I was taken to Chingola once when I was adopted. The town area was filled with many people and it seemed as if every street had a mine nearby. Arnold took me to a restaurant and asked me how my parents looked like. I didn't know how to answer him. Infact, I cursed him out loud. I could tell he wasn't very happy about my response, but what can you do if someone asks you such a question while the only thing you can remember is their burnt faces.
Two days passed ever since what happened. I sat by myself in the ward wondering what to do. Lucia is dead, Arnold is dead, Michael no where to be seen. I begin to think that I'm just cursed.
The thought in my head was quickly swept away when two of my friends came in. Ricky and Li. Li is my best friend. She's an Asian, has long hair, wears a facemask everywhere she goes, and is shy. Ricky on the other hand is the opposite. His cold, straight forward and resilient. His tall, has dark skin, brown eyes and is my boyfriend.
As they walked close to me I greeted them with a warm smile. But as usual one could see right through me.
"We just came to check up on you." Said Li, "you were asleep for five days. The doctors said that you were at the brink of death when you were brought in."
" Well you know me, right? I don't die easily."
" Easy for you to say," Said Ricky as he folded his arms and gave me a cold stare, " it's just a miracle you survived. I so them drag you in here. You were unconscious. The doctor said that nearly all your limbs were broken. Right now as you stand it's inhuman that you can even move around."
I was in silence for a second. I didn't know what to say. He then turned away from me while scratching his head he said, "Sorry for dumping that on you. In case you need anything don't hesitate to call me."
He then left saying he's gone to get some drinks. Li stood by the side lines feeling a bit awkward. I looked at her and told her to follow Ricky as he went to get the drinks. She nodded and left.
Laying back down on my bed I thought to myself. Back to being unadopted; Back to square one again. As I laid, down, I fell asleep. When I woke up it was already night time. Didn't I close my eyes for only a few seconds, I thought, how could I be this late? The room was dark and it gave off a dark atmosphere. The light bulb above me was dim and the room looked like something from a post-apocalyptic era.
Then Li barged through the door. She closed the door behind her and rested her back on it. Her mask was off reviling the small scar on her lip, she was panting and had a scratch on her arm.
"Li, what the hell is going on?"
"Rose there's something out there."
"What's there?"
Before she could even say anything, she was pulled through the door and into the hall. I froze for a second and getting back to my senses I followed her to the hall. I stood in the middle of the hall in confusion. "Where did she go?"
Before I could move, I heard her scream echo in the halls. I followed the scream to a nearby theater. When I got in I felt light headed. I found a bunch of people hanging off chains by their hands. Li was there and she was covered in blood. Shaking off what I saw I rushed to her and tried to set her free. I looked at the chains and realized I need a key to set her free.
I began to look around the theater for a key to free Li. The theater was dimly lit by a flickering white light, the place was filthy and had a strong scent of blood and rotting flesh. There was a stretcher and on it was a young woman who's belly was opened up. I tried to ignore it and focus on finding the key.
I searched and searched but still there was no luck on finding the key. I could have just picked the lock but I had nothing with me; no hair pin, no pick locks. If only I had a two small wires. As long as they are strong I could use them.
As I searched, I felt a cold hand lay on my shoulder. I froze in place with with fear in my heart, my body trembled and my heart beat like a drum.
I turned around slowly and what I saw nearly made me fall off my feet. I couldn't tell if it was a man or a monster. He had no face, not even a nose but I could hear him breathing and feel his glance on me. He wore a surgeon's clothes which were covered in blood and held a knife in his hand.
He raised his knife to stab me and out of fear I leaned back and kicked him. He fell down and before he could get up, I took the E. C. G that was near the table and smashed it on his gut.
I then saw a small key that was on the floor next to him. I picked it up and freed Li. I carried he out of the theater and hid in one of the bathrooms. As I tried waking her up I noticed a strange mark on the back of her right hand. I was a little shocked. I know that Li doesn't like tattoos and she never had it when she came to visit me.
As I effortlessly tried to wake her up, I heard loud footsteps coming from outside the bathroom. The sounds were heavy and were obviously not human. There was a tool box nearby the sink. I took out a wrench from it and got ready for whatever was about to come.
As I waited the footsteps suddenly stopped. I thought, maybe they've found us. I then heard a long graor coming from outside. Was it a dog or another monster. Then a strange creature bursted through the door and was Headed straight for me. It looked like a wolf but it's fur was bright red and it had dark eyes. It's claws seemed to be made of iron, it's lower jaw was filled with saliva and it was huge.
I didn't know what to do at that point. I was completely frozen in fear. That was when the strange got stranger. I was pushed aside, and when I looked at who pushed me it was Li. As time felt slow, Li stretched out her hand and a bright beam shot out of her palm. The blast vaporized the Wolf in seconds.
A lot if things were happening at once and I never had time to process all of what was happening. The thing that I could still see was that Li wasn't herself at that moment. In my mind I felt relived but in my heart, I felt scared.
When Li looked back at me I nearly flinched. His eyes were purple. Her eye color is blue and looking at her at that moment felt strange like I was looking at someone else. Indeed it was Li but my heart wouldn't accept that reality for some reason. It was as if that the Li that stood in front of me wasn't her.
"Are you alright?" She said.
"Yeah I'm fine," and glancing at the back of her hand I asked, " how were you able to do that?"
"I don't know. To be honest I don't even know what made me blast that thing."
Shaking my head I said, "Okay let's skip this and get outta here."
"Yeah, " she said while looking at the dismantled door in front of her, " let's go. But before we do, let me ask you this question."
The feeling in my heart grew more as she said that with a calm and gentle voice. I told her that it's not the right time to start asking questions.
"It will be a quick one."
"Maybe later. We need to get out." That's when something crossed my mind. If Li was here and then is it possible that Ricky is here too.
" Let me ask you just one question."
"Alright, what question?"
" Have you ever felt happy?"
I was confused with what she asked. I could already tell that something was wrong, completely wrong. Why would she ask me such a question.
" What kind if question is that?" I asked.
" You can't answer a question with a question."
As I looked at her she was smiling. I couldn't understand why she was acting this way. Maybe the wired surgeon did something to her head or maybe it's the mark on the back of her hand that's causing this to happen to her.
"Alright yes I want to be happy. Now can we please go?"
Her whole expression changed. I couldn't tell if I was talking to my friend or to someone else. He smile became wide and sinister that i felt chills run down my spine.
"Good, " she said," then come with me."
" What are you talking about?"
"Come with me and I'll tell yo–"
Blood splattered on my face and Li's head rolled to my feet. I froze in fear when I saw the pool of blood coming from her body reaching to my feet. Before I could even pass out due to fear, I looked forward and saw a strange man holding a sword which was covered in blood.... Li's blood.