Hidden wounds

I was stunned for a moment after tasting Aaron's soup.

"Why? Doesn't the taste of the soup match your taste buds?" Asked Aaron, who was trying to look me in the eye as I kept my head down.

"The soup is delicious." I said haltingly. The taste of this soup seemed to draw me to a memory that I longed for but I couldn't find what memory made me feel like crying.

"Where did you learn how to make this soup?"

"My mom," Aaron smiled proudly.

"Your mother must be happy that you can make it so delicious." My comments try to lighten the atmosphere that was originally damaged by my accusations against him.

"Yeah if only she could taste it ... " Now Aaron looks gloomy, have I spoken to him wrong?

I didn't dare speak, I don't like to pry into other people's sorrows so I just refocused on this soup which was light but also warmed me.

"My mother died when I was ten years old. After that I lived only with my grandfather but that wasn't long because two years later he died." Aaron's story while eating his soup, he looks tough but I can faintly hear if his voice trembles as he tells the story of his life. Could I have thought of it that way if Aaron had just told his life story to a stranger like me?

"Please accept my condolences ... "

"It's totally okay, that's a long time ago."

He does smile but I can see sadness and anger in his eyes, but why should he be angry?

I who used to pay attention to someone's expression to know their intentions without realizing it made me always check whoever I was talking to even though I didn't intend to do that to Aaron either.

His anger seemed to cover his sadness in his fake smile. Is he mad at fate?

"What about your father?"

Aaron was stunned, I felt like I hit something in his heart which made him smile uncomfortably. "He's living very well."

"Are you done eating?"

I nodded and Aaron immediately grabbed my soup bowl and took it to the sink.

I know he's deliberately avoiding it, but why? Is his anger related to his father?

I shouldn't be curious about other people's lives, especially since he's just a stranger. The less I know about it the better. I run away not to deal with the sadness or anger of others when I also have my own problems.

"I'll wash it, you cooked earlier." I said to Aaron and immediately took the rubber gloves from his hands and ate them.

"Guests must not do anything troublesome."

"At least think of it as my thanks for helping me and feeding me, and..."

Aaron looked at me questioningly as I stopped my sentence at the end of my sentence.

"And what?" He asked curiously.

"Sorry for getting angry and accusing you earlier." I answered who didn't dare to look into his eyes because of guilt.

"It's okay, you must be in shock because you almost drowned in the lake earlier so it made your subconscious a little messed up."

He understands me, should I thank him?

"Looks like the storm will continue for another week." Aaron said while drying the bowl I had washed.

I immediately turned and stared at him in disbelief, "One week?" I said almost screaming.

Aaron nodded his head and replied, "Didn't you see the news?"

Dang! How about this? Stuck for a week with the man who appeared in my nightmares? Even I couldn't look at his face for long because it felt awkward, how could I spend seven days with him in this pavilion?

"Why? Do you feel bad for being stuck here with me?"

Damn it, he asked it directly like an irrefutable statement!

"Yeah..." I answered without trying to cover it up. "After all we're not that close to making me feel comfortable having a week here with you, to be honest I still think of you as a stranger!"

"So get to know me so we can become friends. My name is Aaron. A.A.R.O.N."

I sighed lazily, I already know his name why did he have to spell his name like that? Do I look so stupid that I don't even know how to spell his name?

"So what's your name beautiful woman in oversized clothes?"

"Jessie..." I replied, shaking his hand. Aaron smiled and let go of my hand and said casually, "What a beautiful name for a girl who..."

Damn, what girl? The heavy rain and the strong sound of the wind outside made me unable to hear the continuation of Aaron's words who had now disappeared into his room.

***

I waited in front of the turned off television, there was nothing I could do while Aaron still hadn't come out of his room I don't know what he was doing until he was in there so long.

The sound of thunder booming along with the blackout made me suddenly startled. I've always hated the dark, the more I try to open my eyes wide the harder it becomes to see. This darkness made it difficult for me to breathe, my body became weak and my head also became dizzy.

I'm reminded of my memories when I was nine years old and my parents locked me in a damp and stuffy cellar with only a small fan for air circulation. They punished me just because I ate a hundred calories more than the number of calories they had set for me.

At that time I was just a nine year old girl growing up, but they made me hold on to hunger just to keep my appearance perfect. In the basement I was scared, I was hot and the sound of rats screeching as if stalking me made me always alert and the peak when I heard the sound of thunder booming then the electricity suddenly went out, everything looked dark and the air felt stuffy and the noise of mice seemed to surround me.

I screamed for help but until my voice ran out, no one came until finally I was too scared to feel everything that seemed to squeeze me until I was unconscious and after I woke up I was in my room and they didn't say anything after what happened which traumatized me, they behaved that day never punished me, they didn't regret it, I didn't even dare to expect them to apologize to me because it would only add to my hurt.

The bad memories carried over until now, my whole body was shaking. I fumbled for the sofa I was previously sitting on while walking in the darkness. "Aaron..." I called out in a frightened voice, I was hoping he would come out to me soon.

"Aaron..." I called once more but still no answer from the man, he disappeared as if swallowed by the dark. I could only keep walking, wondering if my steps were correct following my memory of where the kitchen was. I think I saw a candle on the shelf when I put the bowl I was washing.

"Ha...ha...ha..." I turned when I heard a woman's voice laughing, but the darkness prevented me from seeing anyone. "Who is there?" I shouted starting to panic but there was no answer from any direction.

"Aaron!!!" I screamed louder, my legs started to go weak when I heard the sound of something falling and then the laughter came back. Could this place be haunted? The sound of lightning was heard again along with a flash of lightning that made my eyes widen when I saw the silhouette of a woman standing in front of the kitchen window with a knife in her hand.

"Aaaaaaaa!!!"

***