down his leg. Fuck, it’s all dark purple.
Now he is scratching with both hands, screaming. A few moments later, he drops to the ground, rolling. “Oh, please, kill me! Fuck! Kill me now! Lar DeVito, you mother fucker bastard!”
Now he realizes why his Komodo Cipta poisoned soldiers have committed suicide. He struggles for a few more minutes and dives into the ice cold sea. “Bonita, I’m sorry I have to leave now. I’m so sorry, Bonita!” He now looks forward to death.
Birds on the beach startle, spreading their wings and zooming into the sky…
“Hey, Savior, you’re back.” Bonita gives Savior a big smile. He has been on the looking for Zaak. It’s been two weeks since Bonita has last seen him.
“Yes, I am. How are you, Bonita?” His voice is cheerful but he is trying to avoid her eyes.
“I’m fine. So…” Bonita is eager to know any information about Zaak. Any information is welcome though every day she feared for the worst.
“Give me a sec, okay? Let me change first.” Without waiting for her response, Savior rushes to his own room.
Heck, a rough man like you needs to change? You don’t wear much, right? Bonita stares at his only dress, a seaweed loincloth barely covering his fat ass.
Something must have gone wrong. She feels a pressure behind her eyes. She kicks off her shoes and tiptoes to Savior’s room.
“P-a, p-a…” Savior calls with a tiny voice. Bonita sees a hoofed finger and a triangular nostril sticking out from Savior’s room. Then the old chief shuffles in.
Gosh, what’s going on? Bonita tries hard to hold back her tears. She listens carefully but couldn’t figure anything out, not because the conversation is too quiet, but because they have switched to a local dialect that Bonita couldn’t understand.
Is Zaak… dead?
The world starts to spin under her feet, and she almost drops to the ground.
After a long while, the two men come out to see the red-eyed, weeping Bonita curled up near door. “Sorry…” She wipes her tears.
“We understand, Bonita.” Thornken sounds like a kind father. “Sit down, please. We definitely have some news for you.”
“Is it… bad news?” She blinks her eyes a few times to hold back her tears. But they run down her cheeks anyway, speckling the floor.
Chapter Ten
They sit at the kitchen table.
“Savior.” Thornken looks at his son, nodding.
“Um… okay.” Savior looks at his papa and then Bonita. “We searched the town and talked to people. Then we searched the surrounding areas.”
“Did you see him?” Bonita looks at Savior’s lips. She knows a yes mean her husband is dead. And a no means… he is missing. Missing on the ice land? She doesn’t want to think further.
“No.” Savior’s voice is low and flat.
“Oh, Lord.” Bonita can hardly sit straight now.
“But we did get some news.”
“You did? Savior, you did?” She holds his hand tight. After a few moments, she lets go of his hand. “Sorry.”
“People saw him being dragged away by Lar DeVito’s guys. So he should be okay, I guess.” Savior’s voice is hardly audible by the end of the sentence. He knows Lar DeVito too well. For him, any creature is just a piece of meat, including his own people to be punished for wrongdoings.
“God…” Bonita drops her body completely on the chair. Her last hope is gone.
“Bonita! Bonita!” They put her on the floor and bring her some water. After a long while, Bonita struggles to sit up. “I want to kill them. I know how to fight.” She looks around, trying to find a weapon she can use.
But there are no weapons.
Hibvuurorians are peaceful people. They are good at collecting seaweeds and making all kinds of food and drink out of the plants.
Thornken sits on the floor, looking right into her eyes. “Bonita, we understand how you feel. But you