Chained

Arthit

ARTHIT P.O.V.

It was my last day at school. Finally, after gritting my teeth and trying to finish school while trying to survive the heartache that I had. No, I did not have my heartbroken by a girl or a guy for that matter... but my heart was broken into a million pieces when I found out about my parents passing. They were supposed to come back home, to him. It shook my world and I barely remembered what happened.

I was in the middle of the cheer party when suddenly, one of the second years rushed to their head hazer. The usual stoic and scary P'Tum suddenly called for me, and when I saw him, I only saw sadness and empathy.

"N'Ai'Oon..." he started, and he has never called me with my nickname during the cheer party. Then and there I felt that something was wrong.

Next thing I know, I was being escorted by the dean of their faculty to the police. I can barely remembered what they were saying, all that registered to me is that they are gone... gone forever. I was frozen in shock, a thousand thoughts running thru my head. After that, I woke up in a hospital room. Apparently, I suffered from a panic attack and just collapsed in the middle of the police station.

The next few days were a blur; the faces of my friends barely recognisable. I was excused to the cheer parties; P'Tum always telling me to go away and to gather my thoughts. I feel like that is his way of consoling me. He knows that I need time to be me again; I feel like a tea cup that smashed and can never be whole again.

My parents had a short burial ceremony, two urns with nothing on it as their bodies were never found. My friends and extended family were there, but nothing registered. I was numb all throughout the events that after I placed my beloved parents to their resting place, I became lost. What will I do next? SU University is not a cheap school. How can I afford the tuition fee? Maybe I can get a scholarship. But how about the other expenses? I have a dorm room rent that he has to pay as well.

I considered dropping out. Maybe I will work for a year before going back. There is also the mortgage of their home. I can't sell that house, that is my parents' house and that very place is where most of his memories are. Selling it away means that he is selling a piece of his heart to someone else.

I decided to just quit school then. I remember going to the dean and talking to him about dropping out. I was shocked when I found out that my tuition for the next four years are already paid for, and that I should talk to my dorm manager as well. I complied and immediately went to my dorm manager, and she said that the rent was already paid in full as well and that a man gave her a letter, asking for her to give it to me.

Once I am in the safety of my room, I checked into the letter. The paper is solid black and there was a strong musky smell that comes from it. When I flipped it at the back, I can see that it was sealed with a gold letter 'K'. Curiously, I opened the letter.

The smell enveloped my senses, making me shiver. It's as if there was something about the smell that is hauntingly familiar.

There was a white card inside. It was a beautifully written scripted letter and I was amazed on how clean the handwriting is.