The little round-faced girl with clear eyes was still contentedly staring at the unfamiliar man before her. Since waking up, her parents had told her that this young boy would be her new big brother. The little girl had never felt like she had a sibling, nor did she remember ever meeting or being visited by one. Meanwhile, the young boy in question was bashfully keeping his head down. The little girl's father had said that this new big brother didn't remember anything due to the sadness of losing his parents. The little girl felt both pity and curiosity towards her new big brother.
"Ta..." the little girl called imperfectly. Her three-year-old age hindered her from speaking fluently. However, Zen understood that he was being called right now. Zen's face slightly brightened upon hearing the gentle voice calling him. He slowly extended his hand towards the small fingers pointing at him. Those small fingers gripped Zen's hand tightly before Zen playfully shook them while laughing.
"Mia, Mia, hehe. Mia, you're so pretty. Now we're together, okay?" Zen said to the little girl, not minding whether Mia could understand his words or not. At this moment, Zen didn't have anyone else, and he felt relieved to have a family he could rely on again.
Zen never hoped that his uncle and aunt would treat him as their own child. He was very grateful for being allowed to stay with them. Zen didn't particularly like Jeffrey; he seemed like a stranger and felt intimidating. That's why Zen was so happy when Jeffrey said he would leave him with Zen's distant family, a place he had never visited before.
Unfortunately, Zen's peaceful days didn't last long, perhaps only for about three months. From the morning, Zen didn't have the energy to play outside with Mia or read his favorite fairy tale books. Zen thought he might be sick, but he didn't feel feverish, and his appetite seemed fine. That night, Zen couldn't sleep, even though it was already past his usual bedtime. Zen was scared; if his aunt found out, he would surely be scolded. Anxiety and drinking too much water before going to bed made him need to use the bathroom. Slowly, he walked towards the bathroom near the kitchen after passing through the dark hallway and the main bedroom.
Zen tried to move as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake up his aunt and uncle or let them know that he was still awake. He was being so careful that he unintentionally overheard a conversation from behind the main bedroom.
"He's only been here for three months; aren't you rushing it? I'm worried Jeffrey will come and ask about this child."
"How can I not rush it? You and I both know we need money. Jeffrey also said that if anything happens to this child, he won't blame us; on the contrary, he'll give us money as a thank-you fee. We have to pay off that damn gambling debt of yours! And I'm tired of constantly saving and taking care of a child who has no relation to me."
"Fine, fine. So, what do you want to do?"
"Let's just make everything look like an accident. Inform Jeffrey and ask for money for medical expenses. We'll use the money to pay off the debt. If it's just bruises and minor injuries, we don't need to take him to the doctor. And even if the child dies..."
Crack-
Zen quickly covered his mouth when he accidentally stepped on an object he didn't recognize on the floor. He stepped back slowly, his mind in turmoil, his heart racing fast. Even though he was only six years old, Zen was a smart child. He could read and write fluently; he didn't remember how his parents had taught him, but his abilities didn't just vanish.
Zen understood the situation he was in, the imminent danger. From the beginning, Zen knew that his aunt and uncle didn't like having him around. He also knew that his aunt wanted him gone as soon as possible. However, Zen always thought of studying hard so that he could make his aunt and uncle proud. He also aspired to buy them a nice house, but unfortunately, his noble thoughts never materialized.
"Did you... hear what we were talking about earlier?" the uncle hurriedly asked Zen. His eyes widened, as if he had been caught red-handed committing a crime. His face looked anxious, and he began to sweat.
"Let him hear, what does a little child understand? Does he even comprehend what we're talking about? Just lock him in his room now, why worry? Your opponent is a six-year-old, not a sixteen-year-old. How can I have such a foolish husband like you?" mocked the wife, crossing her arms and glaring at Zen with the same hateful look.
"I ... I didn't do anything wrong, not misbehaving... always taking care of Mia... why?" whispered young Zen, his voice barely audible. Tears had gathered in his eyelids, waiting to spill over at any moment. His body trembled, his heartbeats erratic. Zen still didn't understand why his aunt and uncle were speaking like that.
"Noisy! You're a parasite! Parasites should be discarded; do you understand? They must be discarded!" yelled the middle-aged woman with disheveled red hair, her fiery temper evident. Zen flinched at his aunt's shout, his tears held back. There was something inside him that wanted to burst out. Something that made his ears ring and his thoughts chaotic. Zen had never felt like this before, but he briefly heard a male voice right in his ear.
"Listen, Junior, if you're in danger, you have two choices. Be hunted or become the hunter. You're my son, so I won't be pleased if you're weak."
Zen instinctively clutched his head, which throbbed painfully. He screamed loudly, and everything went dark.
"Arzen, Arzen? Wake up, dinner's almost ready."
Zen jolted awake, this time it was a woman's voice that brought him back. Little Zen didn't understand what had happened. Was he asleep, or had he already moved to heaven? Slowly, Zen scanned his surroundings. The room was empty, the walls splattered with bloodstains, and the floor flooded with blood. At his feet, his aunt and uncle lay with their eyes open. One held a knife, the other gripped a phone. Zen was frozen, beholding the scene. The smell of blood and their terrifying expressions made his breath catch in his throat.
Slowly, he felt a gentle tug at his clothes. Mia stood beside him, looking at Zen with innocent eyes, unaware of everything. Zen remained standing, his legs trembling despite his efforts to hold them steady. He reached for the little girl's body and hugged her tightly, really tightly. Now all he could do was hold Mia and cry.