"This is just like before"
"I was always kept inside my room with no hope to exit. The doors were sealed shut and the windows were barred. It felt like a prison"
"When I finally left that prison I find myself in this place, locked up inside a room just like before".
Ever since the second round finished Alisa has not left her room for anything. There are times she has to remind herself that she is not in a prison cell for her to use the bathroom. On several occasions, Cj visited Alisa's room to feed her. This day was no different. Along with two plates Cj also had bad news for Alisa. When he arrived at her door he heard loud noises inside the room. The sound of a girl shouting at the top of her voice. "What's her deal?" Cj wondered. He opened the door to see who Alisa was shouting at. He looked around but the only person he saw was Alisa rolling on her bed. "I WANT TO GO OUT THERE!"
"GET UP!"
"I SAID GET UP DAMN IT" she shouted.
"Who the hell are you talking to? Have you gone mad?" Cj asked worriedly. He rest the plates on Alisa's desk then proceeded to grab a hold of her left ear. With no mercy, he pulled her ear till she stopped shouting and began screaming. "You are too damn loud. It's 5 pm, you should show some consideration for those who are relaxing near your room" said Cj. Alisa took some deep breaths while she held Cj's collar tightly.
"Yes, I am mad. Mad at myself for being here for so long. Why can't I leave this room?"
"It feels like there's an unknown force that's preventing me from leaving," said Alisa.
Cj was quick to nod no in reply. "Nope, you're just accustomed to this type of environment. You have no problem leaving your room when it comes on to competition and bathroom breaks. If you want to leave this room then get up. Enough shouting like a crazy person please" said Cj. Alisa stood up out of bed and stared at her door. "Hmm, if I walk out there is a good chance I'll bump into my dad. That's partly the reason why I am afraid to go out. I don't want to be affected by his gift ever again" said Alisa. "Poor excuse, all you have to do is ignore the guy. Come on, let's take a walk after we eat" Cj suggested.
"Alright," Alisa replied.
One hour later, Cj dragged Alisa out of her room. She was hesitant through and through. Cj brought her to the beach to see the sunset. The two sat next to each other in silence. The sky slowing changing, the cold breeze touching her skin, and the smooth sand under her feet. Alisa wished she had the nerve to go to the beach much sooner. She looked over at Cj and wondered "When is he going to say something? The silence is killing me".
...…
In the end, Alisa had no choice but to initiate a conversation herself. It was clear that Cj had no intention of saying a word while sky gazing. "Hey Cj, have you ever gone to school?" asked Alisa.
"Yeah, I went to school up until I was ten years old. After that I was too busy to attend" replied Cj.
"How's school treating you these days? If I were to guess, you get bullied often at school" he added.
"Hit the nail on the head. The atmosphere there is no different from my house. There are way too many people with way too many personalities. I just can't keep up with them all. I'm still learning how to socially adapt to other people" said Alisa.
Cj laid his back on the sand and stared at Alisa's blonde hair. "I wonder what kind of woman you would become if your future was secured? Would you become cold-hearted or a sweet butterfly?" Cj asked out loud. Alisa was surprised by Cj's question. "Hehehe, guess you'll have to find out now won't you. Let's keep in touch after this competition is over ok" replied Alisa.
...…..
Before she knew it Cj went back to being silent as a mouse, staring at the sky as if there's nothing else to look at. "Why are you quiet all of a sudden? I finally started to enjoy myself" Alisa asked curiously.
"I should have told you this earlier but I don't know-how. I keep trying to find a way to say it that won't hurt you" Cj responded.
"Come on, just say it. I won't feel offended I swear" she said confidently. Cj turned his face away from Alisa before he told her the sad news. Cj sighed and told her the real reason he visited her today. "BEA, a close friend of mine gave me some heart-breaking news earlier today. It's about your dad Ronald Matar. He was murdered".
"…Murdered?..."
"By who? Who would want to murder my dad?" she asked. Tears fell down her cheeks just thinking about it. She came to the realization that the goodbye Ronald told her did not mean 'See You Tomorrow'. "Goodbye, I never answered him. First mommy and now him. What did I ever do to deserve this?" she said miserably. She broke down in tears filled with regret. "I lost the chance to confront you about so many things? I wanted to know so much. So, so much. I am a coward, I was afraid to face him and now I won't ever get the chance" she thought to herself. The man isolated her for eight years and even manipulated her memories to fit his desire. "Even while knowing these things, there was still somewhere inside my head saying he did what he thought was best for me".
Cj wiped her tears and whispered something in her ear. "Don't tell anyone what I am about to tell you. King Almon killed your dad, Malcolm, and Gordon earlier today. Soon, the two of us will be next" he whispered.
He handed Alisa a handbook then left the beach to visit Miya. Alisa was left alone with a book filled with her father's handwriting. "Ronald's apology, this book is purely for the purpose to guilt trip my daughter to forgive me. I hope it works honey bear" Alisa read out loud. The first few lines in the book made Alisa chuckle. Reading the book suddenly made her feel relieved. When it was time to skip the second page Alisa quickly fell asleep without warning. It was the effects of Ronald's gift. Most people are unaware but Ronald has the power to control people's subconscious through books. Alisa was sent into the time where the book stated.
The time when Ronald's life drastically changed.