The Ruler's Widower
Flakes

Filio walked slowly toward Sahira's body which was in the doorway, he kissed his wife's cheek. “Where are you going, baby?”

Filio forgot that Sahira's mouth was still covered in duct tape, opening it in one pull.

Sahira's mouth felt sore and hot because of Filio's actions. “I'm hungry,” Sahira said in a soft tone.

“You should have told me, darling.” Filio's left hand restrains Sahira's back, while his right hand slips behind Sahira's knee. Filio lifted Sahira's weak body towards the dining table.

Filio lowered Sahira's body on the chair. While Filio walked to the kitchen table, picking up the meat in the refrigerator.

Filio start to press. The smell of burnt meat tickled Sahira's stomach. He was hungry but his fear was still evident. However he could not keep his promise to protect Zeina.

Filio serves grilled meat and sauteed vegetables.

Sahira hands Filio her hand hoping that the man will open it.

“Ah I forgot, my wife's hand is still tied.” Filio took out a knife and started slicing the meat and stabbing it with a spoon.

Sahira accepted Filio's bribe and chewed it slowly. Sahira just follows the game Filio. I hope her husband doesn't do anything rude.

Filio feeds Sahira until it is on his plate with nothing left. “Are you full?”

Sahira nodded, “Thank you.”

Filio stood before Sahira, his right hand holding an empty plate. Filio hit Sahira on the head with a plate in his hand.

Prangs!

The plate fell to the floor, just below Sahira's feet.

Sahira's head throbbed, his gaze slightly blurred. But he could still see when Filio picked up the fragments of the plate and pointed the pointy part at Sahira's neck.

“I want to hear your reason?”

Sahira stared at the black bead of Filio. “I'm sorry, I can't keep my word.”

Filio bullies Sahira by pressing Sahira's neck, scraping and bleeding.

Sahira's tears fell, and she was terrified. “Zeina fell into the river, and I couldn't help her,” Sahira said followed by tears streaming down.

Filio squeezed out the fragments of the plate he was holding, until his hands spewed out fresh blood. Filio threw the fragments of the plate he had in his hand in any direction.

Filio pulls Sahira's hair, Sahira's unprepared body falling from the chair. His body hit the floor.

Sahira grabbed the broken plate on the floor and hid it in her hand. Sahira's head kept throbbing as Filio pulled his hair.

Filio drags Sahira up to the swimming pool. He removed his hand from Sahira's hair, then crouched down in front of his wife.

“You should feel how it feels Zeina drowning in water.” Filio smiled obliquely.

Sahira glanced at the pool beside her, if she went in there there was nothing she could do because her hands and feet were tied. Sahira shook her head, she gathered all her strength in her hands. With a quick movement Sahira stuck a fragment of the plate he held on Filio's chest.

Filio lowered his head to look at his chest. Filio pulled the broken plate from his chest and threw it in any direction.

Sahira's eyes were rounded, he did not see the slightest pain from Filio's face.

Filio beats and kicks Sahira's body into a pool. Filio pulled Sahira's hair until her head came to the surface. “How can you challenge me?”

The demon's grin coming out of Filio's lips made Sahira swallow her saliva. “A-“

Before Sahira spoke much Filio drowned Sahira's head back in the water.

Sahira held her breath in the water, her hands bound trying to grip the edge of the pool so she could get out.

Sahira's face in the water grimaced in pain as her hand felt stepped on.

Sahira scooped up as much air as she could, her chest feeling very tight.

“I'm sorry Filio, I beg you. I'm so sorry,” Sahira said.

Sahira's pleading face made Filio even more annoyed. He drowned Sahira's head back. Zeina's shadow that was out of breath and dragged by the current made Filio angry. He wanted to kill Sahira with his own hands.

Filio had already taken pains to take care of his beloved daughter, keeping her from harm. But this foolish woman before him was not able to take care of Zeina, until her beloved daughter died.

Sahira was no longer holding her breath, she felt like she was on the verge of death. Sahira prayed to God that if he should die at the hands of Filio, never give the slightest happiness to Filio.

Filio releases his hand from Sahira's hair, Sahira's body begins to sink to the bottom of the water.

“He must stay alive, and give me a descendant in lieu of Zeina!”

Erik who was behind Filio's body jumped into the water to save Sahira.

Filio chose to go back to the room, to rest.

Erik flung Sahira's body to the edge of the pool. After getting first aid Sahira was brought to the guest room by Erik.

Erik spilled Sahira's body into the bed, opening one of the drawers on the edge of the bed. Luckily there were scissors, he untied Sahira's hands and feet.

Sahira who had regained consciousness just stared blankly at the ceiling.

“Do I need to call a doctor?”

Sahira shook his head weakly, his gaze still straight at the ceiling.

“Then I will call Vira to help you change clothes.” Erik came out of the guest room.

Sahira got up from her bed. Sahira runs out of Filio's house. Luckily that night the postman was asleep. Sahira came out with a sneak. There was a taxi that happened to pass by, Sahira stopped the taxi.

The taxi driver glanced back several times, because the passenger had not yet said his destination. The wet clothes make him a little bit risi, however he still wants to attract passengers if the seat is wet not necessarily anyone who wants to go up to the cab.

“Jl. Panorama block C number fifty nine.”

“Not that the building there has been destroyed by a suicide bomb, did miss the wrong address?”

“No, take me there. If there is a minimarket please stop by for a moment.”

The taxi driver parked his car in the mini market. Sahira got out of the taxi and went inside. Many pairs of eyes that looked at him wonder, how not the appearance of Sahira who wears wet clothes and wet hair. Today, there is no rain falling.

Sahira approaches the insect repellent rack. He took a few bottles and put them in a basket. He took two orange drinks from the showcase and then to the cashier to pay for them.

The total expenditure of Sahira does not reach one hundred thousand. He reached into his pocket. There were three pieces of one hundred thousand pieces that were wet, he gave one sheet to the cashier.

Sahira gets out and gets back in the car. He gave a bottle of drink to the driver, another bottle he sank to the toilet.

The distance to the address mentioned by Sahira only takes twenty minutes. Now the taxi that Sahira was riding has arrived. Sahira hands all the money to the taxi driver.

The taxi driver grumbled a little because the money Sahira gave him was wet. “Basic crazy woman,” Inner driver.

Sahira's feet climb over the ruins of a building filled with ash. He walked towards the place when he last met Rangga.

Sahira closed her eyes, her heart empty. His whole body ached, he felt tired. The torment Filio gave her was too painful, Sahira felt she could no longer endure it.

Sahira takes out the insect exterminator he brought. Sahira's limp hands opened the cover. “Rangga I want to be with you again,” Inner Sahira. Her tears fell, Sahira missed the figure of Rangga.

Sahira raised her hand which was holding the insect repellent liquid.

A hand robs the liquid and throws it away. “You cannot die, without my permission!”