“Good morning class,” I greeted them. “Today I will return your test results but before that, I would like to congratulate the students who earned a place on the top ten in the midterm exams in this class. If I call your name please come forward.” I grabbed two certificates at the same time. “We got a couple on top one. Serra Hilario and Grey Preston,” I announced looking at Serra alone. I will get to hold her hand and that thought alone ignited the fire in me. The entire class clapped and cheered. Grey and Serra walked in my direction to receive their certificates. Certificates of Recognition is usually awarded only every end of the semester but the owner of the school, Arthuro Silverio, instructed us to award the top students on the recent exam. I extended my hand to Serra and she was about to shake it but Grey shook my hand instead. I attempted to shake her hand again but I ended up shaking his hand for the second time. He was glaring at me and I avoided his gaze. He held my hand
Another lucky day for me. Serra was all alone, again. I went out of my hiding place and walked behind her without her noticing. She turned around. She took small steps backward only to see me right in front of her. We both looked at each other without saying any word. It looked like she wasn’t planning to start a conversation not even to greet her professor in the morning. “You saw him die?” I broke the silence by speaking first. Her brows came together because of my question. “Don’t deny it, Serra. I heard you. I followed you after you left so sudden, so scared, as if you saw a ghost,” I added. “It wasn’t just a ghost, Engr. Murray. It was a demon,” she affirmed not removing her eyes from mine. She looked fierce and intimidating, the face she was wearing right now made me want her more. “Was it really a vision? Or an imagination? Do you know the difference between the two?” I stepped forward shortening the distance between us. I saw her curled her fingers and balled them into fist
“Don’t worry, Mandy. You’ll pass this year as long as you continue to give what I want,” I assured her. “You deceived me, Engr. Murray. You said we will only do this once. You even assaulted me to make me submit, for you to prove your dominance. I don’t want this anymore,” she cried out. She sounded as though she regretted her decision after everything that happened. “Alright. We will stop when the year ends. You’re getting looser and looser each day anyway. I am not satisfied. Next year offer me one of your virgin friends and I’ll make sure that you could leave this fiery pit place. For now, I’m going to f*ck your beautiful fat ass until I get tired. On your knees and offer that fluffy butt to me,” I commanded. I’m tired of f*cking her loose vagina. It satisfies me no more. “P-Please... don’t,” she begged. Her begs were really soothing in my ears. “I said kneel!” I whacked her face using my belt. She cried reaching her reddened cheek. “F*ck,” I softly cursed when I heard a contin
BEATRICE I went to Amanda’s photoshoot with tons of paper bags on my hand. She made me carry her entire wardrobe when she could tell Garzon to carry it for her instead. I was obviously enslaved by her but I don’t care if that means that I could have her designer’s items. “Bea, put all my old wardrobe in the trash or you could have them,” she commanded me while her make-up artist is busy with her face. My ears flicked hearing what she said and my eyes twinkled looking around. There were tons of designer’s clothes, shoes, and bags. “All? As in everything?” I made sure and she nodded. “Including the shoes?” She nodded again. “And the bags?” She grabbed her empty tumbler and threw it at me. “Yes! Just take them all or else I’m going to kill you. You are getting in my nerves,” she frowned. I immediately brought out a garbage bag and gently put her dresses inside. I have another sets of collection to brag to my other friends. I couldn’t wait to see their envious reactions. Time passed
I gasped. I breathe loudly staring at the ceiling. I sat down and leaned against the cold wall. I curled my legs under the thick blanket and rested my forehead on the top of my knees. Minutes later my breathing tuned down and my heartbeat slowed down. “That nightmare again,” I whispered and held my head. “Bea?” I flinched hearing the familiar voice calling my name. The fine hairs on my entire body rose. I pulled the thick blanket over my head but it wasn’t enough to get rid of the goosebumps I was feeling. “Bea!” I swiftly covered my ears. I shook violently shook my head. “Leave me alone! Stay away from me!” I yelled under the thich blanket. “What?! How dare you raise your voice at me, Beatrice?!” The voice came from the door. I immediately pulled the blanket off my head. “A-Amanda?” “Are you seriously going to keep me waiting?! I’ll be late in my photoshoot urgh!” she complained stomping her feet. I immediately stood up which I regreted right away. My knees trembled looking
I woke up with a sharp pain on my head and cold beneath me. I was lying on the cold marble floor. “Aww...” I reached for my head and helped myself sit. “Where am I?” I looked around. I don’t remember anything. I looked at myself and I was wearing a torn red dress. Bruises were all over my body like I was dragged. My brows furrowed as memories flashed in my head. I was running out of the toilet with a knife on my hand. Suddenly someone grabbed me. I jerked but he was exceptionally strong. Flight or fight kicked in but in this time flight isn’t an option. The stranger behind has a good grip on me but I still got the knife. “Bea...” He whispered in my ears playfully. His voice was deep and airy. H-His voice. It was familiar. I remembered my nightmare. He sounded like her. Like the demon! My hands trembled. I tightened my fingers around the knife’s handle and swissed it on its arm over my chest. It immediately let go. I took the opportunity and faced the demon pointing the knife in i
SERRA “So, you mean that demon wasn’t after you but the portrait? Why?” Gugu asked George. “I trapped a group of selfish and powerful umbras inside the portrait. Devouring them could make that demon as twice as powerful as it is now.” He tightened his fingers around his paint brush. He was shivering and barely created a straight line. He was like a kid learning back the basics using his right hand. “Why would you even trap them when you can burn them to ashes?” I shook my head but was too late. Gugu doesn’t know George story. I forbid her to tag along since she’s still a soul, she might end up getting devoured. We brought her here because George refused to meet any of us. I noticed that he looked up to Gugu and I was right. He let us in when we said that Gugu wanted to talk to him. I haven’t thought Gugu would brought it up. I didn’t warn her either since I don’t have the right to disclose any information regarding his personal life. “That was exactly the reason why I trapped them
I ran out of the room and head at the end of the hallway. “Serra, what are you doing?” Amanda ran after me. I sprinted in a zigzag way knocking on each door from left to right alternately not missing a door. After I reached the opposite end of the hallway the door of some of the occupied rooms opened, room 672, 673, and 678. “What’s going on?” Xyrus swung his towel over his shoulder. He was wearing nothing besides his boxers. “Hot, hot, hot!” Amanda whispered poking my sides and watching him over my shoulder. “Just look how the grains of water slid on his defined abs and v-line,” she added tugging the hem of my shirt. “I was in the middle of my vlog.” A girl with shoulder length hair stepped out of room 673. She blew on her newly polished nails. “OMG! Are you the owner of Doro’s Thing Channel?!” Amanda ran toward her and looking at her nails with clasping hands. “And if I am?” The girl gave Amanda cold eyes. “I really love how you do your nails.” Amanda clapped her hands like
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
Fear enveloped me when I arrived at the mansion. Dead bodies of maids were lying everywhere in the front yard. The metallic scent of blood was giving me a feeling of gagging. I looked around hoping that I could find someone breathing but I was too late. Some were beheaded, some were stabbed multiple times, and chopped like a piece of meat. “Ahh!” I snapped my head in the mansion’s direction. I knew that scream and it was coming from the mansion. I ran and ran. Ran as fast as I could. I pushed the mansion’s door wide open. In front of me was dad wearing his usual coldness. In front of him stood Amanda. She was dressed like the lady in red. I saw no emotion in her eyes. Dad placed his hand on her shoulder and whispered to her, “say hi to your sister.” Amanda slowly raised her hand and waved at me like a puppet. “Hi...” Dad’s lips twitched. He didn’t like what Amanda did. His fingers turned black and grew long. Digging its sharpness in her shoulder. “Do it with a smile.” He gritted h
“Why did we stop?” I poked my head out of my carriage’s window. “A man dropped in the middle of the road, madame,” the coachman responded. I rose from my seat but a man stopped me by grabbing my arm. His face was a bit blurry but the longer I stare the much clearer his face become. My brows furrowed to see Xyrus who was wearing a weird looking clothes from the past. The breeches were long and fairly full in cut, reaching just below the knee. The doublet has a high waist at the sides and back, extending to a point in front. A deliberate opening of the seam on each sleeve allows the fine linen shirt underneath to be seen. He completed his attire with a cape that spans almost a full circle. I looked at myself. I was wearing a deep brown gown with a low rounded neckline and a small ruff paired with a winged collar. The tight sleeves have pronounced shoulder wings and deep lace cuffs. It has a matching petticoat pinned into flounces on a drum or cartwheel farthingale. I looked at him an
“D-Dad?” I whispered. He did not answer. I brought my phone out and opened my flashlight. I directed the light to his face. “Grip? What are you doing here?” He lended me his hand and pulled me up on my feet. “I should be the one asking you that. What are you doing here in the middle of the night? Are you seriously sneaking?” He made me turn my back at him and wiped the dust off my pajamas. “Yes, I am. So will you lower your voice now?” I scolded him in a whispering manner. “Do you think you won’t get caught? Maybe you passed through the elderlies but how about that?” He grabbed my hand and directed my phone’s light to the ceiling. I felt like my effort went to nothing to see the CCTV camera blinking red taunting me. I face-palmed. “You are lucky because you have a handsome boyfriend to the rescue.” He winked at me. “What did you do?” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Don’t looked at me like that. I just saved you from trouble. I moved the camera to somewhere that wouldn’t caught you.”