ALICE I never dared to let a single word escape from my lips again. The still atmosphere didn’t crack in between. Instead, it got colder. The breath we exhaled froze in chilled mist.   Something smells crisp and ozone-like tang outside. I smiled to myself. The incense of snow.  Soft lacy flakes are drifting straight down. I take a shaky breath and tried to calm the raging pain swelling inside my chest. It was also in a day like this he found me battered to death. The snow has embrace me in its chilling hands and I’m willing to offer my life. Just to have a taste of death my years with my Aunt deprived me to feel. But that desire was quenched by his stretching hand. By his tender smile. By his warm touch I helplessly long to feel in my skin again. My Aunt defines my existence as thin as an air. As worthless as mud filled paper. As stinking as rotten garbage. As meaningless as disgusting maggots.

ALICE 906,678,907 seconds have passed. Groundkeeper is still not here. The boy has his head lean in my lap. He’s sound asleep. His eyes close and curve and relaxed. Mine is darting, unsettled and consistently can’t resist the urge to stare at his face. I studied his frame. The sharp angle of his nose, the visible scar at his lower jaw, his long curve eye lashes. His thick eyebrows. He’s like a sculpture full of colors. A statue vibrating with light. He's innately beautiful. Unconsciously, my thumb found its way to his plush lips. Chapped, a bit pale, definitely gorgeous. I gulped. Why does his startling electric blue eyes, silver soft hair, small delicate frame, reminds me of Kenneth? They wear the same expression when they stare at me. An emotion written in a face I can’t untangle what it meant. Everytime I see it, a blossoming flower of discomfort overwh

ALICE I don't know what happened. I have no idea how it started. The seconds feel like hours. To keep my consciousness intact I counted.  I close my eyes to not see their faces. I'm scared. I'm petrified. Every small bone, every skin, every part of my face aches. I'm having trouble breathing through my nose. Small intake of air is what I can wheeze in my tightly shut mouth. A dull ache clawing at my throat.  I hear Adeline's voice floating in the air. Cracking the atmosphere in slit. In my arm, something pricks, sharp as needle. Then I felt my blood circulating in my forearm drawn to the prick.  I stifled a scream. My arm numbing, chest bobbing, every sharp intake of air hurts my ribs.  "Careful now, we don't want to lose that precious blood of hers." Adeline said. Her voice sounds like a cat. Purring sweetly.  A delicious treat

“For goddamn sake, can you shut her up?!” Adeline howled. I crawled into the corner. Covering my face with my own two frail palms. My whimpers are out of my control. I can’t speak clearly. I can’t make any sense, any process, any peace with reality. I felt a hand grab me by the collar. Another voice shouted orders. The van doors slammed open. Men are shouting orders for Adeline to stand down.  “You are under arrest! Move! Move!” Suddenly, a hand clutch me tightly. Enveloping me to its tight embrace. The boy beside me is wrapped in these strong arms as well.  I glance upwards. It was the man who silenced me earlier.  He has a radio earpiece in his right ear. Talking to someone. With his two strong arms, he is carrying me and

I turn around hoping to see someone, but what greets me is not a human. A cat. A pure white cat whose fur is as white as the snow. It’s sparkling blue eyes seems to shine as its mouth curl.  “I’m glad my efforts are not wasted.”  The mouth open and close in accordance to the words. As if the cat is fluent in human language. I open my mouth to speak. But surprise got me a better grip on my throat.  The cat…. It’s the cat Kenneth and I saved. It’s the cat who stayed with me along those months I spent kneeling in Kenneth’s grave. And it’s talking right in front of me. As if there’s nothing strange about it. My mind is probably too dumbstruck to give off any strong reaction.