CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 1

I'm dreaming of it again. The fire that enveloped the walls of my home. Not a single life was spared that night, the only mine. The floors were wrapped with blood as though it was a canvas with the hues of red. Everyone around me slowly getting killed. Corpses of distinct people burned along with the dim reflection of the past.

The fire was ponderous. The event unraveled in slow motion. But I remained rooted in place, watching as the flame became an inferno that began engulfing me with its blistering heat. Vicious burns crawled on my skin but I felt none.

"KRIEEEE!"

The sound of my mother's voice brought me out of my hysteria. Blinking rapidly as panic flooded every inch of my body. The hairs on my neck rise. I was breathing heavily. I wanted to help her but I was paralyzed, unable to bring myself to move.

Ashes covered half of her face, burns were all over her body. The pain she felt showed on her own wounded expression. The flame surrounded her, it didn't want to her go, like a lion feasting on its prey.

"WHY KRIE?!WHY!!" She shrieked but the fire remained unrelenting.

I woke up then, blinking rapidly as the adrenaline burst through my body along with a flash of pain in my head. Sob gripping on my own chest. My heart was thudding loudly against my ribcage. Sweat forged off me slicking my shirt.

It's been 7 years. Seven longing years.

The day mom died, a part of me died too. Since then, everything hadn't been the same. Mom was Dad's everything. He loved her beyond measure. She was the light in our family when all we had was darkness. That's why when she died, my family seemed to wither as well.

Rising from the bed, I went to see the stars and the moon on the balcony but the sky shone none. I felt a sudden stab of disappointment. There was no moon, no stars, only immense darkness above. From there, I was gripped by intense loneliness. It was that dream again, the dream I had every night, the dream where I cried myself to sleep.

Father mourned my mother's death for years which resulted in an endless cycle of booze. Day and night, he would drink alcohol. He made the world a favor by drinking himself to almost utter death. There were times when my brother had to carry him to his bed and there were also times when he would howl rampantly. It was his way of forgetting the past that plagues him still.

His addiction to alcohol almost got us bankrupt if it weren't for the help of my brother and our kin.

Dad's kidney and liver were damaged. From those moments, he had been taking medications and we'd kept consulting a therapist now and then. He never truly recovered but he'd been better

As for my brother, Kaizer, I never fully understood what happened between us. When I finally got out of the hospital, he hadn't spoken to me ever since. Only when he needed something or when dad asked of him.

By the time it reached the first anniversary of mom's death, cracks appear on the facade. It was only then when I realized why he kept pushing me away. I just didn't want to believe at first. And it turned out to be something that I have embraced in a long time.

The guilt I felt was overwhelming. Although I never recalled what really happened that night, but judging from the nightmares I've been enduring since the accident, I eventually reckoned that it was my fault.

I went straight back to bed after tears streamed down on my cheeks as the light from the lamp lent me a sense of peace.

I fell asleep.

❣

"Krie.."A voice whispered.

The drapes were quite thin which let the sunlight stream through my room. Instead of waking up, I rolled over hoping to go back to sleep but I found it impossible. The voice wouldn't let me.

"KRIE!" The voice shouted. There was a tinge of aggressiveness in the tone.

"UGHH, WHAT IS IT?!" I raised my voice.

I rolled back and glanced at the guy who seemed to be the owner of the annoying voice, my eyes half-opened. I continued studying the guy who seemed to wear a dark suit and tie.

The guy had tanned skin and curly hair. It took me a while to register who it was and by the time I did, my eyes widened in shock.

It was my brother!!

His arms were crossed, his eyes filled with rage. His intense gaze left my heart raced. I was almost speechless.

"K-kai"

It was more of a statement rather than a question.

"W-what are you d-doing here?" I asked, stuttering.

He smirked.

"Dad sent me here to remind you that you're leaving today" His voice was flat.

I shook my head, confused.

"N-no" replied."You must be mistaken, That's on Saturday"

He sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Today is Saturday" He stated as a matter-of-factly.

"But I haven't even packed yet!" I wailed.

He smirked again.

"Well, that's not my problem, is it?"

"Well, that's not my problem, is it?"I mimicked with a helium-like voice.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"He sounded infuriated.

"N-nothing" I shook my head.

"It's still seven tho, your flight leaves at 5.You still have an extra time to prepare"

"Are you sure, it's today?" My eyebrows a questioning arc.

"Did I stutter?"He said, leaning slightly.

I blinked in surprise.

I nodded and said nothing further. It was there I learned that today, I'm finally free. A smile crept on my face as happiness and excitement surged through my system.

Kai stepped out of my room and met Chloe in the middle of the doorway. She tried to greet my brother with a smile but he ignored her. I covered my face with my sheets so that I could sleep again. I wasn't ready to wake up before and I'm still not ready now.

"So how's day 2,495 and which is apparently the last in Quarantine?" She asked, smiling.

"Like the usual but I've been better"

"So what's with your brother, he seems more irritated than usual" She asked, confused.

"He looks exactly the same to me" I replied.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she sat on the side of my bed.

"Sleeping"

"What's with you and your sheet?!" She suspected and yanked my sheets off my face. "Oh, my, god!" She screamed.

"What? Why?! Is there something on my bed?!" I asked, startled.

"You look hideous!" She declared.

The disgust she felt matched her own disgusted expression" And not even the fun kind of hideous, just... hideous"

"I, do, not!"I protested, quickly raising myself in a sitting position.

Chloe raised an eyebrow. She showed me the front camera of her cellphone in front of my face and she,was, right!. This is embarrassing!

"I see your point" I nodded, embarrassed.

"Just kidding!"Her laugh is unbridled.

"HA HA HA, very funny" I sent out a sickly smile.

"You look gorgeous! Even without makeup. Why are you so humble?" She giggled.

"I'm not" I spread my hand."I'm just ugly and that's the truth"

"No, you're not!" She protested."Have you seen that face of yours?! You're like Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty!

minus the whole...horny part"

"You really think so?" I asked.

"Yes!" She grinned."I'm gonna miss you!"

"I'm gonna miss you too" I smiled.

She leaned forward and hugged me without hesitation which didn't surprise me.

"I love you" She mumbled.

My heart suddenly ached. She has been my best friend for almost seven years now, she gave me the love of a family which Kai and Dad couldn't give. Leaving her is like leaving my own family.

I closed my eyes, feeling the relaxing rhythm of her heart, and replied.

“Me too”

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***