The Eight Night - Part 1 - A bit of the Past

After experiencing his neck dividing into two by one merciless slash, Renir cried for how many hours.

Currently, he was caged and between by death.

Renir's cries toned down to a mere sobbing after the mysterious light faded that comforted him.

He was like a little child who met the monster in his imagination, scared and alone in the darkness.

Even with his sharpened senses, he didn't notice the giant that blocked the cave from outside lost its fire.

Renir continued to sob and be terrified. For the moment, he forgot what he had gone through and where he was.

In his head was the thoughts that spoiled his mind;

'Why do I have to go through all of this?', he trembled.

This instance reminded Renir of what he used to be...

'Right, I was like this, even before I was brought to this ridiculous world.', he complacently accepted his fate while memories flashed again and played behind his damp eyes...

Renir grew up in a horrible household.

At a young age, he was accustomed to a rough environment and neighborhood that was full of whispers.

"Hey... it's Renir, the bastard survivor."

"I wonder how it feels like to have an abusive father and a prostitute mother? Not like I wanted to experience it..."

Just from walking down in the neighborhood, he hears whispers from other kids and adults that he doesn't fully know.

"Poor child, I am sure he will grow up like his parents."

"You know, he was actually an unplanned child. His father was married back then but was cheating on his wife's back."

"Ah, I heard it from XXXX that Renir's mother was really a street hooker back then and was accidentally impregnated by that man."

Just from staying at the park, he hears words from others that he doesn't fully understand.

[Stop]

The pain and suffering from learning those strange words one by one made his eyes dry every night.

Realizing what they meant with those words but not accepting it.

Even those people he knew that doesn't get along were whispering about him.

"Eventually, his father's real wife divorced him after learning about the truth. Then his mother took the opportunity to get the father to pay her child support and she succeeded."

"But why didn't she ask for abortion?"

"Hayss, I don't know myself, but that led to them living under the same roof."

[But mother wasn't that bad.]

The father only comes home late at night and that was when his home became hell.

Cries of his mothers could be heard every night and when she stopped, the room's door opens up and the father enters.

The reek of alcohol was what he remembered the most before being beaten up by his father.

[But I didn't do anything!]

"Where is your writing materials?!"

"You go to school without bringing them?!"

"What are you here for?!"

Sounds of chuckling from his classmates could be heard but the teacher tolerated and continued.

"I know it, you really are a delinquent. What can you expect from a child with parents like that?!"

They already judged him from his parents.

[But they didn't buy me anything]

"Hey! Poor bastard! Where is your writing materials?! Hahahah!"

"What are you saying?! Of course, he doesn't have any, he's poor as a rat! Hahahah!"

He was constantly being targeted by laughter and teasing.

[Help...]

"You guys! Stop picking on Renir!"

But he was grateful for someone. Someone who was etched in his memory.

"Tsk! Why do you care!?"

"Renir is our classmate too! Why are you so mean to him?!"

"Well, because he's poor! Hahahah!"

"We are poor too! We are all attending this public school because we're all poor!"

"Hmph! At least I'm not as poor as him. Come on, guys, the rat's princess is here! Hahahah!"

"Renir, are you okay? Don't mind them, they just want to pick on others because they too are poor!"

[.... thank you...XXXX]

The whispers never stopped, as if every day, there was something new about him. He learns something new every time he walked down the neighborhood

But when the sun is up, his home was the best.

"Renir, is your bruise okay? Do they hurt?"

"How was school? I bought you your school materials now, hehehehe. You need them for tomorrow, right?"

[.... Yes, thank you! Mom... I love you]

"Ahhh~~ such a sweet child, I love you tooo~~"

"And I'm sorry for not being able to get you from school. Just... try to cover your ears, alright? Don't listen to anyone because you may hear some bad words."

[Sure, Mom]

"What bad words?", the door opened.

"Ah, nothing... dear..."

"And welcome home... why are you early to-"

In front of him, he saw his mother getting slapped multiple times by his father.

"Bad words like you're a cheap bitch?!"

"A-ahh..N-no.."

"Shut up, you slut!"

"My life is ruined because of you!"

"Why did I even get to know you!?"

"...I'm sorry..."

[Mom...]

Even in front of this horrible scene, he tried not to cry, because he was scared to get noticed.

Petrified, he hears the cries of his mother got beat up because of nothing. As a child, he couldn't go up against an abusive father.

[... I'm sorry too..]

"Haaa.. I'm tired now. Give me some water."

"... Yes, dear..."

[Mom...why are you not fighting back?]

He knew he was his mom's only ally, but...

"Don't call me mom!"

Out of irrational anger, for the first time, he felt the slap of his mother.

This was the only time he can hear his father laugh. Maybe that was the reason, but that first slap was never the last.

[Mom?]

But he was glad, he had someone at school.

"Hey, Renir, you didn't have your writing material again?"

"The teacher is going to be mad again, you know."

"Here, I brought extras."

[Thank you!]

"Hahahah, rat princess!"

"Helping the poor, she must be called the Rat Hero!"

"Ahahah, Rat Hero, that's so cool!"

Because of him, because she was his ally, she also too was targeted.

[..Guys, stop it...]

And it didn't take long before she cried...

"Uwahh!"

"Hahahah, the Rat Hero is now crying!"

"Maybe we are the villains now!"

"Hahahahah so cool! Come on, let's do our evil plan to defeat the Rat Hero!"

[... Guys!... Please stop!]

"Ah, the rat is here."

"We almost forgot about you! Let's defeat the Rat Hero with the rat, her reinforcement!"

[Don't you dare touch her!]

But he was powerless against them...

"...Renir... give me back what I gave you the other day.."

"... I don't want to be called a Rat Hero anymore!"

[... sorry...]

"Renir, you little idiot! Why didn't you gave your father his water?"

"Don't you know he came back from work, tired?!"

The beatings did not only came from his father anymore.

His home had never been the best even when the sun is up.

"Dear, leave that useless child... I'm tired and didn't want to hear something so loud."

"Of course, dear, I'll cook something for you."

[Dear? Why did mother change? When did they get so close?]

From the thin walls at night, he could hear some things which made him unable to sleep.

"I want another child, us being a married couple, and not as a cheater and a hooker.".

"Yes, dear..."

In the future, he realized what they did and had planned.

[What are they doing? Is mom getting beaten again? Why is she so loud?]

"Hey, rat, get out of the way!"

"Did the Rat Hero called the rat a rat?"

"Yes... because I'm not a Rat Hero! I don't even want to be near like a rat like him?"

"Wow, the Rat Her- I mean, XXXX is one of us now..."

"Yes!"

The girl was happily released.

[Why?]

"Renir, you piece of shit, did your mother tell you to eat that much?!"

"If she did not then why are you eating again?!"

"Don't disobey your mother!"

"Dear, let's just eat. Just give him that and let him be in his room..."

"Hmph! You heard your mother, go!"

[Why?]

"Rat! XXXX said the other day you are stinky!"

"We knew it! Hahahah! She could never help the likes of you!"

[Why?]

"Little bastard! Why are you giving me and your father a headache?"

"Because they keep seeing your face, the darn rumors spread in the neighborhood!"

"That's it! Your mom is having another child and you be good and go live at your uncle's!"

[What did I do?]

"XXXX didn't want to be near like a rat like you!"

"You cursed child from a cursed family, don't be near to XXXX again!"

"This school wouldn't let a model student like her be tainted by your delinquency!"

[Why?]

"Rat, even the teacher called you rat, huh?"

"It sure confirms he's a Cursed Rat! Hahahah"

"Hahahah!"

[Why?]

"Poor child, I heard he was called a Cursed Rat from his school."

"What can you expect from him?"

"Yes, a son of a cheater and a prostitute. What could've been worse than being born like that? It's sure he will become like his abusive father."

[No, I don't!]

"Renir, I am actually deeply in love with your father long ago till now. But when I heard he got married to another woman, my life turned around."

[....]

"But when I saw him while on my job, depressed and needed a company, I took the opportunity. Then you were born."

[....]

"I'm sorry but I love your father than you, who was born unplanned."

[Why?]

The door then opened...

"...why am I happy back then."

The thunder cracked the sky along with Renir's cries in the cave.

"I accepted your whisper! Your mockeries! Your change! Your sorry!", Renir cried, " Why am I not getting anything in return?!"

"Why am I happy?"

"Everyone just ends up going against me...!"

"I waited and waited for someone to help me but why am I your only target?!"

Renir sobbed again, his mind became ambiguous as he said with random thoughts;

"If only... I wasn't happy... If I wasn't then I couldn't have realized I want mom and her to be happy more than I am..."

Renir already realized long ago, that he was naive and stupid.

"...That was why... I endured it... because I was happy that you got what you wanted.

..."

"Mom.... I endured it every day for you.... I was happy to see you smiling with dad.... even when in exchange... you no longer smile at me.... I waited... and endured.... but it never returned...."

Renir remembered how his little sibling was born and how they left, leaving him to unknown relatives who had him worked like a slave.

"I waited...", Renir cried....

"But no one cared for me."