4. Nightmare

"If I was given the choice of my life or someone else's life, then I would choose someone else's life because my life is not more valuable than other people's lives."

- Laura Chintya Bella

***

"Rank 1, Laras Chintya Bella. Rank 2, Laura Chintya Bella. Rank 3, Valen Anindya. The name I mentioned earlier, please come forward to receive the award." Laura's homeroom teacher announces the rankings achieved after the Final Semester Examination in Elementary School.

The three people mentioned earlier, came forward including Laura. They received gift parcels with certificates of appreciation. Laras's gift package was the biggest and Valen got the smallest one. Valen glanced at Laras with a cruel look. The look in her eyes showed envy and also did not accept because she was not the one who got rank 1.

After receiving the award, they were sent home by the homeroom teacher. Laura was carrying her bag, her hands being used to carry the gifts and certificates of appreciation. Laura glanced at Laras who seemed to be smiling happily. Laras's friends approached her and congratulated her with a smile.

Laura's gaze turned to Vikram who was standing restlessly not far from her. Vikram wanted to approach Laura but he hesitated because he was too afraid and not used to having Laura as his friend.

"What is wrong?" Laura standing in front of Vikram made Vikram flinch.

"Th-that..." Vikram stuttered. He was afraid to say something was about to happen. "L-Laras is in danger."

Laura's brows pointed sharply. Her hand gripped Vikram's shoulder with piercing gaze. "Explain what you saw!"

Vikram swallowed his saliva roughly. Laura already knew about Vikram's ability to see the future because Vikram was urged to tell about himself. "Laras will be beaten and beaten to a pulp by friends..."

Vikram pauses his speech. He brought his mouth close to Laura's ear. "Valen."

"Hm, I have an idea. Vikram, you come with me." Laura's eyes stared at the mysterious Valen who was gathering with his friends.

"Sis Laura!" Laras ran to Laura. "I'm going to the bookstore near our school. You going home first."

Laura smiled lopsidedly. "Me and Vikram are coming."

Lara frowned in surprise. "Sis Laura, you don't like it when you see thick books. You say you feel nauseous, isn't that okay?"

Laura nodded her head. Her hand stroked Laras's shoulder-length black hair which was exactly like her. "It's all right. Yes, right, Vikram?"

Laura turned to Vikram who nodded hesitantly in response. They walked out of the school down the path to the bookstore which was a few buildings from the school. Vikram who was walking behind looked around him with a wary look.

Laura stopped her steps making Laras and Vikram do the same. "Why, sis?"

Laura didn't answer, she looked at the black car which was Vikram's pick-up car that had followed them all along according to Vikram's request before leaving the school. Without a word, Laura grabbed Laras's gift parcel and grabbed Laras's pink bag and then threw her bright red bag along with her gift as well.

Laura's movement of course made Laras surprised. "Sis, that's mine."

Laura smiled sarcastically making Laras flinch because it was the first time she had seen Laura who was so terrible. "Why is that?! Yours is mine too! After all this should be mine not yours! I should be the 1st rank!"

Laras body trembled, her eyes filled with tears hearing Laura's words. "S-sorry, Sis. B-but it's mine." Laras was about to take the prize, but Laura's hand was pushed away roughly.

"You want to be arrogant Laras just for getting 1st rank?! I also want to feel like you for a day!" Laura shouted angrily making Laras sob.

Vikram who witnessed the incident shook his head worriedly. No, Laura shouldn't have gone to such an extreme! Their relationship could be destroyed if Laura did that.

"Laura, don't go too far!" Vikram warns but Laura ignores him.

"GET AWAY!! I'M SO STILL TO SEE YOUR FACE!!" Laura shouted angrily as if urging Laras to leave immediately. "Vikram! Drag her home!"

Vikram's body trembled at how hard and rude Laura was. Even though he is afraid of Laura, Vikram is still worried about Laura's condition. "B-but, Ra..."

"NOW!!" Laura is getting hysterical making Vikram jump. Vikram's hand immediately pulled Laras who was sobbing with a shocked face seeing Laura's change which she had seen for the first time. Vikram is desperate, he really doesn't want to leave Laura alone.

Vikram thought that Laura would prevent Laras from going to the bookstore and immediately went home so that the incident that Vikram saw could be canceled. However, Vikram's guess is very off the mark. Vikram thought he had known Laura's true nature all this time, but he was nothing more than a stranger who had 'recently' earned the title of 'Laura's best friend'.

Vikram shook his head, he banged on the windshield warning Laura one last time that the way Laura did might have an impact on Laura's brotherly relationship.

Laura remained firm in her stance. She is indifferent to Vikram's warning. Laura knew even very well that the decision she had taken was extreme. Laura's gaze fell on Laras who was looking at her from the rear window of the car with tears in her eyes. Laura exhaled as if preparing herself. She turned around and walked towards a small alley when she noticed several footsteps approaching her.

Laura was wearing Laras's pink bag, her hand was carrying Laras's gift. She kept walking until she finally stopped when she felt a tug from behind her on her bag. Her body slammed into the uneven wall in the alley.

Laura's eyes still showed calm when she saw Valen's male friend who was about to gang up on Laras. Laura smiled mysteriously as she stared at Laras's gift parcel lying not far from her place. Seeing Laura's smile who was mistaken for Laras made Valen's 5 male friends furious.

"Destiny can't be changed. But I can change someone's destiny."

"I'll be Laras for just a day. Yes, a day for today." Laura said in her mind.

Then there was only noise accompanied by the sound of male laughter echoing throughout the alley.

***

The eyes that had been closed suddenly opened suddenly. Her consciousness seemed to be forcibly pulled to make Laura wake up as she wished. Laura sighed, her hand holding her slightly dizzy head.

That dream.

Laura could no longer imagine how the dream would continue. It wasn't that Laura didn't remember the events of her childhood, but that she didn't want to. As for the reason, let Laura herself find out.

Laura's breath hitched as the images of the continuation of the dream that she wanted to forget continued to swirl in her mind. Laura grabbed her hair fiercely while shaking her head vigorously trying to dispel the shadows.

Her efforts were fruitless, making Laura scream hysterically. "FUCK! GET OUT OF MY MIND!!"

Laura hit her head repeatedly hard. Instead of feeling pain she laughed out loud enjoying the pain she made. It didn't stop there, Laura banged her head against the headboard fiercely, making her head bleed out fresh. The pain she enjoyed more and more to make her forget the images that filled her mind.

"GET AWAY! GET AWAY! GET AWAY!!!"

Laura's screams managed to attract the attention of Aunt Sumi, who had worked at Landi's house for years. Aunt Sumi rushed to Laura's room which was on the second floor. Her wrinkled face showed anxiety. No, she wasn't worried that Laura would get hurt, but rather that Laura was hurting herself.

"Miss! Miss Laura why?! Don't worry Aunt, Miss!" Aunt Sumi banged on Laura's locked door. Aunt Sumi was getting worried when she heard the sound of broken glass from inside.

Laura was getting mad. "DON'T HURT HER!! DON'T HURT HER!! ONLY I CAN HURT HER!!! PEOPLE FUCK!!"

Laura tore the things in her room to vent her anger. Her hand reached out to take the glass that was on the nightstand and threw it at the mirror which instantly shattered and scattered on the floor.

Laura laughed bitterly. She walked towards the broken glass and cupped the broken glass in her palm. Laura chuckled like someone who had lost her mind. "Hehe... Stupid!"

Outside Laura's room, Aunt Sumi tries to find help to stop Laura's crazy actions. She ran to the 1st floor to call Vikram whom she knew had been Laura's best friend for years. Aunt Sumi's hands trembled as she dialed Vikram's number.

"Sir Vikram! Miss Laura is crazy again! A-aunty is afraid that Miss Laura will hurt herself again." Aunt Sumi's defense collapsed at the thought of what might have happened to Laura. Her cries grew louder when she heard Laura's laughter echoing up to the 1st floor.

On the other side, Vikram panicked after hearing bi Sumi's words. He rushed to Laura's house on his motorbike. The distance between his house and Laura is not too far because it is still an elite housing complex. When Vikram arrived, he was greeted by Aunt Sumi who told him to immediately go to Laura's room which was still tightly locked.

No spare key. Laura held her spare key as if she knew it would be needed to prevent her crazy stunt. Vikram did not give up, he tried to break down Laura's door with a trembling body. "LAURA! STOP DOING CRAZY THINGS!!"

"Crazy stuff? WHAT CRAZY THINGS DO YOU MEAN?!! THEY ARE CRAZY!! THEY TRY TO HURT HER WITHOUT MY PERMISSION!! YOU CRAZY PEOPLE!! ARGHH!!" Laura was getting hysterical making Vikram even more trying his best to break down Laura's door.

Vikram managed to break the door, but Laura's condition made Vikram roll his eyes without being able to say anything from shock. It's not the first time this has happened, but Vikram is still shocked to see it.

Blood was everywhere, broken glass strewn across the floor, and what made Vikram shudder even more was Laura's horrific condition. Vikram swallowed hard his saliva, his body shivered at the sight of Laura's laughter amidst the chaos and sea of ​​blood she had created.

"L-Laura... you really are crazy!"