Novels by Sham Cozen

Natigilan si Drizelle sa narinig.“Ate Cee?” mahinang bulong niya.Binaba niya ang kamay na may hawak na kutsilyo. Ngumiti siya at nilingon ang nagsalita. Tumayo siya para salubungin ang ate niya.“Ate Cee!” Masaya niyang inunat ang dalawang kamay sa direksyon nito.Nilampasan ni Ella si Drizelle at dumiretso sa ‘kin.“Ella, ano ang ginagawa mo rito?” nangangambang tanong ko.“Sinundan ko si Mom at Dad sa bahay ng mga Monteverde. Nagkakagulo na ro’n. Tapos may natanggap akong mensahe kung nasaan ka.” Tinulungan ako nitong tumayo.“Kailangan nating tumakas. Dala mo ba ang kotse mo?” mahinang tanong ko.“Hindi, nag-taxi lang ako kasi hindi ko kabisado ang daan. Ayaw ding pumasok ng taxi kaya naglakad pa ako ng ilang metro,” paliwanag nito.“Paano na ‘to?”“Huwag kang mag-aalala kakausapin ko siya.” Akmang lalapitan na nito si Drizelle na nakatayo at nakatalikod sa ‘min.Hinawakan ko ang braso nito at pinigilan. Umiling ako. Marahan nitong tinanggal ang pagkakahawak ko at ngumiti.“Dee,

Umiling ako. “H-Hindi ko piniling palitan ka, Drizelle. Bata lang ako noon. Wala akong kamuwang-muwang. It didn’t even cross my mind to replace anyone, especially not you.”“Shut up! Shut up!” Tinakpan niya magkabilang tenga. “Huwag kang bait-baitan! Hindi mo ako maloloko!” “Lahat ng sinabi ko sa ‘yo totoo. Lahat nang pinakita ko, pinaramdam ko.” Uminit ang mga mata ko. Bumalik sa isip ko ang mga pinagsamahan namin noong kolehiyo. Siya lagi ang kasama ko pag-break time, sa lunch at sa uwian kahit na magkaklase kami ni Ella. Ella was surrounded by girls our age while I felt like an outcast but everything changed when I met Drizelle. She made feel like I belong, like I’m not alone. She even defended me from Ella.“I-Ikaw lang ang tinuring kong kaibigan, Drizelle. Ikaw lang ang naging kakampi ko. Parang kapatid na nga kita-”“It’s because of my hardwork. I only befriended you to know you, to know your weaknesses. Dahil do’n I was able to make everyone envy you, hate you. Especially Ell

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang ginawi niya ang ulo sa direksyon ng silid na nakasara ang pinto.“I’m coming, Anastasia…” Pinihit niya ang doorknob.Napatakip ako ng bibig nang bigla niyang hampasin ang pinto nang mapagtantong naka-lock ito. Marahas at paulit-ulit niyang pinihit doorknob. Napaungol siya sa inis at sapilitang binuksan ang pinto gamit ang mga sipa.“Lalo akong nasasabik sa pgapapahirap mo, Anastasia,” aniya pagkatapos matagumpay na nabuksan ang pinto. “I’m coming, Anastasia...”Sumilip ulit ako at nakitang hinalughog niya ang kuwarto. Hindi niya pinalampas loon ng aparador at ilalim ng kama hanggang sa isang lugar na lang ang natura. Ang banyo.“Nandito na ako, Anastasia.”Napatayo ako nang tuwid nang bigla niyang pagsaksakin ang pinto ng banyo habang tumatawa na parang banyo.“Nanginginig kana ba sa takot? Ha? Anastasia?” Patuloy siya sa pagsaksak ng pinto.Dahan-dahan akong lumabas ng kuwarto habang naaaliw pa sa kahibingan niya si Chase. Sinenyasan ko si Drizelle na

Hininto ko ang sasakyan sa harap ng malaking gate na gawa sa metal at binalot ng baging. Hinayaan kong bukas ang ilaw ng kotse na nakatutok sa mansyon bago lumabas. Tinulak ko ito pabukas. Nangangalit ang mga ngipin ko dahil sa langitngit na tunog nito.Binalik ako sa sasakyan at nagmaneho patungo sa malaking abandonadong mansyon. Wala akong makita sa paligid maliban sa nagtataasang ligaw na mga halaman patunay sa matagal na panahon na napabayaan.I stopped the car at the towering mansion infront of me. It is twice bigger than the Monteverde’s. I went out with the duffle bag in my hand. I pushed the giant dusty door open and was welcomed by an empty huge living room. Napapikit ako nang biglang bumukas ang ilaw. Napamulat ako dahil sa walang tigil na ungos. Sa gitna ng silid ay si Drizelle na nakaupo at nakagapos sa silyang gawa sa sa makapal na tabla. Wala siyang panyapak at may busal ang bibig . Namumula ang pisnge at magulo ang buhok. Nagpupumiglas siya at may nais sabihin sa ‘kin.

ANASTASIA’S POVNaghihintay ako sa perang pinahanda ko nang nakaraang linggo. Napatingin ako sa cellphone nang may matanggap na mensahe mula sa cellphone ni Drizelle. Video iyon ni Drizelle na nakagapos at pinagsasampal ng lalaking naka maskara at may tattoong ahas na nakapulupot sa rosas sa braso. Nag-ring naman agad ang cellphone na hawak ko at bumungad sa screean ang pangalan ni Drizelle. Sinagot ko ang tawag.“Forward the video I just sent to Tremaine Sullivan,” utos niya.Nagsalubong ang mga kilay ko sa narinig. Ano ang gusto niyang mangyari? Ano ang gusto niyang palabasin?“Now!”Napamura ako sa likod ng isipan sa biglaan niyang pagsigaw kasabay niyon ang pag-iwas ko ng cellphone sa tenga. Agad kong pinasa ang video kay Tremaine nang walang pag-alinlangan. Wala na akong pakealam kung ano ang isipin nito dahil una pa lang ay maspinili na nitong

“Is this a new trick? You can’t use her mother to get her so you’re making up stories?” I sneered.“I’m telling the truth. Why don’t you ask your parents? They knew my son and daughter-in-law very well.” He diverted his eyes to mom and dad who were standing behind me.“What is he talking about?” My brows furrowed at them.“H-Hindi ko alam,” pagtatanggi ni Dad. Hindi ito makatingin nang diretso sa mga mata ko.Alam kong nagsisinungaling ito. Napayukom ako ng palad. Sasayangin lang ba niya ang pangalawang pagkakataong ibinigay ko sa kaniya?Tumawa si Don Hildegarde. Umigting ang panga ko. Pinaglalaruan niya ba ako?“Alam kong itatanggi mo kaya naman nagbaon na ako ng ebidensiya.” Binaling niya ang tingin kay Lucero.Lumapit sa ‘kin si Lucero at b

SERRA “Dad,” I called him.It has been days yet he was still sad and listless.“What can do for yoy, sweetheart?” He forced a smile but the sadness in his eyes was visible.“I-I want to ask you about someone.” I lowered my head.“Come here.” He tapped the space beside him. I obliged and sat next to him. “About who?” he asked.“About my mom,” I stuttered.Hearing the last word he was grief-stricken. I felt bad asking about it.“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t feel like it, dad,” I sincerely said.He shook his. “It’s about time.” He smiled genuinely. “What do you want to know about her?”“What does she look like?” I asked even though I already knew.He moved away and pulled something out of the drawer of his bedside table. He gave me a round object. It was metal-like and silver in color with gold Vines and red roses all over.“Open it,” he told me after handing it over.I ran my thumb tracing the vine and pulled the top part upward. I saw myself, my reflection.“You’re a carbon

The moment the water swallowed me I held my breath. There’s no way I’m letting the cold enter me. I looked up but it’s all water above me. My hair floats over my head like seaweeds. In the rashness of the moment, I began flinging my arms out.I expect to come back out and I did. I gasped for air before sinking again. I kicked my legs and flapped my arms and I was back to the surface again. But each chance to breathe became further apart. Each breath was less than the last.I tried once more. The more I struggle the more disoriented I became. I felt like I’m trashing inside an invisible prison. My first instinct was to get some air but there should be something else. I couldn’t fight for air forever. I need to find a way out.I pushed with my legs and arms and when I was able to bob my head out of the water, I breath as deep as I could. The water pulled me again. I looked around and saw a wall. The fear I felt was overlain by hope. I flicked my feet and tried to reach the walk. It was

“No... That couldn’t be.” Kate staggered backward. “It should be there. I should be there,” she repeatedly uttered pulling her hair.I run towards her. “Don’t worry, Kate. We are going to find Lulu’s body.” I assured her and patted her shoulder.She yanked her shoulder away from my grasp and took a few steps backwards. She kept on pulling her hair and her eyes were restless. She didn’t know where to focus them.“W-What if that thing took it? W-What if that thing swallowed it?” Her breathing turned shallow and fast. She punched her head with boths hands wandering with little steps. She’s mentally unstable. I walked near her and caught her hands stopping her from hitting herself.“Stop it, Kate. You’re hurting yourself,” I told her.She already suffered enough. I couldn’t bear watching her like this.“That thing swallowed Lulu whole!” she squealed oogling her eyes at me.I grabbed her cheeks and made her look at me. “What thing, Kate? What thing?”After a moment of touching her face m

“I am sorry for ignoring you, guys.” Kate lowered her head. “I was just scared of Lulu. I’ve known her for years and I didn’t know she was capable of any of that. I know she won’t hurt any of you though. She was just after me.” Her voice cracked. I moved closer to her and rubbed her back. Comforting her is the only thing I could do for her right now. “Nothing of that is your fault, Kate. Monsters are made. Envy made Lulu into one.” I pulled her making her lean into me as she sobs. “But she is still the Lulu that we know. She’s a beautiful flower,” I added. She lifted her eyes to meet mine. “Will she become a flower forever? Are we going to meet her, the real her?” “No.” I shook my head. “In the next life I could be an animal or a plant or I could be in your body and you could be in mine. It depends on the decisions we make at this lifetime. That doesn’t mean we aren’t real. The real us is not our flesh but our soul.” I wiped her tears away. She nodded and smile. She leaned against

I dropped my phone after hearing what she said. I hastely went back to the elevator and ran again toward the gym. It was passed two in the afternoon already. “Serra, here!” Mandy waved her hand at me. I ran in thier direction. I gasped for air. “Where is Amanda?” “Amara called and they were together at the moment. What’s going on?” She looked both worried and confused. I looked at Lulu’s direction and Mandy already got what I meant. “Lulu!” I approached her. She turned around and faced me. She was wearing an ice-cold expression, far from the Lulu that I knew. Something was really not right here. I saw Kate died but her name wasn’t carved at the black scroll. I shook the doubt in my mind and focused to the present. “Lulu, grab my hand and get out of the body.” I lend my hand to her but just like before she just stared down my hand. “Yes, Lulu. Do it. Trust her,” Mandy encouraged. She looked at me and smiled. I was relieved to see her smile but my heart started to race pushing m

“Are you sure about that?” Grip asked. “Yes, bring me back to the mansion. I chose to front my fear.” I firmly said. He nodded and smiled. He was proud. He grabbed my waist and pulled me nigh him. Lulu’s and Dorothy’s name was already written on the scroll of death and today was the thirteenth day from Xyrus’ supposed to be death. I wanted to save them, to do that I need to watch dad’s every move. I was not certain if my plan would work but I have to try at least. “Grip, something’s off–” I turned around but he wasn’t here anymore. “Grip?” I sighed and just walked the long way toward the mansion. He was vanishing from my sight very often this days. It was a sign that he would leave and cross to the other side very soon. As I walk the garden I came across with bronze maids. They would avoid taking the same way as I do. They would even avoid staring in my eyes. I stared at the huge closed door before me. Just by thinking of going inside gave me goosebumps. I took a deep breath. I p