Norfolk

Chapter 5

Apollo lead her to a huge white door, inside were large shelves with thousands and thousands of books.

For a moment, Ceesta felt she was stepping somewhere in heaven. She could smell, and hear noises from different worlds hidden from the book. She swore, books were her ecstasy.

"Tingin mo ba may kinalaman 'to sa pagkawala ng libro?"

She turned to Apollo na nasa tapat na ng isang lamesa at tila kanina pa may sinasabi na hindi niya naintindihan.

Imbis na mag tanong, lumapit siya at tinignan ang papel na tinutukoy nito Apollo. Isang dyaryo.

THE NORFOLK GAZETTE

The malevolent "Midnight" strikes again!

Published by Thoby Schubra

Around a quarter to 2 in the afternoon, I was enjoying a pleasant conversation with my dear friend who owns a boutique store when we heard the bone-chilling cry of a woman.
People hurriedly assembled in the lane between Hema's Jewel Shop and the Antique Shop adjacent to it. I pushed through the throng to witness a woman's lifeless body, her withered form resembling a shriveled fruit or vegetable. And with a shudder, I muttered, "Midnight strikes again."
I then interviewed some bystanders to ascertain if they spotted anything anomalous before this occurred.

Kunot noo. Inilipat ni Ceesta ang pahina.

"I am not sure, but when I heard a scream, I immediately hurried to the scene." -Sonia Anita

"No, we did not witness any signs of midnight. Just the corpse." -Elmy Boque

"I was with my sister when we heard a scream. We are quite far from the scene but I told her not to follow as I leave to see what had happened here." -Deo Reeve

Deo.. Muntik na niyang makalimutan na kasama nila ito kanina. She felt the urge to check if he was fine but she picked up a new paper and read instead.

THE NORFOLK GAZETTE

Who's Midnight?
Published by Thoby Schubra

The whole first page was about how this evil creature killed its victim. Gaya ng sa naunang dyaryo na nabasa niya. Lahat ng nabibiktima nito ay natatagpuan na lamang na may tuyot na katawan gaya ng isang tuyo at nabubulok na gulay o prutas.

Walang nakakaalam kung lalaki ba ito o babae, paiba iba ang sinasabi ng mga naturang witnesses sa tuwing may magaganap na aksidente. Minsa'y nabanggit na kung hindi pula ang mga mata nito, ay malapit sa kulay ng puti naman na nagliliwanag sa dilim.

Walang kasiguraduhan sa hitsura ng nilalang. But they believe, ibinenta nito ang kaluluwa sa isang evil witch para sa kapangyarihan.

Narating ng mata ni Ceesta ang isang litrato ng eskenita-- eskenita ng Grimmin Street kung saan sila nagising at unang naka apak sa Norfolk. Ang sabi sa balita, sa mga eskinita ng Grimmin street madalas makatagpo ng mga bangkay gayon na kalapit lamang ito ng kagubatan.

Kung totoo man na binenta ni Midnight ang kaluluwa nito para sa kapangyarihan, hindi malabong maakit ito ng libro.

Gayon pa man, hindi siya tiyak kung ano pa ang kayang gawin ni Midnight bukod sa sipsipin ang lakas at buhay ng mga biktima nito. Malawak ang sakop ng mahika at kalangyarihan, ngunit hindi malayong matuklasan nito ang tungkol sa libro gayon na nababalot din ito ng mahika at may kapangyarihan, at ang isang tulad ni Midnight na hayok sa kapangyarihan, tiyak hindi nito iyon palalampasin.