Chapter 6: The Trauma

             Miana’s problem gotten big as time goes by. Her past life is haunting her now. Making her worried and confused at the same time. She overthinks her life like before. She ran from it but, she can never hide. She knew it from the start. At a certain point in her life, all her problems will chase her that is the time to face and solve everything. It will be difficult. She’s surprised that her problems show up at the same time.

Not until that day came, she’s walking alone when she saw a familiar scenario in the street. A person was chased by a mad man with a gun! She froze in her place, can’t move even a little. She wants to run but can’t. She wants to scream but her voice won’t come out. Tears started to fall from her eyes and her body started to shake. She remembers something…

“Don’t walk outside when it’s already late night. So many crimes at night…”

“You should be careful always; crimes are rampant in the city”

“You can’t predict the future, be careful there, okay?”

“Stay good so people won’t have a reason to stab you”

“Learn how to defend yourself in case somewhat will hurt you”

              “Miana, my daughter, don’t cry. This is part of my destiny. You should stand tall, okay? I know I don’t have much time to tell you everything. I think I already said some. I want you to know that I’m very proud of you. You’re still have the energy to smile even though you face your problems alone. I will always guide you and our family. Be strong, okay? Achieve your dreams, I will be always proud to whatever you want. I’m sorry if all the pressure will be given to you…I… sorry, Miana”

            She saw the two people in the corner. The guy pointing the gun to the cornered person and shouts at him. Listening to their conversation, it’s about the girl they both want. You can see the guy with the gun can’t bare the pain they caused.

“I can’t imagine that you can do this to me, I treated you as my own brother”

“No, stop. That’s not what you are thinking”

“Oh really? I saw your name in her phone. You call each other when I’m sleeping and you will just deny everything?”

“Bro, chill. We should talk first. You misunderstood our situation”

“She even deletes your chats and messages or maybe you used secret conversations every now and then. You know how much I love her. And you will just get into the picture and steal my girl. It hurts, y’know?”

“Lower your gun, we can talk this through”

“NO! DON’T TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD DO! YOU’RE THE ONE WHO DID THIS TO ME!”

           

            People nearby panicking. It’s too dangerous to get near the area while Miana witnessing everything because she’s too nearby. And can’t even move her feet because she breaks down, for all the time that it can happen, that’s the time it chooses to make her froze.

“What did I do to you?! Did I deserve this?! Tell me something!”

            The guy points the gun in the other guy’s forehead when another person came up, a girl shouting to stop that.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HENRY?!”

            The girl hugs the guy who’s cornered. And whispers to his ear while calming him down.

“Why are you here, cheater?”

“Who’re you calling cheater?”

“You, of course”

“Ah, really? We already broke up long time ago now. I don’t know why you keep on bothering me again”

“Long time? Really?! It’s not long time. Yesterday, you told me you still love me. And now, you’re pretending?”

“You know what? You’re crazy. We broke up for 3 years now. And you keep on insisting that I’m still your girl?! Are you addict? I can’t understand you that’s why I left you. You even hurt me for God knows I don’t know how many times in a day”

NO! WHAT?! I can’t do that to you. I love you; how can I do that?”

“Ask yourself. And lower your gun. Have treatment. Stop bothering me and my husband”

“WHAT?! HUSBAND?!”

            The guy snaps in that very second and shouts furiously like a wild animal that’s confused. He points the gun to the girl.

“Okay, shoot me, if that’s what you want. Do it. So, we can settle this now”

“What did you say? Your husband? What?! How’d come? Why?”

“Your sick, Henry. I told you that you should have treatment or else everyone will leave you. And here you are, can’t accept the fact that I have own life now without you. It’s been 3 years, Henry. Maybe, you’re too occupied and can’t believe that I’m already married. I loved you before, okay? But it’s in the past and we can’t change that. If my life is giving you so much pain, will you end it?”

“Love, what are you saying? He’s crazy, why should you say that. What if he really did that, how about me?”

                                   The emotion that can break your heart

                                                          is sometimes

                                                The very one that heals it

                                                            ― Nicholas Sparks

          You can see that the guy loses his control and can’t believe what he heard. He touches his head like it hurts so much. And shouts everything, he even slams his head in the nearby wall that makes the girl panic on what she’s seeing.

“Nooooooooooooooooooooo! It hurts! What the fuck is this?”

“Hey, stop. Henry! STOP THAT!”

“No, I can’t. It hurts. It fucking hurts. What have I done?”

“Henry! You’re hurting yourself! HEY! STOP!”

“All this time, I thought you’re just working somewhere. 3 years, that long? I thought it’s months away only. I can’t believe this. It hurts. Arrrgggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

            The guy points the gun in his head. The people whose watching shocked. Miana gets startled while crying in her place.

“Henry, put the gun down. NOW!”

“No, I’m sorry if I cause you so much pain. I didn’t know what I’m doing even now”

“Henry, this is not funny, stop doing that. PUT. THE. GUN. DOWN”

“Let me say this for one last time”

“No, saved it. Let’s go to the hospital, okay?”

“I love you. I will wait for you in the other side”

            A loud bang makes the people cover their ears. Miana fall in shocked. The girl can’t believe he did that. Henry died instantly. He fell down and the blood spill in the ground. The girl shouts in shock. Her husband hugs her while he covers her eyes.

BACKSTORY:

            I’m running to go back home, I didn’t see the time, it’s late. I hurry to get home or else Papa will be mad. But I’m shocked when I saw a mad man with a gun talking to Papa. I hide so they won’t see me and listen to their conversation. I have a bad feeling about this.

“Pete, I’ll pay you twice next month”

“I already heard that many times, what should I tell Boss? We already give you so much time to pay. And here we are, still making a deal. Doesn’t make any sense now”

“My salary didn’t increase like what they told me. Our harvest is too little. Can I ask for more time? I won’t leave this place, you know that”

“My Boss already said no. Your case lasts for more than a year. We talked it will last only for 8 months”

“Yes, I know. I’m doing everything, it’s just I don’t have money for now”

“Or you want your family suffer?”

“They’re not the one who talked to you. Don’t touch any of them”

“Okay”

            Miana’s eyes gotten bigger, shocked. She wants to shout but her voice is nowhere to found. Tears started to fall and can’t handle her breath. The mad man tells something and left his father alone. That’s the time she runs to him.

“Pa-paaa..aaaa”

“Anak, why are you here? You saw everything?”

            She nods. Her father is bearing the pain from the shot and from the sight of his daughter crying.

“Waa..why..yyyy?”

“I can’t hold this much longer”

“Nooooo…ooooo. Don’t leave us”

“Miana, my daughter, don’t cry. This is part of my destiny. You should stand tall, okay? I know I don’t have much time to tell you everything. I think I already said some. I want you to know that I’m very proud of you. You’re still have the energy to smile even though you face your problems alone. I will always guide you and our family. Be strong, okay? Achieve your dreams, I will be always proud to whatever you want. I’m sorry if all the pressure will be given to you…I… sorry, Miana”

            Her father uses his last breath to tell her all of that. She shouts for help until someone came to rescue. They bring her father to the hospital but it’s dead-on arrival.

Dad, help me. I’m really tired right now. Can I rest with you? I missed you.