The Conspiration of The Universe (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Third: The Accident (26)

26

(page 88 of 126)

                  Her room was slightly bigger than ours but it lacks other facilities such as the living area. It is only the bedroom. This was actually the first time I’ve been in her house since visitors were not allowed. But right now, at a state of an accident they had permitted us to go inside to take care of Eureka just for a little while.

                  Matt and I carefully tucked Eureka to her bed and she looked at us weirdly grinning. I fluffed her pillow so she could rest her injured head at a level.

                  “You two look handsome” she acknowledged.

                  “Eureka, baby, I don’t know about your boyfriend there but I’m always handsome.” Matt seriously claimed. I don’t think he’s in the mood for jokes so he must really think of that. It’s good that Matt, the real Matt, was somewhat coming back but his expression from the hospital still lingers on his face. I grabbed Matt’s shoulders and nodded at him. Being my best friend for a long time he almost knew what I was thinking and he gently nodded back at me. He then opened his bag and brought out his laptop.

Then as for me, I sat beside Eureka and held one of her hands that was least injured. I can’t believe that I am going to do this so I sighed like I never sighed before.

“Eureka, do you remember the first time we have met?”

She then briefly smiled at me. “Luke, of course I do. But why are you exactly asking me that right now?”

“Remember that I told you that you were a character from a book?” her smile faded and turned into a frown.

“Yes, I remember. Luke, where are you going with this?” she sounded a little bit irritated.

“I wasn’t lying back then. It was real.”

“Are you the one who have been hit in the head or me? Seriously Luke, this is not the time...”

“No, this is the perfect time. Eureka what I have said about you that day was true except we haven’t met at Cavite and I haven’t introduced myself as Darwin because I am not Darwin.” She looked at me tensely as if she’s asking me to explain more. “Eureka, listen, this may sound absurd but you are a character from a book.”

“Why are you doing these? Why are you making things up? I don’t understand, Luke.”

I looked at Matt who was already waiting for my signal. He stood up and brought his laptop near enough for Eureka to read. Matt had copied the e-book of A Starless Night that I have downloaded and now he’s showing it to her. For the first time Eureka had been able to read her story, her very life. She hadn’t had the time to read each pages in detail but her expression was filled with surprise, sadness and doubt. Just reading her name, the name of her loved ones, the way she thinks, the things she knows and remembers that has paralleled this world made her scared to the point that she was already fiddling with her lip.

“What the hell is this book?” she said while still clicking next. She came across some of the text that I have highlighted, the texts that had surfaced to reality. Her eyes then became teary then before I know she was already sobbing. Seeing her cry make me feel bad about myself and tears well up on my eyes as well.

“Luke, tell me what the hell is this book?” she repeated. Her voice was now hoarse and her face was already red. I want to tell her all about the book but who am I to say that it would not hurt her even more. They say truth hurts and that’s the truth, it hurts and it demolishes.

“Eureka, I’m sorry.” I finally told her the words I could only think right now.

“How could you, Luke? How could you keep this as a secret?!” she screamed at me. “Luke, do you know how this feels? That the person you care and trust the most kept a life-changing secret? No, do I even have a life? Or do I only have a plot of a book to follow?”

“Eureka,” Matt interjected. 

                  “You too, Matt. You have known of this yet you haven’t dared to tell me. I thought you were my friend!”

                  “He is your friend. He tried to tell you this but I just stopped him.” I defended Matt. He doesn’t deserve to be hated. “I’m the one you should be angry at.”

                  “Why have you done this to me Luke?” she massaged the part of her head which was bandaged.

                  “Because I care about you so much that I ignored that huge fact about you because frankly I don’t give a hell whether you are book character or not. Is it so important for us to know the truth in our existence if we could blatantly ignore it and live a happy life? What is important for me right now is you’re here with me. That is good enough for me.”

                  She shook her head. “No, you are just being a selfish jerk! Because of this, I don’t know any more if the ones I know is true let alone you! I don’t know any more if I really like you or I’m just feeling this way for you because of the book’s will!”

                  “Eureka, please don’t say that.” I muttered. I felt painful pang in my chest but I tried to ignore it. “Eureka,”                 

She closed her eyes and shook her head again. “Please, get out! I could take care of myself.” She sobbed and covered herself with her blanket. I wanted to touch her and make her feel better but Matt stopped me and motioned me to go outside.

“Let’s leave her be for now. It would be easier for her.” Matt whispered. I followed him outside and we walked away silently.

                  Humans usually make a mistake because at almost all the time they don’t see what would be coming if they are about to make a choice, they don’t see the possible effects that it may happen if they continue what they desire. As for me, my mistake was committing a mistake for I know what’s coming yet I’ve been oblivious to it.