STUNNED

Chapter SEVEN

TRIGGER WARNING!
This chapter may contain: pessimism, depression, self-harming, schizophrenia, suicide, death.

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"ANO!" dinig kong sigaw ng mamang pulis na siyang nagdala sa akin sa kaniyang bahay. Nasa tenga nito ang telepono at may kinagagalitan duon.

I sobbed when I saw that I was covered in blood as I looked in the mirror. It was already bloody when I attempted to remove it with my tiny hand.

"Ah!" hiyaw ko ng malakas na kumulog at kumidlat. Derederetsong tumulo ang aking luha at hindi napigilan ang mapahagulhol. The detective, who's still busy with his phone, worriedly looked at me. I can sense pity in his eyes, but he then looked away and continued talking with someone on his phone.

"Oli~via!"

I startled when I heard my father's voice. No, it was different-mas malagong, mas malakas-but like what my father did, the voice was singing my name again. I cried harder. Hinanap ko ang pulis na kasama ko kanina ngunit hindi ko na siya makita. The house was dim at tanging madilaw na ilaw lamang ang bukas, malayo pa sa aking pwesto.

"Oliv~ia"

The voice echoed once again, and my shivering body became unstoppable. Dahan-dahan kong inilingon ang aking ulo sa madilim na parte ng bahay. I feel someone's presence lingering somewhere in this room.

The sight of a man's face made the eerie atmosphere more inviting. He was singing my name and muttering under it, all while beaming from ear to ear. I tried to ignore the remix, but it keeps coming back to me. It's been playing nonstop inside my head.

The policeman who had been with me suddenly kneels in front of me. He was speaking, but I can hardly hear him. He seemed to be attempting to console me by holding my hands and softly pressing them, but I could see tears in his eyes. However, the monster that shouts my name sliced his throat the instant I put my little palm to his face.

"Officer!" someone called. Suddenly, the terrifying man was gone, leaving the policeman on the cold, bloody floor, to die.

"Noah," naghihingalong sambit ng pulis bago tuluyang nalagutan ng hininga. Ibinaling ko ang paningin sa dalawang kararating lamang.

Two pairs of eyes, one menacing, the other serene. I then noticed a really skinny boy who was staring at me quite intently. Despite his tears, he was composed. The last thing I recall him doing was nodding and smile feebly at me.

I got out of bed and sat. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might explode out of my chest. My breathing was labored and my body was saturated in sweat. Upon realizing that I was still in my apartment room, I assessed my surroundings. I had nightmares on a regular basis. I assumed that after 16 years, I would have gotten used to them by now, but no. I was affected in the same way from the beginning.

My subconscious kept replaying that horrific segment of my life until I started pleading with pain to assist me. I dash into the kitchen and quickly grab the knife, driving it into my still-fresh cut wrist.

I dig the knife into my wrist even more since the agony is making me feel good. I shut my eyes to savor this strange feeling when all of a sudden Noah's voice could be heard across the room. He was shaking, terrified, and making a valiant effort to cover up the wound I had caused. He was screaming at me, and all I could see on his face was worry, which I had never seen before. He took the towel from behind me and wrapped it around my injured wrist. Matapos iyon, dinala niya ako sa sala at pinaupo. Iniwan niya ako duon saglit para kumuha ng first aid kit at gamutin ang sugat ko. Habang ginagawa niya iyon, hindi ko maiwasang hindi siya pagmasdan.