The Enemy Beside Me + The Liar Beside Me (Book 1 and 2)

B2 Chapter 9

WHEN I GOT BACK to my room, the first thing I did was punch myself. I know it's dumb, but sometimes you need to feel the pain to clear your mind. Or maybe it's just me. I have a problem, I know.

Then after calming down, I whipped my phone out from my pocket to ring Ally's number. But I didn't have to since Ally had called me, said that his father-in-law is becoming more aggressive. The old man basically wants to take my cousin and never let Ally see him again. The only reason baby Eien is still with us is thanks to Ally's mother-in-law. After Haru's death, she's become firmer with her decision.

Although I am silently thanking the old woman, we can never be sure how long her newfound resilience will last. Besides, this Zone is still ruled by patriarchy.

I feel so sick, so weak and helpless. Mum had told me not to intervene as the situation might get worse. And she is right. What could I possibly do for Ally? Nothing. I can confront them, and then what? Nothing. I've already got too much going on for myself that another problem will surely affect my psyche.

Fumihiro is injured because of me. Eien is possibly traumatised after fighting off those three hundred men. Eien is a...

I'm now an unwilling member of an organisation that promises to protect gift wielders like me from Zone 9. It's actually amazing how they've made me a member without any complication and altercation. I was actually expecting something more...dare I say it, dramatic.

So I couldn't do a damn thing but listen and console my uncle. I feel terrible. And stupidly, I wanted to cry with him. For him.

If only our people had listened to the pleads of the minorities back then and had not shut them down, the Great Barricade wouldn't have been born. I don't blame the protesters. Dr Pateil and his cure was stupid and shouldn't have been made. I have this theory that the 'cure' is poison and that's the reason why we barely hear anything from third world countries.

The whole world wants to act like everything has come back to normal. But we all know it'll take years, possibly hundreds of years to undo the damages.

Now, instead of the minorities being the only affected, it's everyone. This could have been prevented had we had listened. But no. We gunned them down. We bombed them for years and brushed it off as if it was nothing. Whilst my grandparents had nothing to do with it, they'd chosen ignorance and had gone with their lives as though the world was perfect. And it wasn't just them. It was the people before them. They'd only taken actions when they'd been affected.

Honestly, I can understand them but at the same time, I can't help but be disgusted. Their empathy had only been stirred once their loved ones had been put into danger. If I were in that situation, would I use my body as a shield for the oppressed? No. I'm not suicidal. At least, I don't think I am. So far. I'd have used my voice to protect them. I mean, that's what the youth back then did, right? Thanks to them, the rights to existing and class equality had become possible. Only that the bills and the laws had been shut down before it could've been given the chance to fully bloom.

I drag my bag towards me and fish out a notepad and a pen. I never do this, so it feels quite strange. Funnily enough, Mum has always told me to list things down when I don't know what to do. I've never done it because it seems tedious. Now, I'm listing down all the problems I have. For Christ's sake, I'm only sixteen and I'm already crumbling down.

Being busy with jotting down, I haven't noticed that my phone has been blinking green. I swipe it open and read the first message.

One is from Declan. What I said about Eien, forget it, OK? I was tired and I can be overly dramatic when I worry too much.

Another one is from Mum. Hi, love. I know I haven't been open lately and it might be upsetting you. But just know that this is all for your own good. It's cliché to say that, but I do love you so much.

Lastly, from Alasdair. Here are some more pointers. They might help you. Who knows.

Yeah, who knows. I wish he had given me answers to my problems instead. I shouldn't be dealing with these. I was never happy in Zone 3, but at least I could forget my past every time I partied and get wasted with my mates. I don't count the time I used needles and pills to bury my agony but at least I was numb then. I was cold, I was lifeless inside. At least there was no pain. Zone 1 has brought me nothing but confusion and distress. The only thing I'm thankful for is meeting and befriending Eien. He makes my life bearable here.

By the time I'm done writing, my eyelids are threatening to close. I guess I've maxed up my brainpower today. Without bothering to change my clothes or have dinner, I let sleep take over me.