The One Thousand Days

(Special Chapter)- The Rhythm of the Past

The music is slow. His head swayed to the rhythm from inside the headset we were wearing together. Geral looked and smiled. Same\-sama drifted in the songs we listened to from the same music player. We put on one headset, one in his ear and another in my ear. We were still sitting together on the swing. Our feet slid into the soft, cold surface of the sand.

My love can't rest a day,

My heart can't beat without you

What could I do without you?

“Do you think this song is too mature for us?” I opened the conversation after hearing the lyrics of the song sung by the melodious voice male singer.

Geral twinkled her eyes, her pliable eyelashes moving adorable. I smiled thinly. Her eyelashes are too feminine, too pretty when I say.

“If I sing it for you it will be a child song\-children,” nosy laughter expands on his face.

“Genit!” my shoulder poked on his shoulder.

“Enza, I'm serious.”

“Thirteen-year-old boy talking seriously,” I sneer.

He widened his eyes until his brown eyeballs seemed to enlarge. “You don't take me seriously?”

I'm nodding. He looked cute, not like my serious and fierce father all the time.

“I will sing the song later when we grow up,” Geral said with determination.

“When is it?” i giggle.

“Every day, every time, until you know I'm serious.”

“Gosh! that's horror.”

“I don't care.”

I want to answer. However, my hair began to bristle. Standing ferociously above the surface of my nape. Swiped it. Trying to eliminate the cold sensation on my neck.Balok\-beam ice cubes as if stuck at the nape of the neck, making me shiver cold.

I rubbed my neck and moved stiffly. Trying to look. My eyes met the eyes of the creature. Black eyes were empty and cold.

“Arrggghhhh!”

My shrill scream split the playground. I fell off the swing. One end of the headset in my ear came off. It hung in confusion just like Geral's current facial expression. The creature was in long white clothes that dangled, its hair was also hanging horribly to the hips. His eyes were bottomless black. Really\-terrible.

“Don't approach me!” my eyes stared at the creature.

My fingers grabbed the sand grains. Grasping it and sprinkling it towards the white-clothed creature that was now approaching Geral. The creature was astounding, its teeth looked sharp and its black eyes were still looking at me.

“Stop!”

I closed my ears as the creature began to sing. Song\-tongue sadness in a foreign language penetrates the sense of hearing. His deep and low voice made the entire feather on my body stand up. The figure in white now walked over to me. His footsteps were light, treading on the surface of the sand without causing a trace.

I was still down, tears started to pierce inside my eyelids. The palm of my hand is still squeezing my earlobe tightly\-tight.

“Enza, you why?”

“No, no, stop making noise!”

I close my ears more tightly. But the voice still went in. Like a tiny needle passing through my finger\shelf to steal all the sounds that will go into the ear. Slippery like water seeping in every microscopic hole even once. His voice was shrill, hoarse and deep. Told me I'd be fine if she let him into my body. It led me to give up my soul. “Enza!”

Geral pulled my hand that was still squeezing my earlobe. Put one end of the headset into my ear hole. I froze, the rhythm of the song is now earthy with the voice of the long-haired woman who is now singing it. I think Geral put the other end of the headset in my ear.

The woman is approaching. My eyes widened. Too scared to close your eyes. My finger pulled on Geral's strong\-strong shirt. I was still frozen and stuck in place.

“Don't see that it's scary!”

Geral covered my face with her jacket. Covering my eyes so I can't see. I looked up, a wide laugh forming on his face. We still veiled the jacket that covered the head. I was stunned as she pulled one end of the headset from my ear hole. Gigilan started attacking my body. An awkward chill came back.

“Do not be afraid, Enza!”

“I'm afraid,” my cry this time broke.

“I'm here, don't be afraid!”

“But, Geral\-”

“Sshhh! I'll close your eyes so you don't see what you don't want to see, I close your ears so you don't have to hear what you don't want to hear, ” Geral smiled gently.

“But, I still hear,” I turned scared\-fear towards the figure of the woman who is now moving to the side.

Geral pulled my face to face him. “We need to share rhythm.”

“Share rhythm?”

He nodded steadily. “For I hear what you hear.”

“You can't hear what I hear,” I murmured sadly.

“Iya. But, I believe.”

“Yep, I believe whatever you say.”

“Is that?”

“You just need to hear my voice.”

“For what?”

“For you always remember me, my face and my voice. Keep it in your heart.” Geral smiled again.

I smiled and nodded. “I won't forget it.”

I can't live a moment without you

I can breathe only if you're with me

I love you forever and ever

The sound of the song still faintly penetrated my sense of hearing. Makes me mumble.

“Enza! Geral!”

A voice called our names.

“Sister,” I screeched hurriedly\hust pull that jacket off my face.

“This is secret!” whispered naughty.

“The secret of both of us,” Geral laughed softly.

Brother can't know I'm scared. He'd really dislike me talking about ghosts.

“You guys what?” Brother Alex frowned.

I was silent, and Geral was silent. Our little fingers are tied to each other behind our backs.

 “We have to go home now, Enza!”

“But, Geral.”

I looked with pity at the boy who was still standing next to me. He looked at Alex without blinking.

“Her father will pick up soon,” says Alex steady.

“Do we not wait and accompany him until his papa comes?”

Alex shakes. “We have to go home now!”

“Go home, we can play again next time,” Geral smiled gently.

“You're not afraid?”

“I will prevent him from following you and keep him here,” he whispered in my ear.

 “Tapi–”

“Go home!”

I handed the headset to Geral. “Sing me that song next time.”

“Sure.”

“Wear!”

I put the headset in his ear hole.

“Have children\-children? Let's go home!” Alex was getting impatient.

Geral smiled and waved her hand. I nodded my head to say goodbye while Alex pulled my arm. I looked back. Geral was still waving her hand. Both of his ear holes were covered in headsets. The feathers of kudukku bristles.  The creature has not left. He smiled cynically. My breath was restrained as the figure of the woman embraced Geral. Hugged it from behind.

Thank you, for loving me

Thank you, for making me laugh

The sound of the song still resonates. Not the voice of a male singer, not the voice of Geral. But the voice of the woman.