In the midst of the bushy forest, a two-story house half made of wood was flaming heavily, making the cold winter in Perth hotter than sumr.
Ashes mixed in the air, even the cold breeze and beads of snow could not vanquish the fire devouring every part of the house.
A few ters away from the house, a girl kneeling on the icy ground had a face paling whiter than the snow. Tears stread down from her eyes, rushing like a river down to her neck, a weep – full of anguish and sorrow let out from her pale trembling lips, her hands - cold from gripping the snows on the ground lifted to touch the lifeless body of her mother.
Daniella's trembling hands reached out for her mother's face.
Her heart gripped as her fingertips felt her mother's skin, it has been frozen by hours of staying on the cold ground, the only thing that was heating the place was the vast of fire gradually eating their house but still, its warmth was not enough to lt the emotion she has from losing her mother.
Her mother died not because of the fire but, the bullet she got straight at her forehead as they tried to escape the fire.
Her pitch dark eyes have no life just like her mother's body.
Orphan, that what she is right now, her brother is stuck in their burning house, a thick and long tree was blocking the door, bullets rain in the air just like the snow but it didn't hit her, instead it was avoiding her – one could say the bullets are the reason why she's still alive. Despite her mind screaming with despair, she realized that the forest was surrounded by snipers.
"Daniella," a familiar voice exceeded the sound of the guns firing bullets, without even looking, Daniella knew it was Robert, her neighbor.
"What is happening?" she heard another voice aside from Robert, it was from the man's father – her policeman neighbor.
"Robert!!!" suddenly she heard the sound of Robert's father screaming the man's na with despair.
Daniella's head jerked to the source of the voice, her eyes swelled seeing Robert's father hugging him as the bullet hit his body. She got up, despite her weak knees, she ran towards them.
Blood coming out of the wound made by the bullet dropped to the ground filled with snow, under the wounded man, Robert was trying to escape but, his father's body hardened as the life escaped his body.
Daniella watched as the blood-stained on the white ground, soon, the lifeless body of Robert's father fell to the ground.
She was just standing next to Robert - kneeling on the ground with his father next to him.
Her friend is in the sa position she was in earlier, his face paling with anger and sorrow as he hugs his father in his arms.
And once again, bullets rained on them.
Daniella swiftly went behind Robert and embraced him – protecting him from the bullets. She no longer cares if she dies, she just can't watch another person die again.
As soon as her body covered Robert, the shooting stops, then a footstep sounded from far away.
Daniella kneeled next to Robert, tears on his face, blood on his hands and his lifeless father on the ground, everything sunk in Daniella's mind at once - throbbing her head with pain.
Watching your parents die is the worst thing that anyone could ever experience and right now, Daniella and Robert had just watched their parents lost their last breath.
"Alexa."
A voice of an old man yelling Daniella's mother echoed in the quiet forest,
Daniella's face – full of tears turned and found a man carrying her mother's body.
She called him, begging him to stop but the man was deaf to her request.
She scread and scread, so loud that her throat dried out.
At her last attempt to scream the man's figure has disappeared into the dark wood, she can't do anything than to watch her mother's body in the stranger's arms, she knows that the mont she leaves Robert's sides he will end up like his father in the freezing ground.
Soon, the sirens sounded in the forest, and flashing light was flickering from distance.
Daniella felt Robert's cold arms around her body, his hand went behind her head and buried her face into his chest.
They both cried, sa weep, the sa pain, and the sa tears, losing their parents unexpectedly, they have beco orphans.
"Where is your brother?" Robert's voice, broken and coarse whispered to ask that question.
"He's locked in the house. The last – last thing I saw was the chandelier falling to him, he's dead Robert," lips quivering with emotion parted to say those words, head shaking as she refused to believe that she's now all alone.
Police cars and ambulance piled in front of them, firetruck stopped next to the burning house, yet it is too late, Daniella's brother is now dead and the hungry fire has devoured the house.
Two policen separated Daniella and Robert, Daniella was dragged towards the black SUV next to the fire truck and before she was pushed inside, her eyes saw the police putting the handcuffs in Robert's wrists.
With her weak body, Daniella tried to fight back, she wanted to talk, tell them that Robert is innocent but her voice was gone from screaming, as much as she wanted to speak, she can't, she beca useless for her friend.
-
A whistle echoed in the hallway as Matthew strolled on the second floor of the Su Villa, he couldn't sleep so he decided to visit Daniella.
His feet frost, the bright face dimd as he stared at Daniella standing by the open door of Selena's room.
Beads of sweat on her forehead, face paling as if she just saw a ghost, teeth biting her lower lips so tightly.
Matthew sighed, this expression is not new to him, living with Daniella for years has made him realized that Daniella is exceptional, the scars on her beautiful body, Matthew had seen her body and scars, and not even once he felt disgusted.
All he knows about her is her na, a few friends and that's all, he didn't bother to ask about her family and Daniella was the sa. They never spoke their personal life, they are just roommates, Daniella who always cooks for him and, him who eats whatever she cooks.
They acted like lovers but, never once he kissed her, they sotis sleep together when Daniella wakes up in the middle of the night after a bad dream and, seeing her now made him realized that she must have had one of those bad dream, the nightmare she never once spoke about.
He stopped in front of her, Daniella was spaced out that she didn't notice him.
"Having a bad dream?" he asked, voice was full of concern.
He was t with her eyes sparkling with tears, and her head moved to a slight nod.
"Yes."
Matthew smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"We haven't done this for so ti but, would you like to sleep with today?" he said with a tease.
Daniella's head shook, sothing that shocked him, she never once refused it, especially when she just had a bad dream.
"Martini?" he said, shrugging both shoulders.
"Sure."
Matthew stretched an arm and lay it over her shoulder, they walked with the sa speed as they went downstairs.
anwhile, at the end of the hallway, Evan watched his cousin and Daniella as they left the hallway, his door which was half open allowed him to hear their conversation and he realized one thing, Matthew and Daniella's relationship is complicated.
He saw Daniella frozen standing by the door, he wanted to go and ask what's wrong but a part of him urged him to stay and watch, and so he did and now, he's regretting it.
He closed the door and lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling, Daniella's face appeared.
He shut his eyes but her face stayed, "Ugh! Go away" he groaned and threw a pillow at the ceiling.
When the sa pillow he threw dropped on his face, another groan let out from his lips.
He sat down, annoyance was on his face.
His mind - filled with Daniella's faces was interrupted when his phone on the bedside table vibrated.
He picked it up without checking the caller, he answered the phone.
"Hey, Mr. Su. Matthew and I are drinking, do you want -"
"I am coming," he cut her out and dashed out of the room.
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