PS I'm Over You

The clock struck one in the morning. Darkness loomed over the small manor hidden in the deep forest of Eastern Province. Compared to the harsh cold weather of the Northern Provinces, the Easter Province gives more appealing warm weather for the locals. The place is ideal for farming for locals and a relaxing getaway for wealthy families from the New Global City.

As the summer was at its peak, a major part of the province was still dozing off. A sense of calmness prevailed in the atmosphere in this area. Unlike the other busy cities, materialism has no place for itself in the Eastern Province.

The little girl rolled to her right, her long pink sleeping dress slightly moved up her legs, revealing patches of red marks on her skin. She coughed and tried to stop, the wheezing sound coming from her, but failed. Her sleepy eyes opened, her sight adjusting to her dark room only lit by the moonlight from the outside.

She rubbed her eyes, trying to figure out why there are noises coming from the ground floor of their home. Is her mommy expecting a company tonight? They were quite loud as if someone is breaking glasses. Looking at the alarm clock on her bedside table, the little girl's face broke into a smile as she realized it is officially her seventh birthday.

In spite of her sick and unwell condition, the girl slipped out from her sheets and opened the door of her room silently. She wondered if her mommy is busy preparing and organizing a party for her birthday. Her long auburn hair tied into twin pigtails, her face flushed with fever as she took small steps silently to check on her mother.

As she reached the top of the stairs, her eyes widened at what she saw. The ground floor is on fire. The pieces of furniture are broken into pieces, the Christmas tree that she and her mother fixed yesterday is also on fire. What happened? Are there burglars that invaded their home?

The thick dark fumes started to fill the air. She covered her mouth with her little hands as her eyes filled with tears. She wondered where her mommy is. Her eyes started to sting with all the smoke and toxic fumes as she tried to find her way to her mother's room.

She tried to take a deep breath but almost cried in pain when she did. Her lungs ached as if someone had punched her directly in her c.h.e.s.t. The little girl fell on her knees. Her eyesight started to blur and could only see the orange flames around her.

Her body started to ache. She has been sick for a week now and her mommy is still trying to come up with the right medicine for her body. She knew that she might die anytime soon because her mommy is so worried about her these days that she spent most of her time in her lab than playing with her.

The girl leaned her body on the nearest wall and tried to stand up. She needs to know what happened to her mother. Her daddy left them, taking her younger brother with him. She cried as she thought that she only has her mother and no one else.

"Mommy?" she called but no one answered her.

When she arrived at her mother's room, the door is already opened. The room was dark but she could see the figure of her mother lying on the bed awkwardly. She wondered if her mommy was too tired from her work and just dropped herself on the bed out of exhaustion.

She moved to the bedside and cried. Her little hands tried to shake her mother's body to wake her up. There is someone within their house and their home is on fire.

"Mommy? Mommy, wake up. Please wake up, mommy." the girl cried out.

She tried harder but noticed that her little hands are wet. Why is her mother soaking wet? She walked towards the huge window beside the bed to see it clearer. Her eyes widened as she looked down at her hands. Blood. So much blood. The girl turned her brown eyes to her mother and could see the pool of blood on the floor.

Her young mind realized what happened. Her mother is dead, brutally murdered by someone. Looking around the room, she could see the drawers are forcefully opened. Her mother's records and stockpiles are all over the place. Do they really have to kill someone just for money?

She ran towards her mother's body and cried harder. If her mommy is to die today, so is she. She could never live with someone else. Her tears kept coming as she sobbed for her deceased mother. It is her birthday and yet someone took away the most important person in her life.

As she continued to grieve for her mother, the girl failed to notice a man looming behind her. His huge hand covered her mouth with a handkerchief. The girl tried to resist and scream but failed. Slowly her eyes turned hazy like she was drugged. A small bottle with a green concoction was poured on her mouth, forcing her to drink it.

The little girl tried to keep her conscious up, and her eyes fighting the drowsiness she's feeling. For the last time, she looked at her mother, trying to imprint her face in her memories. Her eyes finally shut, her tears streaming down to her cheeks. As her consciousness faded, she hoped that everything is just a dream and she would soon wake up from this nightmare.