The One Thousand Days

Chapters 2. Soul Call

Today, I try to get through the day by trying to be happy. The sun was bright enough to bring joy and should have been able to make me ignore the thought that I was now completely alone. I opened the flower shop after being neglected since Geral was in the hospital until the young man died. Maybe I can start from this place because the\-flowers are also starting to wilt inside the vase. Even the flowers I saw in the pot showed no sign of\-a sign of being refreshed even though I had been flushing them with water since yesterday.

 I took a breath and started cleaning this place. During the clearing of this place, my mind blurred everywhere. I shook my head, trying to erase all the bad thoughts that flashed by. Meanwhile, the duster in my hand moved in between the\-shelf of the wooden shelf carrying dust flying into the air.

As the dust stuck to each corner began to diminish and the place already looked pretty clean, I scooped up the stalk of the abandoned\-stalk of withered flowers and hauled it near the pick up car in front of the store. I had to dispose of all the rest of this plant to the nearest landfill, considering it was impossible to put this much garbage in the front garbage bin of the house.

“Clean\-clean, Za?”

I looked towards the direction the sound came from. A fat mother who lives right next to the house is now greeting. His hands were busy shaking the fan left and right. Maybe he just finished watching a morning gossip show and needed a friend to talk to.

“Iya, Aunt.”

“Only alone?”

“Iya.”

“Why does Alex not help you, can he help you clean your dull house?”

His last words stung me. Now I'm observing my house whose paint is no longer as good as it used to be. The former house is quite luxurious two-story with four high pillars on a challenging terrace. Coupled with a curved dome-roofed gazebo in the front garden. Two other pillars stand upright on the left flanking two veranda. The other two pillars are located on the right with exactly the same position as on the other side. The\-flowers in the upper veranda are still in bloom, though they cannot cover the paint color on the yellowing walls. To be honest, I've forgotten since when this color change happened.

“But, the dull paint even disguises your house considering the late\-lately a lot of thieves roam. Maybe it could be an advantage for you,” he said again. Perhaps he could not wait to sow resentment because his interlocutor did not respond. He also acted as if he wanted to sympathize, but unfortunately his words were too sharp to be called attentive.

“Maling?”my words parroted even though I was actually reluctant to respond to all the things that the woman said.

“Iya, swing. He said some people with guns and a car. They stole it at the residents' house at random.”

I'm rethinking because the topic that the woman and Alex are talking about is pretty much the same. Don't\-don't now it is the season to plunder the houses of the citizens randomly.

“So the victim is not sure huh, Auntie?”

“Yes, you could say so. It could be my house, Za. Chances are pretty big for that,” said with a frown as if\-as-thought.

 “No one can be looted from Tan, it's okay\-nothing at home,” I said try to stay patient—at least try to pretend\-pretend to be patient.

The woman pulled her eyebrows up then snorted, sounding ashen. “Your house is on the edge and you live alone, that could be a strong reason for the robbery.”

I frowned when I heard a bad sentence come out of his mouth. It could be\-can he say evil things so easily. However, I chose to say anything in response. At least that way the woman will leave soon. Even so, the words\-word still make me curious until I glance at the corner of the road.

My house is at the very end right around the corner. The siskampling post was indeed near the entrance, but it was quite far from my house. If anything happens, I will be alone. Moreover, the cctv camera in front of the garage was suddenly damaged during the last few weeks. Either since before Geral's death or after. If there is a burglar into the house then they will not be caught on camera. Ah, nevermind. There will be nothing\-nothing.

“Obspect\-heart no harm, Za. Moreover, you live alone!” he said it again as if he knew what I was thinking.

“Sure, Tan. Thank you.” I nodded after smiling.

“Happy clean\-clean ya!”

“Iya,” I said while staring at his fat hips and seemed to sway with his footsteps.

The woman's words made her a little afraid. I can only hope, hopefully there is nothing\-nothing. May the Lord grant my prayer this time after many prayers at other times that are rarely answered. I put one last pile of withered stalks into the car tub. After throwing this away, I had to stop by the supplier to order fresh flowers and tell customers via social media that my flower shop would start operating again tomorrow. If I leave now, I will be home by noon. I hope that busy work will help me forget the sadness that has been struggling since yesterday.

I locked the shop after grabbing the car keys and sling bag. Making sure once again that the front gate had been padlocked then I got into the car. The pick up machine roared loudly not long after, I glanced once more towards the house and made sure that the front gate had been padlocked. The car sped when I stepped on the gas pedal. Today might be a busy day.

The hour hand started moving to number two as I returned home with an empty pick up. I slammed the body on the sofa after downing a glass full of mineral water. After that, I leaned my head against the back of the sofa. Smiling a little at the thought of today I have started working. I cleaned up the store and threw away the flowers that were not worth selling and ordered the fresh\-flowers to pay for them the next morning.

“I'm crushing, Geral. Now I am strong and no longer crying,” whispered as I held back the tears that started to lean in the corner of the eye and threatened to drip.

 “Yes, you're great baby!” Geral's voice gently caressed my ears.

“You're here?”

“Yes, I'm here,” he said as he hugged me from behind, his head lowered until we sat for a moment.

“Geral?” My lips started shaking. “This really\-really you?

“Who else?”

He moved his head closer to me. I could smell her scent and then taste her sweet lips as they swept over mine. His long arms extended past my shoulders. The young man raised his head to stop the short kiss then he smiled. I was disappointed by the short duration of the kiss, but my frustration was gone when she also joined in smiling.

“I love you,” whispered.

“I also.”

“Kiss me again!”

“Again?” tanyakanya. Then he smiled. “Sure.”

He lowered his head again about to kiss me for the second time today. When we came back in contact, a single memory hit me in the head. Geral shouldn't be here.

 “Shortly, darling,” my word.

I hurriedly\hurried to escape when Geral raised his head. I stared at the burly arm that was now encircling my chest. Buru\ hurriedly stood up after her to turn her head and looked at the sweet face of Geral who was now standing right behind me. He wears a light blue shirt suit with gray\-gray pants. Geral smiled sweetly. He's real, he's in front of me right now. I stepped forward, wanting to get closer to him. Fear of being as thin as any distance will make it disappear. A smile still reached his lips. My hand moved to touch his face. I gasped when my hand touched the wind. The young man's smile suddenly disappeared. His body also seemed to be fused with the wind. Geral just vanished.

“Gerals! Gerala! Honey!” My voice echoed in the room.

I kept calling out his name while continuing to hope Geral would welcome the call. Of course, I still haven't given up. Now I rested on the floor and repeatedly swept my hands in the last place where Geral's figure had disappeared. I touched my lips, the kiss was real. Geral kissed me, where maybe hallucinations can fake a kiss. But, where is he now?

 My tears are starting to flow. I started to turn my head in all directions hoping that he would suddenly appear\-suddenly then say sorry for worrying me. However, it was only necessary to wait for a few seconds until my expectations were completely dashed. Geral still didn't show up. Only my own silence and crying voice filled the room. Geral wasn't here at the beginning. I'm the one who still thinks he's here and he'll be back.

“I can help him get back to you.”

The faint\-vague voice again sounded as if the pierced girl was sitting beside me. The sound was like a whisper sent through the whisper of the wind between the window curtains. It was as if he was sending hope from afar. No, it was just a hallucination as usual.

I shook my head trying to cover my ears from that seductive whisper. No, no, Geral's dead. It's just that, even though I knew about it, somehow it all felt so painful. My cry broke even harder as I slumped over the surface of the floor. The cold was biting on my skin but I refused to move. My world was devastated after Geral's departure. Now the world only looked gray\-gray and like the edge of a torn piece of cloth.

I don't know how long I spent, my body started to ache. The coldness of the floor began to feel piercing the surface of the skin. I looked up and found the sunlight no longer penetrating the window. The light has been enveloped in the sky, meaning that the day has gone into the night.

 I walked over and laid myself in bed. My body is very tired today. I thought today would improve after cleaning the shop because the last few days I was too busy crying, sleeping, eating and hearing strange noises in between\-forever. Other than sound, sometimes I see faint shadows flashing or doors suddenly closing by themselves. Water taps are also often heard lit and dripping water, but when approached the tap is not even open. It felt like someone was watching my every\-grig move in this house. Although, I was a little hopeful that there was a Geral between them. Maybe that's the way the universe gave me a chance to be with him once more.

“Ah, no. That's stupid! How come? What universe? Poetic poetic sock!” muttered.

I chose to roll on the surface of the bed. Covering his face with a blanket and hugging the bolster while trying to wipe out the wild thoughts he started saying closing his eyes could make humans forget everything. All right, I'll go to bed now.

“Geral?” confused say.

Wasn't I still at home, how did I get to this place? Then why is Geral here too?

“Yes? What's wrong with you, Za?”

“A—ku, ah—eng—gak what\-what.”

“So where were we?” ask her with an enthusiastic voice.

“Maybe heaven,”, I said because my eyes are still busy looking at his face.

It still feels strange to see Geral here. To be honest, I'm still afraid to hope. Afraid that all this was just a hallucination or that my hope was a dream. However, amidst the doubts I was stunned when Geral touched the tip of my finger and grasped it. The touch really\-feels like a touch I remember all along.

“I'm lonely here, I want to go.” Geral spoke again.

“Eh? Go where?”

Geral. Her lips tightly clenched while her squeeze on my finger tightened even more.

“Do you want to go there?” I continued again in an impatient tone.

Geral was still silent. However, his silent action and tight grip of his hand were enough to show that he would want to go to that place. The place was sparkling and looked cool when viewed from a distance. I glanced at the young man, he also looked uncomfortable here with me. If he's stuck here then that means I'm holding him back.

Really, I don't want to get in the way. But no matter how beautiful the place is, I hope Geral won't answer my question. He's here, real and alive, that's more than enough. I gulped and took a heavy breath while preparing the heart with all the answers that might slide from her lips. I looked scared\-fear towards him. It felt like my heart missed a beat as Geral shook her head.

“I don't want to go there.”

“Ke—why?”

Geral looked at my face. Touching his hand traced my tapered jaw line. “I really want to go back, can you ask me to come back?”

“Back?”

“Ya.”

“Of course you can come back.”

Geral nodded again. “But, you don't want me anymore.”

“Who said? I've always wanted you, I'll make you back.”

Geral smiled, and I did the same. “You promise?”

“I promise,” I tried to convince the young man.

“Then call me back, Za!” he said as he pulled my head closer and placed a light kiss on my forehead.

“Ya.”

“Thank you.”

Geral's smile faded a few seconds later. Our hand link came off when the young man started coughing violently. A red liquid flowed from the corner of his lips. He staggered and fell to his knees on the ground. My heart is pounding harder now, why is this happening?

“You okay\-what?” I tried to pull Geral up.

“Go!”

“No.”

“Go! Fast!” Geral started pushing me away.

I still didn't move, even though Geral kept giving me the aba\-aba. My eyes pushyly stared in all directions as the black-robed figure that had somehow come from nowhere began to approach. My teeth chattered to endure the coldness that suddenly\-bite the skin. The creature carried a cold and strange air around this place.

My screams broke as my body was pushed away. The figure of the\-black-robed dark figure was now trapping Geral. I wanted to run to help him. However, the first step made my body fall forward making my chin smell the ground. A fall that sends a gall of pain in the jaw.

Uh, what is this?

My eyes were puffed up as the roots of the plant somehow came from nowhere suddenly\twisted my feet. To stop me from moving to help him. The plant continued to move upwards while my body still continued to thrash. I closed my eyes for a moment hoping it was all my imagination. However, when I opened my eyes, the root was still there.

“Let him go! Gerala! Geral!” My shout shrieked as the two figures in black still pulled Geral's arm forcefully.

I screamed louder and thrashed when I saw that Geral's head was already drooping. The young man's body drooped limp—maybe he fainted. The two black-robed, heartless creatures did all this to Geral. I tried to move before they disappeared. To help Geral. It's possible that in there they'll torture him harder.

“Please him! Release!” my peek.

But like me my voice is not heard, they keep moving slowly. Get away from me and some start to vanish from sight. They didn't take Geral to the sparkly place at the other end, but to the darker side.

“Gerals! Gerala! Geral!”

“Please him, you evil creature!” my peek.

I'm woken. Spontaneously stopped the shout as one of the figures turned his head. I shuddered and gulped when I found nothing—besides emptiness—in that black hood. There was no face there or a skull or anything, just a shapeless streak of black shadows. The hood is empty. Only void was present inside the hood. Strange and creepy emptiness.

“Geral!”

I opened my eyes. I realized when I heard my own voice. My breath snorted and my chest moved up and down. I hurriedly\-rush up and remove the sweat wetting the face. The clothes I wore were clinging tight to sweat. My hand shuts my mouth, it turns out I was just dreaming and the severity of it was the worst nightmare for the last two days. Although Geral has been in my dreams ever since his death. No special message but tonight. But he's different.

“I want to go back..”

 “You don't want me..”.

“Call me back, Za..”.

The voice reverberated again as if giving me one other option I could take. The memory of Geral is back. This dream could it be a message that I can still bring her back?

 Poor geralku. My young man was lonely and in pain there. I turned on the lights in the room. My heart raced fast as I stared at the calendar at the table. Three more days were the last day that the fortune-teller promised. Last day to call Geralku back. The idea sounds interesting even if thought out feels strange. Calling a dead person, is it really\-can be done?