Prudence got up from the floor and let out a loud sigh. She crossed the room with small steps, made it to the corner where the toilet bowl stood with a green hose suspended above it. She pulled up a small chair, turned to face the wall, and started undressing, stacking her clothes in a pile on the chair.

“Don’t look,” she told Alvin, and turned on the cold water. Alvin quickly averted his gaze, lay down on the mattress, and stared at the ceiling. The lighter fell out of his pocket. Alvin stared at the naked woman for a few moments, and flicked the wheel a few times. It took him several attempts until a feeble flame appeared.

He lay on his side, drew the flame to the box. A smell of burned plastic took to the air. He snuck a quick peek at his mother, who was still showering with her back to him. Then he drew the flame to the box again. It burned a small hole into the plastic. The hamster-rabbit looked up at the spark and immediately scurried to the other side, pressing herself against the wall. Alvin gently turned the box around and drew the flame to the plastic wall again. Once more the hamster-rabbit fled to the opposite corner and froze.

“Idiot,” Alvin said, drawing the flame to his pet. She tried to escape but he wouldn’t let her. She started squealing in that annoying whistle of hers. Her tiny hairs got torched one by one, exposing her pink skin again. When the flame started singing her skin, she stopped fighting. She curled up into a ball in the corner of the box. Silently.

“What’s that smell?” Prudence yelled and turned off the faucet. “Why does it stink in here?”

The lighter fell from Alvin’s hand, hitting the CD cover. He didn’t say a word. Prudence turned on the faucet again. He looked at the hamster-rabbit and felt regret. He started petting her, surprised by how quickly she gave into his touch again. She drew her tiny nostrils to his fingers. Alvin tore her a small piece of the lettuce she was standing on, and she nibbled it eagerly.

3.

PRUDENCE TURNED OFF the water, wrapped a towel around her body, and sat down next to Alvin. Tiny droplets slid off her black hair onto the mattress. She gazed at the three gilded Jesus paintings that hung on the wall, then asked Alvin if he thought she was pretty. He said yes, and she stroked his back and instructed him to open the fridge and eat the sambusak leftover from yesterday. He suggested they share it, but she didn’t answer. She watched him slowly work through the cold pastry and collected the sesame seeds that scattered across the bed.

“I bought you a gift,” he said between bites.