Until She Jumped

Twenty: Flashback

TWENTY

"I'm glad you came," Chester said giving Luna a weak smile.

She nodded.

"What do you want to talk about? I saw the letter," she asked smiling back at him.

"I just want to see if you're alright."

"You're funny," she giggled, "Of course, I am."

"Great."

Luna could sense something strange about Chester. He seemed so restless looking around in every sound that the wind would produce as if afraid a ghost might just come out any time.

"Chester, are you alright?"

"Ah — Y-yes. Yes."

"You look so pale. Are you sick? You're sweating!"

She wiped the cold tiny drops of sweat on his forehead with her bare hands.

"No, no. I'm alright."

"Are you sure? Come on, Chester—"

"You have to hide!" he blustered. Her face grimaced in shock and in complete confusion.

"W-what.. what?"

"Luna, listen to me. Someone's trying to get you. Someone's trying to—"

"Hi, everyone," an evil manly voice came out of nowhere that stopped him from telling her something she needed to know.

Both of them looked surprised as they stared at the man glaring at them meters away from where they stood. She had no idea of what was happening while he, knowing the truth, shivered in fear.

"G'd job, Ches," the man spoke for the second time giving her so much confusions and him so much fears. The man walked step by step towards them.

She didn't know what was that all about but she felt like there was something wrong. She felt like it was not safe there. Yet, she had no idea. She was not sure of everything.

"What do you even need?!" asked Chester to the man in a shaking voice. Fear was rolling deep inside him.

"Who is he, Chester?" Luna questioned terribly bewildered.

Chester did not want this. He knew both of them were in a hazardous trouble and they needed to ran and escape. But even before making a single move, they were already trapped by four other men who were grinning at them evily.

"Free d' girl, but nev'a let d' boy move 'en speak!" ordered the man who seemed to be their leader.

One of the boys pulled out a tape from his pants' side pocket and taped Chester's mouth making it hard for him to speak a single word. The other two men was roping both his hands and feet. From a distance, the fourth man walked towards Luna and she tried to look for an escape but it was a failure.

The fourth man punched her on her stomach and she fell on the floor almost collapsing, wincing in extreme pain.

"Be a lookout," their leader commanded the fourth man.

Chester could do nothing but Luna seemed to have gotten an idea to escape. She stood trying to balance herself despite the pain and ran 'til she got to the edge of the building as the leader of the four men ran after her.

"Help!" cried Luna but no one could hear her. Everyone in the street were all at church on that very day.

The man, from a little distance, unbuttoned his dirty black-and-blue-striped polo shirt grinning at her. She couldn't almost manage to stand due to the extreme fear. Her knees were uncontrollably shaking.

Then, the man started to take small steps as he unbuttoned his pants.

She knew he had a malicious intention towards her. She knew she was in danger and her life - their lives, she and Chester - was at risk.

She moved her feet at the very edge of the building - ready to fall anytime he'd chase her. It would be totally risky, but she would never let the man take over her.

"Stop! Dont move or," she shouted but her yell was almost just a whisper, "What do you even need from me?"

"It's you. Yo' wha' I need...You," said the man, laughing evily.

She shook her head fearfully.'He can't. He must not get me', she thought.

And then he began to walk faster towards her. He was going to chase her. And maybe... rape her. While she didn't had any choice but to...

JUMP.

Maybe, she might fall safe...

A loud bang covered the place. It was as if a huge rock had fallen from a skyscraper.

The man didn't know what to do. He looked down where Luna jumped and he saw nothing but her body bathing in her own blood.

"Boys! Ran away! Come on! Ran!" he, who was in panic, ordered and the men burst out from the room. Their leader, buttoning his pants and polo shirt went straight to Chester.

"Chesta', ya' know me. 'M yo' uncle 'en I can kill you 'en yo' mum 'en dad anytime if you will not keep yo' mouth shut!" he threatened, "Und'stand?" Then he ran.

Chester knew his criminal uncle had his word. His uncle had been sent in jail several times due to crimes he'd commited - but he was never a killer nor a rapist (but not this time).

'What did you do to Luna?!' he wanted to ask desperately but the tape on his mouth made it difficult for him to even produce a breath.

He had no idea what to do. What if he'd kill him - and the worst, his mother?

Eventually, the adhesiveness of the tape had diminished because of his sweat that made it easy for him to remove it through his tounge. And he had finally managed to free himself from being roped. He was able to untie the rope around his hands, his feet and his waist.

When he was freed, the thought of Luna worried him. It could have been ten or fifteen minutes and he hadn't seen nor heard any signs of her. Why didn't she helped him? Or maybe, she was the one who needed his help.

Then, he quickly stood up and searched for her in the building's rooms but he failed to see her.

He remembered the loud bang he had heard that freaked out his uncle and the other men. 'What could that be?' he thought, 'Could it possibly be Luna? No... Please...'

Slowly, he turned to face the edge of the building. He took a deep breath. His heart violently pounded that it felt like it wanted to come out off his chest; and he began to walk towards where Luna fell from.

He almost collapsed when he saw a girl covered in blood.

'No...'