Monster.

Φ Chapter one.

"In other news, two bodies have been found yesterday in a burned house in Chuchot Yogma. The neighbors called the police, when they saw the house on fire. The two bodies were found after the fire was put out." the news announcer continued.

"The police started the investigation as an act of arson. But later in the forensic report it was known that the bodies had stabbing wounds on them. So now the police has also included homicide with arson on the case. The prime suspect being a high school student, who is reported missing with his mother."

Wangmo turned her phone off and threw it away. She laid back on her bed and closed her eyes, trying to sleep. But she couldn't.

Wangmo was thinking about him again. Noah Zangpo. She was having a hard time trying to accept that he could kill someone. Then again, she hardly knew about him anyway. A feeling of fear had been troubling her ever since she heard about the incident. Why did he do it? Did he really do it? Where is he now?  There were evidently a lot of questions popping in her head, with no answer or clue to even one of them.

Looking back, only a week ago, everything seemed just fine. Or was it actually fine? No one but Noah himself would have know.

[A week ago]

“Why don't you just die already!” Zeshan told Noah quite bluntly.

“aren't you tired now? Getting bullied at school, and beaten at home. Don't you think it's enough already?” Zeshan added.

“No.., no...” Noah was almost murmuring. His head hanging down from his shoulders, his back hunched. “mother needs me.”

“How dare you even say that?!” Zeshan yelled, “after what you have done to her, you still want to add to her misery.” he was getting louder and more aggressive.

“please, please stop talking...” Noah pleaded as he shivered in the cold empty room.

“Do you not have any guilt or shame?” Zeshan asked, “Do you even remember how you destroyed your mother's life, your father's life?!”

Zeshan paused for a moment and then he said coldly, “Do you even remember what you did to me?”

If it not for the lump in Noah's throat, he would have apologized to him again. Like for the millionth time. For the 𝑠𝑖𝑛 he committed ten years ago, which destroyed everything precious that he had.

But even when Noah was agonized to spell those words, his heart getting numb by the weight of regret it carried for so many years. He had to apologize every day, every moment.

“I am-,  I am sorry...!” he said at last, words bursting out with tears.

That's when Noah heard someone unlocking the door. He saw a girl's silhouette standing before him. She was Deldan Wangmo, the class monitor.

“Sir Belwan, told me to bring you back to the classroom. School is almost over.” Wangmo told him.

Noah quickly wipped his tears and got up on his feet. He walked slowly blowing into his joined hands, to keep them warm. When Noah walked out of the room Wangmo looked inside curiously. It was dark, cold and empty.

“Noah.” Wangmo called out his name and he turned slowly towards her in response.

“ah.., actually it's nothing. Sorry.” she said. Noah turned back again and went on his way. Wangmo looked back in the room in disbelief. She heard Noah talk with someone in there - she could swear on her mother's life. But it was evidently empty. So she closed the door and locked it up.