The Hypocrite Creatures

Yellow

Seha boiled things. She boiled cups, plates and other kitchenware. Today, she boiled some towels. When she thought the world was through with it, intrusive thoughts took over. Many rejoiced and many remained cautious even when the end of Covid-19 was finally declared.

Watching the bubble heat up in rage satisfied her baggy eyes behind the fogged up glasses. She could almost see the germs burnt away, brutally. She stirred the water filled pot to see it calmed and raised up again in almost instantly but more furious. She turned the stove off.

She had to boil them today, the air was wet. Germs or virus, they love it like that. She walked closer to the window to observe the day. The downpour was beginning to slow down to a drizzle. The grass became glossy, reflecting the Sun behind the clouds and slowly they waved through the soft breeze.

People were already out and about. A man hurriedly climbed up his house which looked like it throwing up trees to fetch his forgotten full face respirator. He wore it while sliding down the bamboo ladder to join the waiting others. It's that time of the month where the fittest would ride a bus to head to a place where several autopilot submarine tankers were kept. The tankers, where the rainwater and sea storms were collected only made open to only those chosen ones. The water was made drinkable after undergoing a clean technology.

Seha was always angry. It's been there for a while now. It was red. It escaped whenever she's alone. It was terrible. She had always been alone ever since her mom's death. It was dreadful. She was one from hundreds of thousands Coronavirus' victims. Her dad left to escape reality in the hope to find solace. When the world enforced a lockdown, again, he knew he had to stay there, wherever he was. That was not many years ago.

Occasionally, a postcard signed by him would arrive on Seha's doorstep. His strong, slight cursive penmanship was always brief and monotonous: Online classes get better, internet is faster classroomHe was never a fan of online messaging.

Fortunately the internet services remained as it was, perhaps better. Everything went online, including authorized websites such as "Sembang" or "Kitahidupsolo". As the names suggested, the concerned NGOs were trying to help boosting mental health of many people who were addicted to self-isolation. Prolonged lack of contact with others had started taking its toll. Believing technology could be helpful to tackle loneliness, they reinitiated the long forlorn trend. Seha thought the efforts were cynical. Even the names were cringing.

However it was the case with Seha. Juwa, her next door friend, never replied her texts since yesterday. She put on her yellow respirator on and went out. Her spinach and was ready for harvest. She put the wet towels on a wire hung between the automatic sliding door and the floor where the bamboo ladder was bound to. The right side of her house was bound to a big tree and a rope ladder was tied in between houses where the floor was non-existent. She looked at Juwa's closed door. Seha sensed the TV was on.

"Juwa, are you there?" She half yelled.

She heard the TV was switched off and strong, fast steps were heard. Seha was anticipating Juwa to appear through any of the windows.

Juwa appeared through the sliding door. Despite her face was covered by a faded yellow respirator, Seha could pick up what was about to come. Her chest filled with remorse.

"What do you want? It's obvious!" Juwa questioned. The red that Seha managed to swallow started to grow in her belly.

"Huh? what IS obvious?" Seha asked.

"-that I don't want to talk to you," Juwa folded her arms.

"Well, yeah I was worried, I-"

"Well stop, I'm fine and I thought I sensed your anger, don't come out here making me the bad guy!" Juwa spat. The red inside her belly grew bigger. Her breath was heavy.

"Besides, I have a boyfriend now-"she half giggled.

She finally admitted. "...I am happy, well taken care of now-"

My brain tricked me, shows me how my mom died, on loop."...You always need attention, it's too much!"

You've never given any, why the outburst?

"...You're unlike others, they can handle me!"

A thunder was heard and felt something snapped inside her. The red, it came out as hot as its colour. Like a fire had ever flamed, it burnt the person she rooted on the most. She wouldn't forget her eyes, how she got burnt to ashes.

Seha sizzled when the rain dropped on her. Seha went inside, took off her now burnt yellow respirator, took out her frozen nasi lemak and microwaved it. She guessed she really needed the "Sembang" afterall.