Chances

Chapter 21: The lost memories

Chapter 21: The Lost Memories

It was a really hot day, with the scorching heat of the sun my vision would go blur if I stay out too long but still, I’d rather be in that heat than to be inside the house.

“You’re leaving us again?!” I heard Ia shout from inside our parents’ room.

“Look Ia, it’s just for a month. We’ll be back before you know it” Mom replied gently.

“No, if you’re going to leave us, then at least take Chun with you. She’s too young to be exposed to this kind of lifestyle! I can’t bear to see her sleep without eating 3 times a day like any normal growing kid!” she shouted once more.

“Tone your voice down” Dad said with his warning tone

“No! Not until you agree on taking her!”

“We can’t, Ia” he answered; slowly I knew he was losing patience.

“You can’t? Or you just don’t want to? Really, are you even our parents? You leave us here to deal with your piled up shits, while you get to travel around the world to ‘look for jobs’? What is it this time huh? When will you ever get a decent job? Might as well be a drug dealer or some—“

I suddenly heard a loud slapping sound, and everything went silent.

“Appa!” Mom shouted

“I told you to tone your voice down” Dad warned once more, “who even gave you the right to speak to us that way? You are our child, without us you wouldn’t be here. Respect us”

Another slapping sound came from the room. My heart couldn’t take it anymore, I stood up from sitting on the hallway and went inside their room.

“C-Chun, what are you doing here?” Mom asked as she went towards me.

I looked at Ia, and as from I imagined it was the same. Her cheeks were red from the slap. It made me cry.

“Appa, please don’t hurt unnie” I said with my shaky voice.

“Unnie, don’t worry too much about me. I can do a lot better than you think” I sniffed then cried harder. “We’re a family, and families shouldn’t hurt each other”

My mom grabbed me but I refused, and with tears streaming down my cheeks I ran away.

It took me a couple of hours before I decided to get out, as the train stopped I got off and walked aimlessly. Where am I? What should I do from here? I just left home, I should not go back. I thought, I’m only a burden to the family.

Walking, and walking. I just didn’t want to stop.

I should’ve packed my clothes. Where would I sleep tonight?

My mind wandered off, what could a young girl like me do?

I only have my savings—it should be enough to cover my food for the week.

I wanted to cry a little more, but I restrained myself.

I’m hungry, I should’ve taken some bread before I ran away.

I don’t know how long I walked, I just walked away... farther and farther away from the station. I came across a bunch of kids holding shaved ice, it made want some too... They came out from a park with a lot of trees, it looked cool just to get in there, so I did. I couldn’t find the shaved ice stand, so I just continued to walk... as I rubbed my eyes I saw it, it was across the road. So I walked towards the pedestrian crossing lane. The heat of the sun made my eyes go blur, with a lot of thoughts inside my head. I just suddenly heard someone shout, “Watch out!” then a loud crashing sound followed.