"Run faster !! Go !!" The exclamation roars into my ears, forcing my feet to swing faster.
"FASTER !!" the same voice barks at me in the same time with the heat that worms on my butt out of stick hit. I'm trying ! I really am trying !! I shout inwardly.
A small boy is running beside me. "Come, chase me !" he says then winks at me before streaking to leave me.
"Don't be a snail !!"
My small feet immediately fasten their steps, not to chase the boy but to avoid another stick hits. The pain of the stick hit is replaced by the hurt of tree's twigs scrapes on my face. One of them even nearly pokes my eye if only I was late to close it. But my decision of closing my eyes is not a smart move neither. I couldn't see root of tree that stretches before me so my leg stubs on it.
My body is shaking and falling. When I open my eyes, ground is only few inches from my nose. I prepare my self to accept the hard bump on my face...
Tit-tit-tit-tit
My watch alarm forces me to wake with a snort. My eyes immediately open widely. My heart is still beating hard because of the dream I had. The same dream that I used to have.
In every dream, I was a little boy in a kind of military training camp in the forest. I'm not sure whether it is really a training camp. What I know for sure that in my dream someone always shouts at me while I try hard to run, crawl, frog jump, or things like that.
Tit-tit-tit-tit
My alarm is never tired to ask for my attention. "Yeah.. yeah.. I'm awake," I grumble, turning it off. My other hand uncovers the blanket from my body. I have to flush my sleepyhead with cold water and go to see someone.
-----------------
After putting my helm on steering, I walk through a wooden door that has doom-shaped doorway. The room inside the door is very quiet, even squeaking voice of my shoes becomes so loud.
An old lady who came right before me, turns to me and gives me a dislike look. I nod my head to ask for her forgiveness. Still looking at me, the lady dips four of her fingers to a bowl hangs on the sidewall of the door then touches them to her forehead, chest, and both of her shoulders.
Because she still stares at me, I decides to imitate what she just did. Fortunately, after that the lady just looks away limps to a narrow alley that is a gap between two long bench, toward the most front row.
I step my feet to the most back row. With a little bow to give my respect to the big cross in front, I go inside the row and kneel down on a cushion. I fold my hand in prayer position then touch my fist to my forehead. In this position I can clearly scan the situation of the entire high-ceiling room.
Beside me and the old lady, there are only three persons in the room. Two persons are praying, the other one is busy with the altar. I glance to two doors in the middle of the left wall of the church. One of the door is closed, while the other is opened.
Dong.. dong.. dong.. 12 PM sharp. A man comes from the closed door with listless face. The priest's job is finish, waiting for two hours inside the small chamber behind the door, incase there is someone who wants to confess their sin. Based on his face, it looks like today he doesn't have any 'patient'. The priest is in hurry going out of the church from the sideway door, after -not to forget- making a cross sign with holy water.
Once the priest is off from my sight, I step out of the bench, again a bit bowing to the cross, then go to the door where the priest came from. I open the door slowly then enter it. Turns out is smaller than I thought. The lighting only depends on a light bulb that reluctant to work. There is only a chair that is taken all space.
I sit on the chair, facing a rob that hangs on the door. On my right there is a small window that is covered by a tiny wooden-slide door. I slide the door until the window is opened a little bit. The window is a connection between this small chamber with the other small chamber. The window is covered by a mosquito net right until a centimeter below. The next chamber having more light then one i sit on.
I glances at my watch. 12.06. The door of the next chamber is opened.
"You're late, Mr. Edison," I scold with a low tone once the man kneels in front of the small window.
"Sorry," he says, a little uncomfortable, then hands me a big envelope through the gap under the window. "That's half of our deal and the information you asked," Marcus Edison explains.
I only nod then receive the envelope.
"Two weeks, right ?" he asks me to make sure.
"Right, Sir. Two weeks from now," I confirm.
Marcus Edison sighs in relieved. "That's good," he says. He then stands up and prepares to leave.
"Mr. Edison," I call him.
He turns to me. "Yes ?"
"Remember our deal," I say to him. I don't think I need to tell him the deal I was talking about.
Marcus Edison nods. "Of course," he says with shrinking voice. "I'm.. I'm leaving," he says goodbye with nervous. Having no response from me, he immediately opens the door and goes out.
I wait for another three minutes, to make sure Marcus Edison is leaving the church. Only then I stand up, intending to leave. But suddenly the door of the other chamber is opened.
Instead of leaving, I decide to sit back again. I can hear someone is kneeling. A second later a face of woman filling the window. Reluctantly I raise my hand to make a cross in the air.
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sins," her voice is filled with sadness and pent-up anger in the same time.
"Continue," I say shortly.
The woman sighs loudly. "Father, I .. actually I don't know if this a sin, but I hate my father. I really hate him that I want to kill him," she says. A strange accent was shown in between her words. Then you come to the right person, I say inwardly.
"Why do you want to kill him ?" I ask her, unconsciously throwing the standard question to my new client.
"Because he .. he .." silence. The woman sighs then shakes her head few times. "No, I can't. This is wrong," she says that I'm sure directed for herself. My eyebrows go together. Interesting woman.
"I'm sorry, Father. Can you just give me penitence ?" she requests. As I was expected, she is discouraged. She must think herself is betraying her father right now. "Father ?" she calls once again impatiently.
"Pray ten times of Our Father. But instead saying 'forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors', change it into "forgive me my debts as I forgive my self'," I say then.
Her eyes is staring at me, as if going to protest me. But then her eyes is going wistful again as she is lowing her head. "Bless me, Father," she says in tired.
For the second time I move my hand, cutting the air in vertical and horizontal way. After receiving my bless, the woman stands and leaves.
I lean my back to the chair back. I admit, I made a mistake. My penitence was spontaneous. Praying Our Father for ten times will require two until three minutes. Then, based on the woman's attitude, she probably will add with other prayers. I'll be locked here, I scold my self.
My watch is telling me it is 12.20. This is not good. The longer I am here, the more trouble I may have. There is a possibility the more people I need to take their confession. And, the priest could just come back any time and caught me. I glance at the rob in front of me.
I open the door slowly. The silence of the church ambushes me right away. The old lady is still at her place. A woman kneels on a bench near the chamber. Her head is deeply bowed while her lips is mumbling in silent. She must be that woman. I turn my head to the altar. The man who cleaned the altar is not there anymore.
I walk as quiet as possible to the side front door. After making a cross sign I let my self out of the church.
Outside is even quieter than inside the church. Without giving up a chance, I take off the robe and just throw it near the church door. Then I walk toward my motorbike in hurry.
My mouth exhales in relieved when my body is already on my motorbike that I parked in front of the church. Okay, Scorpion, that was stupid, I rebuke inwardly. I touch my chest, to make sure the envelope from Marcus Edison is still there, between my long john and coat. Then I put my gloves.
At that time someone is out from the church's main door. The young lady who confessed sin. She leans on the doorway with hands folded in front of her chest. I think she awaits for someone to pick her up.
When my hand is about to take my helmet, my sight catches other thing. A flash of light attracts my attention. Without moving my head too much, I find the source. Got it. Fifth floor of the across building.
The flash of light was coming from surveillance lenses that reflect the sunlight. I just snorts. Eventually, there is someone more stupid than I am today. The flash of light is just like someone shouting with toa, "I'm here !! Come and get me !!"
I decide to ignore him, or her, and put my helm and ready to go. I definitely don't want to be here when the cops come. From inside my helmet, I glance once again at the flash of light then to the young woman. I hope the sniper won't destroy her pretty face.
I just start the engine when once again my attention is distracted by shadow on my rearview mirror. A group of kids walk in line leaded by a nun.
"Please, be quiet. We are about to arrive to the church," the nun says, seems like overwhelm to handle the twenty kids by herself. The kids are still nosy.
In reflex, I turn my head to the sniper, wanting to telepath and says, "Hey, halt it! There are kids, man!" Of course the words are not reached by the sniper. And he seems not to care with the kids' presence because he clearly doesn't stop his action.
A red dot floating on the doorway, approaching the woman with a constant speed. The kids is lining in front of the church, giggling, while the nun is lecturing them while tidying their clothes up.
I see it in panic. This is definitely not good at all. The red dot is now on the woman's hair. In less than a second, my body decides itself. I step my feet to approach the woman. Her forehead is now accessorized with a red dot. One more step.
While my left hand pulls my helmet slightly up until my nose is seen, I reach her shoulder with my right hand so she is facing me. The woman scream in surprised. Before she can react further, I put my hand on her shoulder and I shut her mouth with my lips.
The kids exclaim excitedly to watch me and the woman kissing. The woman's hands is punching me, struggling to let herself go. But my hand is tighter to hold her shoulder. Her body is squeezed between the doorway and my body in a such way so the sniper can't put a bullet to her without through my body.
I move my left hand to my waist, pointing my index finger and thumb as a gun symbol. I rub my palm to my jeans pocket, telling the sniper that I notice him and he should abort his mission. The red dot is shifting from my back to the doorway then vanishes.
I let go my clinch to the woman's lips as my hand is also letting her go. Still with a panting, the woman looks at my helmet dark plastic cover, trying to search for my eyes. With mounting anger she slaps her hand to my helmet, which of course only hurt her hand.
Fail to slap me, she kicks my shinbone as mighty as she can then runs surpass me and calls a cab. I can only stare at her leave while squinting in pain.
When her taxi is gone, I turn my head to the kids who still talking about the free show, then to the nun who is raising her hands to her waist and looking at me in disgusted. All I can do is to grin widely then leave them.
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QUIC QUIZ:
Do you think Scott's dream has any meaning? what is it ? Please leave your answer in a comment below ^_~