chapter 2

The sun slowly rising to the sky, lightening up the city as few of the locals began to clear the snow that was blocking the road

Esta, woken up from the rooster that was ontop of her house crowing at the sunrise, she hated that rooster a lot

She covered her ears with her blanket, but she knew it won't help because that rooster was 'too damn loud...'

"This rooster... I'll cook and eat you one day..." she tossed her blanket to the side, dropping her head to the side and looked at the table clock

'8:38'

She blinked, before she widened her eyes as though she had seen Mara (Mare)

She launched up from bed just to realise that it's still winter holiday, she paused, covering her face and began laughing

She had gotten a shock thinking that there was school and that she was late, since her school starts at 8:15 and it was already past 8:30

"...uuuugg... It's freezing... I need to make some fire..." She yawned, but first she washed her face to freshen up

stacked up, she goes to the fireplace to do what fireplaces are meant to do

Dragging a bamboo mora and sitting down, with her phone in her hands she tapped on whatsapp as there were some messages

'Vicente Fox's right foot'

A group name.

The first massage she saw was from someone whose name she saved as 'Krispy deep fried chicken'

*'Is anyone wake rn? Can someone play roblox with me? Bello, anyone?'*

With no reply, she guessed the rest were still asleep or just didn't want to play

she replied to his text

*'Hop on the game, I'm coming.'*

As soon as the text went on delivered, 'Late night cheese eater' replied back with a realistic heart emoji and went offline

She hopped on Roblox as well, joining an invitation from 'LocalDinner_Ruiner090' to a game called 'Chained together'

she raised an eyebrow at that game, it sounded intresting...

and she was right, extremely. So much so that she ended up calling 'Krispy deep fried chicken ' personally

'JUMP. Kris, JUMP' she facepalmed while laughing, her stomach starting to ache as the other person on the other line was heard laughing as well

'N-not my fault bruh... You didn't tell me when to jump' his voice cracked in the last word, jump 'Oooh my goodness... Why does this level feel harder than level 7' he coughed, choking.

'Maybe cuz we were locked in and n we're aren't' She responded back to him 'Gotta lock in Kris...'

'You're laughing too loud...' He said as he moved his character and the two jumped in sync and landed on the platform 'Isn't your sibling gonna wake up...?'

'nah... who cares, it's time they actually wake up but I'm just letting em be' she continued 'Lock in kid.'

'Yes ma'am.' He exclaimed

And it was only after a while that the two completed 3 more levels, now in level 11 of the obby

'Nah, I'm done...' checking the time 'I gotta go.' She exhaled, she did want to continue but she couldn't because she had to make breakfast for the two and also go to work

'Eh? Why not? You don't wanna play with me? why?' he sounded sad, he was probably sulking that he couldn't play roblox anymore

'I have to earn you know? Cuz technically I'm an orphan, because I'll become one soon.'

He didn't say anything, only a sound of him gulping down his saliva loudly 'uh... Ohk bye' he didn't know what to say to that...

Esta scoffed with a smirk, was she supposed to say that? probably, but like that? probably not but at least he knows now

She kept her phone aside as she streched her back and walked to the fridge, crossing today out "One more day gone, one more day closer to it."

She rubbed her wrist with her thumb through her long sleeve high neck or a turtle neck, she looked up at the ceiling as she heard footsteps, seems like either of the two is awake and it also can't be an intruder because those footsteps are too loud, not trying to be quite one bit...

She decided that brown bread will be fine and made eggs which turned out slightly burnt... she made another egg for Daniel and herself, sandwitching both

Plastic cups with warm milk on the table stool near the fireplace, she only knew how to make basic things, rice is also basic but not those complicated dishes...

"Karim! Daniel, get your asses down to the kitchen and start eating." Esta yelled while facing up before she munched on her sandwitch and chunked down the milk

before the two even reached the downstairs floor, Esta was done with hers, common of her. "I'm going out, you better keep your ass at home." She warned

"Ugh..." Karim yawned as he forced himself on the mora and leaned on the table, with Daniel rubbing his eyes infront of him "Yeah sure..." he mumbled

"Better keep that in mind ah, and don't open the door for anyone. Keep all the window locked, I'm not handling any intruder messing up this house, I'm gone."

She warned them again, she couldn't trust them to be home alone especially since they're still not teenagers... with Karim turning 12 only this year on February and Daniel turning 12 on November

They're in a age where they want to be independent and do things on their own, believing that they can do everything themselves.

She opens her mouth to say one more thing but shuts them back, only sighing before she turns back and goes to the backdoor since that's the shortcut to the garrage

After a while there are sound of engine starting and taking it's leave, the garrage door being shut on his own.

The sun fully up, there's no need to turn the lights on. Karim finishes eating his breakfast first with Daniel following after him, leaving the plates on the sink and the cups as well

Karim was running to the stairs but daniel stopped him by saying to wait for him "I'll come back, wait for me"

"Eeeh? Ok but come fast k? I'll be here." Karim smiles while sitting down on the stairs showing daniel that he'll be waiting

Daniel nods, hurriedly yet secretly checking if the windows and any entrances are locked, some were unlocked so he locked it and ran to Karim who was still waiting for him

He gets up as he watched Daniel walk up the stairs "Let's watch some scaaaary movies!" he giggled

"Yeah! We're not going to her scared anyways!" Daniel commented with a wide grin, excited to watch some horror movies with his bestfriend

The two bestfriend picks out rhe movie and goes to Esta's room because her room has a TV and they didn't want to go down, it was too cold there.

Their bedrooms are always warmer, since they have heaters in their room!

Closing the curtains and turning the stick light off, they wrap themselves in one blacket as they start the movie

everytime they get scared they will cover their faces and joke so that they won't feel scared anymore.

Outside was still cold, the snow was a little thicker than the previous day.

The road was half cleared, if it weren't for the locals clearing some of the road up and the bushes and some few trees lined up to guide, Esta wouldn't have actually known where the road was and maybe she might've destroyed some things that were covered in snow.

Every breath she takes, it will be visible, her helmet fogging up from time to time she actually annoyed her and she decided that she'll keep the visor screen up even if her eyes were freezing.

Seeing a group of small boys in a distant playing with snow, she slowly down as she approached them but didn't stop

She twists the thorttle on the handlebar, revving it and leaving the scene since she needs a job to do.

The little kids immediately wave their hand, at least she could see that they looked scared but amazed.

She nodded her head, humming a song as she stopped behind a cafe and got off, parking the bike and taking the keys and her helmet with her

She entered the room that says 'Staff only'

She's greeted by some worker there that was chatting, they all greet her, a wave or a good morning it was. Three or four there.

One speaks up as she walks besides Esta who is going to the changing room "good to see you Esta, you didn't come for two days, were you sick?" she asked a little worried

"Hm? Oh it's not like that, it's just that I was busy taking care of the house you know?" she scratched the back of her neck, she never actually liked her... she didn't like anyone that much in the cafe she's working in

At least some customers were more likeable than the workers... especially the owner, she likes the customers more when it comes to the owner.

Whatever it is, at least she's getting paid more than the others in secret, she has the evidence in her hands... not that she has it right now but she soon will.

"...Sis Areen?" she turned back to the female worker that entered the changing room with her

"Mhm? Is there something you need?" She asked, her back still facing Esta since she's changing

"I was wondering if it'll be alright if I wear my sweater over the uniform."

The female worker named Areen just laughed as she answered "Yeah! It's alright girl. Everyone feels cold in this weather." she shakes her head standing up "Anyways, I'll be leaving, I should head back to working."

She says before she leaves the room, with Esta all alone, she waits for a few seconds before she rubs on her sweater's collar

A small camera attacked, completely camouflaging into her sweater "aaaand... all set up..." she mumbled to herself as she yawned again, shutting her locker and exiting the changing room.

She goes to work like how she normally always does, talking orders and serving them. The cafe wasn't a large one yet not a small one, it was average

The interior design was intresting but what people came to the cafe to do was eat. The chief was above average

His workers were as sly as him, the workers, just to get paid since there were less customers coming they would talk dirty with the customers, likey trying to seduce them so that the customers keeps on coming

Esta finds that disgusting, and she believes that she is smarter than them.

'At least they keep the customers coming, that's all I like about them.' she thinks yet again as she gave a glance at the workers

She entered the changing room with the excuse of using the bathroom since the workers needs to enter the changing room to enter the bathroom.

She fishes through her locker, she cursed as she sighed "Damn it, I forgot my phone at home... How the hell do I tell them I'm going to be late" she scratched the back of her head, she had forgotten to tell her little brother that she'll be late

Meanwhile back at home, the two boys were covering their faces, peeking behind the pillow to see what's going on

The two jumped as there was the doorbell rang suddenly and slow which spooked them out.

"U-uhm... You go and check Karim"

"Huh? Why me?" he whined, scared to go even though it's bright outside "Let's go together!"

Daniel pouted but sighed as he nodded, turning on the light as the two ran downstairs to the door to see who it was

As their sister said, they didn't open the door

"Who is it!"

"Yeah who!" Daniel peeked through the small hole in the door which has glass covering it

The doorbell rang again... "Open the door kids, I'm needed." the strange man says as he knocks and rings the bell yet again