Nemesis couldn't believe their harmless dinner in the middle of the forest turned into something else.
'Somehow, Alcott hates the Society... Now we discovered Caelum's cousin is its leader.'
Ngayon naiintindihan na niya kung anong ipinag-aalala kanina ni Rio.
Ramdam nila ang pamumuo ng tensyon sa pagitan ng dalawa, kahit pa walang nakakaalam kung ano ang puno't dulo ng lahat ng ito. Nag-aalala siyang bumaling kay Caelum na walang nagawa kundi tumango.
"Ikinakatakot kong ganito ang magiging reaksyon mo, that's why I excluded it from the introductions," he stated. "I didn't think it was necessary. Especially when it seems like you hated anything and anyone related to the Society."
Naalala nga ni Nemesis ang panahong 'yon. Despite their suggestions, nagmatigas si Damien at tumangging humingi ng tulong sa kahit na sino, lalo na sa EPES.
Umismid naman si Damien at kinuha ang medalyon sa kanyang leeg. Wala itong pakialam sa pagkakapigtas ng tali nito. He dangled it over the table, not minding the concerned stares from his clubmates. Nakatuon lang ang atensyon nito kay Caelum.
"Sa kanya mo rin ba kinuha ang mga medalyon?"
Caelum nodded.
Bumalik sa isip ni Nemesis ang eksenang nakita nila ni Naythan kaninang umaga sa coffee shop. Caelum had meet up with someone. Ngayon lang niya napagtagpi-tagpi ang lahat. 'Nakipagkita siya kanina sa pinsan niya,' Nemesis realized.
And since Caelum doesn't look all too happy with his cousin, mukhang ginagawa niya lang ito para mabigyan sila ng proteksyon laban sa mga kataw.
"Hindi ko alam kung anong atraso ng pinsan ko sa'yo, but rest assured that I'm not part of the Society---"
"When you meet him again, kindly tell that bastard I already paid for his reservation in hell."
With that, Damien nonchalantly dropped the medallion into his glass of red wine. Umalingawngaw ang tunog nito sa nakabibinging katahimikan, kasabay ng pag-alis ni Damien sa dining table.
Naiwan silang nakatulala at nagtataka sa mga pangyayari.
Soon, across the table, Naythan whistled.
"Woah. I guess that ends dinner. Umm... Ano nang gagawin natin?"
Nemesis pushed her chair away and got up. Nawalan na rin siya ng ganang kumain. "I'll check the traps. Nandito tayo para manghuli ng kataw, hindi para mag-away o umungkat ng personal issues." She glanced at her two other clubmates.
Doon lang niya napansing wala na pala sa kanyang upuan sina Rio at Clouie.
Agad na naalarma si Nemesis. Before she could even panic, Caelum's voice reached her ears.
"Rio walked off and Clouie followed her. Akala niya siguro galit ako sa kanya," pagod siyang ngumiti at tinabi ang tinidor sa gilid ng kanyang plato. A moment later, Caelum's face turned serious. "As long as you have those medallions, the kataws won't dare harm you. Anuman ang mangyari, 'wag ninyong tatanggalin ang mga medalyon na 'yan."
Wala sa sariling hinawakan ni Nemesis ang medalyon sa kanyang leeg. The cold metal felt foreign against her skin.
Her eyes then drifted to the similar object left submerged in a wine glass.
*
Rionach didn't mean any harm. Noong natuklasan niya kaninang pinsan ni Caelum si Magno, nangibabaw ang pagtataka niya kung bakit hindi nito agad sinabi sa kanila. Surely, when you're blood related to the man who's considered a "living legend" in the paranormal department, magiging proud ka pa, 'di ba?
"Pero kung pagbabasehan nga ang naging reaksyon niya kanina, it looks like it was a sensitive matter for him... Hindi ko na pala dapat in-open up kanina."
Rio buried her head on her folded arms, guilt weighing down her chest. Hindi pa nakatulong na mukhang naging mitya pa ito ng away nila ni Damien at nasira ang hapunan nilang lahat.
Rio lifted her head and stared at the lake. The moonlight reflected off its waters, sparking and mocking her.
'Kaya siguro hindi nagpapakita sa'kin ang mutya ng tubig... Baka akala ko lang may mabuting puso ako.'
And that made the psychic feel even more guilty.
"Malamang hinahanap ka na po nila."
Someone appeared from behind Rionach and sat down next to her. Hindi na siya nagulat nang makita si Clouie. Imbes na mang-usisa, tumitig lang din ito sa lawa na para bang walang nakaambang panganib doon. Somehow, the two managed to survive a couple of minutes of silence before Rio finally spoke.
"Imbes na makatulong, mukhang nakakasira pa ako... It seems like my psychic abilities and charms aren't really that reliable when it comes to human connections."
"Ikaw lang po yata ang nag-iisip niyan," Clouie said and smiled at her. "Dahil sa'yo, nalaman namin ang nangyari kay Julian. Hanggang ngayon, mahirap pong tanggapin, pero mas mabuti naman ito kaysa wala... kaysa umasa pa kaming babalik pa siya."
Clouie stared up the sky and blinked back the tears.
"He's gone, just like his sister. Kasalanan ito ng mga kataw."
"Not all paranormal creatures are evil, you know," Rio lectured with a smile. "Ang iba, misunderstood lang... mga biktima ng mga haka-haka, kaya natuto ang mga taong katakutan sila. Pero hindi ko naman maitatangging meron talagang mga nilalang na natural ang kasamaan."
Pagak na natawa si Clouie. "Parang ang hirap isipin 'non... I can't imagine those monsters be anything but evil, not when they already killed the two persons I treated like family."
Hindi naman siya masisisi ni Rio.
Sometimes, it's hard to see the good in anything when you've already witnessed the chaos.
'Sanayan na lang talaga.'
Napabuntong-hininga na lang ang psychic. Alam niyang wala rin namang magagawa ang pagtakas sa problemang dinulot niya. Nonetheless, she hopes Caelum and the rest of her club mates can forgive her for ruining the evening.
Aayain na sana niya si Clouie para bumalik sa campsite nang marinig niya ang paggalaw sa tubig.
"Oh, no... don't tell me---"
"K-KATAW!"
Nabulabog ang tahimik na kagubatan sa sigaw ni Clouie. Rio quickly turned to lake, staring at the scaly figure walking its way towards them. Kuminang sa matamlay na liwanag ng buwan ang mga kaliskis ng nilalang. Hindi pa nakatulong na hindi nila alam ang buong kapangyarihan ng mga kataw, and that's what makes this situation so much worse.
Even with the medallion on her neck, Rio felt vulnerable.
'Wala pang suot na medalyon si Clouie!'
"Even though I'd love to stay and chat with this kataw, kailangan nating umalis dito, tara na---Clouie?"
Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Rio nang mapansing nananatiling nakatuod sa kanyang pwesto si Clouie. Noong una, nataranta siya. Akala niya umiiral ang panghi-hipnotismo ng kataw sa kanya. But when Rio glanced back at the kataw, she finally understood why Clouie's reacting this way.
Beneath the scales and the darkened eyes, the face was unmistakable.
Dalawang beses niya lang nakita ang mukhang ito---sa picture at sa kanyang vision---pero sigurado si Rionach na hindi niya makakalimutan ang mukha ni...
"J-Julian?"
---
ESTÀS LLEGINT
EPIC
Paranormal"Stare at the dark too long, and you'll eventually see what isn't there..." If someone offered you an opportunity to investigate the deadliest (and craziest) mysteries in Eastwood, will you be brave enough to accept it? An epic paranormal adventure...
