miss. Yellow coat painter snapped before piercing another bullet on the wall. “This time I won’t miss.”The huge man walked out with his hands on up.“This ain’t over, I’ll be back,” he threatened. It was crazy how cute, rude, Miss. Yellow coat painter had became strong and ruthless. I had never imagine her pull out a pistol and pointed it at the huge man. For some reason I found myself thinking about Charlie. Had Hendrik really killed her or was he just scaring me?Guess nobody knew. I too didn't
THE CLAWS“You must be freezing,” Miss Claw said placing a cup of tea on the table, still with one hand on the bloody clothe, she has been wiping her nose with.She pulled a chair opposite me taking a seat on it. “I should go,” pulling my crutches from behind the table.Her bony hand held my hand. “Please, drink your tea it’s the least I could do for you, after all you were willing to risk your life for me,”I bit my lower lip in war with my inner self.“Please,”I loosen my grip on the crutches, after all I arguing wasn’t my strongest point.“Here’s milk,” pushing power milk toward me.“It’s fine black,” I lied.A short laughter escaped her broken lips. I rose an eyebrow, lost. What was funny? Had I said something funny, or wait did I look funny? What? Was it my clothes?All these thoughts starte
FORGIVING MYSELFWater flow out the watering kettle onto the potted plant before me, while my mind raced to the conversation between me and April aka Miss yellow coat painter.How did she knew about me not being kidnapped? The sudden door knock was what pulled me out of my wild thoughts.I carefully placed the watering kettle beside the potted plant, which has tomatoes planted in it. I pulled my crutches then walked inside heading to the front door. I pulled the door opens soon as I saw her face pushed the door close. She blocked it from closing with her heel.“What do you want from me?!” I snapped. “if it’s money I’ll give it to you!”“Can I come in? Please,” she calmly said.I pulled the door open as she helped herself in. She looked around the neat sitting room.“You do know that I will not let anyone know about this,” picking up the clay case on the coffe
CONFRONTATIONI watched my mother violently folding some of the clothes in her basket. “Mother,” I softly said.“We are going to have your bandages off tomorrow,” she quickly said blocking me from speaking.I nodded dumbly as I slowly started eating the bread with jam before me which my mother had prepared for me.I noticed that she had stopped folding the thousand laundry before her. The mood around her was off and I had seen her in this mood before. It was the same mood she had been n a year ago. When she had decided not to talk to me anymore.“Who was that woman who was here?” she finally asked.“A friend,” I lied, avoiding her gaze.“A friend? When have you started being friends with Claw’s daughter?” she asked. “Do you want to end up rotten like Mrs.Shem's granddaughter?”Lola, what had happened to lola now? I found myself
THEIR LOVEClosed my eyes as I listened to the number of nurses unwrapping my bandages body. “We are don,” one of the nurses with long brunette hair.I slowly opened my eyes as the door before me opened. My mother’s eyes widen as she stared at me.“Mum,” I softly said.Tears ran down her cheeks as I felt the other nurses help me put on the loose shirt that Plot had borrowed me.She’s healed very fast,” the other nurse with blonde hair stated, handing me a mirror.I stared at my scared face that was healing slowly. It looked better than I had hoped.Plot also walked inside. “We’ll leave you all,” the nurse with brunette hair said before her and the other nurses walked out.“Siren,” Plot said walking toward me.He sat at the edge of the bed. “You…”“Look beautiful,” my mother finished his sen
DRAINED OUT!I sat on one of the few chairs on the balcony, with my eyes on the building before me. I slowly puffed out smoke from my mouth. Yep, I hadn’t stopped smokingThere she was, walking around her room carrying a basket. It was Apple, Apple Sun. It seemed like more than a year had passed since we had stood in this balcony together. How much amazed she was that day to see the view to her bedroom. “So you always see me?” he had asked.Before I knew it my mind was digging into the memory where she was dancing. How perfect her steps and turns had been. She had looked like a princess in a fairy tale. A true perfection. I still wondered why she never entered dome dance competition since she was really good in dancing, guess I too could draw but had never entered any drawing competitions let alone a competition of any sort.Maybe her dancing was the same as my drawing talent. I found my mind digg
MY ARTThe smoke slowl skid out my lips which were pressed into a thin line. Their eyes seemed to move with me as they passed by. “Hi pretty,” a black haired man said passing by.After that sentence I felt my stomach hurt. It was just disgusting for someone as old as Plot to make that remark, especially to someone who was young enough to be his daughter. Something about his eyes seemed shady.The footsteps approaching caught my attention as the cigarette on my hand dropped on the ground. It had to be him, Jack.A familiar face appeared instead of Jack. “shit,” I mumbled pulling my hoodie up.“Siren, what are you doing out here so late?” she asked, almost pulling out her pistol from her coat.Shit April had just saw me. What was I going to tell her about being out at night.“Hi,” I nervously said.“You almost scared me you death,” she said with her with
FAMILY I walked up the stairs, feeling tired. A woman walked pass we me almost knocking me down. “Aah,”“I sorry,” she said picking up one of my crutches that had fell on the floor.“I am fin,” I replied that us when I recognized her.Long nevy black hair, eyeshadow and a red lipstick. She wore a shirt red dress, revealing her tiny thighs. “lola,”Her eyes widen. “Sister Siren,”“You okay,” I asked reaching my hand to her small face, which I recognized had a few bruises.The broken lip was what caught my eye. She jerked back with tears gathered in her eyes.“I am sorry?” before running up the stairs.I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. I was sure she was also in the same trouble as I was, having to have sex with every men in order to get a place to stay.I needed to help her, help her get out of that li
LET ME SAVE YOUWe stared at the view of the Mino city. “it’s been long since we sat here,” I began.“Yeah,”I turned to face her. “Are you really getting married?” I asked in a more serious tone.I noticed her face turning pale. “You don’t want to, do you?”“I have to go,”I held her hand. “please get me down,”“Apple, I can help you,”Tears gathered her eyes. “How? How can you help me Siren?”Her voice sounded sad and hurt at the same time.“How can you help me if my grandfather has already arranged a marriage for me? A marriage with a man don’t even know?”My eyes widen. “Let run away,” my voice came out unclear.“Run away?” she asked.“Yeah, let run away from Mino city let go far away,”“How abo
CLOSURE I stared at my mother who was folding the few clothes in their baskets.“Can I take a break?” I asked.“You can eat here,” she replied handing me my lunch box.“I mean outside,”She rose an eyebrow.“I won’t be long. Please.”She let out a sigh. “One of the girls will go with you,”“No, I will be fine on my own. You don’t have to worry about me, plus I am healing,”“Fine, but two minutes,”I smiled shortly as I got up.“Two minutes,”“Yes mother,”I walked out the crowded shop. I leaned against the wall as I slid my hand in my jacket’s pocket. I came out with a cigarette and lighter.Slowly I burnt it but as I slipped it inside my mouth. The scent of smoke filled my nose. I rested my head on the wall as I stared at the blue sky.I
NEW PATH?Hendrik’s body hands strangled me.“Now die bitch,”His grip got tighter and tighter, as I tried pulling his huge hand off my neck. “St…”My eyes rapidly opened as the sound of railing sirens filled my ears.I gently moved the blanket off my body, while I stepped on the floor. I slowly forced myself up. Crazy enough my body didn’t feel that aching anymore.I took baby steps heading to the door. I pulled the door open and walked inside the dark sitting room. The memories of Jin running around the sitting room while pulling my long skirt flashed in my mind.I quickly shook that memory off my head as I walked to the balcony.Cold wind blew my hair as I stared at the k-building which was a few meters from the L-building I was in.My eyes rushed at every corner of the flat window visible to my eyes, but there was no sign of her.“Sh
HUNT MESMICK’S KILLERSI stared at the wrecked up door before me. I took one last breath before slowly moving my hand to it. I knocked twice then waited. The laughter inside caught my ear. as I knocked again.I heard footstep approaching the door as my body started sweating. What was I doing? Why was I here? What was I going to say to him?He pulled the door open as his face appeared. “Siren,” he said in pure shock.“Hi,” I nervously said forcing out a smile. “Can I come in?”“Sure, yeah please,” opening the door for me.I walked pass him as the cigarette smoke entered my nose. The sight of most in the room created by the smoke caught my attention not that I minded. “The bandages, they are gone,”“I got them removed yesterday,” I replied walking toward the couches which I recognized were occupied.Three familiar faces caught my attent
I stared at the flying moth that was going round and round the light bulb. “If it wasn’t ’for that boy my daughter wouldn’t be here,” my mother said from the other side of the room.“Yeah, I sometimes wish I could see him, but the nurses said he never mentioned his name, he only dropped her near the hospital gate ,” Plot replied.“Do you think he was one of the kidnappers?” my mother asked.“I doubt,”I sat upright avoiding trying to ignore their conversation. My eyes stared at the smaller dresser which was a few meters from. The broken mirror with few photographs reminded of the day she broke it. How angry she had been that day and how much she had regretted breaking it. Her leg moved out the duvet cover. She placed it in the floor. Slowly she walked toward it using the bed for balance.Crutches were starting to ignore her. She needed to get back to her feet. She still had unfinishe
DRAINED OUT!I sat on one of the few chairs on the balcony, with my eyes on the building before me. I slowly puffed out smoke from my mouth. Yep, I hadn’t stopped smokingThere she was, walking around her room carrying a basket. It was Apple, Apple Sun. It seemed like more than a year had passed since we had stood in this balcony together. How much amazed she was that day to see the view to her bedroom. “So you always see me?” he had asked.Before I knew it my mind was digging into the memory where she was dancing. How perfect her steps and turns had been. She had looked like a princess in a fairy tale. A true perfection. I still wondered why she never entered dome dance competition since she was really good in dancing, guess I too could draw but had never entered any drawing competitions let alone a competition of any sort.Maybe her dancing was the same as my drawing talent. I found my mind digg
THEIR LOVEClosed my eyes as I listened to the number of nurses unwrapping my bandages body. “We are don,” one of the nurses with long brunette hair.I slowly opened my eyes as the door before me opened. My mother’s eyes widen as she stared at me.“Mum,” I softly said.Tears ran down her cheeks as I felt the other nurses help me put on the loose shirt that Plot had borrowed me.She’s healed very fast,” the other nurse with blonde hair stated, handing me a mirror.I stared at my scared face that was healing slowly. It looked better than I had hoped.Plot also walked inside. “We’ll leave you all,” the nurse with brunette hair said before her and the other nurses walked out.“Siren,” Plot said walking toward me.He sat at the edge of the bed. “You…”“Look beautiful,” my mother finished his sen