The City of Ionia

From there, everything kicked off. Raphtalia spoke with me more as the days passed, especially during the brutal chores.

She spoke with no worry or care, always with a smile that somewhat felt warm. She smiled through hell. No matter how difficult our task was, her eyes glimmered with reassurance that the task would be completed.

Despair was a stranger to her.

I never understood how.

Her optimism was too much for me to handle. At times, I wanted to call her crazy. There were times that I did, but it came off as a joke. She was genuinely crazy, though.

No matter what angle you look from, the place we lived in was worse than hell. There was nothing to smile about. She somehow found a way.

Not once. Not twice. Always.

She always smiled.

I didn’t envy her, but I wish I could have a soul like hers that can find light even in the deepest depths of the sea.

It’s been seven months since my incident with the vase. I've gotten beatings multiple times since then, mainly because of my lack of care.

Raphtalia spoke to me every time she got the chance. Our conversations were pleasant, and it was the brightest part of my day. I never got angry with her or around her. Her voice soothed my temper, causing a wave of calmness to brush across my head.

Even though our interactions weren’t too long, they were my favorite part of the day.

Our not–so–long–interactions only lasted for some time.

Around a month ago, things changed for me forever. Something occurred. Something I didn’t know was possible.

It gave me hope for my desire to leave this hell.

The man in charge granted Rickey, Raphtalia’s cellmate, freedom. I didn’t know why or how, but I didn’t care. It meant freedom was obtainable.

It wasn’t impossible to leave. I wouldn’t be trapped here forever. I could cry knowing there was a way out, though I couldn’t get my hopes up. I knew it had to begin with my behavior. Since I had an awful reputation with the guards, being granted freedom would be much more difficult, meaning I had to climb up a mountain or two.

It didn’t matter. I was ready to do whatever it took to see the outside world and live in it. I wanted to feel the rain on my face. According to the guards, it can be a fantastic feeling. I couldn’t forget rolling around the grass and staring at the sky as birds passed in flocks. The list was infinite. There were so many things I wanted to do.

But all that had to wait. At this moment, my face absorbed the chilliness of the concrete as I lay on my side. My rough knees rubbed against my stomach, hugging my chest. I could vaguely see the air escaping with every breath. I tried to catch the rising air, but my arm was too lazy.

Fresh cuts scattered across my skin. I didn’t know the number. All I knew was that it was cold.

The cell was a concrete hollow cube, with the entrance the same as the exit. The metal bars separated me from the outside world. I didn’t know how much time had passed or whether it was day or night. I rarely got to see the outside world. The only time I would get a glimpse was during chores. Other than that, it was total isolation.

That was until the rusty hinges creaked open. I turned around to see a sight I couldn’t believe.

“This is your new cellmate. Fuck up once, and she’s gone,” said the guard in an aggressive tone. He pushed her into the cell and closed the iron gate, leaving without another word.

“Hi, Jill.”

“Raphtalia? How in the world?”

She gave me her vintage smile. “I’ve been requesting for a cellmate ever since Rickey left. I begged and begged, and they finally permitted me to choose.”

“You choose me?”

“Normally, they randomly assign, but due to my track record, they allowed me to choose. And I chose you.”

That was the first time someone chose me. The first time, someone wanted me.

“Oh… you’re not in good shape.”

She adjusted my body upright against the wall. Her figure was thin, with her skin being the smoothest thing I ever touched. A beautiful shade of black filled her eyes, perfectly contrasting with her white shirt.

Her sparkling, angel-white teeth shone as she breathed gently on my face. Her crimson-red hair flowed onto her shoulder. Her appearance gave my body a hidden boost of energy that I was unaware of.

Was I being saved by an angel?

No, no, don’t be ridiculous.

I told myself that repeatedly, but I still couldn’t stop this feeling of comfort. Sitting in this awful hell for the first time, I didn’t feel lonely. I felt vulnerable but in a good way. If I were to outstretch my arms, I could do so safely.

There was nothing to fear.

She held a white towel, which I didn’t notice till now, and used it to clean a cut on my arm. It was a noticeable cut with open flesh. It was a knife wound from earlier. They sliced me while laughing like maniacs. Staining my teeth, I slammed my head against the wall harder than I would’ve liked. The towel’s texture irritated my skin.

“It will hurt a bit, but I have to clean it. Otherwise, it’ll get worse later on.”

I faintly nodded while groaning in agony. I couldn’t remember a time when someone helped me. Forget that; I couldn’t remember a time when someone my age was in the same cell as me. It felt so refreshing.

“Are you staying here forever?” I asked.

She looked at me oddly. “I’m not going to go anywhere. I’m your new cellmate.”

“Really?” I had to make sure, just in case.

“Really. And if you don’t believe me.”

She pulled out two necklaces, each having a silver semi-circle as its pendant. It would form a perfect circle if they connected. She wrapped her arms around me and clasped the necklace around me. The pendant rested against my chest, emitting a chilly touch.

I gazed into her eyes, caressing the semi-circle. I didn’t know what to say. No one had ever given me anything. Where did she even get this? Did she find this on the ground? I wanted to ask, but my heart controlled my head, forcing me to stay silent for now.

“I got this from one of the Royal Maids. She’s a kind person who always helped me. She gave me this as a gift and told me to wait for the right person.” She wrapped the other necklace around herself. “This is called a friendship promise necklace.”

“A friendship promise necklace? What exactly is its purpose?”

“We have to follow through on each other's promises. We can’t break them, no matter what. Deal?”

“Wh–Wait! Let’s backtrack. We’re friends?”

“Of course we are! No need to turn red.”

I waved my hands with nothing coming out of my mouth.

She captured the moment with another beautiful smile. The same smile I enjoyed seeing.

“Whenever we have it on, we must keep our promise to each other.”

I scratched my head, thinking of a promise. I didn’t know what to say or how to react. I felt like a child receiving a gift for the first time. It was entirely new for me.

While I pondered, Raphtalia spoke of her mind.

“Can I say the first promise?”

My brain spiked with sharp pain while I nodded like a maniac. I pressed my palm against my head as cold air entered the gaps in my teeth. A laugh escaped Raphtalia’s pursed lips as she poorly covered her mouth. Her laugh was contagious. For the first time in forever, I returned a genuine laugh.

“Jill, let’s be friends forever.”

“Really? You’re serious, right?”

A second later, I felt her smooth skin embrace my own. It was a gentle hug from an angel. She whispered in my ears, “Will you take this for an answer?”

I haven’t felt happiness in forever. I desperately wanted to cry but couldn’t. I somehow found the strength to lift my arms and return a hug of my own. I finally found someone angelic in this broken world.

“Raphtalia, can I ask for a promise of my own?”

“Of course.”

I tried to mimic her smile, though I probably failed.

“Let’s never break our promises.”

“Sounds good,” she smiled.

My life was never the same since.