<h4>Chapter 8: Cold Night</h4>


    Thankfully, my house was quite big, allowing me to escape without anyone noticing.


    I quickly went downstairs, opened the front door, and stepped outside. Our house had arge yard, a clear sign that we were well-off. But ironically, despite living in a wealthy home, my life wasn''t asfortable. It''s strange how things work out sometimes


    Opening the gate, an odd sense of fear washed over me.


    When had Ist stepped outside? Was it three years ago? The memory of the virus outbreak in 2019 was still vivid. Back then, everyone was mandated to stay home for nearly a year. Expectedly enough, the quarantine didn''t affect me—I was always holed up in my room in the first ce.


    Though I did manage to leave the house three times during that period to get vinated.


    "Come on, Zyden, you''ve got this!" I whispered to myself, attempting to muster some courage.


    "You''re the chosen one," I added with a hint of determination in my voice.


    With resolve in my heart, I ced my right hand on the gate''s handle and turned it slowly. A distinct clicking sound signaled the gate''s opening.


    Summoning all the courage I could muster, I took a step outside. It felt surreal, witnessing the dimly lit road.


    Residing in a decent neighborhood meant the street was well-lit by streetlights. Still, at this hour, the road was deserted, as most people were already asleep.


    For a few moments, it felt like my mind was floating. My heart raced, but not out of fear—I wasn''t scared. It was a different sensation, one that almost brought tears to my eyes. It was like a surge of emotion, a feeling of liberation that made me want to cry. It was as though I had finally broken free.


    I began walking along the street. Despite not having left my room for years, I still remembered the way.


    This street had changed quite a bit over the years, but memories flooded back. I could recall the days when my mom and dad used to take me on walks, their smiles lighting up the moments.


    "I think there''s a yground around here," I thought. So, I chose to walk in that direction and see if I was right.


    After a few minutes of walking, I finally reached the yground. The darkness made it hard to see much, but that was okay.


    As I looked at the park, an overwhelming surge of emotions hit me. Suddenly, I couldn''t hold back anymore.


    Tears streamed down my face as I knelt to the ground, sobbing uncontrobly. I had believed I''d grown strong, that I''d developed a thick skin due to the injustices I''d faced. But now, here I was, crying like a lost child,pletely unsure of what to do.


    "Mom... Dad... I''m so sorry for resenting you. I understand it wasn''t your fault. I know you didn''t intend to leave me," I choked out between sobs. My eyes were red and swollen as I sat on a bench, overwhelmed by sadness.


    "Don''t worry about me anymore. I promise I''ll be someone strong in the future. I''ll reim everything they took from us."


    With that promise, I held back my tears. This would mark the final instance of my shedding tears. I was determined not to allow anyone to make me cry ever again.


    "Now let''s find a ce to sleep ," I spoke out loud after I finally calmed my emotion down.


    I turned away, but after taking a few steps, a strange sound caught my attention. It was like a groan, or maybe more like someone struggling. I quickly turned my head towards the source of the noise.


    It seemed to being from the Big Circle yground nearby, the one with those holes in it. The darkness made it hard to see anything, but I was fairly certain that I had heard a woman''s voice.


    Most people might assume it''s an animal, but I''m different. I''ve spent a lot of time watching and reading that kind of content.


    A dark area, a yground, a chilly night, a circr structure that could fit an adult? This scenario was eerily reminiscent of those disturbing videos I''ve seen.


    What should I do? Should I help? Wait, why even consider that?


    Don''t be foolish, me. This isn''t your responsibility. Just turn around and call the police.


    I started walking away .


    But what if the police arrive toote? I mean, that kind of thing just take a few minutes to unfold!


    I''m not exactly cut out to be a hero, but ignoring this would definitely disrupt my sleep. After all, who knows, the person in trouble could very well be underage. Time to step in, I guess.


    Exactly. I''m not doing this for others. I''m doing it for my own peace of mind!


    "Hey, you jerk! Stop right there!" I shouted as loudly as I could. Yeah, that''s the n—I''ll scare that awful person away.


    All of a sudden, I heard some rustlinging from the round structure. Then, a tall figure emerged. And by tall, I mean really, really tall. He was super muscr, too.


    But I''m not sure if I''m right , my perspective might be bias—I''m quite overweight and short, so most guys seem muscr and tall to me.


    Nevertheless, fear wasn''t getting the best of me. There was a good bit of space between us, and if I kicked into a sprint, he''d have to be a marathon runner to catch up. Hehehe, things were looking up for me


    "What''s your deal, fatty?" the voice shot back.


    I was surprised, not because of the insult, but because the voice was definitely a woman''s.


    Wait, something was off. My confusion grew as ady stepped out into from the round structure. She was clearly furious.


    "Don''t tell me..." It hit me like a ton of bricks.


    "What do you think you''re doing, ruining my time with my boyfriend?" she scolded, her anger practically radiating.


    "I…" I was lost for words. What in the world should I do now?