"Grandma?" Alexander called out, heading downstairs. The birds cheerfully chirp and the sun rays bath the green dewy grass in their front yard. Alexander checked all the rooms and saw no one. No presence of his grandmother, Kiyoku. Alexander suddenly smell aroma in the kitchen, he headed to the kitchen and found a note placed in the table.
Yasuke-kun,
I'm heading to the market to buy some vegetables.
Eat and enjoy the food that I have prepared. If you want some more, you can get it on the pot.
Grandma
A smile is formed on Alexander's smile, he opened the lid and started to eat his breakfast. Despite the sudden turn of events, Alexander thought of Yasuke's grandmother. Taking one bite of the food, surprisingly, it taste like how his grandmother cooked him some food. He ate as nostalgia hits him, a smile puts on his face as he missed his grandmother. It's been years he haven't visited his grandmother, he wonders how she is doing.
As Alexander finished, he wants to eat more. He head towards the pot, turned off the low heat fire and grab a wooden ladle. As he stirs, he halted as he found a black strands that surfaces on the pot. He scoop it out, Alexander lost his balance as he found its head of Yasuke's grandmother with a gentle smile on her face. On the corner of his eyes, he noticed blood smears. For a full view, he turned his gaze on the sink and saw limbs.
It was the limbs of Yasuke's grandmother. Alexander saw a body that has no arms, no legs and only its torso. A peeled-off skin torso.
Alexander didn't noticed but tears flowed out from his eyes, "Grandmother.."
Alexander went to his knees and cried.
The high-pitched sound of ambulance and police fills the front yard, police answering the inquiries of the reporters. Investigators walked in and out of the house as they collected evidences, to track who is the culprit.
"I'm sorry for your loss but we have few questions for you" two investigators asked Alexander. "Is no one there when you saw the incident?"
"None" Alexander replied with an expression of blank-eyes.
After the death of Yasuke's best friend and grandmother, Alexander somehow felt Yasuke's emotion. A cold and numb sensation. Alexander looked up as he saw the forensic investigators carrying a big black bag.
Police refrains some reporters that wants to ask questions to Alexander, he doesn't have the energy to talk nor answer any further questions. The gruesome discovery is enough for Alexander.
Students chatter with each other, calling out their friends near the entrance. Alexander watched his eyes as students passed by him. Being a highschoool student seemed to be frustrating but nothing feustrate him otrher than not knowing who is the culprit. It's been a week after the incident.
"Oh, Yasuke-kun is here." An old man, dressed in a khaki pants and white long-sleeve. "You're sent back here. Good to see you"
Alexander looked up and just went back to read the hand outs given by the class president in the room. Based on the first short story, Yasuke is living in Japan in a rural area. Alexander started to ponder on questions as the class started, "How could first short story chapter could relate to himself? How could it relate to his life?" As the teacher narrates and discuss the lessons, Alexander caught on a student that is on the square edge of the window, looking intently on the ground with his hands firmly grip on the sides. Alexander eyes stood up from his seat and stormed out of the room. Being called out by the teacher can make him worry but nothing makes a human being worry other than seeing a person taking their own life.
"Hey!" Alexander called out, the student slowly looked at him with tears in his eyes. A young student, looked at him with desperation of wanting to take his own life. Students looked through the window and teachers wore the expression of worriness as they looked at the student standing on the edge of the window.
"Don't help me or else.. I'll slowly feel hell again. " and the student closed his eyes, let the sudden cold wind crashed against him and let himself fall.