Story: Psychopath and Library (1)

PSYCHOPATH AND LIBRARY (1)
By: Yunita Ramadhana

Tik..tik..tik...
The rain falls on the top of this building. Damn...! Why the rain falls now, I hope not. My assignment has not been completed, meanwhile the “dead line” is closer. I’ve to go home now before the rain turns heavier and the night be darker. I have no guts to stay more longer. Unfortunately, the electricity is switch off in a sudden time, and of course its situation becomes more frighten than before. Come on Joe, hurry up! Take your books and lets get out of here.


I pick all my books up and get up from my seat to the front door. While I’m walking to the main gate of my campus, I reminded of my friend’s story one week ago, a month since I come to the one of universities in this town which is familiar with its sobriquet, the flower city.

“Hi, are you new student? I’m Anti, you?” she asked. That day, 17th July 2003, at 7.00 pm, there is a girl came to my seat in the library and introduced herself.
“ Yope, I’m Joyce. You can call me Joe,” I replied.
“Which faculty?
“Faculty of Literature.”
“Same with me. What semester?”
“Third semester.”
“You are my junior. I’m in fifth semester. By the way, where you come from?”
“Surabaya,” I replied
“Assignment hah?”
“Nope, just looking for the reference for my presentation tomorrow, it’s finished.”

In a same time, I collected all my stationaries.
“Wanna go home now? She asked. “May I join?”
“My pleasure. It’s too late for getting a bus easily.”

Anti, my new friend, and I walked out from there to the main gate.
“I often saw you in library, sometimes till night, reading interest Joe?”
“Yap, I like reading since I was child. Something wrong?”
“Nothing. But, from all the female student in this campus, particularly the new one, it’s only you who gets enough bravery to stay here till night.”
“What’s wrong? There’s a problem?” Finally, we arrive in bus stop.
“Nothing, but... Hey, my bus has come,see you...”
“Hey wait, but what?”

I saw Anti had got in to the bus. In a little time, my bus had also come. On my way, I asked myself what’s the matter. Why all the women in this campus are aware of going to library? What the hell is going on here? Ah, maybe she’s just kidding try to scaring me. Calm down Joe, don’t think about it.

***
Oh damn! It’s almost one hour, standing in the bus stop, without any bus going to my home pass by. The rain falls very heavily. Suddenly, there’s a car passes and stops directly, then it turns back to me. The window is opened from inside.
“Hi , wanna go home Joe?” Lets get in, I’ll drop you. The rain looks heavier.”
“It’s OK Anti, The bus will come soon.”
“Oh come on, don’t be shy, get in!”

The door opens. It’s better, as the night turns late.
“How’ve you been?” I ask. I didn’t see you for a week.”
“Fine, I didn’t go to campus for a week as I went to Yogya for my cousin’s wedding party. Besides, I wanna take relax, it’s very boring to study all day.”
“It’s nice!”
“Yeah... We take turn or straight Joe?”
“Take turn left and then straight ahead. At the third traffic light, you turn right and straight. My house is at the left side with the blue gate no. 52.”
“I’ll get it!”

On the way, I was reminded again of the Anti’s unclear story last week.
“I wanna ask you Anti.”
“About what?’
“Last week you said that I’m the only one girl who not scare going home at night from library. What’s going on?”

Anti keeps silent without answering my question. It takes a long time till I call her.
“What’s wrong Anti?”
“Eer...eer...eer...nothing. Just asking. Usually, a girl scares going home alone at night, that’s it.”
“Ehm...”

That’s it? Is it true? There’s something which my senior tries to hid from me. I can see it in her eyes-sight that provide to cover it up. OK, I’ll find the answer by my own way.

“Stop it. It’s my house, we’ve arrived.”
“Oops, sorry. I’m dreaming.”
“Never mind. Would you stay for drinking tea to warm our body, the rain has stopped.”
“Maybe next time Joe, It’s too late! Dag...”
“OK, thanks a lot. Dag...”

I walk in to my house and still thinking what was Anti hidden from me.

Tomorrow morning...
Kring...kring...kring...
The alarm sound makes me up. Oh God, I’m late. I take a bath in hurry and then go to campus. Oh Alas, traffic again? I’m really late, maybe I’ll miss the first class. Finally, I arrive. Oh Shit! I’m ten minutes in late. I run toward my class. In the class... What happens? There’s only a few people here, where’s the others?

“Morning Hani,” I say. “Where’s the others? Mr. Sastra doesn’t come today?”
“Morning Joe. He’s not well today so he doesn’t come today.”

(To be continued...)