BULLET HEART

It was a rainy night and the inhabitants of Blue town were all inside. The night was extremely quiet and serene. It was raining with thunder and lightning.

Gloria Ann walked into her eldest daughter's room and saw that she was sound asleep while her quilt was kicked aside. Smiling to herself, the older woman picked the quilt and covered the sleeping girl before going back out of the room. She turned to look at her youngest daughter's room and opened it slightly and saw that unlike the eldest daughter's room, the youngest daughter was fully covered even as she slept soundly.

After ensuring that everything was in place, the older woman went into her room to also rest for the night.

...…

That same night, at a neighbourhood house just 500 metres away from the Ann's residence, a man dressed in a black hoodie with a cap covering his head, hiding his face completely from view, he entered into the washroom.

A woman was lying in her own pool of blood in the bathtub. She was dead. Her body looked gruesome signifying the cruelty in which she went through before dying.

Picking the ID of the dead girl, the man gave an eerie laugh which pierced through the whole house. The laughter was filled with terror and if one were to listen to it carefully, one could identify the terror behind it.

The ID was of a girl in high school aged 17, named Jung Anyong. An Asian citizen resident in Blue town. The man picked a male singlet from a hanger in the bathroom. He removed the singlet and placed it on the WC before knelling in front of the bath tub. He first removed the clothes of the girl before turning on the shower to clean her up. Afterwards, he dressed her only in the singlet and an underwear leaving the rest of her body naked.

The man lifted the body of the girl and walked out, entering a different room. Inside the room, the wallpaper was a white one and different beds could be seen. Each bed had a curtain dividing them from the other. He walked to an empty bed with the number 5 on it and casually placed the girl on it. The four beds before it had occupants of same age range and dressing.

The man closed the curtains and stared dreamily at the five beds with occupants. He looked happy as he watched the works of his hands. He counted the bodies on the bed and when he got to the six bed he said 'one more to go before your birthday present is ready, my love. This will be the best and most memorable birthday present in history. You don't have to thank me, love'.

....

Rosa De Ann woke up and washed up before going out of her room. She saw her mother, Gloria Ann placing a pair of cutlery on the table and Kylie seated already taking her breakfast. Gloria Ann saw her eldest daughter walk into the hall and smiled saying ''Rosa, breakfast is ready, eat before you leave''.

Rosa smiled and humped a reply before pulling out a chair to sit beside her younger sister. Kylie turned and looked at her elder sister's official attire saying ''aye, isn't this our Prosecutor Ann? Big sis, you look so cool dressed like this''.

Rosa smiled and shook her head.

Rosa was among the 589th batch of the Blue Town's law students to graduate this year 20xx. She graduated at the top of her class and was awarded prestigious student and overall best student of the batch of 20xx school of law, under the prosecutors' act. She was a student who brought honour to both the town and her mother, Gloria Ann who saw her through her school and made her who she was today.

Rosa was especially grateful to her mother. Who said all stepmothers were wicked and heartless? Rosa begged to defer because Gloria Ann wasn't her birth mother. To more precise, Gloria Ann married Rosa's father when Rosa was 9 years old. Rosa's mother died from lung cancer when Rosa was 5 years old. Rosa's father had no intention of marrying again but when he met Gloria Ann, he fell in love again and got married to her. At first, Rosa was against the marriage because of the rumour about how wicked stepmothers were but after giving Gloria Ann the chance to prove her wrong, Gloria Ann did and never disappointed Rosa. Gloria Ann took care of Rosa like her own daughter. People who didn't know thought they were real mother and daughter.

After Rosa's father passed away, Rosa was still in high school so Gloria took after her. Gloria Ann worked at the Town's district office as the manager and head of the secretary's department. With her pay, she raised two girls all by herself. At that time, Rosa took she would be given up for social welfare care but Gloria Ann refused to send her off and registered Rosa as a part of her family. Thus, they have been living together as a family for the past 15 years and still going strong.

After her graduation which was the week before, she was posted at the head of Prosecutors' office of Blue Town along with three of her colleagues which included her best friend Scarlet.

Rosa looked at her mother and stood up. She pulled Gloria Ann into her embrace and hugged her tightly saying 'mom, I love you the most in this world. You know that, right?'.

Tears rolled out of Gloria Ann's eyes as she patted Rosa's back hugging her in return. Kylie shook her head at their mushiness. She just couldn't stand the cheesy way these two women showed their love. Kylie had even lost count of the times she had had to watch this scene every morning before she left for school.

''I'm leaving first''. Kylie said picking her bag from the couch. The two women turned and stared at her. Kylie had a premonition about what was going to happen next and started shaking her head while moving backwards but it was too late as the two women ambushed her into a tight hug.

''Ayeeesh, stop this already. I will be late for school''. Kylie said.

''You are just in your first year in junior high school''. Gloria Ann said.

''Mom, big sis. Let's not act this way outside okay? Is too embarrassing''. Kylie said and ran out of the house. The two women smiled and went back to the table.

''Eat fast and go before you are late. Today is your first day at the Prosecutors' office. You don't have to be late and leave a bad impression''. Gloria Ann said as she placed more fish into Rosa's bowl.

''Yes, mom. You should eat too''. Rosa said.

''You… I placed a good luck talisman inside your bag. Don't you dare remove it, okay? And make sure you wear the amulet I prepared'' Gloria Ann said with a warning look.

''Mom!! How many times did I tell you not to be so superstitious?'' Rosa said tiredly. Her mother was an akin believer of shamans and superstitions.

''Your birthday is coming. We can't allow anything to go wrong''. Gloria Ann said with worried eyes.

''Mom, how long has it been since then. Is been 5 years. Nothing had happened in the last 5 years. Nothing will happen this time around too'. Rosa said and held her mother's hands.

''You will be 25 this year. Something always happened when you get to the fifth year of your life. Rosa, mom is worried about you. Please, don't take that talisman out of your bag. Also, I prepared a necklace for you. It will keep all evil spirits away from you. Is in your bag, you have to wear it and I asked Scar to move in as soon as she returns. You need to stick to her the more until after your birthday''.

''Mom, Scarlet is already busy with her own life. I can't let her come and be with me''. Rosa said.

''No. She already agreed to it. She is your lucky charm.''

Rosa looked at her mother and succumbed to her demands. She didn't want to see her mother worried about her. They have been through time many times than she could count. Rosa's birth mother died when Rosa was five years. Her father died when Rosa was 10 years old. Rosa got into a serious motor accident when she was 15 years old but on her 20th birthday, her friend Scarlet spent it with her and nothing happened. Since then, her mother had referred to Scarlet as Rosa's lucky charm. It was almost like the number 5 had a bad effect on Rosa but she had never knew the reason behind it. To be precise, it was rather, she found nothing despite searching hard for the reason.

Gloria George had taken her to see almost every shaman in the whole of Blue Town. But anytime they visited one, the answer was all the same. Her birth month was an auspicious one which was covered by a dark and heavy halo. Something she could never get past except she fought her way through it.

Thinking back to all the times her mother had had to do through all lengths just to keep her safe every fifth year, Rosa began to tear up. Though she never spoke about it, as her birthday drew nearer the scarier she felt and her mother could see through it all.