The Monster In Me

Hierarchies

“Why does Big Brother always do that? Stopit! I'm horrified to see it!” adira protests that are relaxing while lying on Adnan's bed.

Adnan turned away from his position sitting in front of the study table. “Do what?” the young man asked confused.

Adira growled in annoyance. “So while in the cafeteria, Brother easily hit an ant on the table. Then Brother also got rid of the lizard that passed through our yard by stepping on it! Can't you just throw him out? Animal life is also as valuable as our lives,” protested the girl. Still in a recumbent position, staring at the ceiling of Adnan's dark-grey room with a frown. His hands swung to and fro with every word he said.

Meanwhile, Adnan who did not fully understand the reason behind Adira's current annoyance could only relax his shoulders. “Entahlah. Sister is just getting rid of things that Big Brother thinks will interfere with comfort. Don't you also not like animals?”

“But that doesn't mean I want them dead!”

“What's really why? Big Brother also always make sure they instantly die on the spot instead of dying slowly.”

“But, the ...” Adira suddenly got up and sat down while squeezing her hair in frustration. He never won an argument with his brother. “Ah, stop! It's up to Brother! Just make sure never to do such things again in front of me!”

Instead of nodding or agreeing to Adira's request as usual, Adnan now actually got up and walked closer to his sister. Adira reflexively shifts, providing a place for her brother to sit down. However, Adnan chose to sit opposite to Adira, instead of next to him.

“Adira, in life, you can't always avoid things you don't like,” Adnan said as he looked into Adira's eyes. “That cowardly act must be removed piecemeal in order to disappear completely.”

Adira who did not understand then scowled. “What Brother is mocking me?”

“No, not so,” refute Adnan fast. “Sama like you, Brother also has many things that Brother is afraid of or does not like. But Brother is aware, that we should not be defeated by our own fears.”

“I don't understand.” Adira's fingers seemed to be creeping the tip of the pillow nearby restlessly. “Isn't fear there to keep us? If people have no fear, they will not stay away from danger. So, why should it be removed?”

Adnan was silent for a moment. Since long ago, he always knew that Adira always put logic above all things. Curiosity of the girl on every thing also makes her often ask questions that are quite difficult for Adnan to answer. Not because the young man was incapable, but sometimes he had to be careful in order to convey the right answer according to the situation.

Therefore, Adnan had difficulty composing words for him to say. “Begini .. You know, right, that Big Brother is actually afraid of breaking Dad's orders? If Big Brother is always afraid of being beaten until battered if Brother disappoints him?”

“Yes, I know. And I always wonder whenever Big Brother actually seems to deliberately provoke Dad's anger,” replied Adira while clucking annoyed.

“That's because Big Brother knows that Dad's position is far above Brother's. That Brother's ability is not enough for Brother against Father. That's why, you just accept being beaten or stepped on, because that's the destiny of weaker beings.”

Adnan's explanation does not help Adira to better understand everything. The girl was getting more confused. Unknowingly he kept leaning towards his brother. “But Big Brother is not a weak creature. Big brother is much stronger than me.”

“Why bring gender—”

“At its core ...” Adnan interrupted Adira's speech. “Every object or creature in this world has its own position. The higher one defeats the weaker one. Just like when Dad bullied me, or when I killed a little animal. Even Mother cut the fish head and cooked it because Mother has the strength to it,” she explained at length.

The young man then chuckled when he saw Adira's face scowl. The girl must have never expected that a simple protest from her could make them talk about a wider and more difficult topic to understand. Slowly, Adnan patted the top of his sister's head. “You must have understood what Brother meant. For now, there's only one thing you have to do. To become stronger. Because that way, you can do anything to the weaker.”

“I just want to enjoy my own life in peace. Never once did I intend to be the strongest or anything like that,” chirped Adira with pursed lips.

Adnan's laughter is getting harder. “OK, Brother understands what you mean. You don't have to do anything, because you have a Big Brother who will always be ready to protect you from whatever it is.”

“Iya, deh, yes. I'm really lucky to have a reliable Big Brother,” said Adira half-heartedly.

Adnan then pretended to be hurt by rubbing his own chest and put on a sad look. However, the young man actually got a gift in the form of a pillow throw from the sister.

Remembering his every memory with Adira always managed to make Adnan smile. Even when his body is now covered with wounds from having to climb trees and walls, and jump from a height, Adnan can still run at full strength. His whole energy seemed to multiply tens of times every time he remembered that he was doing all this in order to fulfill his promise to Adira.

“Totally empty. It seems like the commotion outside the entrance gate earlier attracted the attention of all the zombies near here,” muttered while still observing around vigilantly. As he traveled here in his father's car, Adnan spent his time watching every video of the Cakrabuana Playground riots he could find on the internet. Starting from videos uploaded by official government channels and foreign channels with poor video quality. All of that makes him more aware of what is going on and be able to prepare better.

As of now, Adnan knew that he should not make a louder sound than the sound of a broken speaker still trying to play the song Playground around him. Although the situation around him looks safe, Adnan still tries to hide his figure behind every big object he finds.

“This playground looks really messy. Is this really a human act?” He wondered as he looked at every broken item as well as the bodies lying around it. “Could have been part of the reason for this devastation was due to the immature readiness of the Playground. I'm sure, destroyed rides take more casualties than zombie attacks.”

Adnan gasped slightly as he felt someone holding his leg. He snorted after discovering that the undead under the rubble of a large tree were growling and pulling his legs weakly. Adnan clenched his legs with all his might, so that not only his legs were free from the zombie grasp, but the hands of the undead also came apart from his body. The young man grimaced in disgust at the sight of it all.

Buk up! Buk up!

“Basic creature!” curse while stepping on the remaining zombie body parts. “How dare you touch me like that!”

Adnan then took a deep breath after exerting all his strength to finish off the zombie. “I have to quickly find Adira. This place is truly unfit for my precious sister!”

***