Chapter 1

Elona's POV

"Ahh!" I shouted while holding my own chest with my right hand due to nervousness. That dream again, just over and over again, my gosh. I washed my face with my own hand.

I looked at my clock and was not surprised that it was exactly twelve o'clock in the morning when I woke up. I'm also used to it because it just happens to me over and over again.

“Who is that Man? Why do I always dream of him? ” I seem to be asking myself a stupid question, which I myself can’t even answer.

I was in the middle of my deep thoughts when suddenly the door of my room opened and the unpaintable face of Aunt Brenda was spit out.

I thought she was already asleep?

“Elona! It's getting early and you're making a lot of noise! Will you be quiet even just for once!? Or will I drive you away?! ” she angryly shout at me. I feel like she even spat her own saliva on my face.

The room they gave me was small, I don't think it could be called a room because I was next to rats and cockroaches.

There is a bed, but it is perforated. I just sighed. Isn’t there really a day that she won’t scold me?

"I'm sorry Aunt, I just fell on my bed and screamed in shock, It will not happen again." I immediately apologize to her.

Why didn't I tell the truth? They don't have a care. They would just tell me that I was becoming too dramatic.

I was lost in the middle of my thought as my Aunt's voice echoed throughout the household.

“You are too moved to sleep! And don’t ever think that you’re a special one! Just thank us the we even gave you a bed! You have no use here at home! Why don't you just imitate Lia? She’s smart, she’s useful, unlike you! Useless!” she stared at me for a long time at the same time as she closed the door loudly.

I just smiled bitterly at the absence. At the same time, my tears flowed down both my cheeks. I just sat on the side of my bed.

"Unprofitable? I couldn't even study just to work at this young age, just to support her daughter's education. ” I looked at myself weakly once I looked up at the ceiling.

“Mom? Dad? Where are you now? Y-Your child is having a hard time.”

I whispered in myself, at the same time wiping my tears from both my cheeks. “EL, you can do it! Just try! ” I made a weak promise to myself and in my mind I didn't realize it and little by little I was being dragged away by my drowsiness.

****

I woke up early today, I was only dressed at five in the morning to work on the farm. I had to scrape and peel bones at my young age which is 17 years old. Life is hard, so if you don’t have patience, you don’t have stew.

I look in our mirror and looked at my reflection from there. I smiled when I suddenly saw my natural beauty, "You're really beautiful EL," I praised myself once and then winked in the mirror. I have to praise myself because no one does that for me. They say, if no one loves you, it's not you who loves yourself. Is that a problem?

I just went back to reality, when I heard the door of my room ring. I immediately turned my back.

“What are you waiting for? Christmas? Go to work! I can't afford my clothes anymore! Once you’re done with your work, give me your salary, faster!” At the same time, she slammed the door of my room and left.

“You’re already used to it EL, right? Why are you crying now? ” at the same time I wiped my own tears on both my cheeks.

I laughed when I found out that I was nervous and hurried out of my room. Losing the desire to live.

"Good morning, Mang Rosilio," I greeted the owner of this hacienda where I currently working at.

"Oh, it's a really beautiful morning, Elona, if I'm you’re one I can see," he laughed softly at the same time, which made me laugh too and just shook my head.

"Am I really beautiful?" I once parted my hair and placed it on the back of my ear. So it immediately made him laugh again.

“You’re really talkative, let's start, so that we can go home early today, ”I just nodded and went to the farthest hut, to get the rice and the things I will use.

Not on my own I raised my head and looked at the setting sun. It's almost night, I need to hurry, “Elona, let's go home, it's bad if the night catches us here in the rice field. Come on, ”I heard Mang Rosilio called my name so I did nothing and followed him.

"Elona, here's your salary, that's three hundred and fifty,"

"But it's too much—" he didn't let me finish speaking, "That's still not enough, if I could just educate you, I'll do it, Elona." I just smiled because of what Mang Rosilio's wife said. Their children are very lucky to have them.

"Thank you very much," I politely replied and said goodbye to them. At least maybe I'm a hunchback, working for my aunt. I will never experience such a deal from them.

****

I'm here in town now to look for things to buy with the salary I received earlier, but while I'm still looking around and looking for food I can buy for tonight, my attention is fixed, on a mountain. I can see from here from where I stand how beautiful and insane it looks.

“Why do they call it the Cursed Forest? I think that's nice there though? People really. ” I just shook my head. People really just say anything what they want to say.