GREGORIO gave each one a candle.
The students moaned in frustration."Tomorrow morning I will send Mang Nestor to town to buy more gas to use in the generator," Gregorio added."I'll just go with Mang Nestor tomorrow Sir," Noel suggested looking at the caretaker.Gregorio turned his head to the young man, who was secretly celebrating."Maybe you can buy some junk food tomorrow, Noel?" Maggie asked him."Sure!" Noel answered. "Can I go with Mang Nestor tomorrow, Sir?" He asked the artist again who seemed to be silent for a moment."Are you sure?" Gregorio asked the young man as he played with his fingers. He already knew who his fourth victim would be."Yes, Sir!" Noel answered quickly."All right, go with Mang Nestor tomorrow morning.""Yahoo!" Noel said cheerfully, and he asked his fellow students what else they wanted to buy."Just buy junk foods," they replied."Okay, noted guys!""Mang Nestor, you can rest now. You and Noel will leave earlyGREGORIO opened the door of his room slightly but saw nothing. Maybe it was just the rustling of the trees outside his mansion caused by the heavy rain with the strong wind."OUCH!" Alyssa's complaint. Maggie was sitting on the floor while squeezing her right foot. As she glanced into the artist's room as she walked, she stepped on, one of Maggie's feet causing her to fall. "Just massage slowly, because it hurts.""You don't even look at what you're stepping on, then you're still looking at Sir's room," Maggie told her as she applied ointment to her foot. "It's a good thing you're not crippled.""Are you sure? Why does it hurt?" Alyssa asked one question after another. She winced, every time Maggie's palm caressed her foot."I didn't see any bones come out of your foot!" Maggie replied as if she was just joking. "Seriously, your foot will be okay later. You just got bruised because you fell.""I hope so," she said biting her lower lip.Maggie stood up, she finished
IN the room occupied by Noel and Carlos, Noel had a bad dream. In his dream, he was on a beach and he was surfing.A big wave hit the surfing board he was standing on, causing him to fall into the sea. Fortunately, he was a good swimmer at their school. His sway was so fast that he approached the floating surfing board not far from him. But a strong wave came again and it carried the surfing board and he could no longer see it."So annoying," he said angrily as he slapped his hands on the surface of the sea. He dived under the sea. Luckily he wasn't too far away so he could see the big umbrella standing on the side of the beach.Noel would have dived under the sea again when he noticed something on his side. It was getting closer to where he was, he was just so scared when he found out what it was."Shark!" Noel was horrified to swim backward.He felt tired but he did not stop swimming in the backstroke style to get away from the shark chasing him. He w
"ALYSSA," Gregorio called the girl's attention and he caught her yawning again. "Are you still sleepy?"Alyssa raised her head quickly."Sorry Sir, I just had a hard time sleeping last night." She was embarrassed when she confessed to the artist. She simply looked at her friend who was also looking at her. "It was hot last night S- Sir," Alyssa stuttered when she lied. If she admits that they were in front of his room last night, he might ask more questions and she didn't know what to answer. It's even more embarrassing for her."Is that so. If you want to have coffee, you can bring coffee here in the living room. Coffee will also help you stay awake." The artist suggested."Really Sir?" Exclaimed of the students.Gregorio laughed and spoke again. "I thought only Alyssa was sleepy. All of you!" He said, "All right, go to the kitchen and make some coffee."The students quickly got up and headed for the kitchen.Gregorio noticed Alyssa's slow walk. His eyes narrow
"DID you like it?" Gregorio asked Noel as he approached."It's so beautiful, Sir," answered Noel.Gregorio patted the young man's shoulders. "That's what I'll give you,"The young man's eyes widened as he stared at the artist. As if, he wanted to be sure of what he had heard.The artist smiled at him. "That will be yours, but on one condition?""Sir?" Noel seemed disappointed."You just have to continue painting some parts of the drawing that I haven't painted yet. Don't worry I'll show you what colors to use.""I'm nervous, I wonder what the condition is." Noel's confession. It was true what he said, he felt something nervous at that time but he just ignored it. The artist laughed at what he said."That's my policy to the students I give a gift to. They have to finish the paintings first before they can get them." Gregorio said as he handed the paintbrush to him. Noel accepted it. "So, can you do it?""Sure Sir.Very easy!" Noel's arrogant answer. He sat o
ONCE again, the artist offered a prayer to the statue of his master before finally closing the black cabinet. The smile on the artist's lips was still there.Alyssa stopped drawing when she felt something strange in her chest. She couldn't help but touch her chest. Noel suddenly entered her mind.Everyone was startled when suddenly a loud thunder and lightning broke the silence of the living room.Alyssa's pencil was broken as she pressed it against the canvas when she was startled by thunder and lightning."I hope Noel and Mang Nestor are okay," Alyssa said."Yeah, I can already hear the heavy rain outside," Charlotte said. But she quickly stood up remembering that she was going to cook rice. "I'll leave you guys, I'm going to cook rice. When Sir is down here in the living room, tell him I'm in the kitchen.""All right," Maureen replied.They rested for a while.Charlotte turned around and walked towards the kitchen."What happened to your p
"THE barangay captain of San Victoria, he said, the bridge that connects the road to here, and to the other side of town was cut." Gregorio lied to them."What do you mean Sir?" Carlos immediately asked the artist who was obviously nervous because he remembered his friend Noel and even the caretaker, Mang Nestor.The students exchanged glances."How are Noel and Mang Nestor?" Alyssa asked the artist and held her friend Maggie's hand tightly."Don't worry guys, they're fine." Gregorio smiled in response to them, as he still had many lies already formed in his mind."Thank God!" said the students. They even signed the cross which secretly annoyed the artist."People who are stranded and unable to cross are in the municipality. Among them are Mang Nestor and Noel," in addition to what he said and sat on the sofa in front of the students. "When the rain stops I'll try to go to the other town to catch up.""Sir, how can you get there, you said the bridge was cut." Sa
HER fellow students were silent, their eyes also focused on Carlos and the woman who was walking with him. She seems to be the one the artist tells them to temporarily replace Mang Nestor as a cook."Good afternoon," the old woman greeted them."Good afternoon, too," they replied."Please sit down," Alyssa said and helped the old woman sit next to her."Are you the one to temporarily replace Mang Nestor?" Maggie asked the old woman.The old woman nodded."My name is Iseng, just call me Aling Iseng." Introducing the woman to herself."We're glad to meet Aling Iseng!" Maureen and Charlotte said, almost at the same time.They also introduced themselves one by one to Aling Iseng.The old woman looks kind but Alyssa notices that she always seems to avoid looking. Maybe she's ashamed of them. That's the reason she thinks."Where is Sir?" Aling Iseng asked, referring to the artist."He's in his room, but he told us that you're coming," Alyssa said. "J
"All right, go upstairs, I'll follow you later. We'll play tongits first, Maureen saw some cards in the room where they were staying,""Can you play tongits?" she asked Maggie. During the time they were together, she had never seen her hold a card."What's the use of Carlos, if he doesn't teach me, hehe,"Carlos scratched his neck, he was ashamed of Alyssa, she might think he was gambling."My Dad and I enjoy playing cards or chess sometimes when I visit him," Carlos confessed. "But I don't gamble," he defended himself."Don't be defensive," Maureen whispered to him."Of course, in order not to break his handsome points to Alyssa." Charlotte also jokes with him."Noel isn't here, so you're bullying me," Carlos said but his eyes were on Alyssa.Alyssa completely avoided Carlos' gaze."All right, I'm going up, enjoy playing cards." Alyssa turned away."I'll just follow you girl!" Maggie said that her eyes were already focused on the cards she was holding.
Alyssa struggled. She couldn't breathe.Blagh!The fire was blazing in the hole. Gregorio released the woman.Gregorio felt his whole body heat up. He backed away from the woman while touching different parts of his body.Carlos immediately helped Alyssa, raising her head."Alyssa!" Maggie called to her friend. She knelt next to her. "Carlos, Alyssa isn't moving anymore!" Crying, Maggie said and shook her unconscious friend's shoulder."Alyssa, open your eyes!'' Carlos cried. He touched her wrist. He felt her heart beating weakly. "Her heart is still beating!" He quickly laid her on the ground. He opened her mouth and gave her mouth to mouth, resuscitation to allow air to enter his heart.Alyssa sighed as if she was chasing her breath.Carlos quickly lifted Alyss's head. Maggie prayed thanks to the lord when she saw that Carlos had revived her friend."Maggie..." Alyssa called softly to her friend. She is crying.
"HE was outside the mansion. Your friends were also there to stop Sir Gregorio from burning the painting that imprisoned you.Alyssa was happy with what she found out. She was thankful to god that the two were safe."Aling Iseng, I need the key to Sir Gregorio's bedroom."The old woman, quickly reached into her pocket and handed a bunch of keys to her.Alyssa quickly reached for the keys. She forgot to ask the old woman which of those keys was for the artist’s bedroom.Alyssa almost ran up the stairs to reach the artist's bedroom.Aling Iseng's gaze just followed Alyssa with her back turned. She quickly walked away from the stairs to hide."Which of these keys is for his bedroom?" she whispered in disgust. She had already tried five keys, but the bedroom door, had not yet been opened. She tried again.Click! Alyssa heard the sound of the doorknob. She push the door.Alyssa hurried into the bedroom. She picked up th
Alyssa held her head, trying to remember why she was in that place again. She didn't remember anything. Maybe she was dreaming again.Alyssa was about to take a step when her body was out of balance. She fell on the grass."Ouch, it hurts!" Alyssa said softly. She got up quickly. She looked down and saw a rope tied to her feet.What could have happened to me? Why are my feet tied?She sat down on the grass. She quickly removed the rope tied to her feet. She stood up again, took a deep breath before starting to step.Alyssa took a walk, looking around. The surroundings were beautiful. If she wasn't mistaken, she was in a paradise!Alyssa noticed a colorful butterfly flying back and forth at her. She chased the butterfly to catch it.Alyssa stopped running when she noticed a long white bench not far from her. She remembered this. Now she was positive that she was in her dream again.She stopped chasing the butterfly and walked in t
"Don't!" Alyssa stopped the artist. She covered her mouth with her hand while crying. "Have mercy, Sir, leave my friend alone. I'll do what you want!" she quickly wrote her full name and signed it.Alyssa slipped the paintbrush into the pocket of her denim shorts in the back."You make a drama scene before you do what I ask you to do!" The artist said happily and left Maggie lying down. He hid the gun.Alyssa felt dizzy, held her hands to her forehead."Aaaaahhh!" Alyssa growled. She didn't notice the transformation of the painting because her eyes were tightly closed.Even though her stomach hurt, Maggie still insisted on sitting down. Her eyes widened as she looked at the painting.What is that? Maggie asked herself terribly."Alyssa!"Alyssa heard Carlos calling her name, but she couldn't look at him because she felt the whole area was spinning."Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!" Gregorio laughed when he saw that the hole in the mid
"What are you waiting for?!" Gregorio yelled at the woman.Charlotte moved quickly, her hand shaking as she began to paint the woman's hair in the painting."Heck, the outcome of your painting must be beautiful!" In anger, he pulled Charlotte's hair."Ouch! It hurts!" Charlotte moaned in tears. She quickly grabbed the artist's hand that was tightly gripping her hair."Hurry up, don't slow down!" He said and violently let go of her hair.Her face almost gnawed at the painting.Charlotte quickly wiped the tears from her eyes, using her fingers. Charlotte painted again, she forced herself to calm down, and maybe if she made a mistake, the artist might hurt her again."Write your name and sign it!" Gregorio commanded the woman when he saw she was done painting.Charlotte quickly followed. She didn't even think of a reason why she had to do it."WHAT IS HAPPENING?" Maggie asked when she heard Charlotte's scream.
"Don't worry Alyssa, they're with you!" Gregorio replied, violently letting go of Alyssa's hair."What are you going to do with us?" Alyssa asked even though she already had a feeling that the artist was planning something bad for them."As you guessed, Alyssa!" Gregorio shouted. "I'm smarter than you! If you all think you can escape what's destined to happen to you, you're wrong!" He added and sat down on the sofa again.Gregorio looked at the three students, they were moaning."I don't see anything. Alyssa, where are you?!" Maggie moved her hands, she felt something tightly tied around her hands. "What's going on, what does it mean?""Maggie, I'm here," Alyssa replied, but she couldn't move because her legs were also tied."Charlotte, Carlos?" she called two other fellow students."I'm here Alyssa!" Carlos replied when he heard her voice."What's happening?" Charlotte couldn't help but cry when she realized her hands and
"Hmmm... I'm sorry Sir, we're just worried about Maureen. We haven't seen her yet," that was what Alyssa thought was a good reason to see what the artist’s reaction would be."Let's eat first. Later, we'll work together to find Maureen. I'm sure she's just here at the mansion." Said the artist.Alyssa was disappointed in what she expected to be the artist’s reaction, she couldn’t see in his face that he was just lying.The four students kept their mouths shut, afraid to speak."Aling Iseng, please put their bowls of the pork stew you cooked," Gregorio gently ordered the old woman.Aling Iseng quickly complied. She took the casserole with pork stewed, placed it on the table. She took the students' bowls and put soups and some pieces of meat and vegetables."Thank you Aling Iseng, ' the students said politely as they handed over their bowls.Aling Iseng also sat in the chair next to the artist, but she also stood up qu
"Tell me, why those cellphones are in Sir Gregorio's trash bag?" Alyssa asked. They were speechless. "I feel like something bad happened to them," Charlotte admitted. "Earlier, I opened Daisy's cellphone, I read her older brother's message, and it looks like Daisy didn't come home to them." "How can you say that?" Carlos asked. He still couldn't believe that the artist could do bad things. From what he showed them, you could tell he was really kind and he took care of them with food. "I read in Daisy's older brother's message that he was asking when she would return to Manila, which means Daisy didn't leave the mansion. She didn't go home to them, her family was very worried about her." Charlotte replied. Carlos sighed and looked at Alyssa. If it was true that she saw herself as the next victim of the artist, he would not agree. He had to protect the woman he loved, he would do everything he could, just don't let her get hurt. "I find
"Yes Sir, just a finishing touch!" Carlos answered."Very good!"A few more hours passed and the four finished painting almost at the same time.Gregorio stood up to look at their painting. He looked at Carlos first.“Beautiful,” said the artist. Carlos’s masterpiece is buildings, it's beautifully colored.The next thing he looked at was Maggie's painting."Even if you don't like drawing and painting, but you've still made a beautiful masterpiece." Gregorio praises Maggie. The ocean is the one she painted, there is a boat in the middle of the sea."Thank you, Sir," Maggie was pleased with that compliment to her by the artist.Next, he looked at Alyssa's painting. It was a stream and there were three women doing laundry, their faces looked happy."Wow, I can say that you are already a great artist Alyssa." He smiled proudly at Alyssa. He held out his right hand to shake hands with her.Alyssa hesi