“Please, help me!”
Maya nearly screamed in fright. She was on her way home from work close to midnight when she heard moans of pain coming from behind some bushes.
The woman hesitated for a moment, but the sound of a child moaning made her fear disappear.
“Oh my God! What happened to you, kid?” Maya cried when she saw a little boy lying weakly with several wounds on his body.
“Please, help me,” the boy begged in a faint voice.
Maya crouched down, took off her jacket, and wrapped it around the boy before lifting him into her arms.
“Hang in there. I’ll take you to the hospital.”
The boy shook his head. “No, I can’t be found. Please don’t take me to the hospital,” he said, confusing Maya.
“But you’re hurt.”
Tears trickled from the corners of the little boy’s eyes. He looked at Maya sadly.
“There are bad people. Please hide me. I don’t want to be caught again,” he said with a small sob.
In the end, Maya took the little boy to her home. She wiped his body with warm water. However, her hands stopped when she saw all the bruises. Her heart felt tight because the boy reminded her of her late child.
“How could anyone do this to you, kid?” Maya said, holding back tears.
Carefully, she treated the wounds on the boy’s body. She stayed awake almost all night because the little boy suddenly developed a fever.
When morning came, the little boy woke up in a daze because he was in unfamiliar surroundings. The sound of a spoon falling drew him out. He saw a woman tasting food that smelled delicious. His stomach immediately growled.
Maya looked up and saw the little boy with a warm smile.
“You’re awake. How are you feeling?” Maya asked.
She took off her apron and approached the boy, who was still standing silently and staring at her. Crouching down, she brought herself to eye level with him.
“I’m... hungry,” the boy squeaked.
“All right, come sit down.” Maya invited him to sit on the floor on a thin carpet.
“I’m Maya. What’s your name?” Maya asked as she served rice porridge and vegetable soup.
“I’m Epan. Thank you for helping me, Maya.”
Maya tilted her head, unaccustomed to the little boy addressing her by her first name so casually.
“Evan?” Maya guessed with amusement when she realized the boy was pronouncing his name with a P instead of a V.
Evan nodded shyly.
“Eat,” Maya said as she began eating.
With an unusual expression, Evan watched Maya eat thin vegetable soup without any other side dishes.
“Can this... be eaten?” Evan asked with an innocent look.
But the question made Maya choke. Earlier, when she changed Evan’s clothes, she had guessed that he might come from a wealthy family, but she hadn’t expected him to question food that was far too plain for a child like him.
Maya smiled broadly and said, “Sorry, kid. I’m just a poor widow. My food is always like this.”
“You’re so pitiful, Maya.”
Suddenly, Evan looked at Maya with sympathy.
“Once Dad finds me, I’ll ask him to give you lots of money,” Evan said confidently, making Maya laugh.
“Really?” Maya asked between laughs.
Evan nodded. “I promise. My dad’s rich.”
“All right, hurry up and eat before the soup gets cold.”
The two of them then ate their simple breakfast. Feeling that it was too quiet, Maya turned on the television, which immediately showed a handsome, fabulously wealthy man who was currently famous.
“Look! That’s my dad, Maya!” Evan shouted when he saw Thomas Mahardika.
Maya only chuckled, not believing him. According to the gossip circulating on TV, Thomas Mahardika was still single and unmarried.