: Push and Pull

"Excuse me, miss." Kaia looks up to a lady wearing the uniform of their university. The lady is probably the same age as her.

The lady showed her a paper that has something written on it. It's book titles. "Do you know where I could find these books?"

Kaia reads the contents of the paper. It's all about molecular biology. Kaia points to the aisle where she could find the book. The lady thanked her first before leaving her.

Kaia continues arranging the book. She works part time in the public library. She's been working there for about two years now. She started part timing after she enrolled in the university.

   Kaia took a ladder so she could arrange the upper shelves. She was arranging the book when suddenly someone takes the book she's about to take. She looks beside her and saw the guy at the cafe. Her eyes landed on the nameplate on his chest. Asher Lorenzo? So, his name is Asher Alonzo.

Asher stared at the book that they are both holding. He then pulled it towards him. Kaia frowns and pulls the book towards her. Asher pulls it back towards him, Kaia pulls it back again. They keep pulling the book towards themselves for a minute or two before Asher lets the book go.

   Kaia saw him saying something. He follows the book with his eyes. Kaia puts the book in place before looking back at Asher.

What is he doing here? Kaia looks at the nameplate of Asher. The design of the nameplate is the same as hers. Does he use to work here when he was still alive?

   Kaia tried to talk to him, but he didn't hear her. "What are you doing here?" She whispered, but Asher keeps looking at the book she just puts back on the shelf.

   Asher takes the book out of the shelf and stares at it. Kaia looks around to see if anyone is around or near. It will definitely terrify them if they see a floating book.

Kaia sighed and tried to take the book from Asher's hand. However, Asher wouldn't let her takes it. Kaia pulled the book towards her again, but Asher pulled it to his side.

Seriously? Kaia pulled the book again, and Asher pulled it too. Kaia rolled her eyes and just let him take the book. He could have it.

"Kaia!" Kaia looks down at the person who called her name. It's Rachel, one of the part time workers here in the library. "Can you assist me with these books?"

Kaia uses her body to cover the book Asher is holding. For someone, who doesn't see ghosts, they could only see a floating book. And, of course, normal people will be terrified if they see one.

"Okay, I'll just finish these up real quick. You go ahead first." Kaia said in a meager voice. There are people reading in the library, and it would disturb them if she said something too loud.

After Rachel went back, Kaia looks back at the book Asher is holding and pulled it back. She puts the book on the shelf and left.

_______________

"Why do I always do these?" Asher grumbled to himself. He doesn't really like arranging books and was just forced to do a part time in the library just because his mother said so.

He takes a book, and he is about to put it in the right place when something pulls it. Asher looks at his side. There is no one beside him. So, who is pulling the book?

Asher shakes his head. He probably needs a rest again. He shouldn't have pulled an all nighter last night. Asher pulled the book to his side again, but something pulled it again away from him. Asher frowned and pulled the book again.

   The push and pull game lasts for a minute or two before he lets the book go. The book floats in the air for a few seconds before it was put in the right place. Asher blinks his eyes. Confused with what just happened.

   "That's weird. Am I dreaming or something?" He whispered to himself. Maybe he just needs a rest. He stares at the book and takes it out off the shelf.

   Did the book just float in the air? And then it goes back to the right place? He stares at the book. Is he hallucinating?

   However, a force pulled the book away from his grip again. He pulled it back towards himself. Push and pull. Until the force suddenly disappeared.

Asher looks at the book in his hands. He really needs sleep right now. He was supposed to put the book on the shelf when a force suddenly takes it from his grip and puts the book in the right place again.

What did just happen? Asher looks at the book and shakes his head. He rubs his eyes and pinches his skin in his arms.

He was too engrossed in what he is doing when suddenly the ladder he is on shakes. He looks down and sees a lady slumping on the floor. She probably hits the ladder and fell on the floor.

Asher gets down the ladder and helps the lady. "Are you okay?"

The lady looks up at him. She shakes her head. "I'm not. I think I strain my foot."

Asher looks at the lady's foot and true to her words. It's swollen now. Asher looks around to see if there are people who could help him. However, he didn't see anyone.

Asher helps the lady to stands up however the lady winced when she tried to get up. Having no choice, Asher carried the lady in his arms and walks to the infirmary of the library.

The librarian, Mrs. Gracie, immediately stands up when she saw them walking to the infirmary.

Asher explains to Mrs. Gracie what happened after they settled the lady in the infirmary.

"What happened to her, Asher?" Mrs. Gracie asks in a very low voice. Technically, they are still in the library, so any unnecessary noise is prohibited.

"Mrs. Gracie, I was arranging the upper shelf when she bumps on the ladder I am on. She then fell to the floor. When I tried to help her, she told me that she thinks her foot got strained. I tried to assist her to walk, but she keeps wincing, so I just carried her."

Mrs. Gracie smiled at his reply. This boy is undoubtedly a nice lad. She pats Asher's arms. "You did the right thing. I'll be handling these. Go back on what you are doing."

Asher looks at the infirmary door before he walks back to the shelf he is working with. He was about to turn left when he saw someone.

   It's her! It's the face of the lady he saw in his room the other day. He walks towards the lady, but before he could get near her, the lady walks to the other aisle of the bookshelf.

   He followed her to the next aisle she walks into. However, he sees no one. All he could see is books and bookshelves.

   Asher sighs and walks to the aisle he is working on. "I just want to get home and take a rest. I'm beat." He whispered to himself.

____________

    "Hey! Hey Miss!"

  Kaia paused at her step and looked back. She saw a guy walking towards her. She couldn't really see his face because it's already dark outside.

  Kaia holds on to her sling bag as if her dear life depends on it. The guy takes a step forward, and she takes a step backward.

  What does this guy want from her? She has nothing with her but a few pesos. It wouldn't be worth it to rob her. She wanted to say to the guy. However, she couldn't really feel her mouth. It's probably because of how anxious she is now.

   The guy takes a step forward, and Kaia takes a step backward again. It repeats for god knows how many times. He just stops taking a step forward when the light from the street lights, lights up the whole place.

   It's the guy! It's Asher.

   "Asher?" She called him. Trying to make sure it was really Asher. Although base on the face of the guy, she could be sure it is really Asher.

   The guy takes a step forward, and his whole face can be seen now. It's really him. He looks at her intently. Like he's trying to read her. This makes Kaia flushed.

   "You know me?" He asked with a frown face.

   Kaia nods her head in response. Of course, she knows him. He's the only ghost she has seen more than one time. He's the only ghost she could see almost everywhere she goes. It's as if he is following her.

   Is this the typical ghost plot happening to her? When a ghost tries to communicate with a human being and bugs that human all the time?

   Asher took a step forward. "You know me? How did you know me? Who are you?" He asked.

   Kaia hesitated for a minute if she should tell him that he is dead. Based on her observation, this Asher looks like he doesn't know that he is dead. He keeps doing things he was doing back when he was still alive. That's why she could see her in her house, in her university, and in the library.

   Kaia sighs. "Of course, I know you. You're Asher, right? You died, and you keep evincing yourself to me. I don't know what you want from me, and I'm not sure if I could help you. However, I'm willing to help you. Just tell me what you want me to do."

Asher stops advancing forward and stares at her like she just said something dumb. What? Did she said something wrong? He keeps showing himself to her because of this, right? But why did he looks at me like that?

"What did you said? I think I didn't hear it right." He said.

Kaia couldn't pinpoint if he's angry or something. Asher just keeps staring at her.

Kai blinks her eyes repeatedly. Trying to make sense of what is happening right now. "Uh. What did I say?"

Asher shakes his head. "I said, repeat what you just said a while ago. What did you say? Who died? Who keeps evincing itself to you?"

  Kaia looks at Asher confusedly. Did she misunderstand things? But if he didn't have that intention, why does she always see him? It's like he is everywhere she goes.

  "You are Asher, right?" she asked hesitantly.

   Kaia is sure he is Asher based on the nameplate he is wearing in the library.

   Asher nods his head. "Yes, I am Asher. How did you know?"

   "I saw your nameplate when I was in the library. That's why I know your name."

   Asher nods his head. "Who died?"

Kaia looks at Asher's eyes. "You, you died. Although I'm sure why or how you died."

Kaia sees Asher becomes dumbfounded. Like what she said is something ridiculous and unbelievable.

   With a trembling voice, Asher asks her. "I died? What do you mean?"

   Kaia looks at him and sighs. He probably doesn't know he died already. That's why his reaction is like this. Perhaps he is still processing things right now. "Yes, you died. Although I don't really know the specifics, but I'm sure you died. You keep showing yourself to me these days. Do you want to say something to me? Do you want me to do something? I tried talking to you, but it seems like you didn't hear me."

   Asher just keeps staring at him. He was about to say something when the ground trembles. They look at each other and frowned.

   An earthquake? They are both startled when the ground trembles really hard until the ground split into two.

   Asher and Kaia both fall into the cracks. Kaia kicks her feet and moves her hands, trying to hold onto something. However, she couldn't touch anything.

   She closed her eyes and just wait for the fall. However, she didn't fall on a hard surface. Instead, she falls on a soft surface.

   Kaia opened her eyes and looked around. It's her room. She gets up from lying on the bed.

   It's just a dream? That was just a dream? But it felt so real. Like she really met him. Kaia sighs and slump on her bed.