Lied.
They were all lying.
Zioh and Zeraiah never even picked up when I tried calling from the landline in their house or even from Aunt Enda’s phone. Only Grandpa Ethan’s staff would occasionally pass on messages to Aunt Enda, with words that always left her face with an expression that silenced my questions.
I was terrified out of my wits because Zioh and Zeraiah were gone; they’d never done this before, at least, not to me.
Maybe I was being dramatic, but… that message. The one Zioh sent me, promising he’d be back intwo weeks, was the last thing I ever heard from him. Now, more than two weeks had passed, and still no sign.
I’d tried everything to reach them, but it was as though they had vanished from the face of the earth.
Even Zeraiah’s Facebook account gathered dust. The last photo there was simply the four of us, smiling carefree in front of Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. That was so unlike him. He never stayed away from social media. Even if he were about to sleep, he’d make sure the entire world knew it through his Facebook.
What happened? Were they alright?
These questions kept circling my head, tormenting me day and night. I even dared to message Mas Zaeem, hoping for news of them, but he didn’t reply either, only sending me spiralling deeper into panic.
I even begged Mum to try calling them herself. But Uncle Bakti told her everything was fine.
I wanted to scream. Everyone had been lying to me!
Nothing was fine!
Nothing gave us any rest, as if storms refused to pass and rain kept pouring, leaving us no chance to dry.
It wasn’t just their disappearance that unsettled me, but also my twin brother…
Tsabinu.
Since the last time I saw him at the hospital, blood clinging to the corners of his mouth and eye, collar buttons torn open, clothes creased and messy, something in him had changed. He had withdrawn, locking away or burying himself in schoolwork and lessons. Stopping even from eating with us at the table, he refused to open his door for anyone.
My brother was always a book-lover, but this time I was sure he was using it as an excuse to run away. I couldn’t even tell why. Back at the hospital, Mum spoke with him once he’d pulled himself away from me, asking what had happened. But he turned his face away, whether it was withme, Dad, or even Mum. He pushed us back and insisted he had fallen.
Another lie.
Anyone who saw him would instantly know it was more than a silly stumble. The wounds across his face were the kind left by someone who had been beaten, over and over. And from the cuts and bruises on his hands, my brother had fought back—hard.
And in all my life, I’d never seen him in a fight.
So, whatever drove him to it, I knew straight away something terrible had happened,again.
I tried to cheer him up by talking, playing, and even studying together. But he would only give me a slight smile, ruffle my hair, and keep me company for a moment before leaving me alone.
And he would lock himself away.
It was as though he was angry. But… with who? And why?
I kept thinking, if Zioh were here, it would be easier. Mas Bibu’s voice was heard more often when Zioh was around, because they spent so much time together. I kept finding them reading together or lost in quiet conversations—in the garden, in Mas Bibu’s room or Zioh’s, in the kitchen, or in Danudara’s library.
But… Zioh wasn’t here.
And I didn’t even know how long.
Every time I peeked out of my window, there were no signs of life in the grand house beside mine. Only Uncle Bakti’s car came and went occasionally.
Sighing, I threw myself back onto my bed. My arms sprawled as I stared at star stickers glowing on my bedroom ceiling—each one placed by Zioh, one by one, when I was fourteen.
It was because the day before that, I’d told Zioh how I sometimes woke at night, terrified of the dark wrapping myroom. But night lamps kept me awake, and the light was too harsh, so my ceiling was filled with stars by the next day.
