“Happy birthday to you..Happy birthday to you..Happy birthday to my girl..Happy birthday to you...”

        “Blow the candles, princess.”

        The birthday girl blows the candles.

        “Yeayyy!!!” She claps her hands in joy.

        “Now make a wish.”

        The birthday girl closes her eyes and clasps her hands as if she is praying.

        “Let’s eat the cake first okay?” She places the cake on the table and drags the chair for the birthday girl to sit.

        “Nah, a big slice for you.” She slices a large piece of the cake for the birthday girl.

        “You have to eat a lot. So you can grow taller.” She pinches the birthday girl’s cheeks because the girl pouts and complains that she can’t finish the cake.

        “Let me feed you. Say AAAA.” She tries to enlighten the birthday girl’s mood.

        “Is it delicious? I baked it special for you.” They are done with the cake.

        “Are you ready for the BIG SURPRISE?” She asks to the birthday girl.

        The birthday girl nods happily.

        “Tadaaa!” She takes out a small box, somewhat looks like a switch.

        “Push this green button. You’ll see it.” She orders the birthday girl to do so.

        “Do you like it?” She hugs the birthday girl when she saw her reaction. A back hug.

        “This is for you.” She kisses the  birthday girl’s cheeks.

        “May I know what is your wish just now?” She peeks to the birhtday girl’s face from behind.

        “I WISH I NEVER MET KIMHAN JITTALEELA.” The voice echoed in her ears. Replayed like a recorded tape.

The ILLUSIONS gone!

        “NO! This is not true! THIS IS NOT TRUE!” She messes her short hair, loosen her tie and throws it to the floor. The shirt left , no neatly tuck in  – so untidy. It is the same shirt from last night. She haven’t get a change. Last night it was drenched with rain water but now it’s dry.

        “Pie? Come out, princess.” Frantically Kim search for Pie, in the dark apartment. No lights. All dark.

        “Pie, I don’t want to play hide and seek. Come out please.” Kim starts to take her steps. Walking in the dark.

        “Pie...? GEDEBUKK!” Kim stumbles over something. Her head hits the floor with a sickening thud.

        “Pie..” Kim doesn’t make any efforts to reposition herself. Her face touches the floor.

        “Pie..” Kim calls the name again. Her love of life.

        “Pie..This is not true right?” Tears cascade down her cheeks, leaving glistening trails mapping the full extent of her sadness.

        “Pie, don’t leave me...”

Pie’s House

The air inside the living room is stiff with tension. The evening seems to be longer than usual in that condition. There is something tugging at Fern’s heart as if a terrible thing had happened.  Alice, Mr. and Mrs.Manaying  sit across her in proportion of three to one, eye to eye. Serious. Mr.Manaying and Alice are still neat in their formal attire, more than enough to let Fern knows that they were just came back from work.

        “Uncle and Aunty, what’s the matter of you calling me here?” Fern starts the conversation. Alice is the one who called her to come to their house earlier.

Mr and Mrs.Manaying didn’t answer right away, instead they change their gaze and release a deep heavy sighs.

        “Fern, Pie has been crying since last night.” Fern can hear the worry in Mrs.Manaying’s voice.

        “She doesn’t want to eat, never come out from her room neither get change of her clothes too.” Mrs.Manaying massages her temple as if Pie’s behaviour burdened her thought very much.

        “What happened to her?” Fern frowns. Without her notice, she slams her hands on the coffee table.

        “We don’t know too. She doesn’t want to talk with us.” Alice takes the turn to answer Fern.

        “If Kim did something bad to her,I swear I’ll kill that kid.” Mr.Manaying grabs his rifle at the edge of the sofa. Fern doesn’t notice that it was there when she came to this house earlier. She gulps to see Mr.Manaying’s fierce expression.

        “Darling..” Mrs.Manaying holds Mr.Manaying’s hands, trying to calm down her husband. Mr.Manaying puts down the rifle back. Fern diverts her gaze to Alice, seeking for an explanation.

        “Last night, Kim took P’Pie for a dinner date. You know it, yesterday was her birthday.” Alice pauses.

        “But..surprisingly, she went home alone, by taxi, crying hardly, dashed to our room without words and as Mom told you earlier, she never come out until now.” Alice tells Fern the details but it seems so hard for her to utter them to Fern.

        “Fern, please help us. Persuade Pie and ask her the matter.” Mrs.Manaying grasps Fern’s hands and squeezes them lightly. Like any mother on the world, who’s not gonna worry if their children behave in such way. Fern can feels that.

        “I’ll try.” Fern nods like a toddler who just get an order from her mother.

        “Where is Pie?” Fern looks to Alice.

        “Upstairs.” Alice stands up and Fern follows her.

Fern climbs up the stairs guided by Alice. They stop right in front of the room and Fern knows that it is Pie and Alice’s room as she reads the sign on the door.

        “She’s in here.” Alice says in her low voice and opens the door for Fern.

        “Thank you.” Fern thanks Alice and walks into the room.

Fern steps slowly to Pie’s bedside. She can’t see Pie’s face as Pie is backfacing her, staring to the wall. By looking to the dress that Pie wear, Fern knows that last night’s dinner date supposed to be a special one.

        “Pie..” Fern touches Pie’s shoulder when she sits on the edge of the bed. Pie is laying on her left side while hugging a big teddy bear tightly.<