That day, Irene, who rented a small rooftop house to live in after she left the house, looked at her cell phone screen. She was quite lucky because even though it was night, while she was wandering around. She came across the owner of the house who was distributing advertisements to rent out that small house at a convenience store.
Then, she went to the house with the owner and found out that the house is in a good condition and clean, her most priority. Though, it's just one room and one bathroom. Suitable for her to live alone that is. Also, what make her more interested is the house come with a good price. At the range that she can afford it. So, without thinking much, she just continue paying for the deposit and start living there.
After all the ruckus that happen, she just messages her father to say 'sorry'. That one only word. She actually didn't know how to explain herself to her father. Her father must be shocked to see her rebel like that, but she is already an adult. She can take care of herself now and be independent. She just hope that her father can accept her decision with an open heart.
She quite nervous to open the cell phone. She knew her father already reply to it last night, but she just ignores it. She just wasn't ready to see the contents.
But, here she is. She must be facing her worried now. With a nervous heart, she grabs her cell phone. Open it. It turned out that her worries were just in vain. She could feel that her father, seem to predict that she will leave the house, as he said in his text,
"Nothing to be sorry about. You're free now. Just tell me if you need anything. Please be happy after this Irene. I really hope you do. And I'm sorry."
Irene rubbed her face many times. Then look in every corner of the house. She smiled. Yes, she is free now. No more insulting, no more beating, no more nagging from her stepmother. At least one of her many problems is solved for now.
With a light heart she's up and getting ready to go to her college now. Hoping that her start of a brand new life will not be ruined.
But,
"Argh!"
Her excitement was short-lived. When Irene arrived at college, her face suddenly to be covered with cloth. Then her mouth was closed with a big hand from the outside. Even she is struggling to free herself, her predator seems to be strong enough to grab and drag her. Brought her to somewhere else.
Until she reached one place, she was forced to sit down on a chair and tied there. The cloth on her face was also now removed. Her eyes now struggle to open due to the light that suddenly enters. After a few second, her eyes back to normal and she tried to observe the unfamiliar area.
Where is here? She just doubt in her mind while watching the man that abduct her, smiling in front of her in victory.
"Eddy." Irene said his name with her eyes staring sharply at the man. She refuses to show fear at all. Makes the man who was looking at her at the time feel annoyed, as he predicts that the girl will beg him to let her go.
"Still act tough, even in this situation mute girl? Or should I say other nicknames as you are not mute as before now."
Eddy is now surrounded by his other friends or his minions as she always refers them is. They also grinned widely as mocking her weak state.
At the time, Irene smelled something unpleasant.
"What are you trying to do?" Irene ask. She knows well the smell is. Gasoline. And this building, like an old barn with wooden wall seems old enough and easy to be burned.
"Just wanted to get some revenge done. Don't worry. I won't go so low and kill you. I just want to scare you a bit. Maybe make you traumatize and realize that you will never ever want to make any trouble with me again."
Irene pretended not to hear what the man was saying and focused on freeing herself. She realized that she was seated on an old wooden chair. Her hand is tied tightly behind her, around the chair.
"I'm talking to you now. Did you hear that?! " Eddy's screams got louder.
The sound is so loud, that Irene's face wrinkled to hold back the sound of the scream as she couldn't cover her ears. She has no doubt that can damage her eardrum if she hears that again so, she pays attention to the man now. Just to entertain him.
"But, I can't do anything if it's an accident. See that." Eddy pointed in one direction.
Irene also looked to where the man point out.
There's a long rope tied to one of the wooden walls that are there.
"That is probably your life span. I will burn at the end of that rope and you can see it burn little by little before, Zapp... All of this whole building is sinking with fire. As each area is already soaked with gasoline after all. As clever as you are, I'm sure you can figure something out. But if you can't, I have no doubt that no one will ever find your corpse in here. As no one ever care for you anyway. "
Harsh. The words that came out of the man's mouth. As always.
"Why are you doing this? Why do you always pick out on me? Why me? Why not anyone else?" Irene wanted to know the truth. If she can, she wants to make an announcement to ask every single person that hurting her the same question. Why?
"Hmm... Why huh?" Eddy put his index finger to his chin. Supposedly thinking. Clearly showing that he is not taking the question seriously while Irene is desperate to know about that since forever.
"I don't recall that I ever do something that deserve your wrath. Since the first day I come to that college. I just do things on my own and never care about other people. But still, why?"
Irene still continues her question even though she know it is not worth it to talk to someone like Eddy. Her words will just flow like the air that comes and goes just like that.
Eddy went closer to her. Next said,
"I actually don't know. Don't you ever feel that in your life? Sometime you just feel disgust and annoy just by looking at someone, even that someone isn't doing anything to you. And you sadly, belong in one of those categories."
Irene was stunned to hear the reason.
"So, is that my fault? Is that becoming one of the licenses that allows you to bully and hurt me all this time?" Irene now questioned his every move.
"Argh! Shut up! I don't have time to answer your stupid question." He is too lazy now to have that useless conversation according to him. With that, Eddy pushed Irene with his one leg so that she fell to the floor together with the chair.
Only God knows, how much it hurt. The impact from the hard chair, making her back hurting as hell. Her hand on her back also was caught between her and the floor making her pain increase.
Her eyes now began to water. Must have been because of the pain, but also because, she was starting to feel scared when her eyes caught that one of the Eddy's followers had already started lighting a fire on the rope that Eddy mentioned it to her earlier.
"You don't have to cry in front of me. Do you think I will feel sorry for you? If from the very beginning you're begging for my mercy, I probably think twice before I proceed with all this."
Lie. And Irene knows it too well. His words are always meaningless.
"Excuse me then. I have a lot of work to do now so I need to leave you alone to play with fire."
Eddy now walks out of there with all his followers. Before the door of the building was closed, he stop his movement to say,
"Oh, I forgot to tell you that, this door can't be open from the inside as it's already rusty. I try it before. It's stuck very hard, even to someone as strong as me. It won't even budge. So, what I want to tell is that this door can only be opened from the outside. And well... good luck on that."
"Son of the bitch!"
Irene screams, cursing him with all her heart now. Unable to contain her anger that was now pouring out. There was evil laughter from Eddy, hearing from the outside of the building, after the door closed very loudly. Making Irene feeling more enrage hearing that. But for now she must set aside her anger as she need to think quickly on how to save her life.