Trouble Maker's Lover

24: Dark = Enemy

"Ma!!! Ma!!!" the girl screamed her heart out while kicking the white blanket. Her eyes shut tight, there were droplets of sweat on her forehead.

"Not again..."

"Let me handle this," the woman slowly ascended from the bed.

"It's been a week, Ruby. I think we should bring her to the doctor," she smiled, looking at the worried face of her husband.

"Trust me, laobao. I can do this. Instead of worrying about her, I think you should handle things with Ang. That rascal needs some good lessons if you know what I mean..." Lee stoned a bit and tried to process the information with his blurry mind.

Ruby slowly swing the door open and went straight to the bed. She clicked the bed lamp switch.

"Peo... Hey, wake up, amoi..."

"Ma!!" the girl immediately hugged her tight, bawling her eyes out.

"Easy there... Calm down..."

"The monster... He tried to catch me..." Ruby stroked her hair and smiled a bit.

"Amoi, listen to me. No monster can harm you, I promise. You wanna know why?" asked Ruby. The girl pulled away her body a bit and stared at her mother with teary eyes.

"Why?"

"Because you are a strong girl. And, Ma is here to protect you..." Ruby bob that little nose. Peony wiped her tears.

"Really?"

"Yes. Ma will always be with you, no matter what. Ma will protect you and teach you how to fight the monster. As long as ma is here, no one can harm my flower," the little girl smiled widely and hugged Ruby.

"I love you, Ma..."

"I love you too, flower. Pa loves you too," said Ruby.

"Pa will protect me as well?"

"Yes! You know what, right now pa is doing his best to fight for you," said Ruby. She winked her eye, making Peony giggle.

A boy was peeping at them behind the wall right in front of Peony's room. Ruby noticed his presence for quite some time. She shook her head a bit and smiled.

"Ma... Peo..." the boy whispered, quite loud enough to announce his existence in that room.

Peony was looking at him. She's a bit frustrated. But the boy bravely got close to the bed and took her tiny hand.

"I'm sorry..." he murmured some words.

"Why?" Ruby teased him a bit.

"I'm being a bad boy. I'm a bad brother..."

"No, you are the best brother I can have in my life..." said Peony.

"I'm supposed to protect you. Instead, I made you cry..."

"It's not your fault. Don't worry..."

"I promise that I'll protect you too, just like ma and pa! I'll do everything to make you safe. I will never leave you alone in the dark ever again!" both of the siblings hugged each other. Ruby smiled, watching her children's makeup.

From afar, she could see her husband wiping his tears from his slated eyes.

***

She's alone.

No ma, no pa. Not even Ang.

Alone in the dark.

In the most unfamiliar space.

Right now, all she could think about was her family. For a long time, they stay together, protect each other from harm and stay strong.

Just like a blink of an eye, everything was gone.

And here she was; alone, afraid, and soaking wet.

"Ma... Pa... Ang..." that was the only thing that came out from her lips. She squeezed her body into a ball, hiding under the tree in the middle of a thick forest.

How she ended up being in here?

***

"We need to run. Now!" Grey grabbed her hand and pulled her up with her unbelievable might. Peony was gasping for air after a small hiking session.

"I don't think I can..."

"It's not a choice anymore, Peony! We need to run, or else we gonna die today!" Peony stopped for a while. She was too tired to run.

"I can't!"

"Listen! Run or die!" Grey dragged the girl along. They were passing the road near the interchange.

"We need to hurry!" Grey sprinted all of a sudden when she heard sounds from behind. That means, the enemy is getting closer.

"Grey!!" Peony couldn't keep up with the speed, and slowly let her hand go.

"Peony!!!"

"Go! I only lagged you! Go!" Peony pushed Grey away from her. That was the hardest moment for Grey as she watched Peony stand there with hope on her face.

I'll come back for you, Peony! Just stay alive!

She dashed towards the house, leaving Peony with a heavy heart.

***

It's a wrong move to take a different route. Now, she understood why Yu prohibit her from taking the other road.

She did realize the need of running sessions, as well!

After Grey left her in the middle of the junction, she decided to take the other route so she can separate the enemy into two. Or, at least she can be the bite. Turns out to be, the enemy pushed her to run even deeper into the forest.

And she ended up stranded here.

She was startled as she heard a howling voice. She tried to fight her feeling, but somehow this was a reality that she needed to face now. Ever since Ang locked her in a closet many years ago, she always feels afraid in dark, especially when she is alone. She developed some kind of phobia, and even now she keeps the lights on when she goes to sleep.

This will take a toll on her.

"Help..." Peony cried silently. She couldn't scream because she was too afraid. All she did was cry her eyes out.

From afar, she could hear a noise. It came closer to her hiding spot. It's them, maybe. She couldn't risk her life now. She squirmed, hoping that they never find her.

"Here you are!"

And for that, she screamed from the top of her lungs.