7 DAYS

THE ENDING

Kayla opened and blinked her eyes several times. The sunshine came through the curtains in her small bedroom. Slowly, she got up and stretched her body. She must have really overslept, which she rarely did. No matter how late she slept at night she never woke up later than eight o'clock in the morning. She yawned and got out of the bed without even made it. She left the bedroom and walked straight to make a cup of coffee, black coffee with a teaspoon of brown sugar. The sun was already so high and made the living room warm. She was supposed to go to the office, but she didn't know why she felt no rush. She took her time to drink her hot coffee, stood by the window, watched people who walked on the sidewalks and all the vehicles that passed on the road. It was a busy day, as usual. But she swore she felt so sleepy, sleepier than usual, with depleting energy. The coffee didn't play its role.

Kayla blinked her eyes several times. She was lying on the couch. She didn't know how long she slept there and since when. The room was still warm although no more sunlight. She got up and sat, leaned her body against the couch in a very relaxed position. She wanted to call Martin but her phone was nowhere to be found. She had been trying to find it with no result, in the bedroom, shower room, kitchen, living room, in all places she thought she might leave her phone. That was the last thing she remembered before she lied down on the couch and fell asleep again.

When she woke up, she realized she had not eaten anything but she felt no hunger. And somehow, she felt her body was lighter. Too bad she didn't have a body scale because she would be very happy if she really lost weight. She wanted to look beautiful now that she had Martin.

Again, she walked to the window, stood there, watching all the activities below her apartment room. The day was bright just like the day she spent with Martin the other day or was it just yesterday? She tried to remember what really happened on that day, but she couldn't as if there was a haze in her mind and the headache punched in every time she tried to remember. But she was sure something good had happened that day because there was a trace of happiness somewhere in her heart. She could remember Martin's smile and she was sure she was smiling back at him. She also vaguely recalled that Martin said something about dating.

Something else slowly came to her mind, which led her to walk to the bookshelf close the door although she was not so sure why. A silvery item was there, the one that looked like a metronome. 7 horizontal bars were on the front part, all were bright blood red. She touched it with her fingers. That thing was damn cold but the bars were warm. She used to call that thing with something, but she couldn't remember. A name that most likely used by superheroes. It was funny because it seemed there were a lot of things she couldn't remember, and she didn't even try so hard to recall.

She walked to the window. She wanted to talk to her Ma, Dad, hear Sharon's voice, even checked the work progress with Bonny, but she felt very sleepy and drained.

The sun completely disappeared when Kayla laid on the couch and about to fall asleep again when suddenly she heard the front door was about to be opened. She quickly opened her eyes and jumped out of the sofa. It happened again; maybe it was the same man. She was not so sure what man that she thought about, but this time she wouldn't let him ruin her days and most importantly, her mind. She would ask him lots and lots of question and would demand the answer to each question without letting him disappear again. But why? What had he done to her? All she knew was that she must be prepared.

When the door opened, she saw her Ma and Dad walked into her apartment room and that brought joy to her heart. But something was wrong, as they looked so sad. Even Ma was crying and her face was wet. Dad had to hold her tight and walked her into the couch, not far from where Kayla stood. Then someone came carrying two big pieces of baggage. It was Mr. Doot, the apartment manager. With confusion, Kayla watched him put the baggage not far from the entrance door. He approached Jacob and Katie who sat on the couch.

"If you need anything else, please let me know. I am sorry for your loss," he said quietly. He nodded.

"Thanks," replied Jacob. He walked him to the front door then closed it.

Kayla kneeled down in front of Katie. "Hey, Ma, what is happening? Why are you crying?" Before she could hear any reply, Jacob sat back next to Katie. He let his wife put her face in his chest and cried loudly. "Ma, Dad. What is going on?" It seemed both of them couldn't hear her. She touched Katie with her hands, but there was like a thin barrier that was not allowing her to do so. She looked at her both hands. Everything felt so weird. "Ma," she called her again, but Katie still cried in Jacob's chest. And this time Kayla saw tears on Jacob's cheeks, too. A pain sensation punched her stomach, leaving an unpleasant feeling.

Then there was another knock on the door. Kayla still kneeled down, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Now Honey, let me see who knock on the door." He kissed the top of Katie's head before getting up to open the door.

Kayla could see Bonny, Katelyn, and Martin. She got up and hurriedly approached Martin, but she stopped. Something was definitely wrong. Everyone's face was so sad, Martin didn't even try to hide that he had been crying.

"Hey, Mr. Suryata, I am Bonny, Kayla's colleague at the office." He shook Jacob's hand. "And this is my girlfriend, Katelyn." He stepped aside as Kat shook hand with Jacob.

"I am Martin," said Martin after Kat finished with the introduction. He cleared his throat before went on, "Kayla and I... we were dating." He warmly shook Jacob's hand.

Were? That word stole Kayla's attention. She wondered why he said were? She then remembered that they just officially dated. Was it over already? Why did it happen so fast? Did anything go wrong? Did they have a fight? Did they stop loving each other? "Martin," called her. But just like Ma and Dad, he couldn't hear and see her. "Bon, Kat, anyone can hear me?" She jumped and waved her hands in front of them, but they ignored her.

"Come on in. We just arrived, went to the hospital and went straight here. My wife is there, Katie, Kayla's mom."

"I am sorry I didn't wait for you there." Martin apologized.

"Don't be. I knew you took good care of things for us already. And we thank you for that." Jacob tapped her shoulder.

Martin stopped for a while then handed something out to Jacob.

"Thanks," said Jacob quietly. He gripped that thing with his right hand.

Kayla could see that it was her phone, not in a good condition though as it was a total mess with broken screen and edges. That was why she couldn't find her phone because Martin had it. But why? She stepped back as they continued walking, so no one would bump her. She walked behind them all. She saw that each one of them shook her Ma's hand.

"Were you the one who was with her when it happened?" Ma looked at Martin longer and pulled his hands so he could sit next to her. When she saw him nodded slowly she hugged him tight, she cried on his shoulder and he let him.

Martin also cried. "I am so sorry; I should not have made her wait there. I was going to buy her something from the bakery as a symbol that we were officially dating." He wiped the tears with his fingers.

Jacob tapped Martin's back gently. "It was not your fault, it was an accident. Who knew a car would crash into the sidewalk. You must have made her very happy on her last day," he said with a trembling voice, tears ran over his face again.

"I hope so. She made me happy." Martin gradually stopped crying. He still held Katie with his arms while wiping his face with the tissue given by Katelyn.

"Her brother will come tomorrow to help us take care of things. We will take her back to our hometown. We will be very happy if you could join us."

Katie sobbed harder and Martin held her tighter.

Not far from them, Katelyn held Bonny tight. Both of them looked so sad.

Kayla felt her head spun. Seven days. That man. She began to remember things which made her ran to the bookshelf. In silence, she watched the doomsday shard slowly disappeared. She walked towards Katie who still cried in Martin's hug, then kneeled down. She covered her face with her hands and began crying, her days were really over.

*****