The Link [PART TWO]

This is PART TWO, if you haven't read PART ONE, click here.

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3 Januari 2010
Pinggir kota Medan
Sumatera Utara, Indonesia


“Check your email, Lucas.”

Lucas bangun dari tempat tidurnya bergegas menuju komputernya, menabrak sudut meja kopi dan menjatuhkan seperangkat alat tulis ke lantai dalam perjalanannya. Buru-buru dia menghubungkan koneksi internet dan login masuk membuka accountnya. Saat itu pukul 2 di pagi hari.

Ada sebuah window muncul sebelum Lucas sempat membuka inboxnya.

Dia mengirimku Instant Message. Dia memintaku untuk chatting... Aku harus tetap tenang...

Dengan perlahan-lahan, Lucas meng-klik kata “accept” yang tertera di monitornya. Seketika, sebuah window yang lebih besar muncul, dengan sebuah pesan terpampang jelas di sudut kiri bawah.

Hyphenated_Girl : Lucas?

Lucas menarik nafas, sekaranglah saatnya… setelah menunggu selama sepuluh tahun, dia akan mengungkap misteri suara yang telah menghancurkan keluarganya, merenggut Eric, dan merusak hidupnya… Mengapa dia harus gugup sekarang?

Luc : Yes

Hyphenated_Girl : Who are you?

Luc : My name is Lucas Satriya. I live in Indonesia.

Hyphenated_Girl : Indonesia?

Luc : Yes. Who are you?

Hyphenated_Girl : You don’t know who I am? Then how are you doing this? How can I hear your thoughts inside my mind?

Luc : I don’t know. I was as confused as you are.

Hyphenated_Girl : Was?

Luc : I first heard your thoughts when I was ten. But I didn’t know them to be someone’s thoughts back then. But now I know that they’re all yours. I just don’t know who you are…

Hyphenated_Girl : So you’re as blank as I am.

Luc : May I know your name?

Beberapa detik berlalu tanpa terjadi apa-apa.

Michelle : Fawn. My name is Michelle Fawn.

Luc : Michelle. I’ve heard that before… from your thoughts of course. Then where are you?

Michelle : I’m from Los Angeles. US.

Luc : America?

Michelle : Do you know why we can hear each other’s thoughts?

Luc : I don’t know. I have no idea… I think I am born like this…

Benar juga… aku begitu sibuk cari tahu siapa dia sehingga aku lupa menanyakan mengapa aku bisa mendengar pikirannya…

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January 2, 2010
Downtown Los Angeles
USA

“... mengapa aku bisa mendengar pikirannya dan bagaimana dia juga bisa mendengar apa yang aku pikirkan...”

Trying to set the thoughts aside, not to listen to them for a moment, Michelle was concentrating on getting as much information from this guy as possible. After all, he’s experiencing the same thing.

Michelle : So you’re a mind reader?

Luc : No, I guess not. I mean, I can’t read other people’s thoughts. Just yours.

Michelle : But why me?

Luc : Why can you hear mine?

Michelle : I don’t know. All I know is that they are annoying, your thoughts are! I just want them to go away…

Luc : And do you think me hearing all your foreign language all my life was fun? I lost my life because of it. I lost my best friend because of it. My only friend!

She stared at Luc’s message for a while. There’s something burning inside her body. It’s not something happy and it’s not her conscious feeling. But it’s warm and touching…

Michelle : I’m sorry. I don’t know…

Luc : That’s all right. I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have spilled it on you.

Michelle : Are you gonna try and find out why is this happening between us?

Luc : Yes… Will you help me?

Michelle stayed still for several seconds. She knew neither she nor Lucas could make it go away, but she would try… and so would he. So she should help him. There’s no other way. She must find out why she could hear the thoughts of someone far in Indonesia, someone who’s a total stranger to her.

“Thanks.”

Lucas’ thought reverberated all over her head, just as a new feeling of warmth and relief struck her chest.

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March 16, 2012
Michelle’s residence
Manhattan, New York
USA

“Mich! Mich! Are you up?”

Not now, Luc. I’m barely awake.

“I’ve thought about it all… you know… how we never found any leads about the link. That case in Central Africa was not at all relevant. It’s just about a speculation of mind-controlling device being covered up by Russian government. I think it’s a hoax… are you still there?”

Luc, I’ve told you. I’m still sleeping… do you know what time this is?

“Hahaha... I know. I’m just messing with you. By the way, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!”

Arrgh… Luc! I’ve told you not to scream in my head. Ok. Ok… now I’m up! Give me several minutes, ok? Then I’ll talk to you.


Michelle woke up and sat on her bed. She looked closely at the person next to him. James’s a good guy. She knew that she hadn’t told him about her mind connection yet. Not now. There’s too much at stake. He would think she’s crazy.

The digital clock showed a red three–hundred. It was a very tranquil night. Michelle put on her robe and grabbed a glass of water. After that, she sat on a wooden chair in front of the electric fake chimney.

Luc, still there?

“Yep. How’s James doing?”

Ah, he’s sleeping like a pig. Adorable, though. It’s hard to lie to him, you know.

“You’re not lying to him about anything. You just don’t tell him anything.”

Same difference, Luc. So now, where’s my present?

“Haha… never forget, do you? Check your inbox!”

Michelle clicked on her purple mailbox icon and an e-Card emerged, automatically singing her favorite song as several sparkling letters were dancing gracefully to arrange some sentences. Michelle turned off the speaker quickly, wondering if James was up because of the sound. But then her eyes were fixed on the sentences.

Oh, Lucas. You can’t…

Happy 21st Birthday, you grown-up lady! Now you’re legal to have drinks. But don’t have too much and then forget who I am, coz even with this broad distance upon us, my feelings for you can’t be ignored. Oh yeah, and don’t get fat!

She was listening intently, but Lucas didn’t reply. He must be waiting for her to think.

Lucas. You know we can’t do that. We can never be together, not with all these differences between us. And I have James now, and I love him…

And suddenly she heard him…

“You love him? Oh, don’t be ridiculous, Mich. You know you mustn’t lie to yourself. You don’t love him. I know the truth, I can hear them.”

Be as it may, Luc, we still can’t.

“Why, Mich? Why do you keep lying to yourself? I can hear what you think of me. I know what you know about your feeling to me. And you know damn well about my feeling as well…”

Yeah.. and I’m getting quite sick of it… you hearing my thoughts and all. I need some privacy, Luc!

“What? Privacy? You know we haven’t had that our whole life. How can you ask such impossible thing? We are meant to be. Or at least this link makes us.”

Yeah, about that, you said, two years ago, you would find out the cause of it. It’s been so long, Luc. Have you known?

“No. And I don’t think I want to anymore.”

Oh please, Luc. This link destroyed you! You said it! Your life! Your family! Your friend! Of course you don’t want it! What made you find me two years ago? You want this connection gone as much as I do!

“Maybe I don’t anymore… Yes! I wanted it to be gone! I wanted you and your voices to go away. But that time I was so alone. I didn’t know anything about companionship, and yes, I used to blame all my pain to this. I didn’t have the idea of loving somebody. But now I do, Mich. Now that you’re in my life.”

Michelle put both her hands on her forehead. She heard all Lucas said. But now her mind’s empty and she didn’t have anything to think about, literally.

“The link is there because of a reason, Mich. And you are the reason. I am your soul mate. I know you do feel the same. You can’t walk away from destiny, Michelle.”

I don’t know Luc. It’s not that simple. I live in America. I have a job. What about James? I can’t just leave him.

“You’re right. You can’t leave. You have a life back there. I will. I will come to you, Mich.”

No! No! NO! You can’t. Don’t even think about that, Luc.

But Lucas seemed to be convinced. Michelle tried to put some sense in his head, but he was deeply in love with her. He was sure of his feeling and he had faith in her, something Michelle didn’t possess.

The whole day, a silent mind battle occurred in both persons’ heads. She was arguing with a man half way around the world without a single means of modern communication device.

A few-teen hours later, the only thing Michelle got was a terrible headache. Her attempt to persuade Lucas to not come to America had failed. This was breaking her heart, because she was forced to do the only thing left to convince him to stay.

Luc, —she thought feebly— I care for you too much to let you ruin your life by getting here. We can’t be together even if you’re here. It’s not that. I just don’t love you… And I think we should live our own lives separately. No more listening to each other’s thoughts. It’s over, Luc.

She knew she wouldn’t be able to just erase Luc from his memories. She knew she couldn’t cut off the connection at will. But she had made her mind.

There were a few moments of silence, the most awkward one between them. But then Lucas’ voice echoed clearly…

“You do love me.”

No. I don’t, Luc.

“You are lying, Mich.”

And then, there’s only silence.

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02 Juni 2012
Café dé Sunshine
Medan
Indonesia


Lucas menatap mata tajam dan wajah bersiku Hana, yang menatap balik penuh selidik. Lalu senyum menghiasi bibirnya. Hana menjulurkan tangannya, menggenggam jemari Lucas.

“Ada apa, Lucas? Kau kelihatan pucat sejak tadi.” tuturnya sehalus mungkin.

“Hah? Ah, tidak. Hanya migrain kok, belakangan ini aku amat lelah... banyak pikiran.” elak Lucas, karena sebenarnya dia sedang berkonsentrasi untuk mendengar apa yang dipikirkan Michelle.

“... John seems so great. He’s polite, clever, and he’s passionate about me.. even more than James was...”

Oh, cut the crap, Mich. It’s all been a big stupid game. It’s been three months now, and all you do is trying to find someone to make you forget and run away from me. Well, guess what? You can’t. Cause I’m here inside your head whether you like it or not.

You can ignore me all you want, Mich. But I know you can hear me. And if you don’t want to talk to me, then know that you’re wasting your time by trying to live a life without me. We have been given this link for a reason. I believe it, why can’t you? We can read all of our deepest thoughts, we know all of our flaws. We have opened up for each other more than you have done to anybody else. The truth is, there is no one out there who understands you more than I do...

You cut me from your life three months ago. But we both know that didn’t work. You can still hear my thoughts and I can hear yours. I know what you’re going through right now. And I am not going to give up this easily. So you can either speak to me or listen to my voice for the rest of your life.

“I’ve been hearing you all my life... I can live with it, Lucas. And stop talking to me while I’m on a date!”

Ah, Finally... you speak to me. Don’t worry. I’m on a date myself.

“I know! Hana something, right? Then why don’t you just play it all along and live our lives separately. Leave me alone, Lucas.”

Hana is a great girl, but I don’t love her.

“Why not? You two have lots of similarities, unlike us.”

“Kamu mau pesan apa? Pagi ini aku merasa sangat hidup, lho… Aku senang kita akhirnya bersama, Lucas. Aku selalu kagum padamu, kau tahu?”

It doesn’t matter, Mich.

“Benarkah? Aku pesan yang biasa saja. Aku tidak bisa makan makanan berat waktu sarapan.”

“It matters to me, Lucas. I can’t just leave my whole life here just for you. What you ask is unacceptable.”

I just ask you to be honest to yourself, Michelle, coz I’ve noticed you … living in a lie…

“Kamu yakin kamu tidak apa? Dari tadi aku perhatikan kamu mengelus kepalamu. Mungkin lebih baik kita keluar sebentar. Cari angin…”

“Oh, you really want to do this now, don’t you? Are you trying to make me upset, now? Bring it on, flame boy! Living in a lie! What about you? All this time! You still see Eric, don’t you! And you’ve been telling yourself that you don’t. You’re just a big liar yourself!”

Shut up, Michelle! Leave Eric out of this!

“Oh, tidak apa-apa, Hana. Kamu pesan dulu, sana.”

“Oh, I hit a nerve there, didn’t I? Or are you telling me that Eric’s accident wasn’t your fault? That’s all you’ve been telling yourself to make you feel better all these years, haven’t you? You lied to yourself about one damn thing just to make you feel better! Just to allow you to live your life wholly. So why can’t I do the same! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME TO BE HONEST, YOU LIAR!——”

——STOP TALKING!——

————“My head hurts so badly, Lucas! Maybe if I keep pushing you like this, the connection will be terminated!”——

Jemari Lucas tampak gemetar di atas meja. Lucas tahu Hana melihatnya, memperhatikannya dengan cemas.

———STOP IT, Michelle! It won’t come off! You’re only killing yourself! You’re only killing us!—

Lucas tidak tahan lagi. Kepalanya begitu sakit. Dia menekan pelipisnya, mengibas-ngibaskan kepalanya, berharap rasa sakit di ujung telinganya bisa reda.

“Whoa, Lucas! Ada apa?” Hana berdiri dan mendekati Lucas. Lucas mengabaikannya.

—“Then why are you still listening to my thoughts? You can end this pain on your end! You just STOP THINKING about me when this buzzing occurs! Like we always do!”——

—I WILL NOT STOP THINKING ABOUT YOU, MICHELLE! Not even if it cause my head to explode! Not even if it means I will never think again! ARRGH!——

“——ARRGH——LUCAS? ARE YOU CRAZY? I can’t control this thing! You know it! Only you can make it stop! MAKE IT STOP, LUCAS! You’ll get yourself killed——”

————No, Mich!——never… let you go…———

Lucas merosot dari kursinya. Tubuhnya menubruk lantai dengan suara debam keras. Teriakan Hana dan Michelle hanyut dalam perjalanannya menuju otak Lucas. Lalu semuanya menjadi gelap dan hening.

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June 01, 2012
Manhattan, New York
USA


Lucas? Lucas?

“Michelle! Michelle! Are you all right? CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME?” John’s voice echoed in the restaurant. Several seconds later, two servants and John helped Michelle to sit back on her chair, where she had just fallen from.

Michelle, however, didn’t pay any attention to them. Her mind was racing. Her thought was only one. And saying that, her thought was—literally—only one. She couldn’t feel the presence of Lucas anymore. She couldn’t hear him.

Lucas? Oh no! What happened? Oh my God… did I just kill him? No.. no… Why can’t I hear him? Oh, God. It was all my fault…

Michelle was quivering in horror. She hadn’t any idea of what’s just happened. She sat there immobilized, gazing through nothing, feeling numb. The only thing she’s aware of was the big silence in her mind… as if a huge gap just missing from her soul…

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06 Juni 2012
Rumah Sakit Gleneagles
Medan, Indonesia

Lucas berbaring tak terfokus. Tubuhnya belum bergerak seharian. Pandangannya kosong, sehampa jiwanya yang telah terkikis dari harapan. Pikirannya dipenuhi dengan kata-kata tak berarti. Tapi semuanya adalah miliknya. Tidak ada lagi suara seorang gadis. Lucas telah mencoba menghubungi Michelle, namun rasa sakit menyerang kepalanya begitu dia mencoba berpikir lebih keras. Yang dia pikirkan sekarang adalah betapa tidak berasa-nya makanan rumah sakit ini.

Tania duduk memandang Lucas dengan penuh ketakutan. Dia berbicara pada Lucas tentang banyak hal, yang semuanya tidak masuk ke kepala Lucas sama sekali. Tania sadar akan betapa tidak responsif saudaranya. Dia bahkan meragukan apakah Lucas tahu dia ada di sana.

Begitu seterusnya sampai sore hari pukul 4. Pintu terbuka dan seseorang masuk ke dalam ruangan. Lucas tidak melihat siapa itu. Kepalanya dibalut perban yang membuatnya sulit untuk berpaling. Lagi pula, dia tidak berniat.

Lalu ada suara mengetuk kepalanya, bukan dari dalam, tapi dari luar. Dan betapa anehnya mendengar suara yang sangat familiar itu.

“Lucas?”

Lucas tidak berpaling. Matanya tetap menatap silau lampu kamar di langit-langit. Tapi dia bisa mendengar suara itu, suara yang sudah menghantuinya selama bertahun-tahun. Lalu dia mendengar gadis itu terisak.

“Mich?” Kata Lucas akhirnya. Dengan susah payah, dia mencoba untuk berpaling.

Di sampingnya, berdiri seorang gadis berambut merah dengan mata bulat manis. Mata yang saat itu basah karena air mata. Gadis itu memandangnya dengan teliti. Kedua tangannya saling menggenggam didepan dadanya, seakan sedang berdoa, tapi tidak.

“You’re here...” sahut Lucas parau.

“I am.” katanya pelan. “How are you feeling?”

“You look alot like what I’ve imagined you to be...”

“Of course, you silly. I’ve given you my pictures...” dan anehnya, dia tersenyum.

“Yeah.. but still...”

“I can’t hear you anymore...” dia menyentuh pelipisnya.

“I can’t hear you anymore...”

“I can.” sahut Lucas. Dia baru saja mendengar Michelle di kepalanya.

“I can.”

Mereka berpandangan, saling kaget satu sama lain. Beribu-ribu kata masuk kedalam kepala Lucas, dan dia tahu pada saat itu juga, Michelle telah bisa mendengar kembali pikirannya.

Kemudian mereka terdiam. Lama sekali. Tidak ada suara lain di sana kecuali hembusan lembut angin dari AC. Michelle tersenyum dan duduk di tempat tidur disamping Lucas. Tanpa kata-kata, mereka mengutarakan semuanya. Tanpa kata-kata, mereka saling mengerti satu sama lain. Tanpa kata-kata, mereka saling meminta maaf. Tanpa kata-kata, mereka bersenda gurau. Tanpa sepatah katapun, pikiran mereka menjadi satu.

END

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TRIVIAS and EXPLANATIONS :

• The story-telling was based on chapters. There were 13 chapters total. 7 from PART ONE, and 6 from PART TWO. Even so, PART TWO was longer than PART ONE. All of Michelle's chapters were started with Lucas' thoughts, except one: "January 1, 2010". It was started with Julia's voice.
• The high frequency buzzing happened because of two people trying to read what the other was thinking. When you read someone's thought who's trying to read yours, it creates a feedback. Similar in principle to audio feedback.
• Due to the trauma of losing his bestfriend over his mysterious "link", Lucas often hallucinated about Eric's present, and until the end of the story, Eric (the imagination) was still standing there in the hospital ward.
• Lucas' connection to Mich's mind was somehow stronger than Mich's. That's why he experienced it first (at age 10) then Mich experienced it 3 years later (at age 12). That's also why the buzzing gave Lucas more pain. Mich somehow could feel Lucas' feelings at times. But she didn't realize that.
• The finale chapter was June 06, 2012. This story was finished at June 05, 2007. Accordingly, June 06 was the author's special day.
• Café dé Sunshine, Bukit Kubu, and Gleaneagles are real places in Indonesia. The story, however, is obviously fiction.
• The real source and cause of the connection is unknown.
• The actual ending planned by the author was in Polonia Airport (or Newark Airport, undecided yet) where Lucas (followed by his mind instructions of where Michelle was) finally met Michelle for the first time. That more fortunate circumstances didn't make it to the story because it required too many pages.
• Thank you for reading! See you in the next story! :P