CH.2. THE NEWS!!

Tick...tick..tick...

The alarm sound fills the messy room.

A girl lying on the bed lazily turns around and falls to sleep again.

The figure suddenly jumps off the bed, "Shit!!! Ahh, I am screwed!!", she whines and digs around the pile of clothes lying beside her bed. She pulls out a white baggy t-shirt and loose pants and rushes toward the bathroom.

The mirror reflects a messy girl with curly dark hair falling down her shoulders, her freckles lined perfectly on her cheeks, and her skinny figure visible through her big clothes. Her dark eyes are drowsy as she brushes her teeth.

She hurriedly washes her up and picks up a jacket beside her bed and hurries outside. She ties her hair up and jumps on the bicycle, taking a glance at her watch.

" Shit!! I am late!'.

CURRENT TIME:6:20 AM.

"Bang!".

A newspaper hits her hard on the head.

" Ahhh!!!..", she whines.

"Oh....you're Alive? have you seen the time! who the heck delivers newspapers and milk bags during this time?", Mrs. Wang shouts at the top of her voice.

She smiles awkwardly and apologizes to Mr. Wang.

Mrs.Wang goes inside the small closed store and brings out a cartoon of milk and a bundle of newspapers. She looks at the young messy girl in front of her all lean and thin.

" Did you have breakfast?", She asks loading the goods onto her bicycle.

"No.". She shakes her head.

" Ahh...tch...tch.", Mrs. Wang shakes her head.

She again goes inside the store and comes back with a bun and a milk package.

"Here...Have this on the way!". Mrs.Wang hands her the packets.

" Okay!", she smiles. *Ah...Auntie Wang is sweet whether she is angry or not*.

She hops onto her bicycle and rides down the street.

CURRENT TIME:6:30AM.

"Ah...I am tired", she had been continuously cycling the whole neighborhood delivering milk and newspapers.

*Now more three houses to go!*

.

" Okay!", she takes a deep breath and cycles at full speed.

She reaches a house near the street and picks up a milk package and a newspaper.

She goes off to drop them in the box in front of the house.

"Boo!!!". She gets jump scared by the sudden voice.

She falls back and stares with big eyes.

" Ahh...!!that scared me.".

A small kid with tiny pigtails appears behind the gate with giggles.

"Unni!! you are late! Did you know how long I have been standing here!", the small girl gives a pouty face.

" Ah..sorry!", she smiles and taps the head of the little girl.

She gestures to the child to wait.

She turns back to her bicycle and takes out the milk package from Mrs.Wang, and gets back to the child.

"Here!...let me give you an extra milk package today. okay!!", She smiles and hands the milk packages to her along with the newspaper.

" Thank you, Unii!".The child happily accepts the packages from her and runs back to the house.

She sighs and gets back on the bicycle.*My breakfast*.

She opens the bun packet and stuffs it inside her mouth and rides along.

The main road that led to the bus station was busy today. Since she was delayed today, the workers were hurrying to their jobs, Aunties returning from her morning walks, the street dogs were plenty, and a young tall high schooler was walking his way to the station. Her eyes wavered around the neighborhood.

*oh....!!High school lads are handsome these days! like an idol!*

She smiles to herself and gets past the busy road.*The last house*.

CURRENT TIME:6:46AM.

The last house was up the corner of the main road.

She takes out the last newspaper and milk package.*Ah!! finished*.

She opens the gate to the house and strides inside.

"Grandpa!", she calls out for the owner of the house.

After the call, she waits for a while when she hears someone coughing inside the house.

She hurries inside and sees the old man kneeling on the ground.

" Grandpa!".She rushes and holds him up and helps him onto the chair near them.

"Are you okay?" she asks in concern.

"Ah! I am okay", he smiles." It's just some minor cold!".

He leaves out a heavy sigh.

"You should take care of yourself, Grandpa!" she says worriedly.

"Okay! I know".He looks at the girl and sighs.

" Why are you late? did you watch the time?", he says with an angry tone.

She smiles apologizingly, "Ah!! Sorry Grandpa!".

She gestures to him to wait and surges outside to bring the milk package and newspaper she had left earlier.

" Here!".

He holds the newspaper straight restraining the milk package aside.

"Let's see! What's for hold today!".

He turns to the newspaper reading it, while the girl stands beside him reading along.

The read goes smoothly until she notices something.

" Ah wait!".

She stops the old man from turning the paper when she sees something that read,

"Is it the end of the pandemic or is it the start of another chaos?"