One day in October, five people sat around the table in the dining room to celebrate Margaret’s sixth birthday. It should have been a special day but the specialty would be elevated to another undesirable level.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPjvqY10E1
The scent of happiness diffused around the room. Well, that how she perceived it. Everybody looked so innocent to the unwelcome incoming incident.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FPwJ1WcZj
In front of the mountains of cakes was the girl with the curly blonde hair and deep green eyes. That was Margaret. The Stephens shared the same type of golden locks and green eye shades of jade gemstone.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ2w9sSt5Rh
This is the best day ever, thought she. Children always love party, sweets, and gifts, Margaret was no different. Her parents knew how to satisfy their children. Dad and Mom bought her the new released doll house that every girl in the school might have no chance to own it yet and Margaret would be the first one who showed them who was the real boss. The little girl imagined how her friends surrounding just to take a look at the new toy, still forgot that it was impossible to bring the dollhouse to the school. The most significant fact was the school would not allow her doing it. But the girl was so proud to be the first owner of this toy and forgot this rule. Molly, the big sister, brought her Princess necklace which was very lovely on her princess's costumes that her parents had bought for her last week. The only one who did not have to give her anything was Little Mary, her one-year-younger sister.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡVb7fHxeJyS
About a meter away from the dining table, the clear voice of a woman sounded from the television in the wooden frame with the antenna standing on top.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡKAxz6gB3sB
“Good evening, welcome to Cecilia’s Talk. During this dinner, I’m sure you cannot even just sit still because our guest today is Dr. Claster Deans, the Associate Professor of the law school of Hemsworth who heated up the current political situation. Hello, Dr. Deans.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrETB6L4cD
“Hi, lovely Cecilia.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡl7Ptnw0Bfz
“Let’s talk about your article on the 122nd issue of Hemsworth Journals, on page 22-25. (She showed the journal to the spectators.) You declared your opposition against the Surveillance and Control of the Risks to Humankind Act 2966. Many people admired your work so much and how brave you are to speak it out. Me too. (“Thank you!” Dr. Deans said with pride.) Dear my fans in this live show and the home spectators, this article becomes the talk of the town as it has been published. (Her melodic voice totally attracted Margaret’s attention.) Dr. Deans, you’re saying that this law is against our liberation and human rights…”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡt091AgicjL
“Dad, turn the TV off. We’re going to sing the song for little Meg,” Molly, aged sixteen, requested (with the reproachful look). Instead of following her order, her father just turned the volume down. He loved to watch the show and often claimed that Cecilia, the TV host, was “smart girl! She’s my classmate.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGcrzOylSK
And even six-year-old girl knew that Mom did not like how he demonstrated his adoration to the woman in TV. Moreover, Molly loved to jab her parents by making the joke that Cecilia was his first crush and Mother would be upset.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡYeSNHfkIRA
Margaret licked the sauce on the corner of her mouth, still hearing the voice from the TV.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡilBsnbIFn2
“…well, we must consider the word to call these people carefully. ‘The Risk’, why do we call them the Risk? They are the same as us but gained or already have some special skill that the science today still looks for the answer. Yeah, that’s the reason why the laws have been enforced, the unexplainable situation. The question is what makes them special? I won’t talk about any religious belief or any side effect from chemical effects that may cause the mutation or even about the change in the DNA. It’s too imaginative but possible as well. copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡqaJDCiraEk
My point is how we value them. We might not found the answer yet but it’s not the reason we dehumanize these people. The fact is there are many people who are talented or own special skill in something and it’s not bizarre or scary. Why do we regard them as the threat to mankind? Why are we treating them like a fearful disease when they’re not? It’s like you are very skillful in painting or singing, or think about some odd ability we always see on TV shows or the circus. Perhaps, this is how we evolve as humans. According to the history, human keeps evolving physically and mentally. Think about it. Or not, why consider it’s just a very unique gift.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDzNrh3M0U
“…Happy Birthdaaay-tooooo-youu,” they nearly ended the song together, except her father who still glanced at the TV screen with eager interest so he hummed the song like an old vacuum cleaner.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡmigYKD9tjx
“So you think that they are not sick people. There are the same as us? They deserve the human right as same as normal people.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJIfmkyOvc
“Of course, they are the same and own the right to….”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9qPIdg0g30
While her father returned the attention to her, Margaret took a quick look at the television to check if he did turn off but amazingly, the screen turned off itself.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpjso46xxp
“Make a wish Meg and be careful of your wish.” The girl stopped watching the TV and peered at the cake before her face. “If you wish to have no school tomorrow, it will not be granted for sure. God loves good children and good children love school,” said Molly making everyone laugh.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ448Mjv7SjC
What kind of the wish was she thinking of? To be like this forever, with daddy, mommy, Molly, and Mary, yes, I wish everything will be as good as today. The girl made the wish and blew the candles. Unfortunately, Margaret’s wish could not be true. Never. The black shadow had stood at the front door. The end of her happiness came too soon.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4t2Ubfbbwe
As she made the wish, the bell rang. Mom frowned.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIEva2zgA7
“Oh, they cease the broadcast already.” Dad cried.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡGFbOsvkznE
“No surprise. Darling, you have to find your new favorite channel. Say goodbye to your Cecilia. She’s doom.” Mom told him merrily without a single regret but satisfaction and she walked to the front door.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡbs7eniuyu1
The little girl smiled at the cake and moved her index finger at the bottom cream then licked her finger.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGJrcUuLb4
“Hey, that’s not nice.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡTRJ4GbA0LX
She made her eyes pleading with the big sister.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡEXqLbN4Gmz
“No, I’m not Daddy. Where’re you going?”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9gqBsl5ex
They lifted their head to look at Mr. Stephen. “It’s quiet. I go check your mom.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7oUc46M5R
Margaret waited for a minute then jumped out of the chair. The age of curiosity, the girl ran to the hallway and hid the tiny body behind the giant ceramic jar.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡKKPaw0XAGk
Two police in navy blue uniform were talking with her parents.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡantqO4Taa8
“Please, ma’am. Let we talk with Molly Stephen.” the first cop politely begged.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡHlg5gsamfg
Molly? What did she do?copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZ03aw487L
“No. I won’t let you take her.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡsh9VIX0C7b
“This is the warrant under the law that we all know which law is and we don’t have to explain it. Please let us in, Ma’am,” he said in the monotone but a little bit haste too.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡKPx0UNt59I
“I’m sorry but Molly has no sign to become the Risk. She was hospitalized to the hospital when she was eight because of pneumonia. Please check her medical history before accusing my dear daughter.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡloImsSSw00
The risk? What is it?copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtiqo1opDw
Margaret ran to the dining room and asked her sister. “What did you do? Why the police come to the house?”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡBol8ogVSm5
“What’re you talking about?” Molly ignored and stole her father’s french-fries. At this age, girls pretended to keep the daily low-fat diet but always surrendered to the seduction of delicious fried food when they thought no one was watching.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIti4WbXsc
“But…” Then she saw Mary was going to unwrap her gift. “No! Mary. Get away from it! It’s not yours!”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKFgb4hAuU
The youngest sister yelped when hearing the thunder shout, in an instant panic, she ran back to her seat.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75isdHJ8z5
“Don’t mess with my toy!”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡdaNHtREEP7
“I want to play!” Mary voiced back. copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡRNRw33BkE5
“Hey! Shut up both of you. Meg, you should know how to share. She’s your sister.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLaxeofYwO
“She will have it when it’s her turn.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3KZQssI67y
Before the three sisters could yell at each other for more, the parent returned.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡdYl5vo96JO
“Molly, do you have anything to tell us?” the sudden question alarmed the girl whose fingers still dip a French-fries into cheese sauce.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYAnwOLLMi
Seeing french-fries on Molly’s arms falling onto the table, Margaret made the face of doubt. Suddenly, she felt like all the lights in the room turned dimmer but actually, they were still as bright as they were. Margaret saw her big sister had the question mark on her face.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQ3zHw2qD9
“What’re you talking about?”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡYR7kXDJ6Ks
“I told you! The police come.” copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWrvkYk6K6
“Be quiet Margaret. Yes, they come and are waiting for you outside,” explained Momma. “They talked about that law.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡolXsUEYX4C
“Which la…” Molly’s face abruptly painted white while her mouth started terribly shaking. The girl jumped out the chair to a corner of the room. “I-I-I didn’t do anything. It just happened. I don’t know how I could do it but…help me. I don’t want to go.” Her sister pleaded. The sudden change of their gestures dazed the other two little girls, especially Margaret who was able to understand the situation better than Little Mary but still not comprehended the whole thing.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63tenqR6xB
“Tell me, baby, tell me what happened!” Mom urged.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡzsy0YSYiYJ
“A car…it was a car slid to my direction and…I stopped it. I-I don’t know how I did it but it stopped…just stopped. Okay? I did nothing! Maybe the driver pushed the brake!”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡpn4mPZ0OW5
“Please come with us, Ms. Stephen”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡr28Ugvl8CS
No one knew when the police officers stepped inside their house without willing permission. But now they stood in the dining room. Margaret glared at the intruders who were the officials. All she understood was they would take her sister away on her birthday and she could not allow it.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡJblhbjaaB8
That’s very rude!copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1wXnlWoaT
“We have the warrant, the special one. And if you don’t come with us, we must take some force.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡuBWCwd8RlL
“Don’t threaten us!” Mom screamed in anger. She ran and barred her arms around Molly in the act of the true protector. Dad tried to calm the situation down; he warned Mom, “Don’t be silly, Agatha. Please, we have kids here. Let us talk to our girl first. Meg, Mary, go to your rooms. NOW!”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5W5m8pwj0
Two little girls heard his shouting and were shocked again so they ran to the stairways quickly. Her father normally had never raised his voice like this. Margaret stamped her feet on every step just to show them that they made her angry.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡFc2bapx7OI
“We have no time. Come here, MOLLY. Be a good girl.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ikXVQa4Iv
Who went the rooms? No one. Margaret and Mary sat behind the balcony and when their father looked up, they crouched on the floor to hide his gaze. They listened to their mother and sister who were disputing with the cops. They heard Molly tearfully shouting not to go, yelling that they would kill her. Margaret and Mary began to cry due to the fear provoked by the adults’ heating argument and violent words. They did not want their sister to be killed or taken.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡPsALxXTWud
And they heard the noises as if they started fighting. Then Mother screamed. The girls dared not to watch so they wrapped each other’s arms and closed their eyes. Margaret prayed to God, to everything that could stop the violence in their house. Margaret wished her birthday party back.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡX9pZlApTId
“Stop it, girl”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJwVGrMQvu
“Molly, please don’t do this. You make it worse.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlWW6uT0qo
Molly screamed in her deepest fear. “I caaan’t. I don’t know.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoyDnTeNMW
Father screamed out loud begging, “Please. Don’t do this. I can calm her. There are little kids here, SIR! PLEASE”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1oGyjmZ6dv
“Move away Ma’am. She is the threat to us.”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡAzQxvX1pXs
“No, she’s my baby and you can’t take her…”copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡNbQmPef322
There was only one gunshot that ended all chaos; the one shot that destroyed everything. Margaret arms released her sister and hurriedly rushed to see what happened while Mary tailed behind. She still did not know what exactly happened and why her birthday was ruined. In front of the girl, her father screamed in terror and knelt on the floor, desperately wiping. The cruel police stood in silence and they looked at the two girls with eyes widened.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4qGCK2BQf
In front of Margaret, her dear mother and sister collapse on the ground. The blonde woman died with her eyes open. On top of her back, the teenage girl’s body shook, her mouth saying, “Mom?—Mom.” Molly’s green eyes met her and suddenly Margaret initially realized that her sister was not there anymore. It was just an empty body without the sign of life. The moment she understood how the soul departed from flesh and bones. Those bright green eyes gradually turned lifeless, the same way the light turned off.copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rPYZkV1KT
God doesn’t exist and if they do, God is the cruel God. copyright protection130ＰＥＮＡＮＡuy4kUTzaXC
And this was their last birthday celebration.134Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWCEHCkNy2
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134Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEme3gLm3RQ
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134Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiwOVavyuj6
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