Chapter 29 – The leapt

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To what extent a child could make her own decision? When she already killed her mother and her father was nowhere to be found? Or when she was thinking of killing herself?

Lilia didn’t think too much. The bridge connecting City Q and City M could be sighted. It was a huge monster of steel. Its long body helped the visitors to the city. Boats and cargoes entered underneath while trucks wheeled through the thick pavement above. The girl only knew that the water below would reach very, very far. In fact, this particular waterway was one of the water systems connecting to the ocean. It gave water throughout the surrounding cities.

At this moment, the water below raged like an angry bull colliding with the bank. The fierce winds continued their pace, signaling an incoming storm. The moon was also incredibly bright. As if it wanted everything underneath it to witness what was going to transpire.

The bridge was lively, the girl thought and scoffed. People would think of these shining colors as the face of the city. They only saw the richness of its exterior and not the rotten piles strewed into the corner. Even the revving motor of cool cars and chuckles of wealthy children and women were just façade of the already dying society.

Lilia stood at the railings. Her palms became sweaty. The fear of death didn’t elude her. But the fear of the future was worst. And so, she didn’t have an ounce of hesitation when she climbed over the railings. People looked from their car windows but none paused to care. They were just confused and some were even amused by the sight in front of them. Although suicide by falling off the bride was common in the news, it was still a rare sight in their peaceful lives. Especially when the individual was a little girl.

The girl saw how the people watched or drove off. Maybe they would scream later but not now. This emboldened her. Now, everyone was watching. Not anymore where there was only one kid who tried to give attention. For a minute, she thought of that idiotic guy.

“Illinois. It’s your fault for noticing me. You made me believe in you. And now I hated you.”

“Mom. Why do we have to be so poor? You let your daughter take all the hardship. Didn’t you know how broken I am?”

Lilia spat in great remorse. What she did was unforgivable! She hated someone who genuinely worried about her! And she killed the only one who truly cared for her!

But everything was over now.

Woosh. Lilia jumped. She jumped away from all her sadness, regrets, and guilts. She jumped away from the society that treated her worse than an animal.

Taktaktaktak! But suddenly, at the fingertips of death, her hearing became sharp. She heard loud noises of footsteps. She looked up and saw a small figure leaping off the bridge!

“Got you!” She heard him loud and clear despite the mixed blaring noises of the people, cars, and winds.

Lilia stared at his face which was turning blue. He tried to smile but the trembling of his body showed the pain he was experiencing. Looking at his little arm that desperately clasped to hers, Lilia didn’t know how to express her feelings.

Illinois became angry when he saw her in trance. He roared! “Why are you taking your life?”

“I-I…” Lilia felt guilty. The guilt of having to destroy someone’s life… The remorse of killing her own mother… She felt suffocated. That was the reason why she just wanted to die. She wanted the easy route. Nonetheless, Illinois saw through that.

“My sister died! Police are looking for my dad! Our cake business went down! And I can no longer study!”

“But I won’t take my life!” Illinois became angrier and angrier. His voice became hoarse from shouting but he didn’t stop. “As long as we have our life, we still have a future!”

“So, come up! Don’t tell me you suffered a lot just to die like a pathetic loser! Fight it! Fight it till we die trying!” Illinois wasn’t only telling her. He was also talking to himself. This was his vow to himself that he would struggle!

Lilia was shocked by his words. As if her dark spirit finally got some light. It was just a tiny drizzle but she, of all the people in the world, knew how important a timely kindness could do!

Her shoulders trembled before she burst out in laughter! Unbeknownst to Illinois, crystalline tears dropped from her quivering eyelashes! She couldn’t believe that after all she had done, there was still someone foolish enough to save her.

“Don’t laugh! My arms are already numbed!” The boy gritted his teeth. “If we fall here, we are going to die!”

“Forget it.” Lilia smiled and hugged Illinois, making the latter’s face bulge and turned into black. Lilia’s face changed as she felt his change. Instantly, his other arm gave in and both of them fell into the water. However, she quickly hugged Illinois and shield his head.

Plop.

People on the bridge screamed. Their cell phones were already in place and caught what transpired. The police belatedly arrived and from their expression, they didn’t seem bothered by two children jumping off the bridge. To them, it was just a little nuisance.

…

Under the moonlight, Mela’s slender body became pronounced, and yet, one could see how stiff it was right now. She stared at the two figures risking their lives. She couldn’t help but fall into trance. The vicious reporter recalled her first love.

Two other images were superimposed on their backs. Mela staggered. Her breathing became disordered, making her chest bob up and down. She felt dizzy from the memories and feelings that came crushing her back.

“You idiots!” The jolt of pain woke her up, though. She screamed and was on the verge of hurtling herself toward them when she regained her calm. Wheezing, she looked up and her eyes resembled those of a snake as she vowed to make her enemies suffer!

“Ma’am…” Her subordinate’s voice trailed. He didn’t want the headlines to change and thus, felt uncomfortable. He didn’t even dare to look at her boss once more when he saw unpleasant her expression earlier.

Mela cut him off. “Did you catch it?”

“Y-Yes!”

“Good! Let’s edit it. Make sure to paint him as a manipulative person. Everyone will despise someone of his age who can do a terrible thing.”

…

The video of a boy saving the girl from suicide became a hit on the internet. But both of them died in the process. Everyone praised the boy and shed virtual tears. A while later, someone managed to scoop down the boy’s information and it turned out to be the terrorist leader, Aurora’s little brother. The opinions became divided. They discussed humanity's moral compass and political issues as if they were experts.

But once a certain full-thirty-minute video got published, everyone hurriedly jumped to one side. The side of justice!

In the video, they could see the back of the child running a full sprint. He was still dozens of meters away from the scene. But anyone could hear him plotting the entire incident! Instantly, vlog after vlog kept popping out like mushrooms! They denounced Illinois as if he were some kind of evil entity! Comments flooded in every split second. They didn’t dare to stop if their fingers weren’t tired yet.

“He’s still a child but he is already so despicable!”

“Didn’t you hear that just a while ago he tried to burn his school? This boy can certainly do such outrageous actions!”

“Internet is the source of sin! Don’t let your children use phones!”

“Who would have thought a child can think of saving someone in order to clean their name? I doubt it’s even real.”

“It’s the fault of the parents! Her sister is a terrorist and, in the future, that boy will also become a terrorist! Fortunately, both are dead!”

“The police only need to catch the two devils, their parents! We can’t let them get away!”

In the modern world, it was easy for everyone to judge people without a license. Social media was the international supreme court.

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