✔ Killer in the Attic

[13] TREDECIM

Nakarating kami sa abandonadong warehouse sa dulo ng bayan.

It was already pitch dark outside and only the moonlight coming in from the crumbled ceiling made it easier to move between what was left of the building. Sa 'di kalayuan, nakita ko ang police line na palibot sa gusali. Kung tama ang pagkakaalala ko, dito natagpuan ang batang namatay.

Bakas pa rin ang dugo sa sahig.

And here I am, sitting on a block of concrete, infront of that kid's murderer.

"So," he started, leaning against the old wall, "we are gathered here tonight to celebrate our newfound friendship. And as I've said, you can't kill me."

"That sucks."

Bakit nga ba ako ulit sumama sa isang 'to? Dapat yata hinintay ko na lang si Oriana.

He momentarily closed his eyes and exhaled. "Yeah. So, technically we can't kill each other. Just like you, I'm just a figment of a child's imagination. He needs a friend to overcome his phobia a few years back. Long story."

"What happened?"

"He left me. He grew up. He didn't give a shit anymore. That's pretty much all there is."

Mabuti na lang hindi ginawa sa'kin ni Oriana 'yan.

I frowned and stared at the dagger he was playing with in his hand. Nagpatuloy siya sa pagkwento, kahit na parang nasa malayo na ang tingin niya. Tila inaalala ang lumipas na panahon bago siya napadpad sa lugar na 'to.

"My human left me... just like that. Noong inutusan niya akong maghanap ng kutsilyo sa bayan, hindi ko naman alam na sinadya niyang gawin 'yon para iwan ako rito. He never came back, that bastard." Humigpit ang hawak niya sa patalim. I wanted to pity him, kaso naalala kong mamamatay-tao rin pala siya.

Then, a thought came to mind. "Bakit ka pumapatay? I don't get your logic or your agenda."

Pagak siyang natawa.

"Sebastian..."

Mas lalo akong nairita nang tawagin niya ako sa pangalan ko.

His heterochromatic eyes bore into mine, into the core of my existence. "After almost two decades living in the shadows, I came to a resolution... I don't want to watch humans living their lives anymore. I don't want to wonder about what it feels like to breathe air, grow up, need food, and do normal things anymore... because now, I want to be human myself."

He was dead serious and dangerous.

Mukhang gagawin nga niya ang lahat para matupad ang kagustuhan niyang iyon. Though, it still made no sense to me. At habang tahimik ko siyang pinagmamasdan, naiisip ko ang mga bagay na bumabagabag panrin sa'kin. Ang parehong bagay na bumabagabag sa kanya.

Paano nga kaya kung maging tao ako?

The idea alone seems so fucking tempting and disgusting at the same time. Why do humans experience life when they disregard it on a daily basis? Who gave them the right to be human, anyway?

Napansin niya siguro ang malalim kong pag-iisip. He soon elaborated, "You see, Sebastian, pwede tayong maging tao. But the only way to do so is to kill our human---"

Napatayo ako sa kinauupuan ko. Mali yata ako ng pagkakarinig?

Kill our human?

"No." Just like that, naglaho lahat ng curiosity ko maging tao. To hell with it, who wants to be human, anyway?

"Yes," he taunted. "In order to for us to be human, we must kill the people who imagined us. Sa kaso ko, kailangan ko nang gawin 'yon sa lalong madaling panahon."

Kill the person who imagined us... Fuck this. Iniisip ko pa lang ang bagay na 'yon, hindi ko na masikmurang makasama ang isang 'to. Yes, I admit that the idea of being human crossed my mind a couple of times, pero ngayong nalaman kong kailangan kong patayin si Oriana para mangyari 'yon, I'd rather be an imagination invisible to the world for all eternity. There's no way in hell I am harming my Oriana.

Napapailing na lang ako sa kabaliwan na 'to.

"You're crazy."

He smirked. "Thank you, but so are you."

"So that's why you're killing people... Nagpapapansin ka lang pala sa amo mo?" Tulad ng ginawa ko noon para mapauwi ko si Oriana.

"Yup. And I need him dead by the end of the month, or else..."

Walang gana ko siyang inusisa, I don't like where this is going. "Or else what?"

Dumapo ulit ang mga mata niya sa patalim na kanina niya pa hawak. "Or else I die. The funny thing about being a product of someone's imagination is... hindi tayo pwedeng magtagal sa mundo nila, Sebastian. Lalagpas tayo sa 'expiration date'. When we do, imaginations go bad, and then the world needs to eliminate us because we don't belong with the living."

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