22 Days before the soul reaping
I went to the café in the morning to see if Luke was working today. Well, not really. I already knew he would be there since we'd been talking via text a lot. Sometimes it was just a text of him saying how bored he was and sometimes it was me saying how weird my microwave sounded.
I still had not added him on Facebook though, I had some dignity.
Well, actually it was because of I only had one friend and the matter wouldn't be important anyway since he would die soon.
When I asked how Kat knew if Luke was the guy I needed, Kat said it was because of his book (every man had their own book in our library, that weid-ass library I went not long ago.) the story of his book, his last sentence ended on October the 31st and there was nothing after that.
So...Soon.
22 Days before his story ended.
Rahul texted me again last night to remind me that 'I'm watching you. Don't do anything stupid.'
Man....that dude was so creepy.
Matt...that angel, was looking at me when I was going out to get groceries two days ago. I said hi like a good neighbor but he just stood there, looking at me.
It was such a cliche shit having angels with golden hair and blue eyes and me, a grim reaper, a low-wage worker with black hair and brown eyes...but I'm not gonna complain, I like my black hair and brown eyes. Some people liked it too from what I knew...right?
So let's forget about other people and focus about me instead, since this is me writing about me. I was walking, planning on sitting at my usual place. When I looked inside Luke was also at his usual place, behind the counter.
I opened the café door, the smell of newly baked goods and coffee hit my nose. I began to like those smells, I knew why human were so obsess with going to this kind of place now.
“Welcome,” Luke said from behind the counter. He just put the tray full of muffins. I looked at him then at the muffins longlingly.
“Blueberry muffin, want one?”
“Sure, and one--”
"Uh uh, let me guess." Luke waved his index finger when I was opening my mouth to order a drink. I shut my mouth with a click, waiting for Luke to speak."Caramel Macchiato right?" I rolled my eyes. "As if."
"Haha just kidding, wanna try our special drink of the month, pumpkin spice latte?" Luke pointed at the drawing of a pumpkin with a face dancing beside a coffee cup...which also had a face.
"Sure. Whatever."
"Don't you whatever me. Wait when you drink my latte and you'll be shocked."
"You sound like those weird articles I've found online."
"I did, didn't I?" Luke gave me a sheepish smile before he look down on the cup and wrote my name there.
I put money on the counter and put the changes he gave me to a tip box. I looked around the café and looked at the same place I sat before, the one that connected to the counter. I found a new comic book I had not seen before there.
“Is this--” I turned to Luke but he spoke before I could finish my question.
“Mine? Yes, it’s the one I told you about when we texting each other. Check it out. You’re gonna like it.”
I nodded, opening the book carefully. This comic book seemed like it was loved a lot by its owner, even though some part of the cover looked tattered but the inside looked alright. It was handled by care. The moment I read the first panel I began to be absorbed into the author’s world. I spent the time reading until I reached the middle of the book before I realized that Luke had put my drink and the muffin on the table. I looked around, Luke was talking with another customer far from where I sat. He noticed me then he told something to the customer and walked to me.
“How was it? Did you finish it? I saw you so into the book that I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“You should,” I said, “Look at my drink. I think it's getting cold.”
“Oh, I didn’t think of that. Do you want a new one.” Luke furrowed his eyebrows but I shook my head, “It’s fine,” I said. “The story is really nice. I didn’t like the art that much when I started but now I’m hooked. I haven’t finished it yet.”
“You’re going to be mind blown at the end of the book. Wait for it.” Luke grinned mischievously. He rewarmed my muffin. I watched him do it, thanked him then turned back to the story.
I reached the end of the book. It was a fascinating story and when I thought about it it was getting more and more fascinating. Human was a weak creature; they couldn’t travel to other world or other universe nor they have power to create magic but they did create other world only by words. How fascinating is that?
I looked up but instead of Luke behind the counter it was Marco. Again.
“Hi.” Marco greeted me and I greeted him back. I didn’t know who sounded more bored, him or me.
“Where’s Luke?” I asked. Marco pointed to the kitchen and as if he knew I was asking for him, Luke walked out of the kitchen without an apron.
“Hey! You’ve finished it? It’s my break now so let’s talk about it.”
“Sure. Wanna grab something while we talk?” I pointed out from the kitchen.
"Yeah, sure! I know a good place not far from here." Luke nodded, grabbing his phone and wallet then he followed me out of the café.
- - -
Luke took me to a diner not far from the café. It was kind of a hole in the wall. I looked around and wondered how this place still not bankrupted yet because there were almost none of people there.
The waitress was standing near the counter when she noticed us, chewing bubblegum.
"Hey Luke," The waitress said, giving me and Luke a menu.
"Hi, Anna." Luke smiled, pointing to the menu and began to order his lunch. I ordered the same since I was too lazy to think or read the menu.
"You come here often?" I asked and Luke nodded.
Instead of talking about the comic, Luke was talking about himself instead and that was fine. It was like those time when I talked with Kat. Though back then I didn't have to reap Kat's soul.
"Why are you coming here?" Luke asked, grabbing his burger.
"Work." Luke raised his eyebrow as if to ask what did I do so I...thought of something.
"...I'm a writer."
"Wow. Really? Are you--"
"What about you? I heard you're in class? What's your major? You're a senior?"
Luke looked at me like I grew another head, I just waited for his answers while I was eating my lunch.
"I'm not an undergrad. Do I look that young? I'm studying for master degree now. It's my last year."
At that moment I was a little bit glad that the human at least graduated before he was going to die. I don't know, human college took like 4 years to complete. It was a long way to go.
"So what do you study then?"
"Photography."
I looked at him smiling and imagined instead of him being the one who was watched and had to smiled to the camera, he was the one behind the camera, looking at me.
What face would I do to the camera? Could I smile?
But hey, maybe if he die I can get his comics and his camera. Perfect.
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