My heart stopped at the first sight of her. I was surprised that she approached me first. Her expression seemed depressed but she hid it behind her smiles. Her teeth with the smirk she wore displayed an optimistic expression but not her eyes. Her eyes were gloomy like the dark overcast.
Her head slightly bent and her hands clasped in front. She was hiding something, something that she’s ready to disclose. It may bear the truth about the deaths of two teachers.
“Good to see you, Maria!” Bert greeted.
“Me too, Bert. It’s good to see you.” She said softly.
“Good luck, man!” Bert whispered to me as she dragged Carla away from us.
A serious aura engulfed our circle between me and Maria. Bert felt it, Carla, too. Carla slightly hated Maria, not because Maria was a typical b*tch but maybe she let popular students surrounded herself as typical b*tches do. Shielded herself mysteriously even though she outshined them. Maria had immense pr
Collins fetched me at school and we drove towards a place outside the city. With us was Edward, who sat on the front seat. The place called Busay, a local ancient language that meant a ‘river’, was located on the outskirts of the City of Cebu. The place started on a foot of a large mountain and into its depths. The car’s engine challenged the steepness of the asphalt road as it wounds itself along a two-way narrow road. A few residential houses situated the place as was heaved with trees beyond the pavement.I felt the pressure rose on my ears and slight fog caressed our car as moisture grew from the car’s windows. The night sky blanketed the place and faintly lit the road with street lights. The moon and the stars beautifully stagnated themselves through black theatric space.It astonished me as I peeked through my window. My mind was troubled about the Keeper’s move tomorrow. I tried to ask Edward about the details but he insisted that s
I was aghast with the exquisiteness of the room. “Is this really your house father?” I asked. It was far beyond the comparison of what I was used to living. My mother and I lived in a very minute house even half the room I was currently in.“Yes, son. It is mine, courtesy of the Keepers. It is also our headquarters.” My father said. I tried to question him about why he left my mother poor and he lived in spoils of wealth. I did dare questioned him, it was not the right moment. A family matter that should be discussed between the two of us. Man to man.Came in was another young lad, maybe two years older than me, wore a black shirt and jeans. His face was young but his eyes contained experience. Looking at him, intimidated me and gave me slight chills for God knows why. He immersed himself within our circle and sat across me.“This is Kane.” My father introduced me.I smiled at him but he star
The soft breeze grew colder each minute and my heart was continuously beating hard as I perched on top of a two-story building across the basketball court parking lot. A vast portion of the school’s campus could be seen from my vantage point. Cold sweat streamed my forehead. I waited ten minutes before 7 pm, the longest ten minutes of my life. Last night, my father gave me a piece of quick advice when the worst comes, to kill is the best option. He said these words, “You have to protect yourself, son. These witches are very deceptive and could kill you instantly without you knowing. Even though you have the Moonstone pendant, they could not use magic directly on you, but they will use any object with their magic and hurt you. Just keep your distance, run if needed, when an opportunity presents itself, stab him in the gut using your dagger. The witch will die instantly.” Words did not soothe my feeling, it worsened the idea of me killing a witch. When the day comes if
The sun was high but the air was still cold. It must have been the elevation, fog was still faintly visible creeping through the overlooking woods. Stratus clouds frequented this place as this mountain held a thick rainforest. The headquarters manor was equally breathtaking during midday. Weekends bored me at home, but not today. Today was equally exciting and frightening, Excited to visit the headquarters again in the daytime, probably meet new members, and frightening for what happened last night. Kane might have discovered Maria’s glowing eyes, but the thought that Maria knew Kane bugged me. Almost left me sleepless last night. She did not respond to any of my texts last night. She was also worried for sure. Mum knew that I had not properly slept, my eyes were sunken and droopy as she had observed. We had our breakfast right before Collins fetched me from home. My training day, as I was informed. Edward was injured last night’s attempt. I aided him immediately and
I was surprised to see the backyard, it was more vast than the front yard. The headquarters manor was fenced with concrete blocks and iron railings that extended far from where I stand – the back porch.A large space in front and the landscape was of formal design, plants placed on symmetrical patterns. Well-pruned trees and bushes were placed strategically to invoke serenity. The space held Trainees like me. There were about four of them and a senior member seemed to be demonstrating advanced hand-to-hand combat. I could say it was advance because their moves were different than the boxing and defending that my dad trained me for two days.They were locking heads, wrestling, slamming bodies to the ground. They even rarely threw punches. I watched them in astonishment. Beside me was Collins who had shown me the place. Introduced me to some senior members of the Keepers and led me to the training circle.“This is Luke Mason.” Collins introduced
The training circle was now getting crowded, even my dad came to see me. I was not embarrassed for our first round, Kane had a lot of fighting experience and was considered to be one of the best. I looked up at the sky and even considered the majestic stratus clouds watching our friendly spar.I was overthinking again. This time, it could not help me. My father was standing behind the crowd that encircled us and I saw him smile at me. But he did not see our first round, it should have embarrassed him, his own son beaten like a girl and by a puny assassin.My heart raced again and I felt tremendous pressure in my mind. I could hear my breathing. I could tell my lungs were exhausted, somewhat deflated balloons. I challenged Kane for a second round but my body was stiff like rocks, I could barely move.“Find you peace.” It was Collins’ voice, whispered from behind my ear.What did it mean? There is no peace in fighting, I thought as Collins
Medellin City, Lapaz street1961 - 60 Years before – Before the Keepers was foundedThe rain’s downpour was heavy. Everybody hurried to shelter and raindrops crashed to the pavement like knives. The streets were nearly unpopulated and the street lamps faintly illuminated the place and the moon’s light gave no contribution at all, the nimbus stratus clouds covered the skies.Two men stood before the street and found shelter in a bus stop station. One lit a cigarette to compensate for the frigid air. They were on the place for about an hour or so, looking before a three-story building. On the third floor, a single apartment was rumored to hold a witch. She lived alone and was suspected to have conjured black magic.“Are we going to proceed as plan, or just freeze here to death,” said the man who had a cigarette, the early forties, and was an ex-military but became a fugitive of the municipality.
Uncertainty was the feeling the three pursuers had. The uncertainty of life and death. It hit them, the moment they entered the room. It was never what they had expected. The deteriorations they witnessed in the halls were not evident in the room, it seemed the apartment was not housed by a witch. The first sight made them question themselves that maybe they were not in the right place, maybe it was the other room. But the inexplicable feeling made them concluded that the information was accurate.The feeling of depression, the feeling of sadness, the feeling of death, invaded their emotions. The living and dining room combined had no evidence of witchcraft, all mundane. Furniture, chairs, tables, were arranged accordingly.But the stench they smelled did not connect with what they saw. It had to be something, something dead lingered around the corner. They took gentle strides further inside. The lights were turned on and they heard rustling in this room before, thus t
“Hey! Layla. Happy to see you. How have you been?” My emotions rosed to positivity.“Yeah. 3rd year now here in Fortis. How about you, I heard you transfer, so here you are. Found you.” She sniggered with a friendly expression on her face.“Yeah, it’s been tough for me though in the city. Maybe a place like this would give me peace of mind,” I confessed. The thought of Maria and the memories we shared in the places at school gave me nostalgia. It was also for the best for my mum, whenever the witches threatened me, it would also impose a threat to my mother.“Do not stress yourself too much, Luke. It does not look good on you. I do not want to see that handsome face of yours, frowning,” she chuckled while smacking my shoulder.“Do I look stressed?”“Yeah. It’s written all over your face. Or, are you just anxious in this new school?”“Maybe. I
Monday.I felt weird heading towards the new school. The secret school as the Keepers said had me a faint idea of what it looked like. A secret school for a secret society. It was about 100 kilometers away from the city and headed towards mountainous parts of the region. The area was seemingly cold as the car ran along well maintained cemented road, slicing through the visible faint fog that floats along the road. Beyond the long and wide road, were heaved with mostly pine trees and other kinds of trees that were heavy with leaves.It was a four-hour-long ride and my mother decided to stay back at our house. She was offered to come with me but she refused. She was comfortable in her state and she seemed happy with her work at the hospital even with the hectic schedule she always had.“Your father is waiting for you at school to introduce you to some of your teachers,” Collins mused while he drove smoothly with the Range Rover. I could not understand
The laughter of passers-by heard from a distance. Whatever we got going, we stopped and stared at each other until the people from beyond the parking lot disappeared from our sight. The parking lot was normally unpopulated in a time before the people from work had gone home. For a few more minutes, this lot would be full of cars, and thus our conflict would end. Lance had deep breaths, tried to relieve the pain he had on his wounded shoulder. I saw the flesh was slowly burning away, emanated from where the dagger had been buried.I saw the source of the laughter and they were young adults like me but with different uniforms. They were from another school. They seemed amused by themselves, their voices echoed to the walls of the three-story buildings that heaved the block.For a few seconds, the passers-by vanished and without hesitation, I sprinted towards him. Swung my dagger to slice his throat and he evaded it an inch away from my blade but he stumbled as I tripped
The parking lot was empty of any human soul, only a few parked cars. The rustling sound of leaves that danced against the cold breeze and the clanking of interlinked wires were audible at the moment.“I will kill you, Lance!” I said it. Before the thought of killing a soul had not crossed my mind but this time, it was different. I was facing a murderer who had not answered his crimes yet.“Why? Why did you kill two of our teachers?” I asked angrily.“It was simply a misunderstanding. Mr. Ross and Mr. Bennette did not understand my situation. I could not fail my subjects or the school could take me away from the basketball team.”“They did not deserve to die, Lance!” I argued.This guy was insane. He had to kill teachers just to maintain his grades and keep his title as Captain of the basketball team. All he was thinking about was his fame and reputation. The itch of killing him grew stronger. I was in
Suddenly, the grandeur portrait of the headquarter mansion invaded my thoughts. The people that dwell on it, young and old, were destroyed by witches. I could not imagine if such witches exist that dared to attack the people that hunted them for decades. It seemed they had prepared for this day and they were training for a counter offense against the Keepers. The statement of Maria seemed to be impossible on my first comprehension, thus I asked for clarification.“Are you saying that witches are going to attack the headquarters?” I asked perplexedly. The thrill of her next words seemed to be forever until she responded, “Yes. Unfortunately, Luke. They are planning for an all-out war this time. That is why I came here to warn you.”“All-out war? Are we not in a war already?” I asked.“This time, Luke. It will be chaotic.” She replied.“When?”“I do not know for sure. But I have heard
My soul jumped in surprise or confusion. My heart was hammering hard against my chest as my vision fell into her smile. She stood up from the couch, wearing loose tattered jeans and a fitting shirt. She had no make-up on but even the simplicity of her looks, her smile had an overwhelming effect on me.“Hey!” I greeted with a cracking voice.“Hey!” She greeted back.“H-How are you?” I said as I lowered myself to the cushioned chair across her and she sat back. It was the first question that came into my mind along with numerous questions in line for me to ask her.She was glancing at my mom as she prepared for dinner in our kitchen as if she had something to say discreetly. I got her signs in her uneasiness and she needed for us to talk privately.“Ahm, I am fine,” her voice was soft and almost inaudible.I smiled at her and turned to my mom. “Mom, we will go upstairs to talk about our upc
“Make up your mind, Alex. Am I a maggot or a dead fish?” I said casually. Alex had lifted me slightly and pressed against the wall with both hands. He was strong as he looks and his two friends behind him, flexed their knuckles as if trying to intimidate me. I looked up at the sky beyond the tall buildings and I saw despair. The clouds seemed to frown at me, told me something unfathomable.“Where is your friend, Luke? Did he run away, afraid to face me outside campus?” Alex groaned. I veered my vision towards Alex.“You cannot beat his ass, Alex. He is well trained in Krav Maga,” I said.“Krav Maga you say. Trying to make your boyfriend stronger ha. Well, if you do not tell me where he is then we will beat your ass until you sing.”He released me from his grip and took a step back. Bullet time suddenly activated the moment I sensed danger. I had anticipated his move, about five steps in advance. He would del
A month only left to end the semester. I am bound to embark on a new school for my third year in college. A feeling of lonesomeness had defined my mood every time I stepped in the school’s campus. It was just a month before that we had fought with the Coven spies and it was ugly. One witch had died in the hands of my father’s team and I am almost killed twice.I was almost indifferent with the people around me, my shyness never loomed since that day. I felt incredibly confident and without remorse. Sadly, the absence of Maria gave a vacuum in my heart, a space filled with nothingness. She had not replied to my text messages even in social media. I have heard she and her family had moved to another place, without even finishing the semester.I understood their condition, they felt unsafe anymore on this grounds even in this region. This place now was filled with Keeper’s spies, to continually look for the presence of Witches but also for
Slowly, she lifted the ice stake aiming at my heart. My both hands on her hand that choked my neck, tried to loosen her grasp. I felt my strength was fading as I struggled to introduce air into my body. She teased the tip of her stake to my chest, running in circles. I felt the pointy tip of the ice stake chilled my shirt wherever it touched and the thought of imminent death raced my heartbeat, hammering against my chest.“Should I kill you this time boy?” The woman taunted.With only one push of the stake would instantly kill me as it was aiming right in the middle of my sternum. I was instantly remorseful of what my eagerness had led me. I may have caused this incident. The Coven spies were maybe deployed because they had feared Maria might be compromised because of me. Because maybe of our secret meetings in the memorial.Suddenly, a figure appeared in my peripherals. It was coming fast as if it was flying or jumping. I was not sure, my vision blu