PSEUDO (SHORT STORY)

PSEUDO XIV

PSEUDO XIV

While I was heading to Aunt Brenda's house, suddenly, I was stopped in front of a middle-aged woman holding lots of bags in her hands. Her chess nut-like hair was so messy, her skin was so pale, and her eyes were full of sadness when she looked at me.

I saw my mom to her when she was also stressing herself about dad.

"Y-you are Dimitrie?"

I nodded but didn't show any enthusiasm. She's my Daddy's mistress, anyway.

"And you are?" I ask, trying to hide the fact that I already know her.

"I-im Imago. You're d-dad's ....."

"I know. I know." 

I can't bear this so I decided to leave because honestly speaking; I didn't like her talking to me. "I need to go."

I did not get a response immediately, but she suddenly spoke after I took a few steps.

"Wait! I-i just want you to know t-that your dad is in hospital and he's... critical." She said as she started crying.

What?

"What happened?" I ask curiously.

"I don't know. It happened suddenly, but the police officer says someone planted a bomb inside his car." She walks toward me. "H-here. This is the number of his room. If you want to visit him, I gladly invite you. J-just do it earlier before it's too late."

She turned her back and waited for a cab on the roadside. When she vanished from my sight, I looked at room no. It was 44.

This means the no. 4 on the list of my book of death.

I don't know, but I felt sad. Knowing my dad will die a few hours or minutes from now.

"My Dad is dead." I told him the news I had heard from my neighbor.

Hunter coughed for a moment, digesting what I have been said.

"C-condolence. Are you okay?" He asks from the phone.

I just hugged the pillow tightly while I'm on my bed. I decided to call Hunter because Hunter was the only one I had. I don't have Everleigh anymore, remember?

"Definitely not. My best friend Everleigh and I had an argument because of some stupid misunderstanding. She can't understand me!"

"So what happened?"

"At first I tried to be calm. Thinking that Everleigh is just over reacting but she's not! And could you believe it? She called me Lunatic! How dare she?"

"But she's your best friend, right? Maybe she is just thinking about you and your life."

"No Hunter. No. She is just thinking about herself, her happiness and not mine!" I said bitterly. "If I knew it earlier? Believe me, Hunter, I won't think twice to write her name in the book of death. But now I did write her though."

"What again? Book of death?"

Out of shock, I bit my tongue because of being careless. But, geez! I did say it to Hunter!

"N-no. You just heard it wrong." Oh, shoot. What will I say now? I am lost for words! "I said 'if' I have a book of death. But, I don't have, right? Hahaha, and you know what I like stories about mystery, so this was the result of watching such movies last night."

"Ahhhh. That's cool if we have that power? Right. Hahaha," he uttered.

"Y-yeah. Ha-ha-ha." I laugh awkwardly. Geez! That was so close!

The next day at the school, Everleigh kept on budging me, but I always rejected her. She is trying to talk to me and act as if nothing wrong happened yesterday between us.

But, sorry, I will not forget it so easily, unlike her. 

Who on earth will be happy to be called a lunatic?

After class, I got a letter in my locker.

It was Everleigh's apology letter. I opened the envelope and read what has been written on it.

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