Bunga's gaze fell upon the miserablee state of the inpatient room ceiling. Her eyelids opened slowly, revealing her deep black pupils surveying the movement of electric vehicles on the bustling streets outside. It seemed to depict the utopian life that Jakartans yearned for in every corner of their vision.
Yet, Bunga had lived through the darkest moments of life. This inpatient room felt like the starting point of each new chapter in her story. Similar to how one might preserve their progress in the game such as Stardew Valley, this room represented a place to rest and begin anew. Like respawning in the Minecraft after a character's death, this room too served as a respawn.
However, the one who had passed away in this room was not Bunga, but Vika.
Bunga awakened, sat up, and huddled up on her bed, enveloped in its warmth, her eyes fixated on the pristine white blanket. Her mind struggled to piece together the events of the night.
Except for that crucial moment.
They were on Vika's motorbike, preparing to head home when Vika suddenly remarked, "I'm heading somewhere else after this. You can join me if you'd like, but it could be far and for a long while. Maybe you're in a rush..."
"What's the plan?"
"Watching a small theatrical performance. They usually hold it once a month."
Bunga's interest piqued. "I'm in."
"But the location might be risky. Do you have the Sima Danger Signal with you?"
Bunga fell into silence. She had the specific item in question—a device with a small, pink button known as the Sima Danger Signal.
The Sima Danger Signal was a gadget designed to emit an ultrasonic sound beyond the range of human hearing when triggered, causing discomfort to the sensitive ears of potential threats, the Sima.
Furthermore, this tool can also be utilized to summon the nearest Sima Hunter within a 1 km radius. Sima Hunters, other than Sima Butchers, are responsible for eradicating Sima on a smaller scale, directly protecting the community from house to house.
Bunga always carries it, while Vika happened to forget bringing it.
They strolled along the bustling main street during rush hour. The flow of vehicles impeded their every step. During this time, they also observed the office buildings dimming and restaurants closing for the day, while minimarkets retained their luminance and cafes still brimmed with activity. The nightlife was alive and kicking.
They carefully checked every road and turn until all signs of nightlife began to dissipate, leading them onto a side street where the nocturnal movements seemed to cease.
Vika hadn't reminded Bunga to prepare to use the tool—either due to forgetfulness or the inappropriate timing—even though Bunga had kept their thumb resting on the button for quite a while.
However, they eventually came to a halt—within a parking structure, a sleek electric vehicle filled every inch of the floor with minimal lighting, accompanied by the comings and goings of people, resulting in the modern faces being shrouded in the darkness of the night, including Vika with her loose flowing brown hair, dressed in a cream blazer and a white blouse with tired-looking pleats.
The parking building is not entirely deserted, as there are still some men in other areas. One person is seen smoking on a motorbike, and others have left the building already.
Bunga waited for Vika, who was fixing her hair while glancing around.
Suddenly, a person armed with a long machete attacked them.
The blade of the machete was aimed at Bunga's face, but she quickly evaded it and the attacker changed target, catching Vika off guard and deeply slashing her through her clothes. Vika fell to the ground, groaning in pain, while the assailant then attempted to harm Bunga in panic, but she managed to dodge the attacks.
"Fool! Wrong target, stupid! Ah, this fool!" exclaimed a man from behind.
Ignoring whether the person in front of her was Sima or not, Bunga activated the device, creating a supersonic sound that caused immense pain to the man with the machete. The man behind Bunga also suffered from the debilitating noise and struck her with an iron baseball bat. Meanwhile, the man with the machete continued his aggressive slashes in the opposite direction.
Evading two consecutive attacks, Bunga swiftly darted past the man with the bat.
At that moment, a call came through the device. "Sima Hunter, is there an emergency?" Bunga urgently responded to all of Hunter Sima's inquiries while skillfully avoiding all the incoming attacks.
Unexpectedly, a heavy blow from the baseball bat struck her head.
Bunga lost consciousness.
She didn't remain unconscious for long due to the very unwelcoming splash of water.
A sense of fear subtly pricked at Bunga's pale face, tears streaming from her eyes and lips quivering. Her stomach churned with nausea, a hot and overwhelming feeling as if she wished to escape this affliction. Each time she attempted to move, it felt as though her body was relentlessly struck with a baseball bat, showing no mercy. Her cries of agony were met with indifference until she eventually vomited.
Bunga could only grimace in disbelief as she laid eyes upon Vika's body, consumed by Sima.
Then, they began to advance towards her.
Bunga panicked uncontrollably. Her moans, shaking, and gasps for breath only served to worsen her headache. The anxiety was so intense, she felt herself losing control.
"Bunga! Be awake, Bunga!"
Bunga screamed hysterically as her mother's voice jolted her awake from her haunting memories. She stared at her mother with profound horror, as if she was facing a murderer holding a human head.
A heavy silence filled the room. Bunga recalled the shapes of her own mother's face.
Bunga also hugged her mother.
And cry. Bunga's burst of tears anchored all the feelings of her collapsing heart.
Her screams brought the entire room to a heart-wrenching standstill. Every drop of her tears seemed to articulate Bunga's combined fear and anger. Her soul felt torn apart by the pain that was unraveling her world and weakening it. Her fragile heart kept dwelling on the notion of death and questioned:
"Why should my luck come at the expense of other people's lives?"
Hoping.
Help!
Help!
I just want to live a simple life without witnessing death due to this curse of mine!
I know that this world is cruel.
But I just want to sit working in front of the computer, in my simple little world.
Help! Help! My wish is simple.
Throughout the day, Bunga could only recall her heart-wrenching sobs and the comforting embrace of her mother. Everything else seemed to distance her further from her simple life dream. Like a speck in the vast world, a human in the night sky dome, a fish in an immense ocean, she felt powerless in that big world.
Little did she know that life would lead her to a reality she never thought possible before.
While confined to the hospital bed, Bunga found herself entangled in the investigation into Vika's death, uncovering more than just a hunt for Sima. It was during this time that she realized her physical agility had saved her from the assassination plotted by Vika and the Sima, a truth she struggled to accept until Sima's capture by the Sima Hunters that fateful night silenced her growing disbelief.
Vika despised Bunga for what seemed like nepotism, securing a job at her uncle's company. However, Bunga's good fortune led the Sima, targeting the wrong person, to betray their initial motive in their insatiable thirst for human hearts. Amidst it all, Bunga couldn't help but see the loathing in Vika's actions, never expecting it to culminate in this. The kindness she received was but a prelude to her impending demise, a painful reminder of how nepotism tainted the struggles faced by others in securing employment.
Upon realizing this monumental idea, no hatred filled Bunga's heart. Instead, she felt a deep sense of indebtedness for having dismantled the grand constellation meticulously built by Vika long ago. She considered herself to be a part of a domino effect that she found ridiculous. It particularly irked her when the higher-ups thought that Vika's death was the best form of justice.
Upon returning to work, Bunga was warmly greeted by strangers with applause. Subsequently, her uncle presented her with the prestigious best employee award. Bunga continued to thrive at the pinnacle of her life.
While others regarded Bunga as an unattainable peak, Bunga, perched atop her luck, felt the scent of death perilously close. Here, quite literally, she also bore witness to Galih taking flight as he hung himself in the sky.
While people remained indifferent, Bunga paid close attention.
Bunga observe what others do not.