chapter 9

That night I slept in the same room as my family.

Family.

My chest was tight when I remember one of them is gone.

“Barbara ….”

I curled even closer to the wall. Mom's soft voice made it even more unbearable.

They say Hugo—the man who attacked Grandpa's house—took Dad's body with him for whatever reason. I had raged at Grandpa because he didn't want to stop that guy.

“I'm very weak, Bara,” Grandpa whispered earlier. “I can no longer fight Hugo. He is too strong.”

I understand that. It's just that I'm still too disappointed. Still too sick to accept Grandpa's condition at that time.

My feelings are broken.

I walked out of the shared room feeling frivolous. Mom called me in weakness, but I just muttered unclear to her.

“Do you think that I don't feel sad either, Bara?” cried Mom; the tone was so hurt.

I stopped, then turned a little to her.

My lips lifted to form a thin smile. “We are all sad. But, Mom, I just want to be alone. That is all.”

I immediately stepped out and closed the door. For a moment, my back leaned against the door. I blinked as the vision blurred again.

Enough to cry, I thought.

A loud crash struck me. The sound came from the end of the hallway that looked dark. I walked closer cautiously.

“Justin?” I called softly. “Who is there?”

A body fell to the floor. The faint light from the candles on the hallway wall didn't really help.

I can only see the figure of a young man; he now rose to his feet then turned towards me.

“You … Arga, aren't you?” I thought of a young man like Dylan O'Brien whom Uncle Alvaro had mentioned earlier this afternoon.

“Sorry.”

I looked at him in surprise. “For what? Why are you whispering like that?”

Arga walked closer. His hands folded behind his back. My gaze turned horrified when he didn't do it because of being nosy.

Someone was forcing him to walk toward me.

I almost ran into the room again, when I saw a firearm suddenly stuck to Arga's forehead.

“He-hey! What are you doing?!” I whisper in horror. “Who are you?”

The face of the person who was holding Arga's hand was finally visible when he stood beside the candle.

I unconsciously sipped saliva. I can barely distinguish my feelings right now. Am I afraid? Fascinated? Both?

The stranger was slightly taller than Arga the fake O'Brien, and his face … I don't know what will I say. When I saw it, my mind suddenly focused on Kim Taehyung aka V BTS. But, at the same time, I know the man behind Arga is not V.

One thing that makes the person different: there is a scar line on his cheek.

“You're now grown become a big girl, huh?” said the stranger. His voice was heavy; really reminds me of V the CGV guy.

I almost stammered to myself. “Do you know me?”

The man grinned. “Of course. I also know your parents … your biological parents, if I may say.”

I'm sculpting. Something is bothering me. I looked at Arga who stared at me with the glance that I didn't understand.

“Is he a wolf-shifter too, Arga?” I asked. “Why does he have to threaten you like this?”

Sadness makes my brain unable to think quickly. I feel like climbing in the dark; don't know which way to go home.

“Can you come with me?” begged the stranger. “Your parents left something for you.”

I bit my lip in doubt. Arga still looks at me strangely. His eyes closed suddenly as the muzzle of the gun pressed his temple again.

“C'mon,” invite the mugger again; he shook his head so I walked first.

I have no choice but to obey; unless I want to be a heartless girl by letting Arga's life die.

The mugger is still threatening Arga's head with steps with me.

I turned my head. “Who are you?”

“We go out first,” whispered the mugger. “Unless you want me to say it now, but in return for one life for my devil.”

The way he said it made me shudder. I wring my fists nervously as we arrived at the main room (?)—I don't know what the right name is, so let me just say it.

What time is it? Why is there no one at all?

I stopped in front of the first step to the top.

“Just go up, Barbara,” the mugger whispered again.

I took a deep breath, then climbed the steps with the stranger still holding Arga behind me.

My back was bristling without being able to hold. A drop of cold sweat fell on my forehead. My eyes glanced at dozens of windows at the high wall of the bunker.

Once again; Where are they? Why did no one hear our echoing steps at all?

I almost gasped when we finally reached the top door. Arga's mugger told me to open the door. Again I have no other choice.

We entered the rectangular room where Justin carried me and jumped from above. I turned when the mugger Arga opened his voice.

“You want to get out, kid?” said the stranger; he let go of Arga's hand, but still aimed his firearm; this time right into his heart.

“Please, I don't know anything,” said Arga in fear. “Let me go.”

The stranger shrugged his gun toward the door. “Go.”

Arga stepped back slowly, then immediately closed the door until it thumped when he was outside the room.

The stranger kept his gun in the leather jacket he was wearing. The thin T-shirt under the jacket was perfectly attached to his flat stomach. I brashly thought about whether he had a girlfriend or not yet.

God damn it. He's even a bad person, and I like him?!

The man pressed a button on one wall. I jumped back as the round lid above us burst open, and made some dust fall. “Come on, we have to get out of here.”

I raised my hand as if I wanted to stop it. I was worried again. “What did my parents entrust me with?”

The man smiled faintly.

“Me.”

I looked at that person as if he was the craziest person in the world.

“Tell me if I just misinterpreted your answer,” I said quietly.

“Have you ever heard of someone named Hugo?” he suddenly said.

I was stunned. “What's the relation?”

“It's me.”

Hugo. A name that makes me forget the resemblance to one of my idols.

The last thing I saw was the top of his head which bit my arm in one flash.

—·—·—

I jerked awake with blinking eyes and immediately winced when I felt pain in my arm.

I forced myself to rise with my eyes half closed. It feels so bright. Once I could open my eyes properly, I almost shouted.

Hugo.

The man is sitting right in front of me. I shuffled backwards until my back hit the back of the bed. On the other hand, I froze as Hugo moved closer toward me.

“Stop!” I almost shouted loudly.

We only have a hand span. I could smell the fresh mint on the man's body. My memory flew suddenly to Dad.

“Y-You killed my father,” I hissed angrily. “Why did you kill him? A-And you … my biological parents ….”

Hugo smiled wryly. He moved to caress my cheek, but I slapped his hands hard.

Hugo suddenly grabbed my jaw so strongly. I could almost feel his breath as the man's face approached.

“Why did I kill them?” he said in a mellow voice. “Because they don't want to surrender yourself to me. Even though … how difficult is it?”

I held the block in my jaw as much as possible. My tears are threatened to fall.

“But you don't need to kill, do you?” I whisper faltered. “That's an evil deed. You killed my family, for God's sake!”

Hugo loosened his block. His lips lifted into a mysterious smile. “You sound like chatting with a boyfriend who was caught killing.”

I looked at him hatefully. Yes, I did admire his face, but that was before I knew who he was!

“What do you want?” I growled.

Hugo let go of my jaw, but his hand moved directly to my neck. He made a wiping motion, but I knew he was actually threatening.

He craned his neck, then whispered into my ear. “Kill you.”

I can only sculpt. My hand squeezes the sheets under me.

My lips and voice trembled. “Then why am I still here?”

Hugo pulled his body back, making me take a deep breath of relief.

“That was before I knew who you were, Barbara,” he said slowly. “However, some time ago, I decided that having additional strength from a possessor of holy blood must have been interesting.”

I want to know, how to use my identity as a wolvire to beat up this man in front of me. Sadly, I still don't know.

“I don't know what you mean,” I said stiffly.

“You will help me control all immortal beings, Barbara.”

I snorted; try to sound brave. “Like I would want to!”

Hugo stood up. An evil grin adorned his lips.

“Oh, you will, darling,” he said smoothly. “If you don't want to, there will be something similar like what happened to your adoptive father and biological parents.”

I jumped up from the bed. Emotions suddenly gripped me … my hands were clenched at both sides.

“You can't do that!” I shouted. “Stop hurting the people I love!”

Hugo smiled. “If so, stop saying no.”

He moved away, but I pushed his body until he was taken aback for a moment.

“You can't hurt them!” I snapped angrily. “My family is at the wolf-shifter base. You—”

“Who do you think I am?”

When I say "it's up to you," Mom and Dad will really do whatever they want to do. They never understood that behind the words “up to you" what was said, hidden the meaning of "I want to be heard".

However, I didn't expect Grandpa would act the same as Dad and Mom.

I often confided in Grandpa by phone before coming here, and how he sounded annoyed and always entertained me, I seemed to have thought that Grandpa wouldn't have the heart to limit my space. In fact, I was wrong.

The next day after that night, Grandpa warned me not to leave the house in the slightest. He left at seven in the morning to go to school as an Indonesian Language teacher in one of the middle school at the city.

Before leaving, he very clearly stated, “I will take care of all your homeschooling needs later. Just stay at home. If you need anything, just buy it online. Or you can leave me.”

Because I was in a phase of frustration at the level of hell, I just ignored him while still staring at the television in the living room. When the car roared away from the trunk, my eyes were watering cause I didn't want to close them.

I rubbed my eyes, then moved in a hurry. All windows have thick bars, so there's no way I'd cut it using only cheap pliers. Anyway, Grandpa will find out later.

I shook the front door in anger when I realized that it was locked from the outside. I rummaged through all the drawers in this house and still didn't find the spare key at all. All I found was a motorcycle key; which won't do any good if I can't get out.

Almost out of ideas, I run toward the back door; only to find the vanity.

In the end I flopped onto a red sofa in the living room and shouted angrily as I ruffled my own hair. I have no problem with neighbors who will feel disturbed, because Grandpa's house is a bit far from the nearest housing.

Tears are rising at the corner of my eye. I let it flow until my nose suffered a sudden cold. I'm always miserable; no matter I was considered the queen or princess, the situation was the same.

I'm shackled.

Tock, tock.

I looked up at the window with shocked. Someone once I claimed was a crazy fool suddenly looked very valuable in my eyes. I hurriedly stood up and pressed my face between the window bars.

“Saga!” I blurted out hysterically; feel no need to feel ashamed as a form of solidarity with fellow crazy people. “Help me get out of here!”

Saga put his palms on the window with a worried expression.

“Are you okay? You look chaotic,” he said.

I wiped the tears harshly and straightened my hair.

“While you look sane,” I said among the remaining sobs that looked like hiccups.

“Do you have wire or hair clips?” Saga suddenly asked, making me surprised.

In response, I just shook my head. Not that I don't have; I just don't understand what the means.

A second later, I witnessed the most absurd things in my sad life.

Saga sped like an arrow apart from its bow. I mean, he really looks like that! There's nothing I exaggerate. My nose almost broke cause I followed the Saga movement.

I shook my head as if I wanted to drive away flies around my head. I slapped myself without using excess energy. I sat back down like a fool.

I must have been hallucinating, I decided in my heart. There was no way the friends of the Salvatore Brothers came to Indonesia to look for Katherine who was attractive.

I must be hungry.

Before I could go to the kitchen, Saga returned with the express movement once more. I stared at him with horror.

Something is wrong with my brain.

Saga brandished a wire, then he shot again—for God's sake, streaking! He didn't run, but shot!—towards the front door. I took a few steps back. Suddenly alert. Lest he will break it!

Click.

The door opens as if Saga has the key. My face was pale as Saga grinned in the doorway like a boy who won a cracker eating competition.

“Are you really Damon Salvatore's friend?” I murmured like a cold person.

Saga grin is gone. “Who is who, you say? I don't know what you mean.”

I laugh awkwardly. Suddenly my back touched the wall behind me.

“O-Or, are you adopted son of Master Agra … Digo's Brother?” My voice is still trembling.

Saga snorted. He stepped in and stopped a few steps from me.

“Vampires in the Vampire Diaries can't enter if they aren't invited!” I cried not accept.

Saga laughed with amusement. “However, this isn't Vampire Diaries. How could you take someone else's work and then distribute it.”

I looked at the boy confused. I don't feel plagiarized or anything.

I shook my head, trying to drive out unimportant thoughts. I tried to be more realistic. “Are you a magician?”

Saga laughter bursts out. His body bent as if someone was out of breath.

“What are you thinking about?” Saga said still amused. “You look like you've never see—”

Saga laughter vanished instantly. “You've never seen it, huh?”

I shook my head. Then, nodded.

“Never in person. I only see it in movies,” I said.

“Vampire Diaries and Ganteng-Ganteng Serigala*,” he stated.

Saga goes closer. I tried my best to melt this body into the wall.

“What do you want?” I whispered.

Our faces were only one inch apart, then he suddenly sniffed my neck. As a form of self-protection that is too slow, I pushed his chest hard.

“WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!” I shouted; half annoyed half worried.

Saga frowned. “Precisely it's you. Are you a vampire or a wolf-shifter?”

My back is bristling. That question again. Illuminated by morning light, Saga's expression and face were clearer than yesterday's night. Saga looks very serious. His face reminded me of Aliando Syarief when he was a teenager. Cute and adorable.

However, that isn't the point.

“What are you talking about?” I said in surprise. “How many times have you asked me that!”

Saga sat on the long sofa of the room, then patted the surface of the sofa beside him.

“Sit here, I will explain.”

I sat, but on another sofa. I don't want to get close to anyone wrong.

“How strange your family is.” Saga started. “Why do they have to hide who you are?”

My eyes twitch. Sitting on the edge of the sofa seat, I noted carefully in my mind to run away immediately if something suspicious happens. However, the idea was immediately erased considering what Saga did a few minutes ago.

“Listen me, Bara,” Saga said, advancing his body seriously. “I don't really know what you are. As I said before; your body's scent is a bit chaotic. So, I can't be sure. Either you are a vampire, or a wolf-shif—”

I stopped him by raising my hand in front of his face.

“You are crazy. Thank you for helping me open the door, but please leave,” I kicked him out.

Suddenly, he pulled his lips and hissed. A pair of fangs appeared from between his teeth. The boy's eyeball turned white like the singer who acting in the music video titled "Lathi".

My heart jumped out into the nearest gutter.

“AAAAAARRRGGGGH!” I shouted late.

My body refuses to move. So, the only thing I can do is lift and hug my legs, then try to shrink the body so that Saga can no longer see me.

Of course it's useless.

Saga stopped being a part-time vampire, then looked at me with pitying eyes.

“It's me, a vampire.” Saga clarifies. “And if I'm right, so do you.”

My back is bristling again. A strange feeling of cold spread throughout my body, starting from my back. It was like seeing a scary night kuntilanak in a banana garden.

I laughed nervously. “Stop saying that, Saga. You scared me.”

Saga raised his hand like he was about to surrender. “If so, ask this to your parents or grandfather. If you are a vampire, you will realize that all your family is just a host family. If you are a wolf-shifter, they are your biological family.”

My breathing changes quickly. My laughter is still nervous.

“You're just kidding,” I whispered in fear.

Saga shook his head. “Just call your parents now. That's if you have parents.”

For a moment I hesitated, but then I ran into the living room to get my smartphone left there. My hands were trembling so much that I entered the wrong phone password multiple times.

Taking a deep breath and hoping that the boy in front of me is just a crazy magician, I knock my mother's number and change it to loudspeaker mode.

(Hello, Barbie!)

I never felt this nervous when Mom called me by that name.

That night I slept in the same room as my family.

Family.

My chest was tight when I remember one of them is gone.

“Barbara ….”

I curled even closer to the wall. Mom's soft voice made it even more unbearable.

They say Hugo—the man who attacked Grandpa's house—took Dad's body with him for whatever reason. I had raged at Grandpa because he didn't want to stop that guy.

“I'm very weak, Bara,” Grandpa whispered earlier. “I can no longer fight Hugo. He is too strong.”

I understand that. It's just that I'm still too disappointed. Still too sick to accept Grandpa's condition at that time.

My feelings are broken.

I walked out of the shared room feeling frivolous. Mom called me in weakness, but I just muttered unclear to her.

“Do you think that I don't feel sad either, Bara?” cried Mom; the tone was so hurt.

I stopped, then turned a little to her.

My lips lifted to form a thin smile. “We are all sad. But, Mom, I just want to be alone. That is all.”

I immediately stepped out and closed the door. For a moment, my back leaned against the door. I blinked as the vision blurred again.

Enough to cry, I thought.

A loud crash struck me. The sound came from the end of the hallway that looked dark. I walked closer cautiously.

“Justin?” I called softly. “Who is there?”

A body fell to the floor. The faint light from the candles on the hallway wall didn't really help.

I can only see the figure of a young man; he now rose to his feet then turned towards me.

“You … Arga, aren't you?” I thought of a young man like Dylan O'Brien whom Uncle Alvaro had mentioned earlier this afternoon.

“Sorry.”

I looked at him in surprise. “For what? Why are you whispering like that?”

Arga walked closer. His hands folded behind his back. My gaze turned horrified when he didn't do it because of being nosy.

Someone was forcing him to walk toward me.

I almost ran into the room again, when I saw a firearm suddenly stuck to Arga's forehead.

“He-hey! What are you doing?!” I whisper in horror. “Who are you?”

The face of the person who was holding Arga's hand was finally visible when he stood beside the candle.

I unconsciously sipped saliva. I can barely distinguish my feelings right now. Am I afraid? Fascinated? Both?

The stranger was slightly taller than Arga the fake O'Brien, and his face … I don't know what will I say. When I saw it, my mind suddenly focused on Kim Taehyung aka V BTS. But, at the same time, I know the man behind Arga is not V.

One thing that makes the person different: there is a scar line on his cheek.

“You're now grown become a big girl, huh?” said the stranger. His voice was heavy; really reminds me of V the CGV guy.

I almost stammered to myself. “Do you know me?”

The man grinned. “Of course. I also know your parents … your biological parents, if I may say.”

I'm sculpting. Something is bothering me. I looked at Arga who stared at me with the glance that I didn't understand.

“Is he a wolf-shifter too, Arga?” I asked. “Why does he have to threaten you like this?”

Sadness makes my brain unable to think quickly. I feel like climbing in the dark; don't know which way to go home.

“Can you come with me?” begged the stranger. “Your parents left something for you.”

I bit my lip in doubt. Arga still looks at me strangely. His eyes closed suddenly as the muzzle of the gun pressed his temple again.

“C'mon,” invite the mugger again; he shook his head so I walked first.

I have no choice but to obey; unless I want to be a heartless girl by letting Arga's life die.

The mugger is still threatening Arga's head with steps with me.

I turned my head. “Who are you?”

“We go out first,” whispered the mugger. “Unless you want me to say it now, but in return for one life for my devil.”

The way he said it made me shudder. I wring my fists nervously as we arrived at the main room (?)—I don't know what the right name is, so let me just say it.

What time is it? Why is there no one at all?

I stopped in front of the first step to the top.

“Just go up, Barbara,” the mugger whispered again.

I took a deep breath, then climbed the steps with the stranger still holding Arga behind me.

My back was bristling without being able to hold. A drop of cold sweat fell on my forehead. My eyes glanced at dozens of windows at the high wall of the bunker.

Once again; Where are they? Why did no one hear our echoing steps at all?

I almost gasped when we finally reached the top door. Arga's mugger told me to open the door. Again I have no other choice.

We entered the rectangular room where Justin carried me and jumped from above. I turned when the mugger Arga opened his voice.

“You want to get out, kid?” said the stranger; he let go of Arga's hand, but still aimed his firearm; this time right into his heart.

“Please, I don't know anything,” said Arga in fear. “Let me go.”

The stranger shrugged his gun toward the door. “Go.”

Arga stepped back slowly, then immediately closed the door until it thumped when he was outside the room.

The stranger kept his gun in the leather jacket he was wearing. The thin T-shirt under the jacket was perfectly attached to his flat stomach. I brashly thought about whether he had a girlfriend or not yet.

God damn it. He's even a bad person, and I like him?!

The man pressed a button on one wall. I jumped back as the round lid above us burst open, and made some dust fall. “Come on, we have to get out of here.”

I raised my hand as if I wanted to stop it. I was worried again. “What did my parents entrust me with?”

The man smiled faintly.

“Me.”

I looked at that person as if he was the craziest person in the world.

“Tell me if I just misinterpreted your answer,” I said quietly.

“Have you ever heard of someone named Hugo?” he suddenly said.

I was stunned. “What's the relation?”

“It's me.”

Hugo. A name that makes me forget the resemblance to one of my idols.

The last thing I saw was the top of his head which bit my arm in one flash.

—·—·—

I jerked awake with blinking eyes and immediately winced when I felt pain in my arm.

I forced myself to rise with my eyes half closed. It feels so bright. Once I could open my eyes properly, I almost shouted.

Hugo.

The man is sitting right in front of me. I shuffled backwards until my back hit the back of the bed. On the other hand, I froze as Hugo moved closer toward me.

“Stop!” I almost shouted loudly.

We only have a hand span. I could smell the fresh mint on the man's body. My memory flew suddenly to Dad.

“Y-You killed my father,” I hissed angrily. “Why did you kill him? A-And you … my biological parents ….”

Hugo smiled wryly. He moved to caress my cheek, but I slapped his hands hard.

Hugo suddenly grabbed my jaw so strongly. I could almost feel his breath as the man's face approached.

“Why did I kill them?” he said in a mellow voice. “Because they don't want to surrender yourself to me. Even though … how difficult is it?”

I held the block in my jaw as much as possible. My tears are threatened to fall.

“But you don't need to kill, do you?” I whisper faltered. “That's an evil deed. You killed my family, for God's sake!”

Hugo loosened his block. His lips lifted into a mysterious smile. “You sound like chatting with a boyfriend who was caught killing.”

I looked at him hatefully. Yes, I did admire his face, but that was before I knew who he was!

“What do you want?” I growled.

Hugo let go of my jaw, but his hand moved directly to my neck. He made a wiping motion, but I knew he was actually threatening.

He craned his neck, then whispered into my ear. “Kill you.”

I can only sculpt. My hand squeezes the sheets under me.

My lips and voice trembled. “Then why am I still here?”

Hugo pulled his body back, making me take a deep breath of relief.

“That was before I knew who you were, Barbara,” he said slowly. “However, some time ago, I decided that having additional strength from a possessor of holy blood must have been interesting.”

I want to know, how to use my identity as a wolvire to beat up this man in front of me. Sadly, I still don't know.

“I don't know what you mean,” I said stiffly.

“You will help me control all immortal beings, Barbara.”

I snorted; try to sound brave. “Like I would want to!”

Hugo stood up. An evil grin adorned his lips.

“Oh, you will, darling,” he said smoothly. “If you don't want to, there will be something similar like what happened to your adoptive father and biological parents.”

I jumped up from the bed. Emotions suddenly gripped me … my hands were clenched at both sides.

“You can't do that!” I shouted. “Stop hurting the people I love!”

Hugo smiled. “If so, stop saying no.”

He moved away, but I pushed his body until he was taken aback for a moment.

“You can't hurt them!” I snapped angrily. “My family is at the wolf-shifter base. You—”

“Who do you think I am?”

When I say "it's up to you," Mom and Dad will really do whatever they want to do. They never understood that behind the words “up to you" what was said, hidden the meaning of "I want to be heard".

However, I didn't expect Grandpa would act the same as Dad and Mom.

I often confided in Grandpa by phone before coming here, and how he sounded annoyed and always entertained me, I seemed to have thought that Grandpa wouldn't have the heart to limit my space. In fact, I was wrong.

The next day after that night, Grandpa warned me not to leave the house in the slightest. He left at seven in the morning to go to school as an Indonesian Language teacher in one of the middle school at the city.

Before leaving, he very clearly stated, “I will take care of all your homeschooling needs later. Just stay at home. If you need anything, just buy it online. Or you can leave me.”

Because I was in a phase of frustration at the level of hell, I just ignored him while still staring at the television in the living room. When the car roared away from the trunk, my eyes were watering cause I didn't want to close them.

I rubbed my eyes, then moved in a hurry. All windows have thick bars, so there's no way I'd cut it using only cheap pliers. Anyway, Grandpa will find out later.

I shook the front door in anger when I realized that it was locked from the outside. I rummaged through all the drawers in this house and still didn't find the spare key at all. All I found was a motorcycle key; which won't do any good if I can't get out.

Almost out of ideas, I run toward the back door; only to find the vanity.

In the end I flopped onto a red sofa in the living room and shouted angrily as I ruffled my own hair. I have no problem with neighbors who will feel disturbed, because Grandpa's house is a bit far from the nearest housing.

Tears are rising at the corner of my eye. I let it flow until my nose suffered a sudden cold. I'm always miserable; no matter I was considered the queen or princess, the situation was the same.

I'm shackled.

Tock, tock.

I looked up at the window with shocked. Someone once I claimed was a crazy fool suddenly looked very valuable in my eyes. I hurriedly stood up and pressed my face between the window bars.

“Saga!” I blurted out hysterically; feel no need to feel ashamed as a form of solidarity with fellow crazy people. “Help me get out of here!”

Saga put his palms on the window with a worried expression.

“Are you okay? You look chaotic,” he said.

I wiped the tears harshly and straightened my hair.

“While you look sane,” I said among the remaining sobs that looked like hiccups.

“Do you have wire or hair clips?” Saga suddenly asked, making me surprised.

In response, I just shook my head. Not that I don't have; I just don't understand what the means.

A second later, I witnessed the most absurd things in my sad life.

Saga sped like an arrow apart from its bow. I mean, he really looks like that! There's nothing I exaggerate. My nose almost broke cause I followed the Saga movement.

I shook my head as if I wanted to drive away flies around my head. I slapped myself without using excess energy. I sat back down like a fool.

I must have been hallucinating, I decided in my heart. There was no way the friends of the Salvatore Brothers came to Indonesia to look for Katherine who was attractive.

I must be hungry.

Before I could go to the kitchen, Saga returned with the express movement once more. I stared at him with horror.

Something is wrong with my brain.

Saga brandished a wire, then he shot again—for God's sake, streaking! He didn't run, but shot!—towards the front door. I took a few steps back. Suddenly alert. Lest he will break it!

Click.

The door opens as if Saga has the key. My face was pale as Saga grinned in the doorway like a boy who won a cracker eating competition.

“Are you really Damon Salvatore's friend?” I murmured like a cold person.

Saga grin is gone. “Who is who, you say? I don't know what you mean.”

I laugh awkwardly. Suddenly my back touched the wall behind me.

“O-Or, are you adopted son of Master Agra … Digo's Brother?” My voice is still trembling.

Saga snorted. He stepped in and stopped a few steps from me.

“Vampires in the Vampire Diaries can't enter if they aren't invited!” I cried not accept.

Saga laughed with amusement. “However, this isn't Vampire Diaries. How could you take someone else's work and then distribute it.”

I looked at the boy confused. I don't feel plagiarized or anything.

I shook my head, trying to drive out unimportant thoughts. I tried to be more realistic. “Are you a magician?”

Saga laughter bursts out. His body bent as if someone was out of breath.

“What are you thinking about?” Saga said still amused. “You look like you've never see—”

Saga laughter vanished instantly. “You've never seen it, huh?”

I shook my head. Then, nodded.

“Never in person. I only see it in movies,” I said.

“Vampire Diaries and Ganteng-Ganteng Serigala*,” he stated.

Saga goes closer. I tried my best to melt this body into the wall.

“What do you want?” I whispered.

Our faces were only one inch apart, then he suddenly sniffed my neck. As a form of self-protection that is too slow, I pushed his chest hard.

“WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!” I shouted; half annoyed half worried.

Saga frowned. “Precisely it's you. Are you a vampire or a wolf-shifter?”

My back is bristling. That question again. Illuminated by morning light, Saga's expression and face were clearer than yesterday's night. Saga looks very serious. His face reminded me of Aliando Syarief when he was a teenager. Cute and adorable.

However, that isn't the point.

“What are you talking about?” I said in surprise. “How many times have you asked me that!”

Saga sat on the long sofa of the room, then patted the surface of the sofa beside him.

“Sit here, I will explain.”

I sat, but on another sofa. I don't want to get close to anyone wrong.

“How strange your family is.” Saga started. “Why do they have to hide who you are?”

My eyes twitch. Sitting on the edge of the sofa seat, I noted carefully in my mind to run away immediately if something suspicious happens. However, the idea was immediately erased considering what Saga did a few minutes ago.

“Listen me, Bara,” Saga said, advancing his body seriously. “I don't really know what you are. As I said before; your body's scent is a bit chaotic. So, I can't be sure. Either you are a vampire, or a wolf-shif—”

I stopped him by raising my hand in front of his face.

“You are crazy. Thank you for helping me open the door, but please leave,” I kicked him out.

Suddenly, he pulled his lips and hissed. A pair of fangs appeared from between his teeth. The boy's eyeball turned white like the singer who acting in the music video titled "Lathi".

My heart jumped out into the nearest gutter.

“AAAAAARRRGGGGH!” I shouted late.

My body refuses to move. So, the only thing I can do is lift and hug my legs, then try to shrink the body so that Saga can no longer see me.

Of course it's useless.

Saga stopped being a part-time vampire, then looked at me with pitying eyes.

“It's me, a vampire.” Saga clarifies. “And if I'm right, so do you.”

My back is bristling again. A strange feeling of cold spread throughout my body, starting from my back. It was like seeing a scary night kuntilanak in a banana garden.

I laughed nervously. “Stop saying that, Saga. You scared me.”

Saga raised his hand like he was about to surrender. “If so, ask this to your parents or grandfather. If you are a vampire, you will realize that all your family is just a host family. If you are a wolf-shifter, they are your biological family.”

My breathing changes quickly. My laughter is still nervous.

“You're just kidding,” I whispered in fear.

Saga shook his head. “Just call your parents now. That's if you have parents.”

For a moment I hesitated, but then I ran into the living room to get my smartphone left there. My hands were trembling so much that I entered the wrong phone password multiple times.

Taking a deep breath and hoping that the boy in front of me is just a crazy magician, I knock my mother's number and change it to loudspeaker mode.

(Hello, Barbie!)

I never felt this nervous when Mom called me by that name.

“Hello, Mom,” I said clearing my throat. “How are you Mom and Dad there?”

Saga is waving so I don't need to make small talk. I drank my own saliva. It feels like a rock.

(Oh, we're fine, honey! Lots of mosquitoes, fortunately there are mosquito nets and insect spray.) Mom laughed. (Dad had complained because there was no cafe here, but I told him not to worry because sachet coffee wasn't yet extinct here.)

I tried to laugh. “Wow, cool, Mom!” I took a deep breath. “But Mom, I called … because there was something I wanted to ask.”

(Just ask, Barbie! I'm listening.)

I stared at Saga who was nodding with encouragement like a madman.

I stammer to speak, “Y-You … I … do you … do you know anything about vampires?”

Saga patted his forehead as if I were being a moron. The voice on the other side suddenly went silent for several seconds.

(Are you watching that British vampire again, Barbara?) My mother asked calmly.

Barbara … my mother rarely calls me that unless she's serious, angry, or something else.

“Not a British vampire, Mom … whatever it is, that's not what I'm asking.” I glanced at Saga while holding her back to the sofa. “There is a … a vampire here.”

More silence.

(You're kidding!) My mother laughs. (Check it out. Surely he uses fake fangs!)

I held on tight to my smartphone. My lips trembled again. “His fangs appear when he opens his mouth, Mom. His eyes also turned white. He did it before my eyes!”

(Barbara, whatever you see, it must be just an illusion!) Mom's voice turned scared. Saga grinned and showed me the form of the vampire again.

“He did it in front of my face again, Mom! How could I hallucinate?!" I shouted in despair.

(Barbara …)

I closed the call with a single knock. I almost cried again. My inner lips until bled so hard I bit.

“Stop doing it,” I said to Saga's white eyes which immediately turned normal. “I … I will try … what oath do you dare to take?”

Saga tilted her head slightly, then smiled. “Swear anything. Swear to God. Swear by any scripture. Any. Thing.”

For the first time in an hour, I took a deep breath. I decided to go crazy for a while.

“Help me find out why they forbid me to leave the house.”

Saga nodded determinedly. However, I guess he already had a hunch.

_____________

*Handsome But Werewolf in English. One of the vampire and wolf dramas in Indonesia.

Those words silenced me. I thought about the bite just a moment ago.

That night I slept in the same room as my family.

Family.

My chest was tight when I remember one of them is gone.

“Barbara ….”

I curled even closer to the wall. Mom's soft voice made it even more unbearable.

They say Hugo—the man who attacked Grandpa's house—took Dad's body with him for whatever reason. I had raged at Grandpa because he didn't want to stop that guy.

“I'm very weak, Bara,” Grandpa whispered earlier. “I can no longer fight Hugo. He is too strong.”

I understand that. It's just that I'm still too disappointed. Still too sick to accept Grandpa's condition at that time.

My feelings are broken.

I walked out of the shared room feeling frivolous. Mom called me in weakness, but I just muttered unclear to her.

“Do you think that I don't feel sad either, Bara?” cried Mom; the tone was so hurt.

I stopped, then turned a little to her.

My lips lifted to form a thin smile. “We are all sad. But, Mom, I just want to be alone. That is all.”

I immediately stepped out and closed the door. For a moment, my back leaned against the door. I blinked as the vision blurred again.

Enough to cry, I thought.

A loud crash struck me. The sound came from the end of the hallway that looked dark. I walked closer cautiously.

“Justin?” I called softly. “Who is there?”

A body fell to the floor. The faint light from the candles on the hallway wall didn't really help.

I can only see the figure of a young man; he now rose to his feet then turned towards me.

“You … Arga, aren't you?” I thought of a young man like Dylan O'Brien whom Uncle Alvaro had mentioned earlier this afternoon.

“Sorry.”

I looked at him in surprise. “For what? Why are you whispering like that?”

Arga walked closer. His hands folded behind his back. My gaze turned horrified when he didn't do it because of being nosy.

Someone was forcing him to walk toward me.

I almost ran into the room again, when I saw a firearm suddenly stuck to Arga's forehead.

“He-hey! What are you doing?!” I whisper in horror. “Who are you?”

The face of the person who was holding Arga's hand was finally visible when he stood beside the candle.

I unconsciously sipped saliva. I can barely distinguish my feelings right now. Am I afraid? Fascinated? Both?

The stranger was slightly taller than Arga the fake O'Brien, and his face … I don't know what will I say. When I saw it, my mind suddenly focused on Kim Taehyung aka V BTS. But, at the same time, I know the man behind Arga is not V.

One thing that makes the person different: there is a scar line on his cheek.

“You're now grown become a big girl, huh?” said the stranger. His voice was heavy; really reminds me of V the CGV guy.

I almost stammered to myself. “Do you know me?”

The man grinned. “Of course. I also know your parents … your biological parents, if I may say.”

I'm sculpting. Something is bothering me. I looked at Arga who stared at me with the glance that I didn't understand.

“Is he a wolf-shifter too, Arga?” I asked. “Why does he have to threaten you like this?”

Sadness makes my brain unable to think quickly. I feel like climbing in the dark; don't know which way to go home.

“Can you come with me?” begged the stranger. “Your parents left something for you.”

I bit my lip in doubt. Arga still looks at me strangely. His eyes closed suddenly as the muzzle of the gun pressed his temple again.

“C'mon,” invite the mugger again; he shook his head so I walked first.

I have no choice but to obey; unless I want to be a heartless girl by letting Arga's life die.

The mugger is still threatening Arga's head with steps with me.

I turned my head. “Who are you?”

“We go out first,” whispered the mugger. “Unless you want me to say it now, but in return for one life for my devil.”

The way he said it made me shudder. I wring my fists nervously as we arrived at the main room (?)—I don't know what the right name is, so let me just say it.

What time is it? Why is there no one at all?

I stopped in front of the first step to the top.

“Just go up, Barbara,” the mugger whispered again.

I took a deep breath, then climbed the steps with the stranger still holding Arga behind me.

My back was bristling without being able to hold. A drop of cold sweat fell on my forehead. My eyes glanced at dozens of windows at the high wall of the bunker.

Once again; Where are they? Why did no one hear our echoing steps at all?

I almost gasped when we finally reached the top door. Arga's mugger told me to open the door. Again I have no other choice.

We entered the rectangular room where Justin carried me and jumped from above. I turned when the mugger Arga opened his voice.

“You want to get out, kid?” said the stranger; he let go of Arga's hand, but still aimed his firearm; this time right into his heart.

“Please, I don't know anything,” said Arga in fear. “Let me go.”

The stranger shrugged his gun toward the door. “Go.”

Arga stepped back slowly, then immediately closed the door until it thumped when he was outside the room.

The stranger kept his gun in the leather jacket he was wearing. The thin T-shirt under the jacket was perfectly attached to his flat stomach. I brashly thought about whether he had a girlfriend or not yet.

God damn it. He's even a bad person, and I like him?!

The man pressed a button on one wall. I jumped back as the round lid above us burst open, and made some dust fall. “Come on, we have to get out of here.”

I raised my hand as if I wanted to stop it. I was worried again. “What did my parents entrust me with?”

The man smiled faintly.

“Me.”

I looked at that person as if he was the craziest person in the world.

“Tell me if I just misinterpreted your answer,” I said quietly.

“Have you ever heard of someone named Hugo?” he suddenly said.

I was stunned. “What's the relation?”

“It's me.”

Hugo. A name that makes me forget the resemblance to one of my idols.

The last thing I saw was the top of his head which bit my arm in one flash.

—·—·—

I jerked awake with blinking eyes and immediately winced when I felt pain in my arm.

I forced myself to rise with my eyes half closed. It feels so bright. Once I could open my eyes properly, I almost shouted.

Hugo.

The man is sitting right in front of me. I shuffled backwards until my back hit the back of the bed. On the other hand, I froze as Hugo moved closer toward me.

“Stop!” I almost shouted loudly.

We only have a hand span. I could smell the fresh mint on the man's body. My memory flew suddenly to Dad.

“Y-You killed my father,” I hissed angrily. “Why did you kill him? A-And you … my biological parents ….”

Hugo smiled wryly. He moved to caress my cheek, but I slapped his hands hard.

Hugo suddenly grabbed my jaw so strongly. I could almost feel his breath as the man's face approached.

“Why did I kill them?” he said in a mellow voice. “Because they don't want to surrender yourself to me. Even though … how difficult is it?”

I held the block in my jaw as much as possible. My tears are threatened to fall.

“But you don't need to kill, do you?” I whisper faltered. “That's an evil deed. You killed my family, for God's sake!”

Hugo loosened his block. His lips lifted into a mysterious smile. “You sound like chatting with a boyfriend who was caught killing.”

I looked at him hatefully. Yes, I did admire his face, but that was before I knew who he was!

“What do you want?” I growled.

Hugo let go of my jaw, but his hand moved directly to my neck. He made a wiping motion, but I knew he was actually threatening.

He craned his neck, then whispered into my ear. “Kill you.”

I can only sculpt. My hand squeezes the sheets under me.

My lips and voice trembled. “Then why am I still here?”

Hugo pulled his body back, making me take a deep breath of relief.

“That was before I knew who you were, Barbara,” he said slowly. “However, some time ago, I decided that having additional strength from a possessor of holy blood must have been interesting.”

I want to know, how to use my identity as a wolvire to beat up this man in front of me. Sadly, I still don't know.

“I don't know what you mean,” I said stiffly.

“You will help me control all immortal beings, Barbara.”

I snorted; try to sound brave. “Like I would want to!”

Hugo stood up. An evil grin adorned his lips.

“Oh, you will, darling,” he said smoothly. “If you don't want to, there will be something similar like what happened to your adoptive father and biological parents.”

I jumped up from the bed. Emotions suddenly gripped me … my hands were clenched at both sides.

“You can't do that!” I shouted. “Stop hurting the people I love!”

Hugo smiled. “If so, stop saying no.”

He moved away, but I pushed his body until he was taken aback for a moment.

“You can't hurt them!” I snapped angrily. “My family is at the wolf-shifter base. You—”

“Who do you think I am?”

Those words silenced me. I thought about the bite just a moment ago.

“You … you are a vampire.” My voice sounded doubtful in my own ear.

Suddenly Hugo pushed me until my back slammed into the nearest wall. He locked me there with his arms. My breath is hunting.

When I say "it's up to you," Mom and Dad will really do whatever they want to do. They never understood that behind the words “up to you" what was said, hidden the meaning of "I want to be heard".

However, I didn't expect Grandpa would act the same as Dad and Mom.

I often confided in Grandpa by phone before coming here, and how he sounded annoyed and always entertained me, I seemed to have thought that Grandpa wouldn't have the heart to limit my space. In fact, I was wrong.

The next day after that night, Grandpa warned me not to leave the house in the slightest. He left at seven in the morning to go to school as an Indonesian Language teacher in one of the middle school at the city.

Before leaving, he very clearly stated, “I will take care of all your homeschooling needs later. Just stay at home. If you need anything, just buy it online. Or you can leave me.”

Because I was in a phase of frustration at the level of hell, I just ignored him while still staring at the television in the living room. When the car roared away from the trunk, my eyes were watering cause I didn't want to close them.

I rubbed my eyes, then moved in a hurry. All windows have thick bars, so there's no way I'd cut it using only cheap pliers. Anyway, Grandpa will find out later.

I shook the front door in anger when I realized that it was locked from the outside. I rummaged through all the drawers in this house and still didn't find the spare key at all. All I found was a motorcycle key; which won't do any good if I can't get out.

Almost out of ideas, I run toward the back door; only to find the vanity.

In the end I flopped onto a red sofa in the living room and shouted angrily as I ruffled my own hair. I have no problem with neighbors who will feel disturbed, because Grandpa's house is a bit far from the nearest housing.

Tears are rising at the corner of my eye. I let it flow until my nose suffered a sudden cold. I'm always miserable; no matter I was considered the queen or princess, the situation was the same.

I'm shackled.

Tock, tock.

I looked up at the window with shocked. Someone once I claimed was a crazy fool suddenly looked very valuable in my eyes. I hurriedly stood up and pressed my face between the window bars.

“Saga!” I blurted out hysterically; feel no need to feel ashamed as a form of solidarity with fellow crazy people. “Help me get out of here!”

Saga put his palms on the window with a worried expression.

“Are you okay? You look chaotic,” he said.

I wiped the tears harshly and straightened my hair.

“While you look sane,” I said among the remaining sobs that looked like hiccups.

“Do you have wire or hair clips?” Saga suddenly asked, making me surprised.

In response, I just shook my head. Not that I don't have; I just don't understand what the means.

A second later, I witnessed the most absurd things in my sad life.

Saga sped like an arrow apart from its bow. I mean, he really looks like that! There's nothing I exaggerate. My nose almost broke cause I followed the Saga movement.

I shook my head as if I wanted to drive away flies around my head. I slapped myself without using excess energy. I sat back down like a fool.

I must have been hallucinating, I decided in my heart. There was no way the friends of the Salvatore Brothers came to Indonesia to look for Katherine who was attractive.

I must be hungry.

Before I could go to the kitchen, Saga returned with the express movement once more. I stared at him with horror.

Something is wrong with my brain.

Saga brandished a wire, then he shot again—for God's sake, streaking! He didn't run, but shot!—towards the front door. I took a few steps back. Suddenly alert. Lest he will break it!

Click.

The door opens as if Saga has the key. My face was pale as Saga grinned in the doorway like a boy who won a cracker eating competition.

“Are you really Damon Salvatore's friend?” I murmured like a cold person.

Saga grin is gone. “Who is who, you say? I don't know what you mean.”

I laugh awkwardly. Suddenly my back touched the wall behind me.

“O-Or, are you adopted son of Master Agra … Digo's Brother?” My voice is still trembling.

Saga snorted. He stepped in and stopped a few steps from me.

“Vampires in the Vampire Diaries can't enter if they aren't invited!” I cried not accept.

Saga laughed with amusement. “However, this isn't Vampire Diaries. How could you take someone else's work and then distribute it.”

I looked at the boy confused. I don't feel plagiarized or anything.

I shook my head, trying to drive out unimportant thoughts. I tried to be more realistic. “Are you a magician?”

Saga laughter bursts out. His body bent as if someone was out of breath.

“What are you thinking about?” Saga said still amused. “You look like you've never see—”

Saga laughter vanished instantly. “You've never seen it, huh?”

I shook my head. Then, nodded.

“Never in person. I only see it in movies,” I said.

“Vampire Diaries and Ganteng-Ganteng Serigala*,” he stated.

Saga goes closer. I tried my best to melt this body into the wall.

“What do you want?” I whispered.

Our faces were only one inch apart, then he suddenly sniffed my neck. As a form of self-protection that is too slow, I pushed his chest hard.

“WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!” I shouted; half annoyed half worried.

Saga frowned. “Precisely it's you. Are you a vampire or a wolf-shifter?”

My back is bristling. That question again. Illuminated by morning light, Saga's expression and face were clearer than yesterday's night. Saga looks very serious. His face reminded me of Aliando Syarief when he was a teenager. Cute and adorable.

However, that isn't the point.

“What are you talking about?” I said in surprise. “How many times have you asked me that!”

Saga sat on the long sofa of the room, then patted the surface of the sofa beside him.

“Sit here, I will explain.”

I sat, but on another sofa. I don't want to get close to anyone wrong.

“How strange your family is.” Saga started. “Why do they have to hide who you are?”

My eyes twitch. Sitting on the edge of the sofa seat, I noted carefully in my mind to run away immediately if something suspicious happens. However, the idea was immediately erased considering what Saga did a few minutes ago.

“Listen me, Bara,” Saga said, advancing his body seriously. “I don't really know what you are. As I said before; your body's scent is a bit chaotic. So, I can't be sure. Either you are a vampire, or a wolf-shif—”

I stopped him by raising my hand in front of his face.

“You are crazy. Thank you for helping me open the door, but please leave,” I kicked him out.

Suddenly, he pulled his lips and hissed. A pair of fangs appeared from between his teeth. The boy's eyeball turned white like the singer who acting in the music video titled "Lathi".

My heart jumped out into the nearest gutter.

“AAAAAARRRGGGGH!” I shouted late.

My body refuses to move. So, the only thing I can do is lift and hug my legs, then try to shrink the body so that Saga can no longer see me.

Of course it's useless.

Saga stopped being a part-time vampire, then looked at me with pitying eyes.

“It's me, a vampire.” Saga clarifies. “And if I'm right, so do you.”

My back is bristling again. A strange feeling of cold spread throughout my body, starting from my back. It was like seeing a scary night kuntilanak in a banana garden.

I laughed nervously. “Stop saying that, Saga. You scared me.”

Saga raised his hand like he was about to surrender. “If so, ask this to your parents or grandfather. If you are a vampire, you will realize that all your family is just a host family. If you are a wolf-shifter, they are your biological family.”

My breathing changes quickly. My laughter is still nervous.

“You're just kidding,” I whispered in fear.

Saga shook his head. “Just call your parents now. That's if you have parents.”

For a moment I hesitated, but then I ran into the living room to get my smartphone left there. My hands were trembling so much that I entered the wrong phone password multiple times.

Taking a deep breath and hoping that the boy in front of me is just a crazy magician, I knock my mother's number and change it to loudspeaker mode.

(Hello, Barbie!)

I never felt this nervous when Mom called me by that name.

“Hello, Mom,” I said clearing my throat. “How are you Mom and Dad there?”

Saga is waving so I don't need to make small talk. I drank my own saliva. It feels like a rock.

(Oh, we're fine, honey! Lots of mosquitoes, fortunately there are mosquito nets and insect spray.) Mom laughed. (Dad had complained because there was no cafe here, but I told him not to worry because sachet coffee wasn't yet extinct here.)

I tried to laugh. “Wow, cool, Mom!” I took a deep breath. “But Mom, I called … because there was something I wanted to ask.”

(Just ask, Barbie! I'm listening.)

I stared at Saga who was nodding with encouragement like a madman.

I stammer to speak, “Y-You … I … do you … do you know anything about vampires?”

Saga patted his forehead as if I were being a moron. The voice on the other side suddenly went silent for several seconds.

(Are you watching that British vampire again, Barbara?) My mother asked calmly.

Barbara … my mother rarely calls me that unless she's serious, angry, or something else.

“Not a British vampire, Mom … whatever it is, that's not what I'm asking.” I glanced at Saga while holding her back to the sofa. “There is a … a vampire here.”

More silence.

(You're kidding!) My mother laughs. (Check it out. Surely he uses fake fangs!)

I held on tight to my smartphone. My lips trembled again. “His fangs appear when he opens his mouth, Mom. His eyes also turned white. He did it before my eyes!”

(Barbara, whatever you see, it must be just an illusion!) Mom's voice turned scared. Saga grinned and showed me the form of the vampire again.

“He did it in front of my face again, Mom! How could I hallucinate?!" I shouted in despair.

(Barbara …)

I closed the call with a single knock. I almost cried again. My inner lips until bled so hard I bit.

“Stop doing it,” I said to Saga's white eyes which immediately turned normal. “I … I will try … what oath do you dare to take?”

Saga tilted her head slightly, then smiled. “Swear anything. Swear to God. Swear by any scripture. Any. Thing.”

For the first time in an hour, I took a deep breath. I decided to go crazy for a while.

“Help me find out why they forbid me to leave the house.”

Saga nodded determinedly. However, I guess he already had a hunch.

_____________When I say "it's up to you," Mom and Dad will really do whatever they want to do. They never understood that behind the words “up to you" what was said, hidden the meaning of "I want to be heard".

However, I didn't expect Grandpa would act the same as Dad and Mom.

I often confided in Grandpa by phone before coming here, and how he sounded annoyed and always entertained me, I seemed to have thought that Grandpa wouldn't have the heart to limit my space. In fact, I was wrong.

The next day after that night, Grandpa warned me not to leave the house in the slightest. He left at seven in the morning to go to school as an Indonesian Language teacher in one of the middle school at the city.

Before leaving, he very clearly stated, “I will take care of all your homeschooling needs later. Just stay at home. If you need anything, just buy it online. Or you can leave me.”

Because I was in a phase of frustration at the level of hell, I just ignored him while still staring at the television in the living room. When the car roared away from the trunk, my eyes were watering cause I didn't want to close them.

I rubbed my eyes, then moved in a hurry. All windows have thick bars, so there's no way I'd cut it using only cheap pliers. Anyway, Grandpa will find out later.

I shook the front door in anger when I realized that it was locked from the outside. I rummaged through all the drawers in this house and still didn't find the spare key at all. All I found was a motorcycle key; which won't do any good if I can't get out.

Almost out of ideas, I run toward the back door; only to find the vanity.

In the end I flopped onto a red sofa in the living room and shouted angrily as I ruffled my own hair. I have no problem with neighbors who will feel disturbed, because Grandpa's house is a bit far from the nearest housing.

Tears are rising at the corner of my eye. I let it flow until my nose suffered a sudden cold. I'm always miserable; no matter I was considered the queen or princess, the situation was the same.

I'm shackled.

Tock, tock.

I looked up at the window with shocked. Someone once I claimed was a crazy fool suddenly looked very valuable in my eyes. I hurriedly stood up and pressed my face between the window bars.

“Saga!” I blurted out hysterically; feel no need to feel ashamed as a form of solidarity with fellow crazy people. “Help me get out of here!”

Saga put his palms on the window with a worried expression.

“Are you okay? You look chaotic,” he said.

I wiped the tears harshly and straightened my hair.

“While you look sane,” I said among the remaining sobs that looked like hiccups.

“Do you have wire or hair clips?” Saga suddenly asked, making me surprised.

In response, I just shook my head. Not that I don't have; I just don't understand what the means.

A second later, I witnessed the most absurd things in my sad life.

Saga sped like an arrow apart from its bow. I mean, he really looks like that! There's nothing I exaggerate. My nose almost broke cause I followed the Saga movement.

I shook my head as if I wanted to drive away flies around my head. I slapped myself without using excess energy. I sat back down like a fool.

I must have been hallucinating, I decided in my heart. There was no way the friends of the Salvatore Brothers came to Indonesia to look for Katherine who was attractive.

I must be hungry.

Before I could go to the kitchen, Saga returned with the express movement once more. I stared at him with horror.

Something is wrong with my brain.

Saga brandished a wire, then he shot again—for God's sake, streaking! He didn't run, but shot!—towards the front door. I took a few steps back. Suddenly alert. Lest he will break it!

Click.

The door opens as if Saga has the key. My face was pale as Saga grinned in the doorway like a boy who won a cracker eating competition.

“Are you really Damon Salvatore's friend?” I murmured like a cold person.

Saga grin is gone. “Who is who, you say? I don't know what you mean.”

I laugh awkwardly. Suddenly my back touched the wall behind me.

“O-Or, are you adopted son of Master Agra … Digo's Brother?” My voice is still trembling.

Saga snorted. He stepped in and stopped a few steps from me.

“Vampires in the Vampire Diaries can't enter if they aren't invited!” I cried not accept.

Saga laughed with amusement. “However, this isn't Vampire Diaries. How could you take someone else's work and then distribute it.”

I looked at the boy confused. I don't feel plagiarized or anything.

I shook my head, trying to drive out unimportant thoughts. I tried to be more realistic. “Are you a magician?”

Saga laughter bursts out. His body bent as if someone was out of breath.

“What are you thinking about?” Saga said still amused. “You look like you've never see—”

Saga laughter vanished instantly. “You've never seen it, huh?”

I shook my head. Then, nodded.

“Never in person. I only see it in movies,” I said.

“Vampire Diaries and Ganteng-Ganteng Serigala*,” he stated.

Saga goes closer. I tried my best to melt this body into the wall.

“What do you want?” I whispered.

Our faces were only one inch apart, then he suddenly sniffed my neck. As a form of self-protection that is too slow, I pushed his chest hard.

“WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!” I shouted; half annoyed half worried.

Saga frowned. “Precisely it's you. Are you a vampire or a wolf-shifter?”

My back is bristling. That question again. Illuminated by morning light, Saga's expression and face were clearer than yesterday's night. Saga looks very serious. His face reminded me of Aliando Syarief when he was a teenager. Cute and adorable.

However, that isn't the point.

“What are you talking about?” I said in surprise. “How many times have you asked me that!”

Saga sat on the long sofa of the room, then patted the surface of the sofa beside him.

“Sit here, I will explain.”

I sat, but on another sofa. I don't want to get close to anyone wrong.

“How strange your family is.” Saga started. “Why do they have to hide who you are?”

My eyes twitch. Sitting on the edge of the sofa seat, I noted carefully in my mind to run away immediately if something suspicious happens. However, the idea was immediately erased considering what Saga did a few minutes ago.

“Listen me, Bara,” Saga said, advancing his body seriously. “I don't really know what you are. As I said before; your body's scent is a bit chaotic. So, I can't be sure. Either you are a vampire, or a wolf-shif—”

I stopped him by raising my hand in front of his face.

“You are crazy. Thank you for helping me open the door, but please leave,” I kicked him out.

Suddenly, he pulled his lips and hissed. A pair of fangs appeared from between his teeth. The boy's eyeball turned white like the singer who acting in the music video titled "Lathi".

My heart jumped out into the nearest gutter.

“AAAAAARRRGGGGH!” I shouted late.

My body refuses to move. So, the only thing I can do is lift and hug my legs, then try to shrink the body so that Saga can no longer see me.

Of course it's useless.

Saga stopped being a part-time vampire, then looked at me with pitying eyes.

“It's me, a vampire.” Saga clarifies. “And if I'm right, so do you.”

My back is bristling again. A strange feeling of cold spread throughout my body, starting from my back. It was like seeing a scary night kuntilanak in a banana garden.

I laughed nervously. “Stop saying that, Saga. You scared me.”

Saga raised his hand like he was about to surrender. “If so, ask this to your parents or grandfather. If you are a vampire, you will realize that all your family is just a host family. If you are a wolf-shifter, they are your biological family.”

My breathing changes quickly. My laughter is still nervous.

“You're just kidding,” I whispered in fear.

Saga shook his head. “Just call your parents now. That's if you have parents.”

For a moment I hesitated, but then I ran into the living room to get my smartphone left there. My hands were trembling so much that I entered the wrong phone password multiple times.

Taking a deep breath and hoping that the boy in front of me is just a crazy magician, I knock my mother's number and change it to loudspeaker mode.

(Hello, Barbie!)

I never felt this nervous when Mom called me by that name.

“Hello, Mom,” I said clearing my throat. “How are you Mom and Dad there?”

Saga is waving so I don't need to make small talk. I drank my own saliva. It feels like a rock.

(Oh, we're fine, honey! Lots of mosquitoes, fortunately there are mosquito nets and insect spray.) Mom laughed. (Dad had complained because there was no cafe here, but I told him not to worry because sachet coffee wasn't yet extinct here.)

I tried to laugh. “Wow, cool, Mom!” I took a deep breath. “But Mom, I called … because there was something I wanted to ask.”

(Just ask, Barbie! I'm listening.)

I stared at Saga who was nodding with encouragement like a madman.

I stammer to speak, “Y-You … I … do you … do you know anything about vampires?”

Saga patted his forehead as if I were being a moron. The voice on the other side suddenly went silent for several seconds.

(Are you watching that British vampire again, Barbara?) My mother asked calmly.

Barbara … my mother rarely calls me that unless she's serious, angry, or something else.

“Not a British vampire, Mom … whatever it is, that's not what I'm asking.” I glanced at Saga while holding her back to the sofa. “There is a … a vampire here.”

More silence.

(You're kidding!) My mother laughs. (Check it out. Surely he uses fake fangs!)

I held on tight to my smartphone. My lips trembled again. “His fangs appear when he opens his mouth, Mom. His eyes also turned white. He did it before my eyes!”

(Barbara, whatever you see, it must be just an illusion!) Mom's voice turned scared. Saga grinned and showed me the form of the vampire again.

“He did it in front of my face again, Mom! How could I hallucinate?!" I shouted in despair.

(Barbara …)

I closed the call with a single knock. I almost cried again. My inner lips until bled so hard I bit.

“Stop doing it,” I said to Saga's white eyes which immediately turned normal. “I … I will try … what oath do you dare to take?”

Saga tilted her head slightly, then smiled. “Swear anything. Swear to God. Swear by any scripture. Any. Thing.”

For the first time in an hour, I took a deep breath. I decided to go crazy for a while.

“Help me find out why they forbid me to leave the house.”

Saga nodded determinedly. However, I guess he already had a hunch.

_____________

*Handsome But Werewolf in English. One of the vampire and wolf dramas in Indonesia.

*Handsome But Werewolf in English. One of the vampire and wolf dramas in Indonesia.

“I'm a vampire, right.” Hugo's words made me smile; but, just for a little while. “I'm a wolf-shifter … also the lion-shifter and tiger-shifter. I have four entities at once.”

My heart beats wildly. My breath is still not stable.

“But—”

“I also have a subordinate of four creatures. And you know what? Some of them are at the base of the wolf.”

“You … you are a vampire.” My voice sounded doubtful in my own ear.

Suddenly Hugo pushed me until my back slammed into the nearest wall. He locked me there with his arms. My breath is hunting.

“I'm a vampire, right.” Hugo's words made me smile; but, just for a little while. “I'm a wolf-shifter … also the lion-shifter and tiger-shifter. I have four entities at once.”

My heart beats wildly. My breath is still not stable.

“But—”

“I also have a subordinate of four creatures. And you know what? Some of them are at the base of the wolf.”

“Hello, Mom,” I said clearing my throat. “How are you Mom and Dad there?”

Saga is waving so I don't need to make small talk. I drank my own saliva. It feels like a rock.

(Oh, we're fine, honey! Lots of mosquitoes, fortunately there are mosquito nets and insect spray.) Mom laughed. (Dad had complained because there was no cafe here, but I told him not to worry because sachet coffee wasn't yet extinct here.)

I tried to laugh. “Wow, cool, Mom!” I took a deep breath. “But Mom, I called … because there was something I wanted to ask.”

(Just ask, Barbie! I'm listening.)

I stared at Saga who was nodding with encouragement like a madman.

I stammer to speak, “Y-You … I … do you … do you know anything about vampires?”

Saga patted his forehead as if I were being a moron. The voice on the other side suddenly went silent for several seconds.

(Are you watching that British vampire again, Barbara?) My mother asked calmly.

Barbara … my mother rarely calls me that unless she's serious, angry, or something else.

“Not a British vampire, Mom … whatever it is, that's not what I'm asking.” I glanced at Saga while holding her back to the sofa. “There is a … a vampire here.”

More silence.

(You're kidding!) My mother laughs. (Check it out. Surely he uses fake fangs!)

I held on tight to my smartphone. My lips trembled again. “His fangs appear when he opens his mouth, Mom. His eyes also turned white. He did it before my eyes!”

(Barbara, whatever you see, it must be just an illusion!) Mom's voice turned scared. Saga grinned and showed me the form of the vampire again.

“He did it in front of my face again, Mom! How could I hallucinate?!" I shouted in despair.

(Barbara …)

I closed the call with a single knock. I almost cried again. My inner lips until bled so hard I bit.

“Stop doing it,” I said to Saga's white eyes which immediately turned normal. “I … I will try … what oath do you dare to take?”

Saga tilted her head slightly, then smiled. “Swear anything. Swear to God. Swear by any scripture. Any. Thing.”

For the first time in an hour, I took a deep breath. I decided to go crazy for a while.

“Help me find out why they forbid me to leave the house.”

Saga nodded determinedly. However, I guess he already had a hunch.

_____________

*Handsome But Werewolf in English. One of the vampire and wolf dramas in Indonesia.

Those words silenced me. I thought about the bite just a moment ago.

“You … you are a vampire.” My voice sounded doubtful in my own ear.

Suddenly Hugo pushed me until my back slammed into the nearest wall. He locked me there with his arms. My breath is hunting.

“I'm a vampire, right.” Hugo's words made me smile; but, just for a little while. “I'm a wolf-shifter … also the lion-shifter and tiger-shifter. I have four entities at once.”

My heart beats wildly. My breath is still not stable.

“But—”

“I also have a subordinate of four creatures. And you know what? Some of them are at the base of the wolf.”