Chapter 5

Kathleen's eyes shifted to the crying face of her best friend. “What a-are you talking about?”

                Samantha’s tongue explored her frontal teeth. “He's been seeing his ex-girlfriend behind my back for quite some time now,” her voice broke into short sobs. “I made myself look stupid as I am certain he’d leave once he knew that I am already aware of what’s happening.

                She quickly wiped the tears trickling down her cheeks. “I thought he’d feel sorry for me—at least—for what he did, but no. He even tried to shift the blame on me,” her tongue folded on top of her mouth to stop herself from breaking into a loud cry. “All of them knew: Kim, Junel, and Kaiser, but none of them said a thing. I have been fooled.”

                Kathleen could only watch her best friend succumb in pain. “Why didn't you tell me?”

                “I just can’t acknowledge the fact that everyone I care for always ends up leaving me. I know he’s a jerk and I won’t mind making myself look stupid by staying with him after everything, but I don’t have a choice. If I stayed, he’ll get hurt,” her voice cracked and tears started streaming down her cheeks thoroughly.

                She glanced at Kathleen who looks bewildered and she cannot blame her for that.

The next thing happened so fast, none of them was able to see it coming. The only thing they heard is the screeching wheels followed by loud metal crashing. Everything went black, however, despite being in daze, Samantha still felt the twinging pain on her stomach which forced her to open her eyes and focused her vision.

                She looked down to see a piece of broken glass pierced through the right side of her abdomen. Drizzle of blood splattered up the orange ceiling of the wrecked car, pluming down from a thick red stream to an exquisite motif of carmine drizzle on the stirring wheel.

                “Ugh!” She could only groan in stinging pain as she tried pulling out the shard. It’s a lot bigger than she thought and blood came gushing out the moment she had it removed. Samantha knew it’s a horrible idea, but she does not consider having that thing inside her as well when she come face to face with him.

                The car was in place, but all of the windshields were shattered and everything’s a mess as they turned upside-down and rolled for a couple of times before it reached the position. Samantha realized her wheels might have exploded and she knew who exactly did it. Gasping, she turned towards Kathleen who’s unconscious. She was just thankful she already had her seatbelt on, but the cut on her forehead is still worrying her. It might not look deep, but it would still put her life in danger as blood kept on oozing out. Her hands were shaking as she reached to check her best friend’s pulse and sighed in relief.

                “Child...”

                Samantha winced in sharp horror that started her heart thundering in her chest, cornering her breaths between her throat. She bit her lip as she slowly pierced her eyes on the creature who was motionlessly standing before them.

                “Fuck you!” Samantha groaned when a similar scene flashed in her mind––her parents’ deaths. She knew ‘twas only a warning and if she had to stop it, it has to be at the present time.

Her eyes squeezed when she remembered everything and the situation, she is in now is just the same as before.

                She has no choice but to face him now before he could lay a hand on any of her friends. She could hear her own heartbeat and adrenaline singing in her ears as she looked at Kathleen for the last time.

                “I’m so sorry,” she whispered through soft sobs. “I'm sorry you have to go through this because of me. Please take care of him for me, o-okay?” She winced in pain. “I-I love him so much––very much. But you have to remember this, I love you more than anyone else.”

                Samantha drew a deep breath and slowly removed her seatbelt, careful enough not to inflict more damage on her wound. Limping, she slowly opened the door and stepped outside. She could feel her wound opening the moment she stood straight, but she didn’t bother covering it up.

                “If this monster would only take me,” she thought. “I’d just rather die right now.”

                The demon tilted its head and its attributes transposed with the motion as if it had no braincase underneath the obsidian miasma sheathing its skin, leaving somber blots on the road where there’s nothing but sugarcanes planted on both sides. The creature was tall with its hair moving into different directions. Its face is all black. Only its rufous, glowing eyes, can be seen, piercing through her soul and all more hideous for a plain sight. Samantha breathes shallowly through her mouth when the monstrous figure stood in front of her.

                “Shall I deliver its death?” The voice resounded into a deep, husky tone. The hollow of its dwindling mouth didn't go along with the perpetual locomotion to emit the locution.

                “No,” Samantha smiled faintly. “You’re taking no one.”

                “He hurt you,” its eyes glowed in different shades of red, pulling its fading lips into a sinister smile. His sharp teeth showed. “I can easily kill them for you. Everyone who hurt and betrayed you—you will have your freedom.”

                “Don’t make me laugh,” Samantha winced. “You’ve taken a lot from me already but you’re still here.”

                The monster went silent and its smile widened into a grin. “I can sense the hatred burning inside you. You want them dead!”

                It bent over which drove them almost nose to nose. Samantha remained feisty, staring at its red, scalding eyes. “Aren't you afraid, child?”

                Everything was filled with horrifying sound of screams and darkness. A smirk crept on Samantha's lips as dark miasma brushed against her sole.

                “Not at all.”