2 Bitter Sweet Chocolates

Chocolates.

White, milk, brown, black.

And there are still a lot more different varieties which you could greatly enjoy. They are also famous and overused flavorings to many delicacies.

They are also famously used worldwide by a lover to pleased or pursue his/her love.

Also, kids simply love them because of their sweet tooth.

And the favorite brings home for anyone who arrived recently from other places or countries.

Erin was also fond of them when she is still somewhat free. They are even her favorites.

Who doesn't like them? She guessed everyone does love chocolates.

But can anyone still like chocolates if the cause of their suffering is about them?

Erin can't find it out any more reason to eat chocolates after being brought to a certain place.

One month had passed since Erin, Liza, and Carlo started their work in cacao plantation. Erin found this kind of plantation from the man who beats her when she committed any mistakes.

As she looked in her hands, it is full of wounds and blisters now both old and new.

From what she observed on the plantation, kids of every age are working non-stop here. They are just kept swinging their machetes here and there all the time. They are expressionless and almost blank, and they really rarely talk. The only sounds in the still air that she could hear are from the blades. They slice through the tall grass and the metallic pings as they make contact with something harder.

From 5:00 am 'till late night around 10 pm, harvesting, smashing, and cutting beans is all they do. Now Erin knows why the place they are staying is not maintained well. Who has the thought and time for that? When their small bodies are already dead tired from work and most of the time they were hungry and starving too. The only food they got is a few bananas if they are lucky and sometimes they got nothing.

"I don't want to stay here anymore. This is not the life I want. I missed my home" Liza cried as soon as they finished their work late that night.

Erin didn't know what kind of crazy thing made her think like this but for the second time, she is the one who spoke first to Liza.

"Let's escape from here," Erin said in a soft voice so nobody could hear her aside from the two that are with her now. But it's still useless since most of their roommates still heard them.

Both Liza and Carlo looked at Erin.

"E-escape?" Liza asked as she looked confused at Erin.

"How? The place is very guarded." Carlo also asked while raising his right eyebrow.

Liza and Carlo, both looked so weary and very thin compared to the first time they arrived here. Maybe that is also the reason why Erin for the first time in her life, wants to do something for herself and for others.

"This past two weeks, I've memorized the night shifts of guards here. Here is my plan and I absolutely need your cooperation." Erin then came closer to them as she whispered her plan.

Unbeknownst to them, there are also others who heard them and started listening to them. It is no other than their roommates.

They are around fifteen children here of different ages ranging from 8-12. And the three could not see them clearly at night because there is no decent light in this place.

The older ones who heard them just ignore it. And thought that someone will get a harsh beating soon. Since when they are new here, they also tried to escape but they always got caught up so it's all useless. They just finally give up in the end.

A boy whose eyes are closed and leaning on the wall, carefully listened to what the three new arrivals are talking about. Though even if they talk very quietly but still since this is a closed space, some of their words could still be heard especially to those that are near them.

'It's a unique plan from all the things he has heard and seen before.' He thought.

Erin being a bookworm since she was much younger than four since that's what her father always wants her to do and her grandma pushed her. Even if she couldn't understand many words with her young mind she still does her best because she wants her father to praise her and gets his attention. Just like the time when her father sees her reading some complicated book like the encyclopedia.

Her father thought that she is reading it but in truth, she is just looking at the pictures.

"Incredible. My daughter, you are reading some complicated books there. Great! That is what every child should do." Her father said as he patted the head of Erin then went back to his room after that.

Hearing those words Erin was so delighted to hear his father's first praise and finally took a real interest in reading so she literally read every book on the bookshelves of their house and watched on Youtube those she couldn't understand. Sometimes she also asked their house cleaner for help. She hopes that her father would praise her again and gave her some attention.

All of this is when she is four. But the praise and attention she wanted to get never happened again. A fire erupted in their whole house one night. She managed to get out. But her father who is still in his room never made it out alive.

When she lived with her aunt, reading books has already become her hobby.

Since she never went to school too unlike her cousins she focused on learning in every book that her aunt has in their house. She even taught her cousins and do their homework sometimes because of her intelligence.

"A fire... We will set a fire here."

Erin said finally. And Liza and Carlo look at her more confused.

The boy who is listening to her opens his eyes in surprise.

Erin just looked at them then continue to speak.

"What? if you have much better ideas than that then speak."

But both Carlo and Liza just shook their heads.

"No. Let's do that." Carlo spoke.

Liza nodded her head to Erin too.

"Then that settles, we will escape from here tomorrow night."