The CURSE: Deadly Games

● NINETEEN ●

***

"I'm sorry if I was presumptuous, Mas, Mba. Can I ask you one question?" said the taxi driver who drove Eleanor and Baylor to the first library before finally driving forward.

"Can. What sir?" eleanor said as she looked forward and looked at the rear view, watching the driver's face closely.

"That, Mas, Mba. That's a lot of wounds on the same face of your body, yes," said the driver, occasionally looking at them through the rearview mirror.

"Oh, it's okay, Mom. That's it, yesterday we played to the sugar cane garden, help the grandparents pull the dry cane leaves, it's sharp, sir. Yeah, so it's getting scratched. Just yesterday, we were chased by wild animals, so we just ran through the dry sugar cane. As a result of these gini injuries, sir," Baylor lied while smiling awkwardly.

They did not expect that such a question would be raised by the driver.

"Oh, I thought what was going on. Sorry, sorry," said the taxi driver, smiling awkwardly, as if he was embarrassed to have prejudiced Eleanor and Baylor.

"You fit, Mas, Mba. I doain y'all lasting, yes," he said again.

The taxi driver's words left Eleanor and Baylor stunned for a moment, then stared at each other for a while. 

"Oh, sorry sir. It seems like you misunderstood, huh. We are a family, not a relationship. Hehe," explained Eleanor then blushed in embarrassment hearing the actual speech also pleasing her ears.

"Oh, sorry, sorry. I was wrong, anyway, today. Sorry, Mba, Mas," said the driver in a sorry tone.

After that one conversation ended, no one would open their voices again, allowing silence to envelop the rest of their journey to the first library that Eleanor and Baylor had chosen.

"It has arrived, Mas, Mba," said the driver after a while controlled by the calm of silence, disperse the daydreams of both.

"Oh, it's here, yeah. Thanks, yes, sir. Emm, this is the pay, sir. The rest keep it" Baylor said, handing over more money to the taxi driver.

"Well, thank you. May the Lord bless you always" said the driver, who was met only by the nods and smiles of the two friends.

Baylor then led Eleanor down from the taxi and took their suitcase which was placed in the trunk of the taxi, then stood for a moment, agape at the breadth and magnificence of the first library they would explore. The area was equivalent to a single hotel, even the previous library was no match for it.

"You're sure we can walk through this library?" eleanor said as she swallowed her saliva.

"Sama-sama can definitely. If today is not ready, we continue tomorrow" Baylor said, encouraging Eleanor and herself.

They then stepped their feet up the countless steps one by one, step by step while strengthening their minds not to give up halfway.

With their bodies still exhausted, coupled with the scorching afternoon sun, they finally reached the top of the stairs and rushed into the magnificent gates of the library.

"Excuse me, Mas, Mba. The suitcase can be found here. There is our security guarding it as long as you are here" said a library receptionist.

"Well, sorry, Mba. Emmm, all Mba, want some money, is there a book here called 'The CURSE : Deadly Game'?" eleanor said aloud.

"Please wait a minute, Mba. Try to find it first" said the receptionist while fiddling with the computer next to him.

Eleanor and Baylor simply nodded as they left their luggage to the security guard standing there.

"Oh, fine then. No problem" Baylor said with a faint smile.

"Hmmm, then can you please tell us where the fantasy genre books are?" eleanor Pinta.

"I'll be happy to tell you. Sorry before, Mas, Mba, our elevator is experiencing interference at this time, so it looks like you have to go up through the stairs," said the neat receptionist and lowered his head politely.

"You can simply walk to the top floor and enter the left lane. Therein lies all the fantasy genre books," explained the receptionist while showing directions to make it easier to explain.

"Oh, we understand, Mba. Thanks a lot, yes," said Baylor and immediately pulled Eleanor through the stairs that were much more than the stairs they had to pass when entering earlier.

After a while, they finally arrived at the top floor. However, they seemed unable to find anymore and decided to sit for a moment in the bing bag, calm themselves and regulate their breath.

"Lor, come!" take Eleanor after finishing her breath and no longer bored.

They then walked towards the left, and saw a gold-patterned board that read 'FANTASY'. Yeah, they finally found it after so long.

"Come, Ele. We start from this hallway. Come, split! You're from this end and I'm from there" Baylor ordered.

Eleanor simply obeyed Baylor, not denying a word. Their fingers and eyes then nimbly traced the books found along the passageway, looking for the book.

When Eleanor was about to tiptoe, looking for a hard shelf to reach, a tall man appeared to be helping her.

"This?" asked the man with a book he picked up following the movements of Eleanor's finger who was still trying to reach.

"Yes, thank you." Just as Eleanor was about to take it from her hand, the man pulled back.

"Eitss, what's your name, beautiful lady?" The man was seen teasing her by raising his two narrow eyes and approaching Eleanor. His hand he put on the shelf blocked Eleanor who was trying to get away. "I'm not evil, miss,"

Bruckkk!!

A fist instantly floated up and stamped the 5 closed fingers on the tall man's pale white face. The sound of clashing tiles and the man's body was rumbling all over the room which by the rules should not be noisy.

"Hey!! Who're you?" shouted the man who was still sitting on the floor. But Baylor did not answer, he continued to beat his face without stopping until wounds and bleeding.

Two guards were seen quickly running close to the source of the violence. The guard in matching clothes instantly broke both of them. Each one held one person. The visitors who initially focused and calm joined the kepo swarmed TKP.

"Hey!! Who's lo?" shouted the man who had been asking Baylor's name even in the security catch. However, Baylor continued to thrash out wanting to keep beating the man.

"Patience, Lor," said Eleanor, trying to calm and restrain Baylor.

The two security men walked down the stairs until they arrived at the ground floor followed by Eleanor. The security threw both of them out of the gate.

"Sorry, you are not allowed to enter the library anymore at this time. Clean up your problems outside, and come in the next day," said one security and then turned back to work.

Inevitably, Eleanor comes out with Baylor, drags back their suitcases and waits for a taxi to pick them up to a nearby hotel. Actually they want to go home and meet their parents to let go of longing. But what their power is, they do not want their parents to see bruises and scratches all over their bodies and faces and become anxious. They also insist on hiding all these things and are only willing to meet their parents after everything is finished.