Red Threads

Buried By Time

The sound of thunder started to sound from the sky. Black clouds rolled about, swallowing the orange light that should have blazed across the western skyline. It was as if he wanted to show his anger. Tell the earth, if it can drop the burden at any time.

The cloud seemed to represent Mika's current feelings. The annoyance that had gathered in the crown was ready to explode at any time. All because Raga did not also show the trunk of her nose in front of Mika. Both of Mika's palms were clenched. An annoyed hiss escaped his lips. For the umpteenth time, he clenched his feet impatiently and an irritated feeling of excitement. It had only been a day, but Raga had already managed to provoke his anger twice.

First, the guy has ruined his birthday celebration with Kai, Raya, and Anggita on the school rooftop. Raga did not even apologize for the incident. Raga simply drives her home, and says that she has to keep her distance from Kai. That'sallthatis. Without any further explanation. So, Mika can conclude that Raga is jealous. And, he can understand that. Although, Raga's jealousy only appears when she is with Kai.

However, now Mika could not tolerate it at all. He does not like the word late, let alone breaking promises. Until his legs felt sore, and the day went up in the evening, Raga still did not show herself in the park. Maybe soon enough, the rain will fall.

Mika tries to call Raga's number, once again. However, the call again ended in the voice of the operator. Thunder rumbles sounded again from the dark, heavily charged clouds. He should be home soon, before it rains. However, for some reason, his legs seemed to still be reluctant to leave before Raga arrived at their appointment place.

Mika still hasn't given up. He again tried to call Raga's number, and gave the opportunity if maybe the guy would come to their appointment. This time it's connected. For a few seconds, only a waiting tone sounded from across there. But for the umpteenth time, Mika must swallow disappointment. Raga did not answer her call.

Finally, with a stomp of her feet, Mika left the place. No longer care, if Raga's coming soon. He's already too upset. The guy was even an hour and a half late from their appointment schedule. Mika did not stop thinking, how could that guy play with her on a day like this? During the relationship, the guy never broke a promise. But lately that has changed. Precisely, when news of Nagra's death spread to the surface.

Mika does not know, what makes Raga suddenly disappear. If he can't come, can't he tell him before he goes to their appointment? Instead of telling him to wait in the park like a fool. Wasn't the cell phone invented for this kind of purpose? Or, maybe the guy forgot how to operate that flat-shaped advanced object?

A long sigh came out from Mika's lips. This was the first time he felt really upset at Raga. Ever since the incident in front of the school wall magazine that day, he had even thought of deciding on Raga. However, the guy actually appeared with an attitude as if there was never anything bad going on between them. Raga comes with a sweet attitude that makes Mika become worried about her decision.

It was raining heavily, just as Mika set foot on the porch of her house. Mika opened the door of the house, and only a quiet one greeted her. It's mundane. Even though his father was at home, the man was still busy in the workspace.

Sometimes Mika thinks, when her family will be warm again as before. When will his mother welcome him warmly again? When will she be able to see the quiz show on television with her Papa again? When could they stop to escape the sad events of the day?

Mika's footsteps that were about to go to the room stopped, when she heard the voice of her mother in the middle room. He could not go to the room without passing through it. So, he decided to wait while leaning against the wall that connects the living room and the living room.

“You haven't said anything to Mika, have you?” ask Martin. Mika frowned, upon hearing her name called.

“Not yet. But, I'm not strong enough to hide this any longer.”

“Why? Didn't we've been hiding this from Mika for nearly fifteen years, and no one objected.”

“Instead it. Since we had been hiding that reality for too long, he had not understood anything. I'm sick of pretending, Martin!”

"You don't have to pretend. You just need to treat Mika like our own child.” Martin said slowly. However, Mika could still hear clearly.

Pretend what? What does it mean to be like your own child?

“Not. Mika's not my real child. He's the orphanage we were forced to raise as a child because of Nagra's request!” yulia shouted.

Mika smothered her mouth. Holding the screeches from coming out of his lips. However, he failed. Yulia's statement made her limp, until she accidentally hit a vase of flowers on the table. The flower vase was broken. Giving off a loud voice that instantly made Yulia and Martin turn towards her.

Not likely. I can't be your adopted son, mom and dad. So, the letter from the orphanage I met that day was—

Mika was unable to continue her conclusion. His body was already shaking violently. In fact, his joints felt very limp. His gaze was already blurred by the transparent layer that pooled in the eye pelukan. However, he could still see when Martin walked up to him.

The man tried to reach him. However, he was quicker to avoid.

"Don't approach me!” yell Mika. His voice shook full of pent-up anger.

“Mika, please listen to papa first,” Martin said.

"What else would you like to explain? I know everything! Why did mommy and dad never tell me?” Mika bit her lips tightly. Withholding tears and sobbing that will come out. However, failed. Tears had already shed one by one on his cheeks.

“You calm down first yes. Papa will explain everything.” Martin said in a pleading tone.

Mika did not have time to answer, Yulia had interrupted first. “You already know everything, right? What else are you here for? Please go.”

Mika gasps. Didn't expect that Yulia would say that so calmly. As if, he was never expected to be at home it—in the middle of that family.

“Yulia! Keep your talk! Mika is our son. You can't just throw him out!” snapped Martin.

“Enough, Ma! Enough!” Mika screamed loudly. Silence Yulia and Martin who will continue the debate. “I've been quiet all along, because I thought Mama would come to her senses by herself. But, I was wrong. Mama is too blind to see reality there—”

“What statement? The fact that you made Nagra die? I already know. And, now you're starting to dare to yell at me. Basic child do not know thank you!” Yulia's red eyes glared at Mika. His shoulders rose and fell rapidly, signaling his emotions that had already reached the top.

“I never killed Brother Nagra. I only found Nagra's brother who died that day. You never know what happened that day, so you can accuse me, right? Mama believes more in the conclusion of the police who say that Nagra Kak died by suicide, without trying to look deeper again.” Mika laughed blandly. He knew explaining this was a waste. Her mother would not believe her.

“And about me being ungrateful, did I ask to be adopted by this family? Did I ever ask to live in a family that could not appreciate my existence? Nope! Even though, I never asked to have a family that only made me a scapegoat!”

“Bigger! How dare you talk like that, after what we've been giving you all this time? If you hadn't been angry with Nagra that day, never told Alana to Nagra, Nagra would have committed suicide! You are a child who does not know yourself! If it wasn't for Nagra, I would never have taken you from the orphanage. Get you out of here! I don't want to see your face anymore! Basic killer!” Yulia approached Mika. Pushing Mika's body until the girl fell. Yulia did not even wait for Mika to wake up, and directly dragged the girl up to the porch of the house.

“Yulia, stop! Mika is not wrong! All this time, we were too blindfolded. Especially you! You think I don't know what you've done to him as long as I'm not around? You repeatedly try to harm him, every time you get drunk! I've installed a lot of hidden CCTV in this house.” Martin pulled out Yulia's hand which gripped Mika's wrist.

Yulia remained silent. His eyes were on Martin. There was an illegible highlight on his pair of eyeballs. However, that gaze only lasted for a few seconds. Then, back to Mika. “Go! And, never come back! I'm tired of you!” Yulia pushed Mika off the porch of the house. The girl fell down in the front yard, under a torrential rain.

Mika lowered her head, for a while. His heart seemed to be being hit by thousands of invisible arrows. Tearing through all the organs in his chest, leaving only tightness.

He then looked back. His eyes were full of wounds. With lirih—though defeated by the sound of rain—ia said, “Mika goes. But before that, you should know one thing. Mika loves Mama. Very dear.”

After that, he ran. Didn't mind Martin yelling to tell him to stop. He broke through the rain. Letting his body be hit by water spots that are painful. He let his body sink and get cold. At least, this is better than facing his mother's attitude. Better than knowing the truth about his life today. It's better than all the pain he's been through.

Mika's steps stopped, after feeling quite far away from home. He raised his head, challenging the rain falling on his face. The sky above was dark black, as dark as his current life. Then, he laughed. Laughter that sounds painful. Laughter against the rain. Laughter that seemed to laugh at how miserable his life was. The laughter then turned into a roar. Desperate roars, befriending all destruction.

So, this is the reason why her mother never loved her like she loved Nagra. This is the reason why his mother could have killed him so hard. This was the reason why his mother had unmindfully accused him of being a murderer. He should not be in the middle of that family. Then, why would they obey Nagra to take him from the orphanage if only to be used as a scapegoat?

*“Thank you for being my sister.”

“I'm happy to know you.”

“I'm happy because we can be family.”*

Mika hit him on the head several times, as the sentence Nagra delivered that day spun back in his brain. He ran, kept running, hoping that the memory would disappear from his head. His hand still did not stop hitting his head. It would be better, if it made him lose his memory right now.

He thought it was just a regular thank you. In fact, there is an implied meaning behind that sentence. And foolishly, he was completely unaware of it.

Tired did not make him forget in the blink of an eye. If his legs don't go numb, he wants to keep running. At once he hoped a truck, car, or whatever would hit him. And, made him forget that he had lived a painful life.

Mika landed her body on the terrace of an already closed shop. His breath was one-on-one. All the oxygen seemed to be forcibly snatched from his lungs. Tight and painful. He cowered. Sticking his body to the iron door, hoping that the rain did not hit him who was shivering. However, futile. The splash of rain that bounced off the ground still hit him.

With trembling hands, he took the phone from the sling bag. Luckily, it was water-resistant. So that his phone can still be saved, even though he has been standing in the rain for almost an hour.

Mika did not know, what was on her mind. Instantly, his finger pressed on the phone icon next to Kai's name.

“Halo, Ka?” Kai's heavy voice sounded soothing in Mika's ears.

“T–please a–aku.” Mika said. His body was really shivering, so even his lips were hard to move.

“Ka? Huh hello? Lo where?” Kai started to sound panicked from across the street.

“A–I don't know. Here ge–dark. D–cold.”

“Ka, please listen to me. Now share the location to me. Let me trace your position. And, don't turn this phone off. I'm leaving now.”

Mika's sight began to blur as she sent her location to Kai. For a few seconds after that, Mika can still hear Kai's voice that really panicked, until the roar of the motor engine from across there. But a few seconds later, his ears started ringing. The darkness around him grew more intense, along with his increasingly blurred vision. He could no longer feel his own skin. His whole body felt numb and frozen. He could not even feel the warmth of his own breath. Just a few seconds later, his body floated. Very light. He no longer felt the cold, but the buzz in his ears grew even more intense.

"Come here soon, Kai." Mika said softly, before she could not feel anything anymore.