ia'

0:

n as a shot hit me on the upper left

to pull myself together if I r

ding my pistol in my left hand. After carefully looking around the yard to make sure no one was

and with support from my left hand, I scaled to the other side of the fence, kanding with a loud thud, I had t

he vacation house was a bit far from the main town, so it took me almost 30 minutes before I came across the first car. I raised my hand to flap it

e junction of a street. My legs weakened, and I fell down sideways. My vision became blurry and my whole body weak. Iriana

y stopped right next to me, but I could

bent o

Oh my God, you

who they were, but I needed help. I could hardly keep m

-

nger'

ate. To make matters worse, my phone was dead, and I knew she would have tried. to reach me. I hurried along the dark, lonely road. The electricity on that street had been out for a few days. I

ahead, a woman carrying a baby on her back swayed unsteadily, like she was about to fall. Was she drunk? I won

she suddenly colla

tly. I stood there and watched for a minute or t

er my breath and hurrie

y?" I asked a

saw th

re soaked. The girl on her back appeared to be either dead or

spital, but there was no taxi around, and

around,

to get help. I dropped my bag beside her and started to

bending over, but there was no

ding before the driver agreed to drive through the quiet path. Together,

eater, and the girl was moved to the emergency ward. When I was asked for t

t of fear-my own mother had died right in my arms when I was fifteen. I could still vividly remember that night: her blood stains on my white s

en the doctor came to announce to the police that t

inside me wanted to make sure that sh

tor said and led

at her. She stared back at me,

voice trembling with suppressed tears. "And pap

her hand, but she resisted and started

ng care of her," I calmly said, no

sni

and S

n't know exactly what to say, but I w

he lost a lot of blood, so it might take time for her to gain consciousness.

policemen said, and the

t could hardly get much out of her, so they decided to

d sat down beside her bed for about 30 minutes before I

" she said, her tiny voice trem

y wristwatch.

said, sitti

said, not releas

emed still except for her blue eyes piercin

re okay, right?" she aske

ered, not look

ned her gri

l eyes," she said,

you," I

friend too? My

ur friend, and don't give out free com

kay to make friends, and it's a

her's teachings for all I cared. All I wanted at that moment was to reach Aunt Mia and assur

e friends?" s

Ok

ds, don't call me ma'am, okay? Sofia keeps calling me ma'am

o trust or open up to people I didn't know, so my childhood had been boring. I hardly talked. I took a clo

kay

name is Irian

l you ma'am," I agreed, bec

my hand. "I can't wait to tell Mam

wristwatch. It

she seemed to have

w, but I promise I'll be

ed gloomy almo

ave breakfast, and head to school for my one-hour morning class b

l Mama comes," she pleaded,

e back." I took her hands and s

er eyes. At this point, I was confused. How do I make her be

eleased her hand and removed my neck bead. It was something very important to me.

nt to me. I will come back, okay? G

that was already around her neck before nodding

t her and t

," she

praying silently that sh

st chain on her wrist, stretchi

. Mama will scold me if I don't have it when s

nod

would like my new friend to be at

e it would happen, and even if it did, I wouldn't

you,"

y and love rushing through me for this little one, maybe because I had suffered living without

at day, I never would have thought that I wouldn't get to see h

ould have