Second Road

Episode 17: The twilight incident

Dusk on sunday. Almost no one can match the beautiful orange streak in the sky. His golden light could bring back a smile when the eyes looked at him. It was as if God was deliberately painting the sky that beautiful.

Only by seeing beauty can humans fall in love. Beauty is like a magic spell, it influences and manipulates.

I got to the front of the house at about half six at dusk. After getting off the city bus, I only needed to walk about ten minutes to get home. The streets of the complex were deserted, almost able to be called dead. There are hardly any neighbors I know.

This environment is actually unique. Almost no one enjoys being friendly by visiting each other. Never mind visiting each other, appearing rarely. I don't know what they've been doing all day in their house.

Quiet, that's what I got after opening the front door. There was a small paper tucked away in a vase of flowers on the living room table. A message from grandfather.

"Haru, I went to meet my old friend. Maybe I just got home at eight. Just check the fridge for dinner, I've cooked something, just heat it in the microwave."

huh...

I exhaled slowly. There'll only be me till later tonight. This house will be so quiet.

Shower is the first choice to do now. I wandered all day and it was enough to make the skin dry and itchy. After all, sleep will not be good if you have not had a bath.

I immediately hit my head with cold water. The cold water made my skin freeze. The shower routine lasts only a few minutes.

Time to fill the stomach. I checked the fridge and found food there. As per grandfather's instructions on the message he left behind, I heated the food into the microwave.

Once the food is ready, I choose to cut the fruit as dessert later. Normally, if grandfather was at home, he gave me pudding after eating.

Tok tok...

My hand stopped. Looks like there's someone outside. Is grandpa home yet? It seems impossible because it is still half seven. Or maybe a neighbor needs something? Probably not either. Our neighbors are people who rarely want to socialize.

Whoever comes in is no problem. I just need to open the door and say grandpa's not home. Or if he wanted to, he could wait until grandfather came home.

I opened the door and a young man stood there. Maybe he's only twenty, but I don't know, I don't know either. And one thing's for sure, she looks like..bule?

Her eyes are green and her hair is blonde. His posture is also high.

"Who are you?"

He looked at me, his face was not happy. He just stepped in.

" he..wait..."

I tried to stop him from going inside first. What's the matter? Who her? Why enter people's houses like this?

"You! What have you done?! Why just shut up?!"

It's quaint. Who her? Why would he even ask that? I should have asked. Or is it possible, he's a criminal?

"Oh, things are clearer now."

He saw my hand. I held the knife I used to cut the fruit. Unaware, the knife was carried away. Does he think I'm gonna hurt him? It's a misunderstanding. Wasn't he the one who snuggled in just like that?

"You..."

He lunged at me and pushed my frail body against the wall until my head hit hard enough. The knife fell out of my hand. I grimaced, she held me as if I was a murderer. My hand was locked by his movements, until I couldn't move.

"Le.let go..."

I tried to push him, but of course my efforts were in vain. The difference in our strength is too great.

"So, what did you do?"

He looked at me more sharply. From this close distance, I could see that he was angry. But what makes him angry? I feel like I didn't do anything. The knife is just a fruit knife.

Why would he think a kid like me would do something? Isn't it very clear that I'm still a child?

"Why shut up? Answer!"

His right hand moved around my neck. The way it forced me to get sick. Can't keep this up, he'll kill me if it keeps on like this.

I bit her hand, then managed to break away. I ran away while she was still shocked after I bit her. I ended up hiding in the closet where I used to hide. I hope he doesn't find me. All this is just a misunderstanding.

Tap.tap..

The sound of footsteps could be heard from outside. I held my breath. The sound of footsteps grew closer and closer. My heart beats unbecoming. I was scared, very scared.

"What the fuck is that? You want to play hide and seek? Grubby..."

His voice sounded so clear, making me unable to shudder. I'm sure he's in front of the closet.

cleats.klek..

He locked the closet door from the outside. I've been found out.

"Stay right there. You can't go anywhere now."

He left, I'm sure from the sound of his footsteps moving away. But, I was locked in my own hiding place. Why didn't he just finish me off? It's a waste of time. The door was not opened, no matter how many times I tried to push it.

I was probably in the closet for an hour. He's not coming anymore. I don't know what to do. If you keep waiting, maybe grandpa will be home soon. But, what if he harmed grandfather back then?

Maybe I can scream for help so someone outside can help me. Or maybe not, the neighbors will never bother to get out of their homes to help a child like me.

Another problem arises. My stomach can no longer be cooperated with. In fact, it used to be okay for me not to eat for a day or two. This hunger is starting to torment me. The food on the table I had no time to eat.

The fear like before reappeared. Like nostalgia, I hid in the same closet.

But this time, it was a little different. I used to be out stealing bread because this cupboard wasn't locked. But now, let alone bread, breathing is hard. The air begins to feel stuffy because there is no air ventilation or the like.

The night began to dissolve, the cold crept in through a small crack in the closet, but it was not a problem. There are lots of clothes and fabrics that I can use to warm myself.

An hour passed again. There's no sign that Grandpa's home. And it made me think a lot. How next?

Clamps...

The sound of the door opening was heard from a distance. Is grandpa home yet? What if that guy did something to Grandpa? I can't do anything about it because it's locked in the closet.

cleats.klek..

The closet door opened, light creeping into the closet. Grandfather appeared before me and lifted my body out of the closet. Everything's fine. That man didn't hurt Grandpa. He was standing by the door, acting like he didn't care.

"Haru, are you okay?"

Grandpa rubbed my head, I just kept quiet because my body was still limp locked in a stuffy closet and had not eaten dinner. I'm sure my face looks pale.

"Your head.it looks like it's hurt."Grandpa.

I felt the back of my head. There is a small part that feels swollen and there are traces of blood that has dried.

"So, what does all this mean?" The man who pushed me finally spoke.

"Who is he?" Said again.

"He's my grandson." Grandfather said without looking at it one bit.

"What?! Impossible! Did grandpa remarry in silence and get a grandchild after that?! Is grandpa cheating behind grandma?! Since when, cake?"

The man randomized his own hair, like a headache. And wait a minute, he called grandfather 'grandfather'. Is he..grandfather's grandson whom he often told? He was so different from my shadow.

"No, don't say anything weird. Anyway, why are you here? Shouldn't you be in college? Why are you here and make it this way?"

"Can we talk about it later, it looks like he needs something." The man still looks not too indifferent.

After that, my back head was given a plaster wound because it was just a small wound from hitting a wall. After eating, I finally went to sleep.

That twilight incident traumatized me a little bit with the closet. Once upon a time it was my favorite place. Everything has changed now. And he, the man who pushed me earlier will stay here.