The Monster In Me

You wanna pick it up, huh?

Unexpectedly, Aron only let out a long sigh before rubbing both of his eyes with one of his arms. He looked at Firda with a sad look, almost making Firda's heart in pain watching that pitiful expression.

“Nothing, said Father, Aron strong boy!” aron convinced himself. “Alon come here because of a gift from Dad! He said Alon was a great boy. So Alon came here with Dad and Mom.”

“Wah, great!” exclaim Adira spirit. At first glance he looked into Firda's eyes which seemed to warn him not to speak. “So Adira rarely get a gift from Daddy Sister! Aron is absolutely amazing! Then, do you remember why you were able to be inside the iron barrel?”

“Hah?” Aron's terrified expression returned. His body curled up as if he wanted to make his figure shrink until it was no longer visible.

“Eh, no, no!” Firda hurriedly interrupted. He deliberately moved and placed himself between Aron and Adira. Trying to make the figure of Adira no longer visible to the little boy. Firda remained unmoved as she sensed that Adira was pinching her waist. “Try telling me again. Surely Aron is very cool, yes, the streets with Dad and Mom?”

Behind Firda, Adira rolled her eyeballs lazily. Wondering, why would Firda choose a circling way if they could directly ask everything they wanted to know? Firda is a waste of time. Did he forget that they were trying to get out of this Hell's Playground? Instead of making progress, they should instead turn back only because of a small child.

In retrospect, Adira did not understand why they had to interrogate Aron like this. The boy looked quite healthy, with no serious injuries. Aron can also talk and seems to be going well too. As long as the child will not cause much trouble for Adira and Firda, then everything is fine.

Maybe the pair of friends just want to fulfill their own curiosity. Because after all, Aron was the first child they found alive. As long as they are trapped in the Playground, Adira and Firda have seen the bodies of children often enough, so they think the children are not strong enough to survive in the current situation. However, now that they have found Aron, they begin to question their minds again.

If a child survives, will there be a child who turns into a zombie?

‘I hope not.’ Adira muttered in heart. ‘Firda had enough to think I was cold-hearted just because I didn't want to take Aron with us. How bad would my image be if I had to kill a child zombie? Well, that doesn't mean I care about my good name either, anyway.’

“Seneng,” Aron again replied calmly, “soal it's been a long time Aron wants to go for a walk, but can't be because I can't walk.”

“Can't walk? Why?” Unknowingly Firda continued to lean her body towards the boy. The longer he wanted to get to know Aron because he had started to think of the boy as his own sister. “What is Aron's mother sick?”

Aron nodded and that was when Adira and Firda's chest felt extremely heavy.

A child who does not seem to have reached the age of 7. Alone in the middle of a zombie attack at a time when he should have played with his family after waiting long enough. Adira doesn't know that a story can make her uncomfortable like this.

If Aron was a little bigger, maybe Adira would ask the child to be stronger and not crybaby. However, Aron was really still an innocent child who could not even linger stared at by Adira. Aron can now speak calmly without crying every few seconds.

Aron shook his head after pondering for a while. “Don't know. But I like to be encouraged to use a chair that has tires. Aron also likes to ride.”

And that's terrible. Adira was still in his position that he and Firda were completely unable to take responsibility for Aron's life.

“It's enough,” Adira's word firmly. “No need to tell too much. We've brought him here, most likely there won't be any zombies here as long as there's nothing to lure them. Aron is safe here. Now we can go.”

“Adira, I thought we had a deal?” Firda's voice sounded weak. Either because he was tired of arguing with Adira or he was still depressed by the sadness he felt from the story of Aron. “We'll bring it with us.”

“But, Fir, we ourselves have trouble surviving!” Adira is restoring her hair in frustration. He turned his face away as he felt Aron looking at him in confusion. “Begin only. We're gonna find out where her parents are, and ask them to find Aron here right away. How?”

“You think—“ Suddenly Firda covered her mouth with her hands. He caught a glimpse of Aron before walking up to Adira. This time he spoke in a whisper right into the friend's ear. “You think his parents are still alive? Did you forget that we found it in the barrel? There must be a reason why he's there, Dir! Maybe his own parents put him there while his father and mother were attacked by zombies!”

Adira bit her lower lip so hard that she almost made it bleed. Although reluctant to admit, Adira knows that Firda is right. Even he himself had actually been thinking the same thing since the first second they found Aron. His anxiety makes him say whatever he thinks of in order to escape Aron.

However, it is undeniable that Adira herself began to be curious about Aron's story. He was now crouching in front of the boy. Both eyes pay attention to every detail that is at the tip of the head to the tip of Aron's toes. “So, Aron, do you know where your Father and Mother are?”

“You said we should finish the story session?” firda protest.

Adira shrugged her shoulders. “You yourself still want to continue it, right?”

Without really noticing the commotion, Aron thoughtlessly pressed one of his temples with his index finger. His expression looked extremely solemn before finally his lips curved downwards. He looked at the two girls and began to speak in a trembling voice.

“Father same Mother Aron again in Flower Park.” Aron rubbed his eyes with a fist. “Sudden Mom surein Dad. There are people who bite others. Keep Dad away take Aron to hide.”

Firda clenched his hands, preparing to hear parts of Aron's story that might be very unpleasant to hear. “Then Where's Aron's Dad?” ask carefully.

“Dad said to pick up Mom. Aron told wait.” Aron straightened up and looked at Adira and Firda expectantly. “What are you telling me to pick up Aron?”

***