Kisah Masyitah Rukyah

Bab 26: Pilihan/Decisions

On most days, I think of my sister, Najma.

It's horrible enough to witness the death of a loved one. It becomes even worse when you're the reason why.

She was a lot of things that I wasn't. She was optimistic, never afraid to show her emotions, had a bright smile that even infected myself at times and was mischievous, but in a fun way. Just in case my memory fails me one day, I want to write down here about the time she put a thumbtack on Ustazah Norizan's chair during Islamic Studies. I heard that her whole class got punished for it, but I'm proud.

She had that rebellious nature embedded inside, like an exaggerated version of mine. If she knew about my antics nowadays, I'd guarantee she would look up to me with sparkling eyes. Not literally of course, since her height always made others confused on who the younger and older sister was between us.

Whenever it rains throughout the night, there will always be puddles that form around the Highland Towers. I try not to look into them during my morning jogs. I hate seeing my own reflection. It always brings back memories of Najma, but never the good kind. It kills me inside to have such an ugly reminder plastered on my face for all to see.

Perhaps it's a good thing. Najma will be fondly remembered by at least one person in this world, for as long as I am alive.

Don't worry, Najma. Your memory is safe with me.

>>

I wrap my arm around Harmony's head. Her unkempt hair brushes against my neck, as do her shaky and fragile breaths. She's not taking Kiah's new personality well.

"You're scared. We all are."

"Of fucking course la I am. What if..." she looks up at me with fear in her eyes, "what if Kiah–"

"She won't," I reassure while patting her small back. "We're not her enemies."

With how much she's being led astray, I hope to God we won't get on her bad side. There's no way any one of us are joining in on her massacres.

We couldn't stop her from teleporting away again just this afternoon. She's just gone like a feather in the wind. To where, I don't know. To do what, I don't know either.

I can see Xiao from my stool here as he stands in the doorway where Kiah stood, so he can be on lookout for that deranged friend of ours in case she's done committing atrocities and teleports back. Jaxon's sitting on my right, keeping himself meek but still paying attention to the situation. Ramya chimes in from the other side of the meeting table, sitting on an actual chair this time with her hands firmly planted on top of one another.

"Not her enemies. Yet."

"Christ, it's not like she's changed into someone else a hundred percent. Qatila definitely hasn't controlled all of her. If she wanted to harm or kill us, she definitely would've already."

"Oh wow, now doesn't that help with our confidence, mate."

"As I was saying, we have to change her back. Maybe there's a specific thing we can say or do to help her revert to her normal self."

"Such as?" Ramya asks in half-hearted genuineness.

"...I don't know! Does it look like I majored in Psychology? I was just hoping any of you guys could finish my ideas."

She leans forward and taps her long fingernails on the wooden surface. Everyone looks at her in anticipation. Her eyebrows are furrowed and she has an impatient expression about her. Before she even opens her mouth, I know exactly what she's going to say. Harmony catches on quick, too.