Until She Jumped

Nine (A)

The gray clouds hovering over the skies told me that the rain would fall anytime today but I did not care anyway. The trees were being whipped by the wind. I wore my sweater that hang on the nightstand and went out of my room, slamming the door. Then, I walked in the street.

I did not know where to go. I did not even know why I was walking. All I wanted was just to go far away from here.

Far from here.

Just far from here.

For a little while, I closed my eyes as I stopped walking, breathing slow and deeply.

After a few seconds, my eyes opened and my feet started taking steps again. This time, I was already at the middle of the street. No one was around. Not even a single person. All I could see was the old houses built in here before my mom was even born.

As the dried brown leaves started to fall on the ground, the hissing sound surrounded me. Everything was silent, the entire road was calm, until...

“Chester,” I heard someone whispered my name. I stopped and looked to my either sides but saw no one. Who was it then? Perhaps, it was just my imagination.

I commenced walking. This time around, the cold wind blew harder, the skies got darker, yet it became even more quiet. Nothing could be heard anymore. Not even the swaying of the leaves. Not even my own heartbeats. Not even my own breathing. There was a complete silence — and it was extremely deafening in the contrary.

I closed my eyes for the second time with the hopes that everything would go back to normal after I opened it. It seemed as if I was deaf. The only thing that my ears could sense was the quietness around.

Opening my eyes, I saw a man standing in front of me meters away. Though his face was quite concealed by the smoky fog, I could still see his hands clenched. His veiny hands were too tangible to be unnoticed. I stared at the man.

Who was he?

I took a step forward and so did he. My heart beat fast. I did not know why.

Looking at him more closely, I figured out that he was walking to my direction and I could sense... anger.

His head bowed, yet his anger alerted me.

Closer...

Closer to me, he walked...

I turned aback and started to ran! He was running after me! Why?

Tension and nervousness aroused inside me. My heart was beating louder than my steps. It pounded harder inside my chest that I could even feel it. I turned my head back, still running, and saw his entire face.

What?

NO.

NO...

He...

He was....

He was the mysterious guy who attempted to talk to me about Luna's death few days ago in school.