Chapter 2: Monster

I gulp.

It's so quiet. Did they leave? I waited for a few minutes.

I unlock the door… but suddenly...

They laughed. "Looks like she's already awake!"

"How's your dream, soft girl?"

They poured the water on me. I hugged myself and looked up. I thought they already left. The four of them laughed at me.

Mindy and Sunny are in the right cubicle. Jessica and Lauren are on the left side.

I closed my eyes and sat on the toilet. Their laughs fade when the door of the bathroom closed. I felt the hot tears from my eyes. I thought I ran out of tears because I don't feel anything anymore.

I stayed in the cubicle for a few hours until I heard the school bell ring, which means that school is over.

I didn’t eat lunch or at snack time because I don’t feel like it. I remain in the cubicle for a few minutes until I knew that everyone left. I slowly went out to the bathroom. The hallway is empty. I sigh.

I started walking in the hallway until I saw Jasper waiting outside of our classroom. Why is he still here? I bowed my head and walked faster, planning to walk past him. But before I look down, he has already seen me. And because of that, my walk slowed down.

He went closer and tried to hold me, but I stayed back. "J-Jasmine... Are you okay?"

I nodded. I tried to walk past him, but, suddenly, he held my hand. "I-I'm sorry.."

"I'm fine. Please... Don't talk to me." He slowly nodded his head. "Let me go... I need to go." His hold weakened, and that's when I let go of his hand.

I immediately went to my room when I was already home. Thank goodness. Tia Cecil is not home yet.

I took a hot bath and changed my clothes into a comfortable ones. I dropped my body on the bed. It felt like years. I closed my eyes as the wind blew inside my room, it was peaceful. I did not realize that I fell asleep.

"J-Jasmine... What h-happened?"

I slowly open my eyes, but I can't. It's heavy. I felt someone touching my forehead and neck. I'm sweating so hard. Didn't I turn on the air con? I tried to sit in the bed, but I can't. It feels like my body is heavy.

"You're burning, Jasmine."

What? I know that voice.

"Jasmine..." It's tia Cecil. "Rest, Jas."

I groaned. I felt the pain all over my body, and I am sweating so hard. What's happening to me? I stopped when I felt a soft thing land on my forehead. And because of that, I fell asleep deeply.

I woke up early in the morning. I sat in my bed, and that’s when tia Cecil went in. She smiled at me, and I gave her a small one. I closed my eyes when her hand went to my forehead. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.”

She frowned. “Are you sure?”

I nodded. “Y-Yes.” I slowly get up from the bed, and she guided me. “I want to buy art materials.”

She smiled. “Sure, darling.”

“Thank you, tia.”

It’s Saturday morning. I took a deep breath, and I started to walk. I choose to walk instead of riding the car. The fresh air fills in my nose, and because of that, I closed my eyes. It is so peaceful.

My walk slowed down when I saw something.

Red, orange, and yellow. That's what I saw from afar, a fire. The house is on fire, but there's a part that did not hit.

There are so many people running towards the house. Some are panicking because they don't know what to do. But some got their cellphones and took a video of the burning house. Suddenly, someone screamed because there's wood fell from the house.

I frowned when a man came to me. He's wearing a suit. Worried was drawn on his face. Also, he’s about to cry.

“P-Please… Please, save m-my wife and my daughter…” His eyes watered and held my hand. “P-Please… they are in the room!”

I looked in the house again and watched the fire slowly spreading. I closed my eyes tightly and took a deep breath. I was hesitant about whether I would help them or not.

"Please, lady..."

I gave him a small smile. “Don’t worry. I will save them.”

I ran towards the house. They screamed when they saw me go in. I know, I’m just a kid but I want to help.

When I’m in, fire is everywhere. I coughed when a cloud of smoke fills in my nose. I don’t know how did I survive, but I did my best to dodge the fire. There’s still an area that did not been hit yet, so it’s my chance to go in that spot.

I heard a scream from above. I remembered what the man said, they’re in the room. I immediately went upstairs, and I’m thankful that the stairs are not yet on fire. I coughed and covered my nose using my hand. I almost close my eyes because of the smoke.

“H-Help us! Please, p-please! Help!” She screamed, and her voice broke.

The cries of the woman are mixed with the cries of the baby. I can’t hear it properly because of the sound of the fire. I coughed. I cursed. Who started this fire? Ugh.

I jump in the 4x4 lumber in front of me. I ran as fast as I could when the ceiling started to fall because of the fire. I heard their cries, they are close.

I opened the door when I knew that they are there. Then, I immediately let go of the doorknob because it was so hot. I looked into my eyes. It’s already red, and it has a slight burn.

“P-Please, help us!”

I looked at the fire in front of me. I can’t see them. I think they were surrounded by fire. I look closely at the fire, and I saw a figure of a person.

What am I going to do… I sigh.

I took a deep breath and stepped back. I count from one to three, and when the fire changed direction, I immediately jump. As expected, I landed perfectly according to my calculations.

“Calm down… I am going to save you, miss.” I said when I am close to her.

Her eyes went wide when she sees me. I think she’s surprised because I am just a kid. But, she nodded and bowed. She kissed her daughter on the forehead.

I smiled at them.

I look around the room, finding a way to escape. We’re in a baby’s room. Also, we are standing in the living room of her daughter’s room. I took a deep breath and think.

However, I saw the window at the back of the couch. But there’s a 2x2 lumber in the back of the couch, and it was on fire. Thank goodness.

I jog towards the couch and push it so that it could cover the lumber. I slowly climbed to the top and tried to reach the sliding window. The lock is already hot, but I do not have a choice but to unlock it. I successfully did it! I looked back at them as I already opened the sliding window.

She ran toward me, and I guided her to climb on the couch. I look out the window, and some people look in our way. Thank goodness!

“Help!” I shout and wave my hand.

“Thank y-you! T-Thank you s-so much!” She cried, and I smiled at her.

“You’re welcome. A man asked me to save you. I think it is your husband.”

Her tears started to flood down her cheeks. “My h-husband died three weeks ago.”

My lips parted. Three weeks ago?

Suddenly, I heard a sound in the window, and it was them. A few minutes later, a man shows up. The woman immediately handed her daughter to the man. I let them go first.

I closed my eyes when I felt something. It was… hot, like something burning me inside.

“Are y-you okay? W-What happened to you?” She asked, and I felt her hand on my shoulder. But she suddenly stayed away. “Y-You’re…”

I looked at my hands. Suddenly, there is a flame forming in my hands! I screamed because of fear. What’s happening to me?! I panicked. I do not know what to do.

“O-Oh my..” She steps back and slowly pointed at me. “You’re a monster! A MONSTER!”

I shook my head. “N-No… I’m---“ She immediately closed the sliding window. My eyes went wide when I saw myself. My body is covered with flame. My hair is also on fire, it was floating.

“S-She started the f-fire!” I heard someone say that. I shook my head.

What’s happening to me...

Because of the emotion that I was feeling, the fire in my body became big. I screamed so loud because of fear. Oh my… even before I explode. A woman appeared in front of me. There’s also a white thing on her back. I do not know what it is, and I don’t care… it's tia Cecil.

"Shhh..." she kissed my forehead.

Slowly, my vision went blurry until I lost consciousness.