Followers

Saturday 19 April 2014

My Little Sister: 1

My Little Sister


I could not sleep throughout the night because there’s no electricity. I was tossing and turning on my bed. I couldn’t sleep without the fan on. I got up. My body was drenching in sweat. Curse the electricity blackout! I took off my shirt and threw it on the floor. This is torturing me! Why tonight? I walked to the window and opened it a little bit. Small breeze of wind puffed inside. I tried to peep outside but I couldn’t see anything. It was pitch black. I assumed that the whole city was blackout.

I kept my window opened so the cool, night breeze blew inside my tropically hot room. I looked at my alarm clock. It was 2 in the morning. Luckily there were no mosquitoes tonight so I guess I could to stay awake for this whole night. I hate mosquitoes! Suddenly, I heard a soft knock on my door. I knew who it was. I grumbled and opened the door as the knocking repeated continuously.

It’s my little sister. She was holding a light brown teddy bear. She looked up at me with her teary eyes and I knew that she was scared.

“I can’t sleep. It’s too dark and I’m scared,” she said timidly.

“Then go to your mom’s bedroom,” I stared at her coldly.

“It’s too far,” she replied in a wobbly voice.

I sighed heavily and asked to come in. She slowly walked inside my room and stood at the end of my bed. I told her she could climb up to my bed and she did. She’s not my real sister to begin with. She’s my step-sister. My father re-married after Mom had passed away 8 years ago. He discussed with me about his new girlfriend and I agreed after two months begging me to accept the new family.

I was a little bit surprised to have a little sister who was way younger than me. I am 17 and she’s 7. My father told her to sleep in a room next to mine. If there’s anything happened, I can protect her. It’s not that I hate her but she’s a bothersome to me. Maybe because I never had any other siblings before so that’s why I feel that way. We seldom talk even though we have been living together almost a year. My step-mother tried her best to get close to me but I think I still need time.

I felt my throat dry. I need to go to the kitchen to get a drink. I grabbed my cell phone but the battery was low. I searched for the torchlight in my drawers but to no avail. I slammed on the drawers and muttered a curse under my breath. My step-sister was taken aback by my action just now and she clutched her teddy bear tightly. She might think I was mad at her.

“I’m going to the kitchen. You stay here for a while,” I told her.

She suddenly got off from bed and tugged my hand. “Please don’t leave me alone. I’m scared.” She looked like she wanted to cry.

Oh, I hate this kind of situation!

I opened the door slowly and looked around. My step-sister followed me from behind as I tip-toed to the stairs. I needed to be careful since it was pitch black and I couldn’t see anything. I climbed down the stairs carefully, holding to my step-sister little hand. I nearly fell down the stairs as they were slippery.

We reached the kitchen safely and I grabbed a lemon juice in the fridge. I asked my step-sister if she needed a drink but she just shook her head. Then we climbed up the stairs and went back to my room. It was nearly one hour since the electricity blackout. My body was sweating once again and so was my step-sister. But she seemed okay in this kind of situation.

I opened another window of my room and moonlight gently shone its light to my room. At least I got to see the surrounding a little bit. I took this opportunity to read a book. I couldn’t waste my time rather than loitering around. I put the chair near the window and start reading. Sometimes I took a glance towards my step-sister who was sitting quietly on my bed. After a few minutes, she fell asleep.

Suddenly I felt pity towards her. She’s just a little girl and a little girl like her needs someone to play with. I remembered last week when my father and step-mother had to attend a course for two days. I had to take care of my step-sister at home. Usually I will hang out with my friends by playing tennis but last week I couldn’t go anywhere.

I stayed in my room, finishing my homework and did a little bit of self study but my step-sister was sitting alone in her room. I ordered pizza for lunch and we ate together in silence. I didn’t even ask what kind of food that she wanted. I knew she wanted something else but she’s too scared to talk. Maybe she’s afraid of my frowning face. My friends often told me that when I frowned, I looked very scary.

When I think of it, maybe having a little sister is not bad after all. All I need to do is to get close to her even she’s not my real sister. We’re part of a family now. I need to accept her as part of my family. And since she never create troubles when she moved in, I think I should hang out with her more.


I didn’t know how long I have been sleeping on the chair. My alarm clock woke me up. I felt dizzy as soon as I stood up. My body was aching and I didn’t feel so good. I looked at my alarm clock. It was 6 in the morning. I performed Subuh prayer and after that my head started to spin. I nearly stumbled on the floor as I walked to my bed. What’s happening to me? I felt very weak and I assumed that I was having a fever.

Then my step-sister knocked on the door twice before she came in. She was surprised to see me lying weakly on the bed. She approached me with a worry face.

“Are you okay?” she asked and put her little hand on my forehead. “You’re burning!” she gasped.

“I’m fine,” I mumbled but she ran out and called her mother.

My step-mother came to my room and checked my body temperature with the thermometer. Dad always keeps the first-aid kit inside his room. My step-mother told me that I had a fever and I needed to go to the clinic. She told her daughter to stay with me for a while because she wanted to inform to my principal that I couldn’t go to school that day.

I’ve been sent to the clinic after having rice porridge for breakfast. My step-sister followed us to the clinic too since she said that she’s worried about me. She even skipped her school today! The doctor said that I needed to rest for three days. He gave me antibiotics and other medicines. My step-mother was glad that I was not having a high fever.

We returned home and my step-mother told me to rest in my room. My step-sister kept me company for the whole day. She helped me a lot especially when I wanted to take my medicine. I fell asleep after taking the medicine.

After two hours sleeping, I woke up. I was surprised to see my step-sister was sleeping near my bed. She’s been keeping me company since this morning. It reminded me when I was having a fever back then. My late mother will keep me company and never leave by my side. I never thought that my step-sister was doing like my late mother did.

I felt guilty towards her. I never keep her company before even when she was sick. Then I realized she was holding my hand while she was sleeping. I let her held my hand and continued to sleep. I felt quite happy for having her as my sister.


Few days later…

“Did we get everything on the list?” I asked my step-sister as she was looking at the shopping list.

She nodded and handed me the list. I put the list in my pocket and both of us went to the counter to pay for the things that we’ve picked inside the trolley. My step-sister and I were shopping some groceries that my step-mother asked us to.

After paying all the stuff, we took all the groceries to the car park. I called my step-mother that we’ve finished shopping and she said that she’ll be picking us up as soon as possible. I knew that she’s having an important thing to do at her office. Dad was having a conference and he’ll be back next week.

As we waited for my step-mother to come, I spotted an ice-cream man was ringing the bell to attract people to buy his ice-cream. I thought I should buy the ice-cream. It’s nice to have an ice-cream in this hot sunny weekend.

“Do you want some ice-cream?” I asked my step-sister who was staring at the road, waiting for her mother to arrive. “It’s my treat!”

“Sure! I would love too!” she smiled happily.

I love to see that smile. It brightens up my life. Having a sister who is ten years younger is not bad after all.



5 comments:

Inspector Saahab said...

Just nice for a start. But 7 year time to get used with dad's new marriage is just quite unreliable hehe

This reminds me those days we had in blogspehre life. I miss writing so much. This kind of writing.

Ciklong said...

thanks for commenting~~!!!

actually, this is one of my sample essays for last year's form five students. i want to show them how they write with a good flow (but i'm not sure this story has good flow or not).

it took 7 years because this main character is a boy who can't really et along with the new family. he likes doing things on his own...so, mmg nampak sangat la quite unreliable.

anyway, i really miss your writing...hehe. nnt ada masa tulis la :)

Parmita said...

To Inspector Sahaab: There are people who take a lifetime to adjust to a new family setup. There are even those who never get a hang of it at all.

Hey Fei, how's life? I loved the story. In fact at one point it got me all emotional. I found the story very realistic. The flow is smooth. The writing has improved manifold. Well done dear friend! ^^.

Ciklong said...

Sui: hei Sui! it's been a while. sorry for not updating this blog for ages. there's a lot of thing that i need to go through. the pregnancy and....being a MOM!

i delivered a baby boy last monday. need to rest for few days. i'll write more about this new story. i think i should start writing a simple story with interesting plot.

Parmita said...

Many congratulations Fei!!!! This is such a wonderful news. You are going to be whole lot busy now. All the best and take good care of yourself. I wish for yours and your baby's good health. Lots of love dear!!! ^.^