Moon of The Afterlife

Chapter 5: Offer

THE aroma of freshly baked red velvet cupcakes filled the entire kitchen when Cathy— Louise's mother— took them out of the oven. Louise is in her room, busily studying for her midterm examination, so her mother decided to bake her favorite dessert to relieve the stress. 

Arche's fake family is not so well-off, but since their father, Arnold Bernal, is a university professor of social studies, their family is reputable. Cathy used to be a professor a few years back, but she decided to stop teaching after discovering Louise's illness. 

Louise spends most of her time indoors because of her illness. She could only attend her class twice every week, and during the rest of the days, her special teacher would visit her for a one-on-one tutoring session. Louise's teacher won't be able to come over for Louise's private class because of some personal matter, so she's stuck in her room, studying for about three hours now. 

After Cathy finished topping the cupcakes with sweet but sugar-free vanilla and chocolate icing, she went to Louise's room. A wide smile was plastered on Cathy's face when she entered Louise's room, but Louise was nowhere around her den. Sure, there's her messy study table, but Louise is not there, so Cathy placed the cupcakes above the pile of four books and went over to the bathroom to check. 

"Louise, sweetheart? Are you in there? I brought you some cupcakes, honey!" Cathy shouted as she walked to the bathroom. She knocked four times, but no one answered, so Cathy tried to open the door, and to her surprise, the sight of her unconscious daughter welcomed her upon opening it. 

"Oh my God! Louise!" Cathy screamed in horror.

PANTING, that's Arche when he reached the door of Louise's hospital room. After hearing about what happened, Arche rushed to the hospital to see his sister's condition, and as he entered the hospital room, Louise's gaze welcomed him. Arche froze upon seeing his sister, making him breathe both in relief and worry. Louise's eyes were blank as she stared at the panting Arche for a moment before displaying a peculiar smile. 

"You're here," Louise said before smiling widely and strangely. 

Arche walked towards her bed as their parents both stood at the right side of Louise's hospital bed. He flicked her on the forehead, making Louise crinkle her nose while rubbing her forehead with an annoyed face. 

"You little brat! Don't you know how worried I am after hearing about what happened?!" Arche's loud voice echoed in the four corners of the room. He's too worried that he can't help being extremely mad at Louise. 

"Hey, Arche! Stop nagging your sister!" Cathy reprimanded and walked towards her son. "Calm down, will you? Didn't I tell you everything's fine already?"

Cathy gave Arche a warm hug. Since Arche's been living on his own for two years already, Cathy rarely sees her son, and seeing him regardless of the situation makes her happy. Arche hugged her back, shifting his attention for a moment to his beloved fake mother. Arnold, the father, walked towards his son too and patted him on the shoulder. 

"How busy are you exactly that you couldn't find the time to go home and visit us?" Arnold said with his low and baritone voice before accepting Arche's one-arm hug. "Bring home a girlfriend if you're thinking about visiting us, son. That would be so much better than bringing only your face," he added jokingly, which made Arche and his wife laugh. 

Louise remained silent, watching her family's short moment of reunion as she sat on her hospital bed. She's observing them like they are strangers to her. They are the Bernals, and the sight of them made her smile. She's happy to see Arche today.  

Cathy looks younger than her actual age. She's already 54, but her skin looks so young. She has a heart-shaped face— which Louise took after her— and wide round eyes, while her husband looks just like his age. Arnold is already 57 but still looks handsome even though some of his hair is starting to turn gray. 

"You guys look so lovely," Louise commented.

Everyone turned their heads to Louise and laughed. They almost forgot about her. 

DANTE lighted his fourth stick of cigarette as loud gunshots filled the air. He's somewhere in the middle of a war zone where every second, one person dies. He's sitting beside a young soldier behind the wall of a building while sucking from his cigarette filter, but no one can see him. Dante stared blankly at nowhere while waiting for the loud sounds of explosions and gunshots as the names written on his palms continuously appeared and vanished within a few seconds. 

He came to waste time. The thought of his neighbor, Arche, bugs him since two days ago, after the incident that had happened in the cafe. He wanted to confront him because Date knew that Arche was hiding something, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to even talk to him, afraid that he might upset him again. He only wants to find Bulan to ask him why he had to leave the skies, and if possible, convince Bulan to go back.

"Ah!" The young soldier groaned and caught Dante's attention after a bullet got the young man's right arm. His right leg's broken, and now his arm's shot. He rolled over while clutching his wound and closed his eyes shut. Now, he can no longer use his hand to aim and fire properly, which means he'll be of no use anymore. 

The name on Dante's palm vanished as another name appeared. It says, Rommel Cube, 26, explosion. 

Dante glanced at the young soldier beside him as he took his phone out of his pocket. It seems like he's calling someone. His eyes are starting to water, and his lips are trembling as he waits for someone to answer. Dante's eyes landed on the soldier's uniform and saw the four letters embroidered on the left chest part of it. It says, Cube— the next person to die. 

"Mom," the young soldier called and smiled bitterly. "Yes, I'm fine. I got hurt a little, but I'm sure I won't die because of it. Yes. Well, I called because I'm scared. It's too noisy here, and the enemies are a little scary. Of course, I'll go home before your birthday. Yes, I promise. Okay, mom. I love you," 

The young soldier ended the call and leaned back at the wall with his eyes closed. He can't run to go somewhere safe, and beside him lies two corpses of his comrades. He knew he couldn't leave them behind even if he wasn't injured because they're his brothers. 

"We came here together; we'll die together," the soldier said and laughed. "At least we fulfilled our duty and died in service. Dying young in this line of duty is an honor."

Then, he took out a picture of a woman from his wallet and stared at it with evident admiration before a drop of tear escaped his eyes as he flashed the most painful smile and said, 

"It's a shame. I promised to marry you after getting discharged from my military training. I couldn't even tell you how much I miss you," the soldier sobbed. "I'll explain everything to you when we meet again, my love... in the afterlife. I'll wait for you there patiently, just like how you've waited for me."

Just as the soldier had accepted his fate, a grenade rolled over the floor, but the soldier didn't give much attention to his coming end. Instead, he used his remaining time admiring the love of his life. And after a few seconds, the grenade exploded, and his life ended.

Dante came there not to watch people die but to make himself busy. But he did not expect one death to make him that moved and thinking. 

"I don't die. But I don't want to end up like this man." Dante thought. 

ARCHE stopped walking upon seeing his neighbor and former employee standing outside his apartment unit. He just came home after visiting Louise in the hospital, and it's already sixteen past eight in the evening. 

They both stayed silent for a moment. No one seems to know what to say to each other until Arche finally finds the courage to face Dante. He knew that avoiding him would only make him more suspicious of him. 

"What are you doing outside my unit?" Arche asked, sounding like his usual self, but Dante's unsure about what to say. He stared at Arche with his mind a complete blank. 

"Well, uhh--"

"Is it about the cafe?" Arche walked past Dante and inserted the key on the keyhole of his door. "Sorry, but I won't open the cafe until my sister gets discharged from the hospital."

The door of Arche's unit clicked, and Arche looked at Dante as he held his door open for a while, and said, "If you need a job, I'll ask some of my college friends to hire you," Then head inside the apartment, closing the door shut behind him. 

Dante was left outside, staring at Arche's door. He could only sigh at Arche's suspicious behavior. To him, he's a human, and he can't cause inconvenience to him to get what he wants, but Arche is just so elusive. 

However, Dante's thoughts shifted to what Arche mentioned before heading inside his unit, which was Louise. As far as he remembers, her time is almost up, but not that soon. 

THE cold wind touched Louise's face as she stood near the window of her hospital room, watching the beautiful stars-like city lights. 

"I never thought this world could look this beautiful,"

Louise looked at the beautiful face of her friend and smiled widely. "I've never seen something beautiful until now..." Then she looked back at the city lights. "But, Indeed— this world is beautiful. But living here can be a little sad and tiring most of the time."

"How come life is sad when you're loved?" 

The smile on Louise's face vanished and got replaced by a sad look. She glanced at her mother sleeping peacefully on the couch before saying, 

"That's what makes it sad— being loved. I'm a burden because my family loves me so much, and I hate it, honestly,"

"I guess you don't realize how lucky you are for being loved. I swear, if you're not, you would see things the other way around. You would hate it, and you'll be a burden because no one wants you around. And perhaps, you would also choose to be a bad person."

"Are you saying that on behalf of everyone else who never felt loved, or are you talking about yourself?" 

"You can think whichever way you like. I'm just stating facts,"

Louise chuckled and stared at her friend. "Are you not loved? or you're just not letting anyone love you because you're too in love with that person?" 

Louise's friend couldn't speak. 

"What if I want to love you? Will you let me?" 

"I don't accept pity," 

"We're friends; it's not pity," Louise insisted, but her friend did not speak after that, ignoring Louise completely. 

THE NEXT day, when Arche opened the door, he found the same person again standing outside his unit, waiting for him like he's waiting for a woman he's courting. Arche fought the annoyance and the urge to say something that could offend the ever-enthusiastic God of death, Sidapa. 

"Hi," Dante smiled at him and awkwardly waved his hand. "I just got a week-long job at your sister's hospital. I was just wondering if I could get a free ride there. "

Arche's brows furrowed with what he said, almost making his jaw drop. "Excuse me?" 

Dante scratched his nape in embarrassment but decided to push his shamelessness regardless. He gave Arche an awkward smile before repeating what he said. 

"Uhh-- I was asking you to give me a free ride," 

Arche pressed his lips together and inhaled slowly. At the back of his head, he already facepalmed.

TRAFFIC made the situation worse for Arche as he sat impatiently, awkwardly, and frustratedly in the driver's seat. He wanted to avoid Dante as much as possible, but just now, he realized it was impossible, especially if it was Sidapa. Arche knew how far this God was willing to go once he set his mind to something— like courting Libulan, which was him. 

"I forgot to ask, how did you know in which hospital my sister is staying?" Arche asked coldly when the traffic partially moved. 

"It just happened," Dante replied and shrugged. "Perhaps, because we're living in a small world?"

Dante's answer doesn't seem to please Arche. He never thought that the God of death he once admired and loved could be this annoying. Arche sneered and rolled his eyes while staring in front. 

"Why are you so obsessed with me?" 

Arche's straightforwardness made Dante stop for a moment. He knew he's been annoying Arche, but Dante also knew that Arche was only playing dumb.

"I assume you already knew the answer," Dante replied. 

Arche looked at him and tried to act as clueless as possible, but Dante did not buy his acting. 

"There's no need to act. I know that you know who I am,"

"I don't know what you're talking about--"

"You know what exactly I am talking about."

Hard. That's how Arche grips the steering wheel. His heart is throbbing about the possibility that Sidapa already knew who he was. However, he tried to appear calm and unbothered as he silently wished that the traffic would move faster. 

"Are you doing drugs?" Arche tried to turn the table,

"Do you know where Libulan is?" but he failed. 

Arche got caught off guard when Dante asked about his whereabouts. He clenched his jaw. His breathing is starting to get heavy, and the fact that he's stuck inside his damn car with his ex-lover suffocates him. 

"I don't know who that is,"

"You know I won't believe you, right?" 

"I don't know. Who is Libulan?"

Dante stared at Arche, who was staring blankly at the back of a white van in front of them. He doesn't mean to annoy him or cause him trouble in any manner, but Dante knew bugging Arche was the only way to find Libulan. 

"You know him just like how you know me," Dante said.

Silence took over for a few seconds, which allowed Arche to think of a way to escape the confrontation, and Dante to get the answer he needed. But Arche decided that the best way to escape is staying clueless and silent. 

Dante never used his ability to get what he wanted because that was against his principles. But today, he's more than willing to forget about them. 

"Tell me where I could find Libulan. I will save your sister in return."