Chapter 3: I'm Not Alone

~KIERA~

"I can do this!"

"This pain is nothing!"

I swam as fast as I could to get the hell out of this round. I'm not sure why, but this place hates me.

[ROUND 1: VAGINAL ACIDITY]

I thought that the air earlier could kill me, I didn't know the fluid in this place was the same!

As soon as I entered, my body, well my tadpole-like body slowly dissipated. I felt like I was cooked in 100 plus degrees celsius! 

I could feel my tail burning like hell and when I look, my tail was slowly vanishing with the bubbles!

I have to get out of here before I lose my tail for good! It might be my feet I'm losing!

I wanted to cry but acid bubbles were the only thing in my head, in my whole body to be exact. 

As I swim, I saw another tadpoles-like wiggling around, most of them were also affected by the acidity of this place. 

This is just round one, and it's already killing us, what more in the next round?

I continued to swim as fast, I don't know how far the end of this round is yet I can't see the end.

Some lucky tadpoles weren't affected by this place, do they have super strength? Or their body just made out of steel?

Nah, as far as I know, sperms are alkaline. And since this place is acid, it collides right? Does that mean my alkalinity isn't stronger like them? Or I'm just weak?

Though, I may be dissipating but slowly. I still have a chance to get to the next round.

Unlike other sperms who dissipated fast and vanished into bubbles just like that!

No! I can't let that happen to me, that just means I'm disqualified! And who knows if I'm still alive after that?

Wait, aren't I dead?

I shook my big head and just ignored my thoughts, I must finish at least this round.

And as for the pain? Hmph! This is nothing compared to the suffocation I lived with my whole life!

I swim fast and ignored everything around me, even my tail. 

.......

~KIERA at age of nine when she was still alive~

"Nak, stay here and be good, okay?" My mom said to me before she went out of work.

"Yes, mom. Take care." After I saw her out, I locked the doors and windows. I stayed inside and watch a television show.

Alone in this apartment, with locked doors for my safety, this is normal to me.

My mom kidnapped me, well, took me from my father's side when I was seven-ish from the province. She was supposed to get me and my older sister, however, she can't as my father got a hold of my sister before she could even see her.

So she had no choice but to bring only me. At that time, I'm just a toddler. I know nothing from what's happening in my family and only listen to what they said.

My father said before that mom abandoned us and she is evil. Well, tell that to four years old, I only nodded as I don't understand why and wanted to play games with my sister instead.

My sister, on the other hand, I'm not sure if she took it to her heart. Because I know now what papa said to us before was a lie.

When mom took me, she gave me a teddy bear. I've never had one before, so of course, even if I don't know her, I followed her.

Though I had a vague guess who she was at that time as my sister told me that mom is visiting. So I believed when she said she's my mom and accepted the gift.

Yes, I'm naive even now. I easily trust people but I don't regret that decision even when I cried for how many days as I couldn't see my sister anymore.

For me, my only family is my sister and mom. Because papa has another family, I don't need to butt in.

Even when my sister bullies me with her strength, I still love her. For when I was alone or needed help, she was always there.

But now, I am alone.

I shook my head. I'm not alone, and it's okay to be one. I must understand my mom's situation. She needs to work to feed us.

My mom is a networker, she brings me before every time she works. I met a lot of people and played quietly to the side while she works as a speaker, and so on.

I don't know how to cook or any chores except wiping the tables, hence, my mom has no choice but to bring me everywhere. 

I was even absent from how many days at school when my mom has worked out of town.

We are in the city and the work here is different, even the environment is scary but I'm not afraid.

As long as I stood still and stayed beside my mom, I know I'm safe. 

Mom has a boyfriend too that time, the one who helps her to get me back. But he cheated with his cousin so mom left him.

And here I thought relatives can't marry each other? Welp, it's not my problem.

After they broke up, mom brought me everywhere she went. Until she can't anymore so she left me to her friend's house from time to time.

I said I'm okay since I understood her situation. I eat nicely in other's house, play with their kids if they had one, then help to do chores as my mom told me I should, so that they would let me go back there again.

I sometimes sleep in the sala if there is no space for me in their room, I remember that house has a lot of mosquitoes so every morning I look like I had chickenpox and it was clear pinkish dots due to me having white skin, as white as snow they said.

Other houses let me use a guest room and that place is cold, so a blanket will do. 

There is another one that let me share a room with them as I sleep on the floor but that's okay, there was an air-con in that place, so cool! 

Sometimes I'm with mom with those places to let us sleep in their houses every time we went out of town as hotels are so expensive.

I'm okay with that, it feels like an adventure! I can play as long as I'm a good girl!

However, when I reached nine and since I know how to do chores and even cook, mom left me alone in this apartment when she goes to work or even go out of town.

She makes sure that I have enough food to eat, electricity, and water before going out. I tell her what I need when she asks or it's an emergency. 

And I always lock the doors and window when she went out. That way, I feel safe inside. And when someone knocks, I ignored it if it's not my mom.

To be honest, I prefer this one rather than going houses to houses. Even when I'm alone, I feel safe and comfortable.

I can do whatever I want inside, even lazily around. My chores are minimum as I am the only one here. And, even if I make mistakes, nobody can see me, nobody would diss my mom for having a child who has no etiquette.

I am free inside this two-story apartment.

I won't ruin mom's reputation accidentally.

Before the night came, I clean up my mess and do chores, and turned on the television as I waited for my mom to come home. I ate dinner then wash the dishes, similarly I watch again.

However, it's getting late and she's still not home.

This is not new to me as mostly she comes home late. 

So I turned off the television and grabbed my pillow from upstairs and sleeps on the plastic couch waiting for mom to come home.

I was in a deep sleep when I heard mom's car, so I woke up. Mom has an old car but works very well. It was the only thing that makes mom feel safe and comfortable when going out.

I stood up, opened the wooden door and screen door then close the wooden door once again. I locked the doorknob where she had a key on then grabbed my pillow and went upstairs.

She doesn't want me to wait for her at night as she wants me to sleep early and comfortable.

But I'm always worried about her so I secretly wait for her like this. I have a keen hearing so I can run upstairs like this. I went to my room and laid on the bed on the floor and closed my eyes when I heard the door opened using the key.

Ah, my mom is home. I'm going back to sleep then...

My mom went upstairs to check on me, I'm good at pretending to sleep due to previous practice in different houses so she didn't notice I'm still awake... Probably.

She kisses my forehead, "Goodnight," then she went to her room.

"Goodnight, mom," I mumbled.

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KircheLeaf

Arc 1: Enchantrix Race!

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END of CHAPTER THREE