The sun above her head, Addy stared at the silhouette of her shadow that had been casted over the pavement. Her body was growing heavy like she was carrying two baby elephants on her shoulders- her exhaustion was slowly kicking in now that the adrenaline of running had worn off. Her heart was truly crushed for a part in her did really hope for that sweet sweet freedom.
With slow steps, Addy walked back into the zoo, not knowing what those turn of events meant. She deliberately stepped over the dried leaves on her path, enjoying the satisfying crunch of them perishing under her foot.
That's when she noticed the unguarded door. She had slipped out of the exit door with ease, without any hindrance. Were all the guards here that incompetent and lazy? The zoo really was a mess, huh!
Curiosity bubbling in her, Addy walked towards the guard's lounge near the exit door. The door was slightly ajar. Holding in her breath, she gave it a light push. The plastic door slid open to reveal one of the most horrifying scene Addy had ever witnessed.
A man in security clothes was sprawled in the middle of the room, his limbs tied up in a grotesque manner, like someone had tried to bend his limbs into a knot. His face was swollen and bruised. Remnants of food and packages were lying around him. It smelled of stale food, dirt and blood.
Blood?
That's when she saw the tiny specks of blood oddly spread out on his hands. It was as if... someone punctured holes in his hands using something sharp, most probably a pin.
Addy took a step back in fright. What the heck had happened there?
"Are you-" She took a step towards the man and paused. It was none of her business. She did not need to help him. After all, this was not real, the man was not real, his pain was not real... she was inside a book. What was the point of trapping herself into unnecessary conflict?
With that thought, she rushed away from the scene, trying her best not to look back. This was for the best, she convinced herself. She didn't have to meddle with any zoo business anymore. It would only complicate things. 'I am not being a coward, I'm being cautious'- she thought.
(ノ｀Д´)ノ(ノ｀Д´)ノ(ノ｀Д´)ノ
Coming back to her quarters felt strange. It had always felt strange since deep down she knew this place was not her home. The cramped hallways that she had always taken for granted, called out to her. Perhaps, it was the uncertainty that was bothering her, slowly nibbling away the little comfort that she found in the last few months. At the least, she had food and shelter in the staff quarters. She didn't know what to expect of the outside world, what to expect from a place she had ventured only a couple of times.
Entering her room, Addy felt her remaining energy drain faster than the battery of her ancient laptop. With half-opened eyes, she flung her mini cupboard open and threw her clothes into the only rugged suitcase she had. Left and right, she grabbed everything that resembled as something she owned and stuffed them into her suitcase.
"What are you... doing?" Celine approached her in reluctance, abandoning her half-eaten bread. "I mean are you ok?"
Addy sighed for the umpteenth time and resumed her task, not replying as she stuffed her last pair of shoes into the overflowing suitcase.
"Addy?" Celine placed a cautious hand on her shoulder.
Addy whirled around. Alert and not missing the worry written on Celine's face. Her heart clenched. Did she deserve to be worried about?
"They fired you, right?" Her roommate continued on her own. "I had a hunch since they have been firing people like they were picking out wild weeds from a farm. But how could they do this to you? You have been such a hardworking and diligent keeper. You even took on those godforsaken overtimes! You are so kind and friendly, you deserve better-"
"SHUT UP!"
Celine paused, completely stunned. Did Addy just scream at her?
Addy heaved and seethed. She couldn't bear it. How could Celine see her in such a great light? She felt like an imposter. Hardworking, kind, friendly? Those were definitely not the words to describe her. The image of the suffering guard she had ignored flashed before her.
More than that, she hated the sympathetic look Celine was giving her.
"It's ok. It's ok." Celine's voice went softer as she soothed her but it unfortunately had the opposite effect. Addy spiraled down a deeper hole of self-loathe. Her roommate should have been offended by her outburst, should have at the least screamed right back at her but she was being so understanding and patient- it made her feel even more miserable.
"What are you planning to do after you leave?" Celine asked, her voice still a soft whisper.
"I don't know." Addy's answer was curt.
"Where are you gonna live?"
"I don't know."
"What are you gonna eat?"
"I don't know!"
Celine let out a huff. "Then what do you know, Addy?"
Addy remained quiet. Truth be told, she didn't know anything. She didn't know how she entered this world, she didn't know how she would leave this world, she didn't know what would happen next, heck she had no idea why Celine cared so much. At this point, everything was a guessing game for her.
Her gaze focused on her suitcase when she noticed the fluffy rascal- the rabbit from earlier snuggling inside her shoes like it was the coziest blanket in the world. A wave of déjà vu and a tsunami of wrath overrode her. Her vision turned blurry as angry tears leaked down her cheeks.
She was exasperated, embarrassed, lost. She was overwhelmed.
Celine was quick to notice her traitorous tears and pat her shoulders. Addy slumped on her bed, relinquishing the comfort she had been offered.
"Listen, Addy. I can arrange a tiny apartment for the time being and then we can-"
Addy jolted into a standing position, abandoning Celine's comforting hands and cutting her sentence short in the process.
"What I know..." Addy began.
"Huh?"
"You asked me what I do know." Addy pointed at herself with a dull smile, a striking contrast to her shimmering tears. "I know that you need to shut your- your hole and let me be. I can survive just fine without your nagging and stupid concern!"
"...And for f*ck's sake, put a leash on that crazy rabbit!" She exclaimed as she seized her shoes from her suitcase and hurled them towards the wall, not caring enough to check if the rabbit had been injured due to the impact.
If only she would have looked, she would have noticed that the rabbit was still inside her suitcase.
Zipping the suitcase swiftly (and probably setting a new world record for the fastest closing of suitcase), Addy dashed out of the room she had called 'home' for the past several months.
She didn't dare look back nor did she utter a goodbye.
(ノ｀Д´)ノ(ノ｀Д´)ノ(ノ｀Д´)ノ
Celine could see the walls crushing in on her. Her heart pounded like it was being chased by hyaenas and ached as if a bunch of hippopotamus were playing volleyball in there. Tears clouded her vision. She hadn't felt such devastating pain even during her breakup a year ago. Broken friendship sure did hurt more. How come no one warned her about that before?
At least, she had considered her a friend but what was she to Addy?
Celine stood behind watching her roommate storm out, unaware of the little bunny that had moved out with her roommate too.