To Murder your Love

Death Encounter

 Today is our day for clubs. Thursday, as the timetable settles in, is the agenda for many sports association to be held. At two on the clock, we are lining behind the crossbar for the warm-up before the actual game is running, waiting for a position to prove ourselves on the field. 

When I focused on the queue of newcomings, there are members that I have been acquainted with since our first bond in the elementary school. From behind the last row of where I am now, I can see Dani Juwono there, hopping as we work on our jumps for the short step-up before the training. Steven Gunawan is on the right, weighing down on his technique to put in every step he’s taken over the bounce.

I can’t see Henry or Kevin anywhere, do they late? Ah, there’s them, working on their chest to maintain the speed and pace for the jumping jacks we have to mirror from our coach. Henry’s slender body is capable on withstanding the workload, and that’s why I'm inviting him in the first place. 

For Kevin? Nah, he's just following us. I'm even expecting this man to fail soon. I have to admit, though, they still have what’s needed for the repetitions of the work-out. Yes, kevin is included. 

(whistle!)

From the other sides of formation, several of our seniors has been exercising with us for the first and second week of the trial. Based on our coach’s introductory speech, we will be evaluated in this joint session to be decided whether we are eligible for the actual club session to happen.

By facing the seniors’ beatdown and fighting over tomorrow's place to be ensured.

“Two more rounds of sprint and we’ll start the drill!”

Most of the seventh graders were gasping for air, even for some well-seasoned players like Dani and Steven. We have our legs wobbling by the pressure. My head’s twirling in jumbled-up fashion, and I can’t tell of how the others are to their feet. I can’t believe I’m still defeated from only 7 times 20 of jumping jacks’ reps, with our refined bodies in the elementary school’s era.

Well, I think it might be because of the intensity.

“Weaklings!! Look at your seniors, all fit and strong! Wake up, ladies!” Clamored our coach for the drill. His name is Mr. Wiranto, the king of our hills of the day. He is quite strict in doing his job as a coach, and it resembles on how competitive the teams are to others. Year-after-year, the school’s main team always maintained the rulings over the junior high school’s point standings, and we’re the next for keeping the leash of champion today.

As we have our mid-term break for 5 minutes, the time is mostly spent on cooling down ourselves. My joints are all busted up from the reps of squat we have taken a moment ago. In this one short rest we have, I’m sitting beside three of my wannabe sporty game, watching the warm-up session of our higher-ups from the corner.

(Bam!)

The goalkeeper kicks the ball to the air, soaring across the field and quickly retrieved by his team-mates for the training. I see, that’s what I have to do if I got picked as the main squad.

Ooh, see those legs? I’ll be having those two months later..... I’m excited.

On the other side of the goal, the second goalkeeper trains to block the ball up-close. He's capable on cleaning up the attack from the strikers single-handedly. Well, from that performance, I'm wondering why he's in the second for the team.

(Bam!)

Just like my own amusement, Dani can’t let himself out of the senior’s technique for once. He carefully waves his eyes across the field, gazing to our high-ups in admiration. You know, this is the perfect condition to spy on which person to be pressed on, so we have to inspect every single possibility they have on the run.

“Look at that one. Man, how could he dribble the ball that way?” He shrieked. When the ball hits the back of the goal, He screamed to the scorers and shout,” Woooo!” in excitement.

We can’t even contain him for now, he’s just fell down to be the fans of our seniors in this very second.

After awhile of drinking, the leprechaun of our group finally joins us to watch the game. He enjoys the iced tea so much, even carrying some to our circle right now.

“Huh, are you tired, Yuda? This is too much!!” Pouted Kevin all of sudden.

Errr.... what should I do to reply those?

“You can’t speak like that, Kevin! What if the coach sees you!?”

“Well, but I can’t just left them hangin’, right? I have to say something..”

I shut myself up to the barrage of commentary from the spoiled kid, no matter on what he was talking about afterwards. He has no idea of what’s coming after an unwillingful feedback like that.....

“Brat! get in here!”

As expected, the killer coach has been eavesdropping his complaint for some time. No, it is as expected, since Kevin has guts to speak of such a disgraceful attitude towards the boss ahead. The coach, if I could see from this direction, has pointing him on several parts of lectures. 

And he’s not returning to us, but across the group of seniors on our right. Serves him right, that mouth is needed to be shut down for once.

---

The coach called us all a few minutes after. The death-match has come to our dinner table, and we have to serve it well....

Wait, who is that?

Amanda Suyono is standing on the western-side corner of the stage. She is cheering me up, even noticing my glance in advance and quickly waved her hands to me.

On the other axis of the same stage, since it’s the only one available for the time being to enter, Tifanny is sitting quietly. She is watching someone here, but I don’t know who it is.

In any case, I don’t realize her position until a commotion happened between her and Amanda. For the outcome, she left, crying out over the harsh fight they have a few minutes later. What in the world.....

‘Time for your act, Yuda. Show the world of who you are.’

For real? I have a game! Why do you...

‘the football game is not as important as a brokenhearted Tifanny, Yuda. Remember your duty.’

Guess so. I’ll have to take off then, hope it’ll be a good choice to make.

“Hey, where’re you going, brat? The game-“

I can listen to Mr. Wiranto and his bark towards me. If it’s not because of reincarnation, I won’t waste this chance to prove myself for the team. The coach might be firing me off the potential team by this moment, and I’ll have to burn my opportunity to change my junior high into one pleasant memories.

‘Don’t be so sad, Yuda. You’ll be entering the team no matter what.’

Really? Ah, you minced your words to be something lovable to hear, huh, god-pretender?

--

As I’m flying out from the scene, I could feel the sea of stare towards me. Yeah, this is weird for me to do, but I have to remind myself of the rolling movies in the night. The pistol, if I can’t control any of these lovers, might be ended to struck me once more without me realizing it.

(Drap-drap-drap)

I’m barged off the stadium. Now, where’s she?

If she’s quitting from the western stage, that means she would be walking off the ledge to the main street. That could also mean that the probability would fall to the mall across the road.

Ah, she’s crossing the street.... Oh no!

‘I’ll grant you agility, Yuda. Be quick!’

The burst of magical properties has given my leg a short-term explosive power to sprint over her. It is only seconds to make, because the truck can’t stop by itself without hitting her to death.

(Swoosh!)

(Roll-roll-roll)

Ugh, the gravel hits my back, tearing off my clothes completely. What about her, though?

“Are you okay?”

‘hey, it’s not finished, Yuda!’

(Brakk)

---

Yes, I was dead for the second time. I can see me and Tifanny’s completely shredded corpse from up above. Apparently, the bus rapid transit has just arrived and crashing onto us in accident, without learning of our presence beneath the bumper of the bus. It’s not only the two unfortunate junior-high schoolers that has become the victim of the traffic accident, though, since the passengers has to take their toll with our immediate clash.

“Welcome, Yuda.”

I can see the old man, not in his apparition form as he usually be. He wears a white police uniform, decorated under the badge of “Heaven’s police” on the upper-right pocket of his vest.

“...”

His beaming face is making me somewhat calmer. I still can’t believe of how tragic my investigation has ended, with its unintended outcome from the roadkill that was happened out of whim.

“So, I’m dead again, huh.” I spoke of the matter, feeling guilty on doing a mistake on the opportunity I was having before. There are reasons on my resurrection, and this man is leading me to where I once was.

Yet I lose my precious life too early.

He laid out a smile to every comment I have laid over. He must be listening to my heart, too.

(echo)

‘He must be listening to my heart, too.’

Oh, I can binge-watch my own speech, huh. I’m not surprised anymore.

(echo)

‘I’m not surprised anymore.’

It's starting to be annoying. 

“Yes, I can hear your remorse, child. There’s nobody that could withstand their objectives without bearing the consequences of death.” The old man grabs my shoulder, bringing me up close to embrace,”Now, laid out your sorrow to me.”

And I cried on his chest. I can't even control the flow. 

“Why? Why do I have to suffer, God?”

I can’t tell on why I have to be murdered, or the person’s intention to end my life. Regardless, all I have left to look back has perished.

“I’m not your God, remember? Look at this badge over here.”

Yes, heaven-police is inscribed, and why do he has to tell it twice?

“To explain, I’m on duty at ‘Heavenly-police department’. The work to rewind death and inspecting the reason of it is the main task of your resurrection.”

“And you’ve just landed another chance. I have given you four to do this, so there’s three left, son.” He uttered, explaining of the matter directly to my ear.

“really? I have another?”

“Yes, in this department, we have to ensure that anyone has to overcome their unsettling experience against revenge caused-death, especially under the sign of love.” He answered me before pushing me out of the void,” I’ll be here as always, my child. Be careful for this chance, okay?”

For the power of love to be the fuel, my second chance to repair the mistakes has returned. I have to make any effort to re-do this, or more of the leftovers would be in vain.

---

The pistol scene has emerged to my sleep, and I’m awake. My wee-wee, ahem, the d**k has appeared to be the once I have at the start of Junior-high. It implies the whereabouts, I think, for me to be resurrected at the very start of my journey to woo the shy-as-hell Tifanny and encountering Amanda’s envy.

At least I know what’s gonna be, although it would never be enough to be the one to cling upon.

“Morning, honey. Tongseng for breakfast!”

My mom’s still feel over the moon on my achievement. Being on the peak of my capacity has never been this good, and it is fulfilling to my stomach, too. For me, eating tongseng with rice is something to die for.

And I have been died twice for it.

Everything’s in order. My mom’s hugged me tight, smacking hundreds of breathtaking kisses like she wanna devour me back to her womb. The call from press conference has taken place shortly after, creating a havoc to our household for eternity. My father, being a proud man as he is, has made some calls to inform of my exploits. You know, the kind of humble-bragging of a man his age.

Yes, I won’t let this chance missed ever again.