"Sir, you should arrest me too", Barbara proclaimed. God-fearing, responsible, kind and down to earth, before, she was not like this until that 2 minute moment in her life happened. A moment that awaken her about that truth of life, that literally changed the whole her for a lifetime.
March 20, 2012, exactly the same date as today, Barbara woke up early and did her daily routine. Keeping her mat on the side of the underpass, lighting one cigarette and drinking coffee would be enough to start her day right. This day marks the scariest and most difficult day for her, for she is about to send the cd tape that she picked the last day. She does not have any idea at first what the tape contains until a group of men went and look for her several times now. Because she is a tough girl, she refused to return the tape and made a joke that why such in the world men go rush to get a tiny useless where in fact they can just go buy one and made fun of it. A man from the group told her that it was not just an ordinary tape, but Barbara never mind it. The next morning, Barbara noticed that Bruno - the boy that she used to ask and buy her a coffee was gone. She knew that Bruno went to sleep late and he should be sleeping until this time. Thinking that Bruno would come back and bring her a good news later. Barbara then continued doing her routine and went to work. She is working as a cashier in a convenient store where her salary is just enough to make her eat 3 times a day and buy the things she needs. "Why are you so worried Barbara?", the Manager asked. "Nothing Sir.", she responded. Though she knew it herself that she was worried about Bruno for he was not there on his space. She keeps on looking around and failed to see even just his shadow. After her shift, she hurriedly went back to there place and asked her fellow tenants about Bruno's whereabout. Again, she failed. She cannot deny it that that boy became important to her not just because she can ask him to do her a favor but also because they had almost the same story. At 5 years old, Barbara's parents died because of a car accident and she was the only one who survived. She had almost a perfect life before that incident took it. She was forced to make a living in an early age and was used on being alone. Until one day, a boy came running to her and asked her if she saw his parents. Barbara then knew that the boy's parents died in an airplane crush. After that day, she used to look and took care of Bruno though she's hiding it because she does not want to show it.
Bothered, Barbara stayed up late at night and thought of something that might answer the disappearance of Bruno. She remembered what the man on the other day said, "You're tough, let me give you a lesson."
"You're tough, let me give you a lesson."
"You're tough, let me give you a lesson."
"You're tough, let me give you a lesson."
"You're tough, let me give you a lesson."
"You're tough, let me give you a lesson."
Those words played in her mind over and over again. She remembered the tape. Curious, she get a portable player and watched it. After watching, she found out that the men were bad guys that made her hear beats fast for maybe they had Bruno.
The next day, Barbara went to the address that the men gave her in case she changed her mind and return the tape. She was so nervous on what will happen next but she's trying to be cool for Bruno. She went inside in a creepy building and yes, she saw Bruno. He was tied up in a chair with blood around his body.
"Here is what you need, free the boy!", she shouted. She can hear Bruno crying that melts her heart.
"So you're the girl they're talking about. Hmmm, you're beautiful" she heard a footstep coming to her at the back.
"Don't you know who I am?" the man said.
" I don't care who you are, just let go of the boy."
The man at the table freed Bruno. The little boy came on rushing towards Barbara and hugged her so tight. She asked if the boy is okay and felt that a tear fell down on her cheeks.
As they were about to leave, Barbara heard a shot of a gun and saw Bruno lying on the floor, bloody. She can't move, she wanted to go and wake him up but her body resists to move. Two minutes, and Bruno died - two minutes.
With so much anger, she revenged and get a gun and shut the man who killed Bruno in forever. The boss got angry and shot Barbara at her shoulders until a police and ambulance came. She cannot believe that the boy she has been caring of died because of her, because of being naughty and selfish. Now, she's back in zero. As the police officer tied the criminals, she talked and said, "Sir, you should arrest me too."
After 5 years, exactly as the same date as the incident happened, Barbara went out from prison. She is now standing in front of Bruno's tomb crying and asking for forgiveness for what she had done in the past.
