1800s
Cancer...
A girl with a basket on her hand closed the door of the old oak cabin behind her. She made sure that everything is locked before she left. Minutes passed since she left her small cabin, she already reached the fields, she's been around for a while that the owner of the farm greets her every time she passes by. Mr. Rich—he is the owner of the said farm. "Good morning, Suzy!" He exclaimed when he saw her.
"Good morning to you too, Mr. Rich!" The girl greeted back after a while. She wasn't able to greet back immediately not because she's shy, or she forgot Mr. Rich's name. It's just even that she already lived here for months, she's still not used to people calling her Suzy. She smiled at the bull—Jordan. Mr. Rich's pet. Of course, since Mr. Rich has his own farm, he owns a lot of animals. But the girl observed that Jordan is Mr. Rich's favorite. He treats him as if they were best friends. They roam around Mr. Rich's fields every sunset. And she sees it, every single day since her stay.
The girl walked until she found herself in the middle of the small town where the wet market is. The girl smiled as she tell the vendor what she needs to buy. She keeps her distance from the wet stool, near the fishes, trying not to ruin or stain the hem of her dress, because she only have two pieces of it left.
She spent most of her time buying necessities for her everyday living. Her basket is already full but she thinks that maybe a dress for her won't hurt. After all, she still have a dozens of extra silvers in her pocket. So she hurried her way to the only boutique shop the town has.
She entered the shop. Expensive perfume of rich women attacked her nose the moment she opened the door. Beautiful ladies of any kind—young ones, old, widows, and with child, are all over the store. Each one of them has a distinct differences but one thing is for sure, they are all rich. The girl felt self conscious with her tattered dress, still smells like the busy market from the other side of the door. She hesitated and think, "Have I come in a bad time? Looks like every rich woman in town decided to come here today. Maybe I'll just come by here tomorrow." She thought to herself, but before she even reached the handle of the door, a young black lady approached her.
The young lady held her arm softly. "You have such a wonderful milk skin. And that lovely golden hair of yours! And those tight curves you have. What is your name young one?" The young lady asked the girl. At first, she was hesitant what name she'll give, but soon enough she blurted out, "Suzy."
"You are such a lovely girl, Suzy. My name is Madam Flora." Madam Flora smiled a her. She offered the girl a stool and attended her needs. She made the girl choose between her finest works. All of the women in the shop fixed their attention to the new comer because Madam Flora never assists a costumer that way.
Madam Flora is the owner of the boutique shop. She's a very beautiful young lady in her mid 20s. She always wear her curly hair twisted in the most elegant way you could think of, she is always seen in a purple dress that kisses the floor, and she's the most fine dress designer in the whole country.
The girl—Suzy—as what they call her, picked a blue beautiful dress. Madam Flora was happy with her choice. Madam Flora escorted Suzy on one of the rooms to change. It didn't took a while, Suzy went out of the room with her new sky blue dress, wearing her fancy golden necklace she always had, and white laced boots that Madam Flora handed to her.
"Lovely!" Madam Flora exclaimed. Most of the women applaud with amazement, but some clapped their hands half-heartedly, envying her beauty. How can a girl dressed in rags earlier be that beautiful just because of a dress?
"Madam, thank you for the dress. And of course, the boots! It fits perfectly," Suzy smiled and handed Madam Flora every silver left on her pocket. Madam Flora returned her sweet smile. "No need, young one. Take it as a gift, for the beauty like you, favored by the gods." She said, and a loud horn interrupted everyone. "That's the cue. Maybe we should watch the show?" Madam Flora said and move out of the shop as everybody does, until Suzy is the only one left.
Suzy shrugged. "I should just get going," she told herself as she grab her basket. She pushed the door and tried to make her way home.
But she can't. Many people block the path of her way, everyone is heading to the different direction. She sighed, thinking that maybe she'll stop somewhere to avoid being stamped. Before she found somewhere to go, she realized, everyone is going to one direction. At the new amphitheater built weeks ago. She even overheard a few locals talking about the show.
"I'm very excited! I've been waiting for this since it was announced in the radio!"
"I heard the famous bull-fighter from the other country will come!"
"Quick, my love! The show will start anytime sooner."
"Be calm, my love. Running is not appropriate for a lady, and besides, my new dress will be ruined!"
Suzy looked back at the tall walls of the amphitheater. She knows that it's better for her to walk away. Stay out of trouble since she already managed to live here for a few months without any problems.
But everyone's curiosity is always stronger than anything. She put down her basket in a place where no one will find it, because if a guard sees it, they might think of her as a slave. She blended with the crowd of people who can waste dozens of gold just to have a seat on that architecture.
When she successfully sneaked pass through the guards, almost everyone already found their seats. And since she don't have one, she lowered her head and tried to hide from the guards.
Suzy was startled when the crowd burst out in cheer. A man in red and gold uniform entered the dome, holding a sword. He wears a hat that looks funny, holding all his hair in one place. He walked confidently and waved at everyone. In exchange, the people cheered his name, they applaud and threw stems of roses at him. Suzy's forehead crumpled when the man pulled a red wide cloth from his pocket, and the crowd cheered louder.
"What in the world is happening?" Suzy asked herself. She never seen something like this before. Her eyes grew smaller when a door from the other end of the dome opened, and a mighty bull came out, running. Running blindly at the man's direction.
Suzy's eyes widen when the man tried to swing his sword, aiming at the bull. Everyone cheered louder when the bull had more bruises from the fight after a few minutes. She looked around and faces of people she see everyday welcomed her vision. Very pleased with the game they're watching. Then she looked back at the bull, the bull looks familiar to her, but she can't really see it properly. But she knows that the bull is crying for help, running around, desperate to find a way to save himself.
She closed her eyes tight and turned her back from the sight, facing the town's people faces. She shook her head and exhaled deeply. She can't just let this happen. She roamed around the place, trying to think. Everyone is still preoccupied with the game, even the guards haven't noticed that she sneaked in the door behind them. Suzy looked up at the seats above her, it seems that it's the spot where they make rich people sit. She's right under them, and luckily, a tank and more materials she needs right at the moment.
She picked up the glass bottles of chemicals and gazed at the tank, then to the seats above her. "This thing shouldn't be placed near a flammable tank," she whispered to herself. Of course it shouldn't, unless they want half of the amphitheater in flames.
It took her ten long minutes to get done what she needs to do. Then she realize, there are still people above that small room. She look around to see something that might help, because she only have a few minutes. Her face brightened when she saw bushes on the far top of the walls, flowers hanging below, and huge bees minding their own business. She hurried to the wall, making sure no one sees her. She blew to the air, on the direction of the bees. The bees fly down on her, buzzing around. But they didn't attack Suzy. Instead, they flew on the way of those people sitting on the top of the room she mentioned earlier. They swam furiously rich people started to run out of their seats. It cost a huge commotion but it was short-lived. But despite of that, they'll be safe.
Suzy's counting at the back of her mind, trying to calm herself. But she stopped when she saw the bull, looking around for help. Slowly getting tired of the game, giving him no strength to run for his life. At the moment, Suzy was worried that maybe it was too late. A smile formed on her lips when she saw the bull, running faster than it was before, running away from the man that almost had a chance to stick his sword between his eyes.
But that didn't lingered on her face. She felt range, hurt and disappointment boiling inside her. The bull ran to one corner of the dome, looking up at the only person he knew inside of this disgusting place, begging to save him. But that person did nothing, but smile reassuringly and lowered his head, kissing the bull on his temple.
This time, Suzy can't control herself anymore. She ran to the seat of that someone as the bull calls his name for help. Suzy grabbed him on his collar and made him look at her. Guards nearby held her by the shoulder, but she didn't care. She shouted at his face, "HOW DARE YOU! AFTER ALL THOSE TIMES YOU TOOK CARE OF HIM, AND YOU'LL DO THIS TO HIM?! JUST FOR SOMEONE ELSE'S AMUSEMENT?!"
The guy in front of her smirked. "It's not about their amusement, Dear Suzy. It's about the money."
She stopped struggling at the hands of the guards, she was so shocked because she never expected to hear those words. Not from his lips.
It's Mr. Rich and his bull—Jordan.
A loud explosion disturbed the still ground. Everyone panicked and tried to run to the tiny exit door of the arena when the shaking settled. The tiny room beneath the seats where Suzy came from earlier exploded, now covered with fire. Suzy jumped inside the dome that made the guards caught off guard. She landed on the harsh ground but she didn't waste time and got on her feet. She waved the bees off when she saw them swarming on the bull, trying to lead him on a way out. "Straight ahead, Jordan." She whispered to the bull, and like a green flag, Jordan—the bull, ran straight in front of him, and break the wall of the amphitheater to his freedom.
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE!" A guard shouted behind Suzy's back. But she have no time for turning around, instead, she run. Following the way of the bull. About ten guards are chasing her. And for a girl in a fancy dress, she's quite a runner. She stopped on her tracks when she saw the same bees from the amphitheater, behind them is a white rabbit, telling her the way. Without any hesitation, Suzy followed the white rabbit. They ran into small streets where people are busy with their daily lives. Suzy tried to slow down the guards behind her by throwing them baskets, knocking out stools and aiming them apples. They even ran passed by a line of hanging clothes, stumbling on them. Making the white rabbit accidentally wear a blue waist coat.
They already passed by the town. The white rabbit led Suzy inside the forest. They already lost the guards, but Suzy knows that she can't go back anymore. So she run deep into the woods, where she thinks nobody can see her.
But she was wrong. Because of adrenaline rush, she didn't noticed the old house nearby, and a swing in front of it. An old man with a tobacco on his lips are watching them. The old man's forehead crumpled when he saw the white rabbit in a waist coat. The rabbit led Suzy in a old dead tree, with a huge rabbit hole beneath it's roots. He thought that he never seen something more strange, not until Suzy spoke to the rabbit. "Are you sure? I don't think that's the way," she pointed at the hole.
The rabbit nodded, as if he understands her clearly. So Suzy sighed before jumping into the rabbit hole.
A few moments later, the guards of the amphitheater went to the old man's house. They're asking if he saw this girl in a blue dress with gold hair. Of course the man said he did, but they didn't believed him when he told them where she went. The guards laughed as they go back home, decided that they'll just report that she escaped, and maybe reach the radio stations so that people will be warned about that dangerous girl who bombed the town's arena.