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15/08/●● 12:30
It was a slow day.
Enzee thought, even though the day was just about halfway done. She finally got out of her house, the blazing sun made her eyes flutter as she tried to navigate through the bustling city. Summer and cities are a hellish match, but you don't hear it from her.
Xylo's figure got more visible as she finally reached the park. She smiled and looked down to realise that a cat had been following her. Burmese one, bright yellow eyes, and a cute meow. Oh well, they were about to feed some strays anyway, maybe the cat smelled their intention. It suddenly rushed to Xylo's lap, successfully distracting him from the cold beverage he's been drinking. Xylo turned his head to see Enzee, he grinned and pats the empty space on the bench beside him. In an instant, Enzee plops down and rests her head on Xylo's broad shoulder.
"Hello," Xylo pushed a can of soft drink towards Enzee's face.
"Mmmm... hi," Enzee said as she grabbed the can.
"Did you just wake up?" Xylo chuckled softly.
"...yea. Sorry I'm late..."
"It's alright,"Xylo paused. "It's blazing hot out here, I don’t really like it... haha,"
"Should we go somewhere else?"
Xylo shook his head, petting the cat as he hummed a tune.
"I think we’re okay out here, don’t you want to feed the cats?" Enzee nodded, but just as she reached for the cat food, the cat suddenly jumped off Xylo’s lap, running towards the busy road. Enzee immediately got up, tearing open the treat in her hands, hoping the cat would notice her but to no avail.
"Hey!! Wait!" They both ran, quickly catching up with the cat. Enzee was shaking the cat treat, but it seemed to ignore it. Xylo ran faster to catch the cat, stepping some more to slow himself once he pulled the cat in his arms.
"Got her!" He beams. Enzee laughed as well as she slowly reached out to pat the cat.
But before she could do that, there was a loud thud, Xylo was suddenly out of sight, and her arm felt numb.
Enzee breathed sharply, dropping a bag of cat food to the heat-struck concrete. She looked aside to see a screeching truck. Some people gathered around it with a mix of worried and horrified looks on their faces.
No.
She ignored the pain in her arm and rushed to the truck. As she got closer, she could see a pool of blood.
Then a body.
Even with the summer heat, there was no warmth left in his body. He doesn’t respond to any voice or touch. Not even when Enzee screamed his name and hugged him tight.
Xylo is gone.
Enzee sobbed, and sobbed, she doesn't care anymore. She wished she could stop the time and go back, she should've realised it sooner. They shouldn't have gone to chase the cat. They shouldn't have met up in the park. They should've--
"Meow,"
Enzee looked up to see a familiar cat on the other side of the road. Sitting innocently by the side of a boy. The boy patted the cat before taking a step forward. A boy with a short cloak, purple hair and a grin on his face. He stopped in front of Enzee and laughed. Leaving her dumbfounded. Everyone else started to blur, her focus was only on this laughing boy. He doesn’t stop laughing, as if mocking Xylo’s death.
There's nothing funny about this. Enzee wanted to scream, but she stood there. Numb.
The boy's laugh echoes.
Enzee grabbed his collar to give him a piece of her mind. But before she could even prepare a punch, the world around her goes dark.
...
...
Tick.
Enzee woke up with a cold sweat. Scratch that, she woke up drenched in sweat. Enzee let out a loud huff before changing her clothes. She made a promise today, didn’t she?
She walked outside to see the sky, bright as ever in the summer days. She checked her phone to see a message from Xylo.
14/08/●● 12:■■
Xy: Enzee C’mere there's so many cats!!!
It didn’t take her a long time before she arrived at the park. Being a fast walker and all. Xylo is swarmed by dozens of cats by now. Enzee can't help but to let out a laugh, gaining Xylo's (and the cats) attention. She kneeled and tore open the cat food she had brought. The cats immediately run and meow to Enzee, making it difficult for her to move as the cats jump and reach for her hand.
“Don’t just sit and laugh there! Help me!” Enzee protested.
“You look like you’re having fun,” Xylo said as he caressed a fluffy Burmese cat on his lap.
“Xylo!”
“Hehe, okay~”
After feeding the bundle of cats, they decided to sit around and watch over the park. Not long after Xylo took a seat, the cat from earlier jumped and made itself comfortable on Xylo's lap.
"Looks like she loves you, hahah!" Enzee gushed as she played with the cat.
"She does, doesn't she?" Xylo shifted his gaze to Enzee and patted her head instead. Enzee sheepishly laughed before she melted her head on Xylo's shoulder. She feels like she could just drift away any moment now.
A cold sensation suddenly hits her cheek. "Don't sleep here now~" Xylo grinned and gave Enzee a canned soda.
"Thanks..." Enzee holds the can and straightens up.
Huh.
"Ah! Wait!" Xylo stood up to grab and tugs Enzee's hand. "The cat ran off!"
A red hue enters Enzee's sight, the screeching of a truck and Xylo with no light in his eyes.
Enzee jolted. She tightens her grip on Xylo's hand. Stopping before they could reach the road.
"Um, why don't we go home?" Enzee asked, ever so carefully.
"Ah? Are you sick, Enzee? You look pale..." Xylo’s attention instantly shifted from the cat.
"Really? Haha, must've been the heat…"
"Aight then, we can make a stop and buy an ice cream if you'd like,"
"That'll be wonderful, let's go!"
The two of them turned around and walked by the side of a construction site. Enzee never realised that there’s a hotel in the making. There were a lot of passersby, so Enzee had to be in the front because she was wearing a bright veil. Xylo can see her from a mile away, he said. Enzee glanced at Xylo from time to time, just making sure everything was alright. The convenience store was just one block away now, Enzee looks back and smiles when she sees Xylo.
"C'mon Xy!" Enzee waved her hand, Xylo's eyes widened as he rushed to her. Enzee looked at him confused, but she quickly realised that other people were looking up at something above her.
Enzee didn't even get the chance to look up when Xylo pushed her. She fell to the ground, sitting upright, looking at the nightmare in front of her. Metal pipes clanking as it pierced the road and everything else on it.
Not again.
"XYLO!!!" Enzee managed to find her voice, frantically trying to reach Xylo's crushed, penetrated body. Her eyes welled up in tears, but she was stopped by a boy who grabbed her hand.
"!! You!" Enzee tried to push him aside, "get off me! Let me go!!"
The boy tightened his grip pulling Enzee away from Xylo. Enzee's vision starts to blur. She looked back to where Xylo’s body was lying, hopelessly trying to reach him. He was trying so hard to hold the pain, but he knows he won't last long. Xylo noticed her.
Xylo smiled. As Enzee's world goes dark, she could faintly hear him amongst the crowd.
"Live."
But she can't live like this.
"C’mere, fast!" Enzee climbed up the stairway, holding Xylo tight.
"Enzee..." but it never changes. Xylo suddenly ran faster than her, losing Enzee's grip, and fell from the bridge.
Not when Xylo dies every time she wakes up.
Smiling, Xylo choked out.
“Live.”
Not when the days don't even change.
15/08/■■ 12:●●
That damned summer day.
"What do you want?!" Enzee hugged the lifeless body of Xylo for the nth times, encountering the boy after Xylo dies, every time, without fail.
"ANSWER ME!" but the voice that ever came out of that boy is laughter. As if mocking Enzee for being so pathetic, or mocking Xylo for sacrificing himself every time.
And the day would fade, again, and Enzee would wake up, again.
To watch Xylo die in front of her. To see the same Burmese cat. To be mocked by the boy. To try and save Xylo. And fail to do so. Again and again. Again. For countless times.
“If I die, will this end?” The boy continues to laugh. The cat tilted her head. Xylo was silent.
"Enzee! The cat ran off!" Xylo dashed through the park.
Without a word, she ran. Catching up with Xylo, but Xylo always outran her. Always. He catches the cat. He turned around and laughed.
"Got her!" He beamed. Enzee smiled ever so slightly. In a blink of an eye, she grabs Xylo’s arm and pulls him, switching their place as the speeding truck comes by. Her vision blurred in a red hue, she could hear the truck screeching to a stop. But it's always too late. Her body aches.
She smiled.
She could hear Xylo screaming her name. She glanced around to see the crowd of people, horrified looks on their faces. Xylo standing stiffly on the side, bawling his eyes out. Unable to do anything, to prevent this from happening. She wished she could console him, but seeing him alive is already enough. She coughed a laugh. The boy is standing not far from Xylo, grinning.
Whatever. She saved Xylo, they're free now, it's all that matters.
The million summer days finally end.