Anomalies

204 SCR: Mrs. Wood

It was a beautiful night, with the stars scattering up there. The cold wind did not freeze the people, instead putting smiles on some of their faces. It was there that Ava, along with her four friends, had just celebrated Ava's small birthday party which finally reached the age of 20 years. Ava's phone rang, and she immediately raised it with a happy face.

“Mamah, what's up ?”

“Pick home ! Don't hang out at Starbucks, kid ! We celebrate your birthday at home too.”

“Ngokeyy !!”

Ava hung up on him, and then thanked him and said goodbye to his friends. Everything was fine, not before he finally arrived at his house which now seemed like a house of horror.

A window filled with blood, and a wooden mask waiting at his doorstep.

That's...... Ava's last memory of her home, and her mother's.

...****************...

“P, Ava ! Ava !!”

Finally, after a long time I called out his name, this person woke up from not knowing what was on his mind. Dreams ? He was still up, standing, and even walking with me all this time. Hallucinations ? Well, if that's possible. I swear, it's hard to get him back from something like isekai.

“Oi ! What are you thinking !? It's the right way, no !?”

“Uh.... Oh...”

“What ?”

Ava is confused. Let it be, at least he didn't turn around during his daydreaming or whatever. I'm watching him.

“We..... Getting closer, really ! Just relax !!”

Anyway, Ava still looks a bit strange. Forget it, she must have been so traumatized from remembering her dark past again. During the trip, he only focused on the digital map on his tablet, which he stole. I'm not going to talk to her first, because I also know what it's like to think back to the past.

“4 aisle again. We're getting close.” murmured Ava.

He's not talking to me or about me, he's just talking to himself.

Javier, what are we eating today ?

Why !? Why did it suddenly reappear !? I buried it deep, motherfucker !!

“Eva, what's up ?”

I'd better not talk about that anymore.

“Last time, as usual.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. Damn, it always comes at the right time.

Ava was just 'owh', after that turned her gaze and continued walking back. His mind, it looks like it's empty. It's possible that if I also empty my mind, that damn memory won't come back either.

...****************...

Rigel, you like to be cuddly, huh ?

You know what, Eva ? The memories of the past are the worst. That's..... Just like a weapon.

Hmph, weapons !? It can't kill, right ?

Not killing, Eva. But torturing.

Eva's mind was empty, just like Ava's. Passed through the dark alleys several times, before finally their destination could already be seen. An automatic door was white gray, tightly locked like a ban for anyone to open it. Right on that doorstep, a written prohibition with caps lock and also in very striking cantaloupe.

204 SCR: MRS. WOOD, KETTUP.

BENDING REALITY

Huh ? Doesn't that sound like very dangerous ?

“Hey, Ava ! You sure this is what killed your mother ? Just look at the writing has scared me, you know !!”

“Relax, don't join gapapa.”

Full of determination, huh ? There's no way I left him alone.

“At least, I've watched Scream many times.”

"That's a cheap movie.”

“What did you say !?”

Ava walks away from Eva, not listening to her at all. That alone was enough to make Eva wash her lips, then catch up with Ava while complaining of annoyance.

Oh shit, this is really terrible. What is his creature like ? Can what is he ? And what does he like ? I don't know, everything will be answered later. Ava took out a black card from her pants pocket, looking nothing like a bank card or anything else. Ava and I waited silently in front of the door for a few seconds, before it opened, but only half of it.

“Well, shit, right ? Definitely not I used to enter.” I said while looking a little inside. Surprising, like there was only a black shadow, there was nothing else. Ava then kept the tablet behind her pants, then walked in leaving me alone here without a word. This guy can be a bitch too if it's serious, cih !

“Ava, what did you see there !?”

Silence, no answer at all. All right, just have to wait a little longer, right ? No problem in my opinion.

Wait...... Come to think of it, why is Ava's flashlight not looking at all in this room ? It's impossible for this room to absorb light, right ? Isn't that right, is it ?

“Ava, answer me dong !!”

Incredibly, it feels like I'm living in a cave at the moment, all alone. What happened to Ava ? The feeling I could still see her body for a few seconds after she entered this room. But why now, can't I see anything ? Don't tell me I should follow him too.

“(Sigh) Protect me, Chang'e.” murmured, while trying to get through this half-open crack of a jerk automatic door. After struggling for a long time with the so-called 'delight' shit, I finally entered in this room. Remember this, automatic door bastard, I will always curse you, forever !!

My daughter seems to be grown.

Huh ? Didn't he die at 5 ?

Don't worry too much, Rigel. Anyway, I am what are you now ?

I don't want to remember that nigger anymore ! I don't want to !!

Why does this have to happen !? Fucking rigel ! I'll-wait..... This where ?

Looking to the right and left will never change what I see today. Brendy's food, Pafilo Kaj Soduloj, Gumo-Gumo Barbo, I've seen all the names of those shops. Not up here, but....... In the underground city.

...****************...

Hey, Rigel ! What is your daughter's name ?

Asteria.

Wawww, that could be...... What does he like ?

Wooden mask, my gift.

The underground city, my nightmare. It will be forever. And this is where I was walking, passing through various shops and buildings that are still exactly the same as before. Nostalgic ? Bah, I'm starting to hate nostalgia because right now !

Far ahead of me, on the right side, it was my home along with Javier and the others back then. Only one more name comes to my mind, Leonora. (Sigh) I, it looks like it'll take a little visit back to my first house.

After walking a few steps forward, I finally arrived before the already dilapidated wooden door, filled with huge holes and blood spots. Ah, at that time. When Ivan and I ran off leaving the people alone with those goddamn creatures. I don't know the truth. So, my house was also destroyed, huh ? Does this include sins ? Because indirectly, I let a lot of victims float, almost like killing them all.

The wooden door opened completely, and now, the one in front of me was the living room with its three-punched wooden floor. Just to make sure, whether the lounge chair Javier's seat is usually still in place all this time, right to the left of the entrance. Ah, it turns out that it's still there. Didn't I wake her from sleep because I kicked this door too hard ? I remember that moment well.

In front of me, just a few meters away from this entrance, was my bedroom and Leonora. L'm.... Really missed him. Before entering that bedroom, to the left was a passageway that Javier, along with the others used to get out of this house, towards the ravine that bordered this underground city. It seems that the door has disappeared. All right, time to go to my room.

A grenade pin was still located in place, on the wooden floor in exactly the same position as it was originally. It was when I bravely barged into this room, picked up some grenades, then came out again and slightly detonated those three jerk tentacles with my series grenades and Leonora. About five or ten steps from the pin, was our two-story bed, filled with chaos as blankets and pillows were strewn everywhere. Leonora and I used to play pillow Wars as kids, even up to fourteen years old. Looking to the right, there were many motivational stickers and posters stuck on the wooden wall. Most of the posters were stolen from my town up there, and there was only one I had made myself with Leonora.

WE'RE GOING TO THE MOON AND THE STARS, YOU BASTARD !!!

Along with a picture of two female astronauts under his writing. It's my dream and Leonora's together, to be a great woman and to go to the moon, to set our feet together up there. I walked up to our poster, and touched it a little.Damn it, it made me almost cry, you know.

Sister Eva. On the moon, what is it ?

There, there is a flag. A sign that anyone who sees the flag and stands in front of it is an extraordinary person.

Is that really so ??

Is correct.

I closed my eyes, starting to imagine what it would be like to be standing up there, on the moon. It must be dark, that's for sure. But, that darkness was nothing compared to the much more incredible scenery there. The blue planet, our earth, we can see it from above the moon. Think back to how far humans have progressed over the years. Ever since that first fire was discovered, the destiny of man as the ruler of this earth has been determined. Leonora may not know what it was like, but I..... I'll tell him in the future. That all humans, no matter how low the caste is, are all born as 'great people'.

Just wait for me, Leo. I'll tell you everything in the month. So, listen to my story in the future.

I came out of my room and turned to the left. Up there was an attic, where Ivan and the others lived. I, and sometimes Leonora, had to infiltrate through their rooms to get to the rooftops, looking at almost the entire city to the edges. I missed the view on that roof, so maybe, I'll take a little peek inside their room as well.

After walking up the rotating stairs, there, just to the left of the stairs, was the room of the most annoying person, Ivan. I took a breath, then opened the door. At first glance there is nothing different here, except a lot of paper scattered on the wooden study table. Yup, this jerk is the only one among us who has a study desk. I walked over to the table, and then read all the nonsense written all over the paper on his desk. That jerk never used his desk to study at all.

I'll just read some of his papers. Sorting out a few of them already gives me sore eyes.

This is the top one.

That fucking Eva, it's been rhyming for the thief, she just took a poster !! Damn it, no !!

What's wrong with stealing posters ? At the very least, it also included items, right ? I remember that day, Ivan's emotions were like a bean bomb exploding over the skies of Japan.

Javier offered me to come in and study at school. But what about the money ?

Well, there's still a lot of paper that's empty, huh. Why are you wasting paper like this, you snuggle ?

It's been hard to count, how many papers I've passed. Consider it the third.

A valentine ? Rodric asked me who I liked, but I didn't know at all. Maybe maybe..... Eva ? We're not blood either, anyway.

Eh ??

.....

Cih, just assume I didn't read anything just now. I came out of Ivan's room, then slightly walked forward and then peeked into Rodric's room. Well, he's a straight man. There was nothing special or strange in his room. Except for one, Hoodie jackets with perforated motifs are almost entirely. Who made it, doesn't know who.

All right, let's just skip Rodric's room. A little forward again, there is the room of the fattest man in the world, Igor-kun. I have called him that a lot since. And subconsciously, I was already grinning first when her cute little bullet face flashed back in my mind. Never mind, we just peek at his room. I had never been to any of these horse-seeded human rooms at all, so now, when I was able to enter their rooms so freely like this, I was truly delighted. After all, I was 25 years old, much more mature than I was then.

I kicked a little, a little bit, at the door of Igor's room. Waw, there are a lot of Snacks left in here. So, all this time, he actually hid all the Snacks we stole ? That's really fucking Igor !!

I couldn't stand to see that pile of Snacks with my own eyes. So before my ignorant hands forced my whole body to take one of them, I went straight to the very end of the room, Javier's room.

All the doors in this house were never locked at all. The door was just pushed without a knob. That's reality. Javier's room is the most spacious in the house, and the most striking thing is the long table ala-ala at the bar. Every time Leo and I went upstairs, it was just to spend time with Javier in his room, sitting together in that long table chair. Javier left one beer like it was here. Can you still drink it ?

I immediately grabbed the glass and gulped it down. It doesn't matter either, does it ? Javier is a legend. There was half a cigarette butt lying on his ashtray right next to the glass I had just been drinking. I took the cigarette, along with the match on the left of the table. He also returned to being a smoker. Just this once.

Hey, Javier. You can be a role model, right ? Smoking in front of two girls like us ?

It doesn't matter whether I'm a good father or not, but whether or not you'll imitate me.

Eh ? A little more wise words, tuh.

Well, at least someone continues his bad habits. Javier never taught me to stay away from cigarettes or anything, and this is how I am now. Alone in Javier's room, it doesn't feel bad either. Sometimes, I see Javier writing some stuff as his diary. I think I kind of remember a little bit where he always hid it. It seemed, on the distant bookshelf was at my right.

What's writing again, Javier ?

I don't know. Maybe just express my feelings.

Eh ? Pantes aja the son of a bitch Ivan that likes nulis too. It's because of you, isn't it ?

Hahah, it was I who taught her, long before you were in this house, Eva. You do this as an adult, too, Eva. Because only from the past can one learn. History is there to be remembered, not discarded.

Rigel and Javier both taught me two different sides of the past. Rigel says that the past is a weapon that can hurt someone. But unlike Javier, who always said that memories are the most valuable thing from the life of a human, whoever it is.

I picked up a thick book, whose original title had been overwritten by a small paper that read Javier's Life. It really is a hidden book. I opened the book, and began to read the contents one by one.

It's me, Javier. I don't know what I want to write here. Maybe a legacy ? Indeed there is nothing valuable in this underground bongsor house. Nothing worth at all. There's no money I can give them. There are no cars, motorcycles, or other fancy things I can give you when I die. Me and the five boys don't even have any blood ties at all. Only, there was one thing I wanted to say to the five boys. Which I will give, as my legacy.

Ivan, you are a strong boy. The oldest among them. The wisest among them. You will be my successor in the future. Take care of your brothers, forever. Today I met a strange man in a wooden mask. He said that would lend me a lot of money, on a condition. I don't know what it is, for sure, I just thought about sending you to school. Be an adult, Ivan, because they all need someone like you.

Rodric, the most quiet. One thing I will always tell you, be friends with as many people as possible. The world is not just your own, but all humans. And one more. It's about the things I like about you. You are a patient person, so keep it up.

Igor. There are very few words I can write here. Take care of your health, and don't overeat. That's not good, you know. And lastly, don't be afraid of women. Don't let the other Evas insult you because of that cowardly nature. Dare to.

Leonora. Your dream is huge, and your determination is never lost. What a wonderful thing, behind that little body of yours. I vow to bravely say, that your dream of going to that moon, will actually happen. You don't have to be afraid of the future. No need to be sad when you lose. There is no need to feel alone, because there is always us here. Don't say those sad words anymore. 'I'm not a great person!', 'I can't do this and that' and the others. I'm here to help you, always. There's Ivan, Rodric, and Igor. Trust me, if I and everyone else, will always support you.

.......

.......

.......

Eh ? Wait !! Why am I not here !? There's no way Javier's forgotten about me, is it !? Hey, fuckers !! I was also raised to be your son, old man !! You did that yourself !!

I flipped through that page. But no matter how many times I did, I still did not appear and was named. For a moment, I immediately grew resentment towards Javier. Am I not considered to be his son either ? Continues all this time I he regarded as what !?

I kept asking those two questions while continuing to flip the book to the next page. Page twelve, thirteen, fourteen. Even to the fiftyth page I could not find his words which he addressed to me.

“Javier fucking !!”

I slammed the damn book to my left. I looked at her with hate, but also tears. Wait, I think I was wrong just now. After I slammed the book, the last page opened, and a really neat piece of writing was written there. It's not like Javier's writing, but at the same time, it's his writing.

Eva, I love you. You are a special child to me. So open it to page fifty. There, I wrote a lot about you. About your origins.

Page Fifty ? I just passed it, and read it. It's just a bunch of crap, full of weird pictures of the anatomy of the human body and all that stuff. What does it mean with my origins ?

I crouched down, and picked up the book again. With a hint of guilt, I began to turn the pages of the book back with a hint of gentleness. I finally reached the fifty page. Again, all I saw was writing some kind of sci-fi writing.

On 12/8/2002, I met a woman who was seriously injured, while carrying a baby girl in her arms. I panicked, trying to get help. However, the woman asked me to stay inside my own house. In the end after so long questioning her, I was forced to bring her along with the baby girl into the house.

The baby's name was Eva Rosenthal, and the woman was Venus Caspia. They are neither mother nor child, not at all. From what Venus says, she originally worked for a mysterious organization called the Ozma Corps. I know this sounds weird and absurd, but he said it himself. The baby, Eva Rosenthal, was one of their experimental products. A pure man-made man. No mother, no father, no DNA, and nothing. In short, that baby girl, Eva Rosenthal, was created into this world, not born or found.

Venus told me about everything. About a terrifying experiment called the Ozma Projects. The project uses the power of something they call a red star, which is said to be from an all-destroying god called the Scarlet King. It doesn't really make sense, does it ? Wait a minute, because this is not all.

With the main ingredient of that red star, the red star I mean, this baby girl has a much different ability to ordinary humans. Each baby, created from the red star, has different abilities. Eva herself, for example, has the ability to heal any wound just by looking at the person's wound or being seen in the eye by the injured person. I try not to go crazy and believe his strange words. After all, Venus really forced me to trust her. He said, that all humans created with red stars, will have an extraordinarily terrible emotional. Usually some kind of psychopath and his other friends.

In the end, Venus died, even though I had treated her wounds well. I ended up taking care of Eva like she was a normal human being. I tried to forget all that he said about Eva. His origins, his abilities, and his nature. But unfortunately, everything Venus said turned out to be true. Eva grows up to be a girl who when angry, is so terrible. He never felt guilty at all, even when he had made a child from my neighbor hurt so badly because of his own actions.

In the end, I decided to move to an underground city, a city I had never heard of and knew existed before. I told the kids that I don't have any more money, even if it's a big lie. I moved to that strange town, so I could keep Eva away from everyone else. Absolutely cruel and inhumane, that's what I did to him. There's a lot of hoodlums in this town, and it puts kids in danger every day. But thanks to Eva's presence, everyone felt the same way, a protection. Since childhood, without knowing it, Eva has done anything that can be said to be heroic enough to protect her brothers. His body was indeed thin and looked easy to hit, yet it was all different from reality.

I always took care of him, taught him, and loved him. Even if Eva doesn't seem to care at all about what I do, it will never make me hate her, even throw her away. He was created by man, not born. He had no parents since birth. He never knew what it was like to have the affection of a parent. It was created as a biological weapon, not to live a normal life like any other human being. There was only one thing I always saw clearly from his eyes, confusion. He doesn't know anything. What exactly is this, why his parents threw him away, and why is that strange power in him. He just wanted to live a normal life like the people he saw before his eyes. Like his brothers. Ivan, Rodric, Igor, and his little brother, Leonora. That's why I'm here.

Eva, this is what I wanted all along. Love you, as a father. As your real parents. Let's just say that Venus played your mother. You always say that you are alone, have no friends, no parents, and whatever it is, but it's all wrong. I will always be here as your father. It doesn't matter if you call me an old man or anything. No matter how many times you woke me from sleep for breaking down the door. No matter how many times you make a mess wherever you are. I will always be by your side, as your father.

You deserve this, baby. It's from Javier, your father. From Ivan, your oldest brother. From Rodric, who always silences you. From Igor, who you always bully. From Leonora, who always laughs with you. And from Venus, who wants you to have the same life as normal humans. Who wants to save you.

We're all here, wanting to say, that you're never alone. We all love you, forever.

Is correct...... Forever.

Thank you, Javier, for making me cry like this. At least my guess was wrong. You, are the best father.

Forever......

I think there's enough in Javier's room. Now, it's time to go up there, the place I always used to spend the night with Leonora. A roof. I opened the hatch outside Javier's room, jumped up and climbed it.

Climbing is exhausting, huh ? It didn't take long for me to finally remember that last night together with Leonora. Even though the view of the city looks very ruined, it's still the same. A vast city, which never saw any stars at all. I walked up to the end of the roof, then sat there sighing. True, me and Leo when only had a very simple dream, which is to see the stars and the moon.

Wait, sis. What was that month like ? I can't draw it like this.

Relax, I know everything !

.......

Just round like that ?

Yup ! At least it's a bright light, and different from our earth.

What difference does it make ? Both are bullet.

Later, we'll do it together, okay ?

Yeeeeayy !!!

“Kak Eva ?”

“Leonora !?”

I was shocked, and I looked back. It was the voice of Leonora that I remembered, and in my eyes, it was Leonora herself. What the fuck is this ?

“Leo...... You are still alive !!”

I ran and hugged her, until Leo and I fell to the roof. I was crying so much. This.... Which I always expected...... Leo is still alive.

“Kak Eva, already big huh ?”

“True..... I've grown up...”.

It is not at all thought by me why Leo's body is still as small as it used to be. All I mattered was the fact that I was finally able to meet Leo again. I could hug her like a roll, and play with her all night. I'm..... I can go to the moon with him.

“Reacted.... Humans are stupid, yes ?”

“Leo ?”

Jleb !

Suddenly, something stabbed me in the back. Leo can't do that. That's..... It's impossible, right ?

“Easily lulled by the past, as my father said...”.

The Leo I was hugging disappeared instantly, making me finally fall down and feel a real pain. My mouth was spitting out as much blood as it was, and my gaze, began to blur.

“Last time, was a deadly weapon.”

“Who are you !?”

I looked back, but it was too late. My head was hit by a wooden bat.

The last thing I saw was a mysterious woman...... With a wooden mask.