Chapter 9: Mother

"Take a left here," I said.

Perci turned the motorcycle towards the left, with Dustin following behind us.

"Hey, isn't this a residential area? There's bound to be lots of zombies roaming around these streets! What are we doing here? We should just leave!" Dustin said.

"If you're going to complain, then you should stop following us," I said.

"N-nevermind. They're here!"

Zombies came out from the houses and started to chase after us.

"Sorry, I'll have to lose them first." 

Perci sped up the bike and left Dustin in the dust.

"H-hey! Wait up, please!"

"We can't afford to be slow!" Perci said.

Perci started to drift around and made turns towards random streets.

"AAAAAAAAH!"

This is crazy!

My heart raced and my arms hugged him like my life depended on it.

I-I’m obviously just doing it because I don't want to fly away!

“Screw this!” 

Dustin jumped off his motorcycle and started running away instead.

“What is he doing?” I wondered.

“Help!”

Since Dustin was on the ground running, he was the main target of the zombies.

In response, he ended up leaving the road and started climbing one of the houses nearby.

He went over the rooftop and called out to us.

“Come back!”

“I’ll go back for him later.”

Perci ignored his cries and went further away, leaving him stuck on the roof.

“Did we end up too far away from your house?” Perci asked.

“No, it’s actually close by. Just take a right through that corner. ”

Perci calmed down his motor and slowly drove forward.

“Good thing there’s no zombies present on this lane,” I said.

“I think Dustin distracted all the ones on our tails earlier…” Perci said.

From this distance, I could see my house with the flowery bushes sticking out next to the front gate. My mother loved gardening. It was pretty much just similar to the rest of the houses, standing at two stories, but you could tell it was neatly trimmed and decorated with pink flowers.

“Stop, we’re here.”

I got out of the motorcycle and looked at Perci.

“Are you coming with me?”

“No, I need to pick up Dustin. A gentleman such as myself does not extend help only to girls, but to guys as well. I can’t abandon him.”

“You’re really going to try and save him, huh? That’s courageous.”

Acting all brave and mighty like a hero, it’s a good thing, but it doesn’t automatically make the person a good-hearted noble. Trust me, I know a guy. Another of my exes.

“Stay frosty. Don’t forget to use the umbrella as a defense,” Perci said.

“Yeah. It’s not like my mom is a zombie. The house is locked and she should be in bed right now,” I said.

I opened the gate of my house and walked towards the entrance. I lifted the bonsai tree next to the entrance and picked up a key right under it.

I’m not sure if that’s the safest place to hide a key, but it works.

I unlocked the door to the house and took off my shoes inside.

“I’m home.”

I say that casually as if there isn’t a zombie outbreak going on right now.

The indoor area was rather simple. It had everything in one area. There were the couches, the TV, the dining table, the fridge, the bathroom, then there’s the stairs leading to the rooms.

I walked up the stairs, then looked at a door.

“Dad’s room.”

BANG!

I kicked the door with the sole of my foot.

“I’ll never forgive you for abandoning me and Mom.”

Even my own father, I couldn't love. Men really are disappointing, even if they’re your own family.

I walked over to Mom’s room and knocked twice.

“Mom? Are you there?”

No response. Is she really that sick?

 Or maybe…..no way.

I slammed open the door and ran over to the bed. My mom’s figure was covered with a blanket.

I tapped her repeatedly and waited for her response.

“Mom, wake up!”

Why? Why aren’t you answering?

Wait, there are flies around….and it stinks….

I slowly removed her blanket and saw her deathly pale body, lying lifeless on the bed.

“N-no….This can’t be happening!”

I slowly dropped to the wooden floor and clawed it with my fingers. 

“Why? Why? Why? My mother is……I can’t accept it!”

Tears began to flow down from my eyes as I looked at my mother. Her crimson long hair was as pretty as ever…but her body…..Her body………Her soul. Is gone.

“She died from a heart attack…” a voice said.

I suddenly noticed a shadowy presence behind me and tried to look back, but I was knocked out in an instant.

“Who………”

Everything went black.

Mom. You were my only hope left in this world. My only reason to keep on living. You were my idol. The only person I cared about. But now, you’re gone….What am I supposed to do?

“Stay strong!”

I heard her voice call out to me in the depths of my mind.

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I looked at her maturely beautiful appearance. She was already in her late forties, but she seemed like she was forever young. Her crimson hair radiated a feeling of warmth in my heart.

I ran over to her and hugged her with all my strength. 

“Mom! Don’t leave me!”

My mother patted my head and kissed my cheek.

“Life will always have its tragedies, but it’s up to you to search for the happiness you desire. It’s alright to be sad, it’s alright to cry, it’s alright to scream, but it’s never alright to let the despair dictate how you live your life. Take control. Human beings were never meant to settle, we’re meant to constantly adapt to our fate. That’s how the world wants us to survive.”

“Jeez! Why are you suddenly saying all those cheesy words right now?!” I screamed at her.

Although this was pretty much just figments of my memories, I still wanted to cherish this moment one last time.

“Isn’t it obvious? My little munchkin obviously needs it right now!”

“I’m thankful for everything, mom.”

“I know you've had terrible luck with men, but I'm sure you'll find an amazing and handsome guy someday! You better search hard! Do it for my sake!”

“W-why are you telling me this, mom? You know I hate men, right?”

“Pssh…such a waste for your looks!" 

She pinched my cheeks.

"T-That hurts, mom!"

"There's definitely a good boy for you out there somewhere! And when you find him, bring the cutie home too! I would like to treat him like my own husband! Maybe we can share him too, hehe," she looked at me with a smug grin.

“No way! That’s gross, mom!”

“I’m only joking around! Although, I’d like to pamper him real good!”

“That’s not funny, mom!”

It’s not funny. Not funny at all. Mom!

Mom!

I cried out her name in the endless void, over and over again, wanting her to come back.

But she can’t come back anymore.

I’ll show her!

I’ll show her how Ori lives her life! I’ll show you that I can survive! I’ll prove to you that I’m a strong, pretty girl who doesn't need any man! 

And I’ll laugh.

I will.

I closed my eyes and grasped my heart.

……………..

I slowly opened my eyes. My vision feels blurry….there’s some sort of figure standing in front of me.

“Hello, Ori,” a voice said.

As my sight began to clear, I saw the mysterious hooded boy in front of me. 

I looked down and noticed that I had been tied to a chair.

“Hey……why am I tied to a chair?! And what happened to my mother?!”

“Like I said, she died of a heart attack. It’s from the stress she accumulated as a doctor.”

That voice sounds a little familiar.

“Who are you and why are you in my house?” I screamed at the figure.

The person lifted his hood, showing off his wavy silver gray hair and his red eyes.

“W-Wolfis?”

My fifth ex-boyfriend. 

At first, he seemed like the most thoughtful and attentive guy ever. He knew exactly what my likes and dislikes were and how to make me happy. It was almost like he could read my mind perfectly. His eye for observation and perceptiveness was amazing. He was even the one who called the teacher and saved me from Ryder’s gang before.

“I know you’re scared….but don’t worry. I’m here to comfort you. It pains me to know that your mother died. If only I made it here earlier…..I might have been able to save her!” Wolfis banged on the door with his fist.

Wait, we’re in my room. Why are we here?

 I looked around and noticed the room was messy. The pillows and blanket on my bed had been displaced and my underwear was all over the floor.

I’m a neat and organized person, so there’s no way the room should be like this.

“You’ve been here longer, haven’t you?” I glared at him.

“No, I’ve just been here recently,” Wolfis looked away.

“You’ve always been a terrible liar. My room looks terrible! And what were you doing with my underwear! You fucking pervert!”

I tried to force myself out of the chair, shaking it rapidly and falling on the floor.

"Ouch! Damn it!"

“Sigh, fine. So I have been playing around your room. I love it here actually,” Wolfis turned his frown into a smile.

He lifted the chair back up and caressed my cheek.

“You’re still as creepy and obsessive as ever.”

That’s right. It took me a while to realize it during my time with him. The reason why he knows me so well. 

He’s been stalking me for a long time. 

And he’s really good at it too. I’ve forgiven him for doing it and politely told him not to do it again, but he would never stop watching me. Ever. I could never be at peace. I could never be alone. The anxiety broke me as I tried to cut him off from my life. It was only thanks to my sixth boyfriend that I was able to get rid of him.

“Now we’re all alone, together forever. Doesn’t that sound fun?”

“No, absolutely not.”

“Wow! What a bummer. After everything I did to kill your mother, I thought I’d be the only one you could ever love.”

Huh?

“What did you just say?”

“Ahahahaha! Damn it! My mouth slipped! I admitted it completely! Whatever, I guess!” Wolfis knocked his head and put out his tongue.

“Don’t worry, I have the strongest feelings for you,” I said.

“Really?”

What I said was completely true. My feelings for him were absolutely genuine.

“I really do! I have this really strong feeling deep down in my heart.”

“So you finally understand my love for you?”

“No. I’m only saying that I have strong feelings for you.”

“What do you mean?”

I looked at him with a raging urge I’ve never felt in my life.

“It means that I really fucking feel like killing you.”

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