A Half Past Six
by Ikhtiarina Putri Shalehah
It was Saturday afternoon when Ry and I were walking down the street. We were going home after having a half-day-long conversation at Peacock Coffee near Fifth Avenue. I checked my watch and looked up the sky. It was 5 pm but the sky is darker than usual, a bit hazy. I felt like the branches of pine trees were dancing along the way. The cars are parked in the garage, the doors are closed and so all the windows too. The people were in the church, or they were busy preparing for a family dinner, I thought.
I remembered that it was two weeks before spring but the temperature was still under the normal degree. I found myself chilled and walked closer to Ry. His body can spread a constant warmth I always like. The street was empty. There was no noise, only a faintly sound of radio from the house we walked by. Ry hold my hand tightly. He whispered something in my ear.
“Look at your 11 o’clock’s direction.”
His warm breath made me feel a little goose bump. I looked straight at his direction. There stood a little girl with a long blond hair, a pale face, and a mini pink skirt. She was swinging with her elder brother. 7 year old I guess, and 11 for her brother. But I cannot see their parents around.
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know, there is something strange,” he said.
I felt the air temperature decreased. After Ry said that it was strange, it was like a suggestion to feel it that way. I do not think about it any further.
Right when we were turning to Apple Street, we are surprised by a man rode his bicycle who suddenly coming from the other direction. We are collided and fell upon the pathway. I thought I was okay when I realized it was Ry’s body over me. “Ry are you okay?”
He was only moaning. I found his right forehead is scratched by hitting a stone.
“I am okay. But, Em, I think he got something from me.” He was settled down and said, “my wallet!” He was stood up immediately, “Wait here, just wait here Em!,”
He was running so fast and turning into Riverside Street until I could not see his back. I was all alone and nobody was here. I looked at the swing and found the children were not there. Suddenly I felt frightened. This was not like I have accustomed to. I had to suggest myself that everything is okay and Ry will go back here just in a few minutes.
The wind just blew hard and it was creep me even more. I heard the swing was creaking loud. I saw somebody open the windows in the house in my right, but it is closed just in a few second. I was just going to run after Ry when I saw him in the junction. Mindlessly, I was running toward him then hugging him tight. Ry hold my hand and I felt his hand freezing. It was not he used to. Then I saw the lamps on every house started to light on at once. I felt like today was very different, seemed like everything was not okay.
“I want to be at home just now,” I said.
“Soon,”
He answered with a very short respond. I felt it a little queer. Never mind, I cannot think anything except being home as fast as I can. Holding my hand tight, Ry walked in a long stride. It was like he was chasing something. His eyes looking straight ahead. Suddenly he stopped at that peculiar house I hate the most. The house is beautiful, but always empty. I ever told Ry once that it remained me of the Noah and Allie’s house from The Notebook.
I was looking around and seeing nobody’s around. No lamp was turning on, except the one in the left side. I was still wondering why Ry stopped here when he suddenly took my hand and covered my mouth harshly. I was surprised, could not believe that Ry will do this to me. His hand frozen, I could hear his breath, so fast, not steady, and it was not Ry. His body was sweating in this cold temperature. I realized that I became so tiny compared with his body. This is not Ry. I just began to scream but I lose my voice. I could not even hear my voice. This is not Ry.
He was dragging me to the side of the house where the only light existed. There was laid a stair down to basement. I could see a complete carpentry tools in thick table made of wood. The air was hot, felt like burning, and I found it hard to breathe. I saw someone was standing with a mask near the fireplace. The mask, looked like the one owned by Joker. There is something like a wax beside him and it smell very stingy. Suddenly I was shocked by a noisy sound of kitchen wares.
I heard someone moaning so hard and loud. Then something appeared behind the counter. I could recognize that it was Ry’s sneakers. I saw him with knotted hands and covered mouth. His injured forehead is bleeding now. He was looking straight at me and trying to say something. I could not hold my tears, felt like we were going to die sooner or later.
The Joker Man walked to the counter and took something from it. He was heading to Ry with razor blades in both hands. Ry tried to get up, but something was hurting him. The Joker Man walked closer to him. I kicked and wriggled the man behind me, but he held me firmly. I saw my watch fell to the ground as I tried to get away. I felt my hands free and my mouth is no longer covered by the man’s hand. Soon as I want to run, I felt like a heavy timber just hit me like a truck from my back. Instantly, I just fell to the ground. I could see my watch right in my forehead. The watch is broken and no longer ticking, but it was a half past six, an hour ago since Ry and I were walking in the pathway and everything was okay.
The smell of the ground is disgusting, like a rotten flesh. I tried to keep my eyes open, but I could not resist the pain in my back. Geez, it was hurt like heaven. Then I felt like my body floating. Somebody was standing in front of me with his air board. First thing I could remember is Ry. But I could not see him everywhere. “Emmeline, what are you doing here little girl.” His deep voice woke me up. And I couldn’t be more shocked. As a tried to gather my guts, he approached me closer. I lost my words, also my strength.
“Bruce....,” I am stupefied, “Wayne.”
Surely, it was like my world is falling apart just in a few second ago.
“So long it has been, Emmeline.”
I could not hold back my tears. I heard that he was laughed out loud, followed by The Joker Man behind him. His hand is covered by the fresh blood. I could not imagine what happened with Ry. Bruce was wheeling his air board around me. And I could see that the world around is spinning. My body is hurt like heaven until I could not feel anything. I found it really hard only to take a single breathe. My heart just skipped a beat. I can feel my blood stream stopped as it began to freeze. I was still trying to keep awake, but I couldn’t help.
I woke up in a tingling disbelieve. I found my body full of sweat and my heart beat really fast. My mouth tasted like a fresh blood and my head throbbed pain. I was squinting my eyes, then realized that I woke up in a room painted in blue. I was looking around and found a clock hanging in the wall. It showed me a half past six. I felt like I remember something that never occur. Everybody call it déjà vu.
(Inspired from film House of Wax in 2005)
This short story was written to fulfill Creative Writing's task - March 24, 2016
