pte

-

or's

ver the city, swallowing alleys a

ch shackled by their own pain-foun

of her burdens. And somewhere high above, Reyhan Pratama-mafia prin

ne silent thread pulling

-

a's

soles of my kameez. The night air bit at my skin, and the damp

usted gates stood before me-silent sentinels to my torment. I d

-e-

s immaculate silhouette-folded arms, plea

roaming the streets at

ache in my leg mirrorin

lips. I could not expl

. "Empty head, empty he

air. I reeled back, colliding with the old

Blood rushed in my ears.

-heavy, unwanted. And when the door slam

lence was s

-

ne shelf holding dust and broken dreams-I curled into myself. M

d in the sky, c

to my knees and let

mind,

Everyone hates me...

circles on the windowpane,

ehind a cloud, as if the he

-

an's

aced with the memory of her-dusty kameez,

pments, orders... today had been cha

orget her? She's

Something tight knotted in m

, the city sprawled below, its li

s wrong

ting moment, I felt as exposed as

-

V (Later, i

orts, ledgers, messages. I slammed my fist dow

" I snarled int

d every corner, scoured every record.

ed on the screen. I didn't answer

cannot

silence screamed lou

-

a's

n counter, scrubbing until the cloth shredded

my every move: the sting of Sari Bibi's s

he tears at bay. If I stop

meone see me. S

d no answers. Only s

my chest, as if to ca

speak? Why ca

eply

-

an's

ty's chaos mirroring my turmoil. Neon signs flickered. Engi

d, cold against my skin, until I loo

t her go. I mu

, in the labyrinth of alleys, someone's

werless to c