Chapter 1 : Wake Me Up(1)

I tell unto myself, if only I am there, maybe I can prevent this If only I escort her way back unto her home...if only.

Why should this happen? Why! Why! Why! Did I ever do wrong to suffer this tragedy? The only thing I did was to love...

Staring at her in such a state was making my head in a mess, like hundreds of stripped and tangled threads were destroying the order of the straight pattern in my life. I was lost. What would I do if she was not here now….What would I do!?

Paul mind was in mess, even his expression was showing no emotions, his head was filled in a cluster of gloominess, While ago, he arrived at the K-Town General Hospital, drenched and fatigue because of hard run in the rain from his house, Elliot chased after him but can only stare at his friend, only comfort as a friend is the only thing he can give, he felt useless.

The news was so sudden that the whole place became silent, only to be replaced by a greater sorrow and trembling murmurs...

"Serina Green, Age: 19, time of death 10:27 pm, cause of death, in further investigation, the patient was found dead on the spot...." The doctor paused and sighed "I am so sorry, we did our best...." The doctor said in such a sorry manner as to respect, distressed and disappointed in a failed operation to reclaim a life back.

"I'm sorry for your loss." He tapped the shoulder of Serina's mother before disappointingly walking away. After all, who can manage to bring someone to life who was dead at the spot already, the doctor knew about the family of Green, they were the good people of this town, and to see such a tragedy happen to their daughter, all he can do is sighed and deliver the truth.

Seri, what happened? Who did this! Why are you not waking up? The questions filled Paul’s mind as the sadness and grief-filled his heart, reaching to create tears into his eyes, realizing the one that filled the world for him was now gone….She was gone, lying on that cold steel bed wrapped in a white blanket.

The last days of September, I wished these days did not exist. All the mourning around me made me stare at the walls, all was lifeless, a new feeling that I never wanted to gain, useless to even comfort her parents, even to comfort myself, all of us are in a mess.

I gazed at the people around me, her mother that gently held her daughter’s hand, repeatedly saying I love you, her father whose anger and sadness filled his head, a loving father that loses her daughter, and her friends that were grieving at the corners of the room, while I stared below the ground, thinking of a failed promise I once agreed with her.

"Hey, Paul! I want to sing in front of the masses at the end of September fest."

"Geez, dream big."

"Hey, I'm serious!"

"Fine, fine, I'll help you practice your song, and I'll do the guitar part."

"Haha, that's good. So it's a promise?"

"What promise?"

"You have Alzheimer's? Of course, we will perform together!"

"Okay! Fine."

A promise that we never fulfilled, A fog wish that was created to fail, it was such a promise, it was simple yet it holds a lot for me and her.

"Hey, Paul! I think I know what song I'll perform."

"Really? What is it?"

"The best song to perform in September."

"Green day- Wake me up when September ends."

"Oh? Really?"

"Really!"

"You know the melodic notes? I thought you always sing pop songs."

The fragment of a happy September fills Paul's mind, repeatedly recalling all of the memories he had with her.

Those memories, those experiences. It will never repeat again, the last days of September end with a bitter end. It was a tragedy that doomed me, an epilogue of the heart I will forever lock up.

She was gone, and only her memories were left in me. Paul closed his eyes. A drop of tears fell down his eyes, it was not the water coming through the rain, but it was sorrow coming from the eyes.

"Paul, are you okay?" A hand taps the shoulder of Paul who is staring at Seri who was covered in a white blanket.

The hand was whitish, having those painted nails with black, Paul immediately snapped back and looked at the hand that was tapping her, the familiar voice made her look back.

It was rusted and had maturity in every tone.

"Miya? What are you doing here, I thought you had your art practice right now?" Paul asked while wiping his little tears and trying to keep them on himself, Miya, also a friend of Paul, was a gloomy girl that had a passion for arts and design, they knew each other a long time ago. Her habit was always eccentric, like wearing a black outfit everywhere she goes, her hair is always on short type, she never makes it long due to various reasons, she often said that it was a hindrance while painting.

She was akin to winter, cold and bland.

"The police department is still searching, most of the evidence points out to suicide but according to them, it may be…Murder." Miya spoke with a grave complexion, the case in Serina’s death was still in the fog, the evidence, the witnesses, and all of the related connections to the crime had different directions like it was already planned since the start.

The Police can't even state their reports, the media was busy finding every clue on the case, the fact that it happens before the September Ends was a large ruckus for the whole town, especially since Serina's father was the director for this year's festival.

Paul tried to close his eyes again, all of this was something he wished as a nightmare, wishing to wake up from a terrible dream, but how many times he does it, it never works.

He looked at Miya like painfully expressed himself.

"I will never believe Seri died from committing suicide, I knew her well Miya, she will never do it. She has been a head-on and extroverted girl since our childhood. " Paul spoke in a hoarse voice, denying every aspect of suicide on Seri’s case, he will never believe in Seri committing suicide, on the fact that he was there beside him before this happen before this incident took place.

The last time they talked was inside the studio where Seri and Paul practiced and enhanced their performance in September fest, the night before Elliot shows up at Paul's house, after the events Seri left the studio to go home, and that was the last thing Paul had interactions with Seri, All he remembered was those happy and cheerful mood in her, the reason he will never believe it was such a suicide case.

"The body was found in the old building near K town, it was lifeless when we found her, we- seen her hanging up at the ceiling, the hands had evidence of struggling to tear the ropes, sadly she never made it to unloose those ropes." The Police informed the family, then he grimaced and slowly told the idea about this case. “We believed, there is a probability of murder, but almost all of the evidence points to suicide.”

That was what the police said, they also notice the peculiar case in this presumed suicide case, making the department take a look at the possibility of a perfect crime, the officer was having a dispute on which direction the case should be, the time was limited and the festival will be starting soon, as such they announce it as a suicide case to not alarm the people, such a disgusting way, but Paul can't do anything on it, even Serina father was planning to quit as a director of the festival if her daughter does not have the proper justice.

"Miya, I'll be on my way now, I....see you later,” Paul said in a tired state, gloomy and lifeless in his walk, but deep inside the hatred and anger was building up aroused in his head.

"Oh- okay, see you soon" Miya looked at her friend with pity and sadness, she sighed as she watched Paul walk away, then she was reminded. “ Are you going to attend her funeral?” She asked silently.

"I can't go to her funeral." Paul turned his head and looked at Miya.

"Why?" Miya raised an eyebrow, a little bit shocked by Paul's behavior.

"I just can't ." Paul looked her in the eyes. Miya noticed the lifeless look in his eyes, the gloomy face he had been struggling with.

"Go rest." Miya was slightly taken back but tried her best to comfort her.