Chapter 12 — The Parrot Knows Too Much

It's Trinh Hao. Not knowing when, he rushed into this maze of containers, without any guards, just rushed forward, standing right next to Officer Vuong. Trinh Hao rushed forward, using his own body to block between Officer Vuong and the barrel of the gun, as if ready to risk his life in exchange for a slim chance for me.

"Trinh Hao! Are you crazy? Back off now!" Police officer Wang was both frightened and angry and shouted loudly, but he didn't hear him at all.

Trinh Hao just raised his head, staring at the figure on top of the container, his voice hoarse from too much suppressed emotion.

“Listen to me!” He said every word, “I know you hate this world, I know you have suffered a lot, but look what you are doing!”

“You're dragging her… to your hell!”

"She doesn't want that! She just wants to live normally!"

“If you really want to protect her… then stop!”

"Let them go! Then let me take her away!"

"I will take her to treatment! I will stay with her, as long as it takes, I will not leave her!"

The space is silent. The figure above said nothing. The gun in my hand… slowly lowered a bit. The police officer could see very clearly. He saw an extremely complicated, extremely painful expression on Hua Chieu's face, as if two forces were tearing her body apart from the inside. My consciousness… is protesting. Trinh Hao's words... touched me.

“Don't listen to him!”

A sharp, panicked voice rang out in my head. It's "she".

“He's tricking you!”

"He'll lock you up! Turn you into a monster for research!"

"He will use electricity! Use drugs! He will destroy us!"

"Only I can protect you! Only me!"

“No…” for the first time, my own voice rang out in the depths of my consciousness, weak but clear.

“He… wouldn't do that…”

“He… wants to help me…”

“Shut up!”

“She” screamed, her voice filled with indignation.

"Refuse!"

"It was I who saved you time and time again! Have you forgotten!"

"Have you forgotten that alley? Forgot those faces!"

"It was me! It was I who saved you!"

“Now you are betraying me for an outsider!”

My head felt like it was about to explode. Broken memories surfaced, father with the belt, classmates' laughter, dirty hands in the alley, Truong Vi's disgusting touch, Ly Phong's sarcastic voice... Then Trinh Hao's tired eyes, the quiet balcony with stone lotus pots, Ly Bach's parrot voice reading clear poetry. Two completely different lives, constantly overlapping before my eyes. On one side there is darkness, pain and resistance. On one side is light, hope and peace. I… which one should I choose?

“Chieu Chieu!”

Trinh Hao's voice sounded from below, almost pleading.

“Trust me!”

My body started shaking violently. The hand holding the gun was torn, uncontrolled, the barrel of the gun continuously wavered between Vuong Canh and Trinh Hao. In my throat, two different voices rang out at the same time. A cold voice, full of murderous intent. A trembling, choking voice. Gunfire rang out. The bullet... was still fired in the end. But it didn't hit anyone. It rushed straight into the empty night sky, like a desperate scream with no response. The force of the shock caused my already trembling body to be thrown back, and I fell down onto the surface of the refrigerated container cold. The gun slipped from his hand, rolled away, emitting a sharp metallic sound. My body cringed, like a baby bird knocked down by a storm.

“She”… withdrew.

Or at least… step back temporarily. The words of Trinh Hao and Vuong Quan were like two hot keys, prying open the cage deep in my consciousness, allowing me - the captive - to escape a fragile crack of light. That gap was small, but it was enough for me to regain control for a moment. And fired that deflected shot. But the price... is too big. My brain felt like it was being torn in half. Half of it is a cold, burning fire. Half of it is warm sea water surging. Two extreme pains collided violently in the body.

"Refuse!"

“Her” angry scream still echoed in my head.

“Because of them, you dare to oppose me!”

“You will regret it!”

"They will lock you up! Dissect you!"

“Do you think they will pity you?”

"No!"

“In their eyes… you are just a monster!”

“Stop talking…” I used all my strength to resist in my consciousness.

“Please… stop talking…”

“Her” voice became more and more shrill.

“They are surrounding you!”

“They will point a gun at your heart!” “Her” voice echoed loudly in my head, cold and scary, “They won't save you, they only want to destroy you!”

“I… am the only one who can protect you.”

I raised my head.