Oktofinitum

Chapter 2

Mirakov

"Nasaan na ba ang bruhang yon?" bulong ko sa sarili.

"I'm here," napakunot ako dahil sa malalim na boses na nanggagaling sa aking likuran at agad akong lumingon pero walang tao doon. The lights from the posts suddenly continuously flickered and the cold breeze sent chills to my entire body.

"Bakit parang pinagti-trip-an ako ng bruha," I mumbled to myself. But a shriek escape my mouth when I felt a hand suddenly tap my shoulders.

"Gaige? Hoy, hindi magandang biro 'to ah!" I said nervously because the flickering lights finally stopped and died, if it weren't for the full moon, it would've been impossible to see anything.

"Mirakov," muli akong lumingon sa kung saan nanggagaling at boses at naroon na nga ang aking matalik na kaibigan. Only this time, she looked so ...different.

Her hair is a mess, it was all over her face. Her uniform is torn on different parts. And her arms, the veins in her arms are visible and it's black. 'Yung itim na nakita ko kanina sa braso niya ay tila ba kumakalat sa buong katawan niya, sa kamay, sa hita, at maging sa leeg at mukha. At first, I genuinely thought I was having a nightmare or something.

"G–gaige? Ang effort mang-trip ha?!" I nervously chuckled to lighten up the eerie atmosphere thinking that it's part of her trick to scare me but when the moon luminated her face–specifically her eyes were missing. Her pupils and irises were gone and behind her, a somewhat black smoke hovers as if it's a sort of force holding her whole being.

"G–gaige ?" natatakot kong saad habang humahakbang patalikod dahilan para dahan–dahang umangat ang ulo niya, showing me an inhuman version of my best friend. Then slowly a creepy smile crept up her lips showing me a razor–sharp teeth.

"Finally," it was a ventriloquistic voice, she sounds so different. Like a demon straight out of a scary movie. Napatigalgal na lamang ako sa aking kinatatayuan –mouth agape, eyes almost popping off its socket and every hair on my body stood in fear giving me a mind-wrecking goosebumps. I even tried to close my eyes hoping that when I open them again everything will be but a nightmare, only to be disappointed.

"G–gaige i–i–if this is a joke I'd k–kill you!" natatakot kong banta, hindi ko alam kung dapat ko bang paniwalaan ang aking nakikita o dapat kong sampalin ang sarili ko para magising.

"Kill me?" she retorted in a creepy sing-song voice but what's even scarier was that she's taking a step with every word she sings whilst I take a frightened step backwards, my feet trembling in fear.

"She is gonna ...kill me," she continuously sang in a tune that sent shivers down my spine.

"G–g–gaige..." naiiyak kong tawag muli sa kanyang pangalan. Hindi.... Hindi ko na alam ang gagawin ko. If this is a dream, someone please wake me up!

Natigilan ako sa paghakbang patalikod na maramdaman ko ang basang tiles. Isang hakbang na lang mahuhulog na ako sa pool. But she is still walking painfully slow towards me with that demonic expression and blank eyes.

Napatingin ako sa paligid, nakita ko yung mga gamit na nilapag ko kanina pero masyado silang malayo para maabot ko at magamit para ipagtanggol ang sarili, sa aking kaliwa't kanan ay ang hawakan para bumaba ng pool at sa aking likuran ay tubig.

I'm freaking empty handed in front of my best friend turned into a god–knows–freaking–what?!

"She is gonna kill me..." Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! Malapit na siya! I mentally panicked.

Sandaling napadako ang tingin ko sa langit at nakita ko ang buwan na unti–unting natabunan, a lunar eclipse? Really? Does that event really have to ominously happen like now? Paano ako makakakita!