2. Neighbor

The mysterious man was standing in front of Lila. The thing that never happened before.

Lila gave him a puzzle look as his hand was holding a bottle of water and a pouch of baby wipes.

“I don’t know what the laptop did to you that pissed you off. I’m sure your laptop is innocent.” Lila gave him an amused furrow, then he continued. “The water is to cool your nerves, and the wipes for freshen up because you look—”

Oh god! Lila just remembered that she cried hard before, her looks must be messier with her swollen eyes. This is embarrassing! His hanging words surely because he was looking for unoffensive word to say to her.

“—different.” He said after few seconds pause. “I’ve never seen you different like this for the past thirteen years. I hope the laptop doesn’t do something horrible.”

His accusation tone didn’t sound offensive at all, it even sounded funny. Lila smiled widely, ignoring the fact that she might look ugly. Right! Lila was here, in the front of her father’s fresh tomb, grieving badly, when he buried his parents thirteen years ago.

Taking the baby wipes and the bottle of water, Lila said. “Thanks.”

“No problem, we’re neighbors.”

Yep! They’re neighbor. These past years they acknowledged each other, but never made any interaction. This was the first time.

“You’re wrong about one thing though.” Lila told him, which earn one lifted brow from him. “My laptop never done anything horrible,” Then she whispered audibly to her laptop, while caressing it. “Please, don’t scare me, I need you.”

“Alright, I’m sorry.”

Lila knew he was amused by what she had done when he ended it with a chuckle. Well, he might think she was silly, but she was seriously scare if her laptop got cranky.

Since you have a beautiful smile and I like the sound of your melodic laugh, I’ll forget your implicit insult.

“Silvey said apology accepted.” Lila told him without any hint of admiring in her face.

“Silvey? Because it’s silver?”

“Yea…”

“Well then, I’ll leave you and Silvey alone.” He said with the same amused looks. “See yah…”

Lila watched he walked towards his parents’ tombs. When he was far enough, Lila groaned then muttered. “Why he talks to me when I’m not in a good shape?”

There were so many good days in the past thirteen years, how could their first communication happen when she was in a bad state? Also, how could they never interact before?

Shaking her head, she opened the bottle and drank the water in one go, just realized that she was thirsty. She followed his suggestion to freshen up by wiping her face with the baby wipes.

Now, she felt energized and hydrated. She turned her focus back to her work, letting herself to be drawn in it.

The afternoon sun slid few degrees down. Luckily the cemetery was surrounded by lush trees, so the hot air caused by the burning sunlight wouldn’t be able to penetrate in a full force, making the air around way cooler.

Lila was done correcting her work, she felt extremely sleepy also her whole body felt like a jelly. She was too tired and decided to sleep after tidied up her belongings into her bag.

Twilight came, dyed the sky with beautiful red and orange glow. The lampposts had been turned on as the sun was fading behind the horizon.

Lila’s sleepy eyes opened slowly. Her eyes fluttered as all of her senses coursing in, lightened up the wires in her brain. She gasped then shivered when she realized that it was already dark and cold night breeze blew at the same time.

Without wasting any more second, Lila grabbed her bag and said good bye to her father’s tomb. She walked in hurry because the cemetery turned scary suddenly. Scientist or not, being alone in the most silent place after dark was frightening.

The dead was impossible be undead, she knew that. Also, she strongly believed there’s no such thing as the unseen. However, those two logics belief couldn’t make the place less scary.

She began to jog down the hill, really wanted to get to the main street faster.

Almost reaching the main street, a very bright lights from a car’s headlamp blinded Lila’s eyes behind the glasses for a few seconds. She was stunned in that blinded period. Vaguely she heard the sound of tire screech, then the sound of the car’s engine drew closer until it finally stopped next to her.

Lila saw four men got out of the car. Now, now… this was when the living was scarier than the dead. They definitely up to no good, judging by their ancient rotten car and shabby appearance.

“Are you lost, honey?” Asked the man from the driving seat. His accent was thick from the eastern.

“What’s in your bag? It looks heavy. Let us help you carry it.” Said the man in white tee-shirt, also had the same accent.

Oh, no! They want my bag. I can’t lose it. My laptop is my future, it has my lifetime research project. And I cannot give up my wallet, I need it for a place to stay tonight.  Lila was quiet.

“Silence means yes.” The white tee-shirt man grabbed her bag, but Lila held it with all the strength she had.

“NO…” Lila cried, playing push and pull with the man.

The other three men laughed. Their friend’s situation was like taking a candy from a stubborn child.

When the laughter subsided, the first man yanked Lila’s arm, making her lost the strength to hold on to her bag. Now her bag was completely in the hand of the white tee-shirt man.

There was only one thing in her mind. She couldn’t lose her bag. Then as if summoning her hidden strength, she began to scream hysterically and attacked them blindly, startling the four thugs.

Meanwhile, not far from there, Andrew woke up from his long nap. Already dark, but by the help of all the lampposts, the cemetery looked scenic, not scary at all.

He walked down leisurely, noticing that the girl had already left. He made a sharp turn to the tomb where the girl usually leaned on.

Raymond Phillips was the name written on the tomb, he must be the girl’s father judging by his date birth, his date of death was a week earlier than Andrew’s parents’.

Andrew remembered the day when he buried his parents, they died in a severe car accident. He was nineteen then, when the funeral was done and people started to leave, he sensed an intent stare from a teenage girl, perhaps fifteen or sixteen years old, her eyes were red.

At that time, he ignored her existence because he felt his world crumbled. The next day he came, she was there, reading a book. Her heavy school bag rested on the ground, he thought she must have been skipping school.

Years passed, they grown up acknowledging each other. Sometimes she smiled at him, he responded with a nod. They never had a chance to greet each other, because she always busy, with her books or laptop, she even did her homework here.

A smile cracked on Andrew’s face, reminiscing it. Such a diligent girl, he thought.

But today was different, even though she was busy with her laptop, her aura was unusual. She looked like she was having a rough day. That was what driven him to approach her.

He was about to resume his walking when a loud scream ripped the silent evening.

It was her voice, then Andrew sprinted to his car. Not far from the main street, he saw her. What an interesting scene, she tried to attack four men who snatched her bag.

Andrew floored the accelerator pedal, aiming the ugly old car.

BRAAKKK!

The loud sound managed to startle the girl and the snatchers. They looked at Andrew’s car.

Andrew got out of the car, taking some pictures of the men then sent them.

“Who the hell are you?” Asked the first man.

“Me?” Andrew made a phone call at the same time he glanced at her, she snatched back her bag and ran to hide behind him. “I’m her neighbor.” Then he spoke to the phone. “Evan, I’m in the cemetery, four thugs with eastern accent, I’d sent you their picture. Okay.”

“Fuck, she took the bag.”

Before anyone could touch her, Andrew gave the two of them a kick in the chest. They fell instantly.

One of the remaining two pulled a knife, running towards her. “Bitch, give me the bag.”

Lila saw him, but she couldn’t move. Her neighbor managed to protect her in time. He kicked the thug and broke his nose.

“Fuck…” Said the last one standing.

“You all will be hunted!” Andrew promised.

They left hurriedly with their broken car.

Andrew turned around to comfort her. Alas, he felt dizzy all of the sudden. Luckily, she was quick, catching him.

“You’re bleeding.” She trembled. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t cry.” Andrew tried to smile, but failed. His voice was weak. “You’ve cried a lot today.” Then, all he could see was black, slowly losing his consciousness in her embrace.