Perfectly Scarred

The Spiral Down

I wake up feeling raw and sore from head to toe. I'm in my bed, in my house. My room is dark from the light and t takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the gloom, but soon I can make everything out.

I'm still wearing the clothes I was wearing earlier. It is night outside, which means only a few hours have passed since I remember being awake.

The events in the supermarket come back to me in a rush, and I think of Granddad, of his waiting outside for me and of his bleeding wound. I need to get my phone to call him, to make sure he escaped safely, but voices downstairs stop that thought.

The voices are low and urgent. Then I hear Mom's voice, quick and pleading, higher and faster than usual, and it's quickly talked over by someone else.

I recognize the voice, but it can't be. Dahee, downstairs! I must be dreaming. She wouldn't be here, in this house.

I try to sit up but groan again. My face feels swollen and my ribs must be broken. My hand goes to my stomach and I feel a bandage around me. I swing my legs out of bed, I feel dizzy. I closed my eyes for a while, for the nausea to pass.

I see a water beside my bide and gulp it down. I manage to stand, feeling an ache everywhere, in every muscle.

I don't remember getting home, though I remember the floating sensation in the supermarket, being held by Lalisa, feeling so comfortable and safe in her arms. She's smiling at me, resting my head on her chest and close my eyes. After that, my memory is gone, and I wonder, did I imagine her? Was she real?

My door opens and Jisoo steps inside. There is a panic on her face and I know something is very wrong. "Rosie, you're awake"

"What's wrong?" I think of Granddad being left behind and prepare for the worst.

Her breathing is fast. "Dahee is here. Downstairs. She's threatening mom and dad. She says Dad will lose his job and they will be imprisoned for the worst"

My mouth falls open.

"She's going to call the Whistleblowers to take you away if they don't bring you downstairs themselves, but I don't believe her. She would have called them by now herself. I know she's up to something, I just don't know what but I think she just wants to take you somewhere herself. What does she want from you, Rosie? Do you know? She asked them where the video is. They don't know what she is talking about. She says you have it and she needs it. By the looks of it, she's gone batshit crazy."

I look at her, feeling dizzy, confused. She knows about Ms.Bennett's video. How? She thinks I have it. I need to speak with Mila. She's the only person who knew about it other than Ms. Bennett and Lalisa. She's was the only one searching for it. Suddenly, I'm worried for her. I haven't hear from her in days.

Then I remember my conversation with Ms. Bennett's boyfriend. Dahee must be listening in. My phone was bugged.

"Mom and dad are trying to talk her out of taking you. She says you were in a Failure meeting this evening. And then caused a riot at the supermarket. Two people died. The police fired tear gas. It's all over the news. There are riots on the streets and The media is blaming you." Jisoo says without a pause, like she's giving me information before the start of a test. I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"Somebody filmed it, but Rosie, my God Rosie," Her eyes fill up, and she starts crying. "I watched it, and I am so proud of you. I could never have said what you said, could never have done what you've done. The court, the chamber, the supermarket.. i don't know how you've done it, but you are amazing, and I am so proud of you. She says she'll drop the charges if you give her the video"

"Chu, I can't understa-" I shake my head, confused by all this, still dizzy and my head is still pounding.

Jisoo tries to compose herself, realizing now is not a time fir her emotions, the urgency back.

"Time is running out. I've packed you a bag. Dahee is in the library with mom and dad. You can slip out of the back door. The woman who carried you home left this for you" she pushes a note into my hand.

"The woman who brought me here. Do you know her name?"

She smiles at me. "Of course and you know it as well"

"Lalisa"

Jisoo nods "Yes. 2nd time. That girl is really something. She always rescue you in times of need. Like your Knight in Shining Armour. She wanted to help you. She knows people who can help you. She said she will be waiting for you. Promise me, you'll meet each other again. Then I know you'll be okay"

I smile. I didn't imagine her, I didn't dream her.

Jisoo runs her hand over my face and cries again. "My brave little sister, please take care of yourself. I will miss you"

My mind is racing with all that she has said. I have to go away? I have to leave my family to protect them. Dahee knows about the video of ths sixth branding in thr chamber. She thinks I have it-she knows that I have it-only I have no idea where it is, but she will never believe that. Dahee will not give up until she finds it, and I must move to safety until I can figure out my next move.

"The curfew" I say.

"Carina has been already. It's after eleven. If Mom and Dad can keep Dahee at bay, you have until morning before anyone realizes, Rosie. I love you" Jisoo is still crying. I haven't seen her this emotional before and as much as I try holding back my tears, I can't. I broke down.

"Everything will be alright. I believe in you, Rosie. You've proven that a lot of times"

"I'll miss you, Chu. Tell mom and dad I'll miss them."

We hug tightly as if we will never see each other again.

"I've always been so jealous of you, always." She says. "You were always so perfect. You always did everything right, said everything right. Everybody liked you. I was jealous of your perfection. And now, I'm jealous that you're a Failure. It should have been me who did what you did on the bus. I wanted to. I thought about it all the time. But even when it came to it, I wasn't brave enough, another thing I couldn't do. I'm sorry"

I held her face. "Chu, I'm your sister, you can't blame yourself for what happened on the bus" I say and I mean it. "It was all my own doing. None of this is your fault. I never asked for you to save me. You couldn't have. Both of us would be in the same situation that I'm in right now. You didn't do anything wrong."

"No." She interrupts me, firmly. "I chickened out. I relieve it every second of every day. I should have backed you up on the supermarket" she wipes her cheeks, an air of bravery in it, the little soldier. " but now I'm doing the right thing. The brave thing. You have to go, Rosie, or else Dahee will take you away, and I don't know where that will be."

"Thank you. I love you, Chu" I whisper, squeezing her hands in mine. She kisses my forehead and I hug her one last time.

"Will you find her?"

"Yes" I say, full of confidence now, not able to think about the fact that I am leaving my family, going into the unknown alone.

I think of how Professor Arc quoted Polya: if you can't solve a problem, then there's an easier problem that you can solve: Find it."

I can't take down Dahee all by myself, not now, but I will have to find Lisa again, she's all I have now.

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