-- Chasing Fate --

-VII- (Jennie)

It's already 6 am and my shift will starts at 8 am until 7 pm.

It's the same dream again. I dreamed of her again. That skinny lady that always cry when she looks at me. Her face is blurry but i know she is crying. 

I often dream of her since I started working at Mrs. Bruischweller's cafe'.  She's the owner of the orphanage that I used to lived in. Mom of the very special person I used to know. Lisa

I don't know her whereabouts now and I don't want to know because of my own reason. Her life will be in trouble if she will stick to me. Even her mom didn't know that I used to be one of her sponsored child because I left or I might say I runaway. 

That rainy night where my step-father beat me to death because I was against of his evil plan against the Bruischwellers'.

I runaway to protect myself, the Bruischwellers and to protect Lisa from my step-father's evil plan. 

Running away as young as 10 years old was so hard. I got nothing even a single penny. I just runaway with 3 pairs of clothes inside my bag, 2 biscuits, bottled water and my polaroid camera that Lisa gave me and a copy of our picture which she also had. 

I want to find Lisa first to tell her that I will be gone for our own good but I know she won't let me. I need to live on my own now. No more superhero Lisa beside me. 

It was raining hard so I decided to stop in front of the big double door of the church. I was tired and can't think of any place I can go just to be safe and away from my step-father. I don't know any relatives on both of my parent's side which made me cry that night and didn't noticed that I got my self slept at a place where I don't had any idea. 

I woke up with a heavy feeling, cold not from the rain but from the cool air on my skin, my throat a little dry and my lips chopped but I somehow felt the relaxation while lying on a soft thing under my body. I slowly open my eyes and all I see is a big chandelier above me. I looked around and felt the sudden fall of a piece of wet white towel-like that landed on my shoulder when I looked at my right and to my surprise, a lady- who dress like the sisters in the orphanage was sitting beside me. 

I got a little panicked that maybe they found me and brought me back to the orphanage but the sister shouted "nurse! nurse" that made me calm myself down. We don't call a nurse in the orphanage but a medic. I looked around again while the sister maybe telling me to calm down which I really didn't understand cause all I see was she was saying something but all I hear was the music of the radio on my left. 

We don't have a room like this in the orphanage.

Nurse: " okay kid breathe in, breathe out. again, breathe in, breathe out. very good" 

Nurse: " hi cutie kid. call me Nurse Sandy, obviously I'm a nurse and may I ask if do you know where you at right now?" 

She calmly stated and ask me a question that I don't know the answer. I stayed quiet and shake my head which lead her to the next question. 

Nurse: "do you know what happened to you last night?" 

what happened to me last night?

unaware of crossing my eyebrows in confusion but the question made me question myself too. About a minute passed and the nurse noticed that I will never answer the question  breathe out a small breath then smiled at me. 

Nurse: "okay, you must be in confusion but maybe telling you myself on what happened to you will help you remember everything" 

I remember everything Nurse Sandy but I can't tell you now. I'm sorry. 

Nurse: "Okay. We found you outside the church lying on the  ground unconscious and  you had a fever maybe because of last night's rain. Do you remember any of that?" 

I nod. I need to agree not because it's true but because if I pretend that I can't remember anything even my self, it would be a little suspicious that's why I created a different background story even my own self. But I need them to believe in every lies I will tell them. The problem is. I'm bad at lying. 

Nurse: "now can you tell me what happened?" 

I nod again. 

Jennie: "ca-can I eat first ? I'm starving and my throat's are dry" I smiled.

My famous gummy smile that can capture anyone's cold heart except for my evil step-father.  

They laugh. that's what I need to lessen my nervousness. 

As I almost finished my food and so my half- created story. 

Sister Chahee: " so you mean, when your biological father died, your mom re-married and your step-father physically abused you?" 

100% true though. 

Nurse Sandy: "if i'm in your position, I might do what you did and you've got in a right place" 

I smiled. The real smile where I don't need to problem where to stay at cold night and where to get my daily needs for myself especially food. 

Sister Chahee: "I already asked Father Tommy  that you are going to stay here. In return, you need to work here as a helper. It's not that big work for your age, you just need to sweep the garden at the back when there's too many dried leaves, assist Nurse Sandy  when she had patients at the clinic beside the church, and that's it! what do you think?" 

Jennie: "I can even cook sister" 

I smile as my heart got overwhelmed with the hospitality of the place I feared at first.  But my smile fades right after when they asked me a little scary question that made them looked at each other before clearing Nurse Sandy's throat. 

Nurse Sandy: "we want to help you file a case against your step-father if you want" 

She held my hand as fear comes inside me. Sister Chahee stood up and walk at my back to calm me down as my body trembles from what I heard. 

Nurse Sandy: " I mean. if only you want to" 

I shake my head for fuck's sake how many times just to say no to them. 

Sister Chahee: "alright alright. calm down. we know you're afraid let's talk about this on the other--" 

Jennie: "I just dont want him to know my whereabouts please. If he finds me, he will do anything just to get me and he will kill me please I'm scared of him" 

I pleaded as my eyes cried out in desperation for my safety. 

Nurse Sandy: "it's okay. we're here. you're in good hands" 

They both embrace me and I felt  safe again after I runaway. 

Sister Chahee: "wait!" 

they released me from their hugs when sister Chahee looks like she remembered something. And I hope she didn't know me or where I came from. 

Sister Chahee: "what's your name again? or shall I call you dumpling? because your cheeks are so cute!" 

I silently breathe out. That intense moment almost killed me. 

"I'm Ruby Jane.. Ruby Jane Lee"