03: Two Down

"Dad?"

I called my father as I entered our house. I used to see him sitting on the sofa and watching news on the television. But this time, I did not catch him in the living room. Maybe, he is in the kitchen or his room.

I went to my room first to change my clothes. I quite arranged my things because my room look so messy. This day is tiring. It was still noon, and the surrounding is peaceful.

I let out a sigh. My family isn't financially stable. It was just me and my father who is left. My mother died, and my sister was adopted by my aunt. Daddy can't raise us both, life is a struggle. We and my sister still communicate, tho. We never lose connection.

We just simply live in this huge town. I strive hard to help dad get through life. And that is why I am willing to surrender everything to show my presence in the meeting and show our proposal. Because if our team gets approved, we'll level up. That is what my mother wants.

I shook my head and went outside my room to check on dad. I went inside his room first since it was near my place, and when I did not see him there, I went down to the kitchen.

"Dad?" I called him and subtly yawned. I then pouted because he still didn't answer. I roamed my eyes around the kitchen to see him, but still, I wasn't able to see his presence —

Wait...

Did I just see...

I gulped and slowly tilted my head in the sink area. I could feel my heartbeats pacing because of too much nervousness. I don't know if I see it right. And I have to confirm it.

I gulped and froze in place upon seeing my father lying on the cold floor, blood flowing down from his head. My lips started to shake in horror. My body, I want to move and run towards him, but heck, I can't even step even just an inch!

"D-Dad..." I muttered under my breath as a pool of tears started to form in my eyes. Am I hallucinating? Yes, please. This isn't real! I am not seeing my father with his bloody and lifeless being! This ain't fucking real! Yes, this ain't real... Not real...

I kept on convincing myself, yet, I know that I am just fooling around. I gathered all my strength to walk towards him as fast as I could. When I reached for his face, my tears fell. This fucking hurts.

I hover down to him and stared at his face. I sobbed as my chest clenched. I want to scream, let out the pain, but how? Feels like I am voiceless. My throat is hoarse. I don't know anymore. I just want to be numb.

I closed my eyes as my tears did not stop from falling down my cheeks. "D-Dad..." my voice broke as I talked. "Why...?"

I just found myself weeping out loud. I can't take it. I want to scream. I want to kill myself. The mere sight of him lifeless fucking hurts, so bad. Why? What happened? What happened to him and he ended up like this?

"Your father is stabbed," said the doctor as she went out of the operating room. I felt weak about what she said. Stabbed? Why? How come? Dad hasn't a rival. He is too good to have an enemy who will kill him just like that. That life hasn't been valued.

"No," I sarcastically chuckled and looked away. I wiped the tears that has slipped my cheeks. "That's not true."

She didn't talk. Zed held my shoulders with pity. "Tal..."

"Who would even stab him?!" They almost yelped because of my sudden yell. "Who?! I didn't even see anything in the kitchen that can show that he is stabbed! The blood came from his head... W-Who would even stab a p-person as cruel as that? Tell me, w-who?"

"Tal, calm down —"

"Fucking calm down! Shut up! How can I calm down?! My father died, and you expect me to act calm?! How stupid of you, Zed!"

"That doesn't help you, Tal..."

"You also don't." I gritted my teeth. 

The doctor talked to me first before she left us. She gives me papers where the scan result is there. I can't help but cry. She is right, my father got stabbed in his head. This is so cruel!

Cruel than my mother's death...

I don't know why this is happening to me. Why? Why my family gets away from me? Why is there someone who wants us to fade into this world? I don't even know any of our rivals. We were just living our life, penurious, yet, peaceful.

How jinx of me.

"Tal..." Zed went near me to give me comfort. I cried in his chest. Good thing he came as soon as possible when I called. He helped me to call an ambulance. He guided me. He never leaves me. I need his comfort right now.

"I don't know anymore..." I sobbed and gripped on the shirt from his back. I felt weak. I am too tired of everything. I want to rest. "I am tired, Zed..." I whispered to him, still sobbing. I even struggled to breathe.

"Let's go home."

"I don't want to leave my father here." I shook my head. I am not going to do so. I want to be with him even just for more minutes.

"You have to rest."

"I will rest here."

I heard him sigh. He caress the top of my head and leaned over to give a light kiss on my forehead. "Alright, then. I will stay beside you."

I just nodded my head and let him sit beside me. I closed my eyes, leaning my head against his shoulders. I will like it if I will just stay here in the hospital and stay with dad until we will settle everything.

I can't imagine it. My parents are now gone. They both vanished. Vanished through killing. What if... What if, one person killed my parents? I don't understand everything that is happening to me. It was like I was born to suffer.

This meant for me.

Cruelty, cruelty.

Living alone now, huh? Great.

I don't feel like living, tho. My heart is already dead ever since.