4. Strange Footsteps Sound

Finished revising the program I made, I remembered what Emma told this morning. A lot of questions bothered me. I wanted to ask her, but there was another person might know better about what I had had today. I took my cell phone and sent messages

"Ery, do you know anything about a white dog?," Erick came to my priority to seek information about that white dog I often came across with. There was something strange about that dog. My instinct said so.

"What dog?," Erick asked back.

"Do you remember when you took me to Mr. Stone's house? I saw a white dog there at that time. And then the following morning, when I went to the market, I saw the same dog. Emma saw it too at my house. I guess it is the same dog. But it is impossible, isn't it? From the old house to be here takes about 2 hours by bus. How possible a dog can take such a trip that fast on foot?" I explained.

"What is it like?," Erick replied shortly.

I frowned. Confused. "What?"

"The dog. What else?," Erick sounded irritated.

"Relax boss! Don't be mad," I chuckled before I texted him back, "What i saw was a dog with white hair and blue eyes. Emma saw a dog with the same characteristics this morning" i explained.

No reply for some time. Finally, i texted him again, "Ery?"

"Sorry, I was working," He sent the second message. "Have you ever heard stories about dead children?"

"No idea" I replied fast.

"People believe when a child dies, his spirit will not be judged for all what he has done in life. The one with holy spirit will be led by a white dog to the afterlife. The spirit is still holy. He will also not be punished like adult. I do not remember the whole story version. But outlining is the white dog is the guidance for the child spirit to the afterlife'" Erick explained.

Honestly, I could not understand Erick messages, "What is the connection of what you told me with what I have experienced?" My confusion grew bigger.

"Don't mind that. Simply think what you have experienced is just coincidence. It is possible it is different dog, isn't it? It is just they looks much alike. It is very possible, right?" Erick did not make confusion ease.

I took a long deep breath. I read one by one Erick's messages. But it did not help me at all. I did not think that white dog had bad intention to me. It was just, I felt it kept following me.

…

Emma called. She saw that dog again at the front side of my house. I who was at campus and was meaning to leave rushed home as fast as I could. She told the truth. Emma was at my home and fed that dog. .

"He is very tame" Emma patted the dog's head.

I looked at that dog attentively. After some time, I pulled Emma's arm to follow me to go into my house. The dog was enjoying his meal from my best friend.

"Em, I want to ask you questions. Please don't laugh at me, "Emma gestured me to go on, "Can a dog take a bus?" I asked her.

Her eyebrows taunted, she did not seem to understand my point, "It can," she answered confidently, "It depends on its owner. Let only a bus, a dog can also take a plane if the owner takes it along".

Her answer irritated me. I felt that she wanted to mock me or to pull my patience further when I was being serious.

"That is not what I mean, Emm," I started feeling irritated. "The dog went alone without its owner" I explained and stressed on every syllable. "That dog, I believe is the same dog I saw in the market. When I was at my old house, It was there at Mr. Stone's house. Imagine, it takes 2 hours from my old house to be here by bus. It will take very long time if that dog takes a walk. Today it arrived here. It keeps following me" I was really frustrated to explain what I meant. "honestly, I often heard weird taps, someone followed me, and seeing that dog many times"

I looked out of the window of the living room and I saw that white dog looking straight at home door, there is something strange with that creature," I said in low voice.

I looked at Emma with a pleading look. "Emm, I wonder if I can sleep at your house tonight" she was surprised with my unexpected request. My expression was without any doubts pleading. "Only this night," my look was pitiful, "He is here" I pointed at the dog outside, "He keeps looking at the door with strange gaze," I was hoping she understood my point.

"You are 27 years old, Tha. Why are you afraid of something like that? Hellooo… no ghost, okay?" As she said she rested her hands on her waist.

"Only once please. I really feel uncomfortable. Please.. Emm," I walked to her, "I fell like someone keeps following me," I whispered to her. "I kept hearing knocks. That forced me to go home. Today in the computer lab, I saw footprints of blood on the table on my side. It was like paws of a cat or a puppy because of its small size" I told her in more detail explanation hoping she would understand what troubled me so far.

After having quite long debate, Emma finally gave in. she chose to stay for the night at my house. After dropping her daughter at her mother's house, she came to my house at 10 p.m. she complained of having so many visitors at her shop, then lying on the sofa. I just arrived home from shopping and I told her I help at the shop since I had done with my program.

Emma stared at me, "You are brave to go out and shop but too afraid to stay at home alone" her words sounded upset.

I snorted in annoyance. I did not want to stay at home alone, that was why I went out and mingled with many people. It gave me secure feeling among people.

"Did you see that dog out there when coming here?," I was curious.

"Nope," She answered nonchalantly while fiddling with her cell phone. "But I saw someone was standing at the door. He seemed to want to visit. But when I called him, he left, instead,".

"What?," I was shocked. I came closer to her, "What did he look like?," I was really curious.

"A man, around 20's and was wearing a black a shirt " Emma was trying to recall. His skin was a bit pale and how he walked was a bit weird, in my opinion,".

"Hmm....who was that?" I was scratching my memory about my friends who knew my address. As far as I concerned friends who knew my address were mostly females. And for males, there only 2, my brother and Erick. I believed he was not my brother because he was tall," My brother was not much taller than me, he was 168 cm tall and I was 160 cm.

"He was not your brother. He was tall, Tha. Perhaps around 180 an," Emma got quiet. "To tell the truth, his footsteps sounded strange," She said.