Exordium: God Is A Gamer (Mild R-18)

Chapter 8: Exordium

Warning: Scene not suitable for minors.

Chapter VIII
To Start Somewhere

NAKATAYO sa harap ng salamin, sinimulang hubarin ni Tsarina ang mga suot habang sinusuri ng tingin ang sarili. Her palms wandered from her ash-covered face to her bruised neck, down to her breasts. As she cups and stare at them, all she could say was-flat.

Kasabay ng pagtigil ng oras ng katawan niya, nadurog din ang pag-asang maging mga burol man lang ang kapatagan niya. Nauwi sa wala ang pagmasahe niya sa mga 'yon araw-araw.

She groaned at the painful reality before going into the shower and turning the heater on.

Thanks to Aaren's father, the house was built uniquely. The residence has its own water source and is solar powered. Miraculously, most of the water pipes and electrical lines were not badly damaged that it only took Aaren a few fixes to make some of it function again.

After showering, Tsarina grabbed her phone from her dirty clothes before shoving them all in the automatic washing machine. Just then was she able to soak in the warm water of the bathtub.

Upon leaning on the tub, her eyes instantly closed. She let out a sigh of bliss. Hindi niya akalaing mai-rerelax niya pa ang katawan at isip pagkatapos ng mga nangyari buong araw.

Hawak ang phone na kabubukas lang ang screen lock, napatitig siya sa battery n'yon na 100% pa rin kahit kaninang umaga niya pa kinakalikot.

Connecting it to what Celest calls as odin's server probably made the phone's power undrainable. It won't run out of juice ever.

Muntik niya nang matampal ang noo nang mapansin ang signal. Bakit ngayon niya lang naalala ang tungkol don.

She went and pressed one name under favorites before putting the phone on her ear. "The number you dialled is not activated." Dalawang beses pang naulit sa kabilang linya ang mensahe bago 'yon rumehistro sa isip ni Tsarina. She thought she can finally contact her mother.

Instead of feeling down, like how she's constantly been experiencing the entire day, she raised her chin up and fixed her own state of mind.

Muli niyang hinarap ang phone na hawak. Dumiretso siya sa recorder. "March 26, 2021." Sinadya niyang sabihin ang date kinabukasan at dali-dali 'yong pinakinggan. Static lang ang narinig niya nang i-play 'yon. She tried recording something else. "Test 1." Naulit na 'yon ng buo.

March 25, 9:05 AM ang nakalagay na default name ng recording kahit madilim na sa labas. Nang i-rename niya 'yon at palitan ng oras, hindi na 'yon ma-save.