AN ART TO REMEMBER

Chapter 1

JAN. 12, 2000

"VANESA SANTILLAN!"

She was humming a song while painting the man she always saw in her dreams. She doesn't know why but this portrait of a man always there whenever she had a dream.

There is something about her dreams that sometimes she is having a nightmare. Sometimes, her dream was just a plain black afterwards this man portrait suddenly show up. Sometimes she felt like, she's still awake and just staring at the ceiling fan but then she would have a nightmare because she thought, she was still awake but no! That was her dreams, her that is staring at the ceiling fan. Then sometimes, she had a dream that is peaceful or as if she was in a paradise but later on that dream would become a scary dreams and then again this figure of a man show up and everything would be in hell.

She wondered, why do this man always in her dreams? Sometimes, she was scared to asleep. There's nothing wrong with the face of this man because he's handsome but, while you were intently staring at him, he seems to be different.

"VANESA SANTILLAN!"

She was startled by a loud slap on her shoulder.

"Huh?" She was in a state of shock. She was suddenly nervous because of Maria's slap on her shoulder.

"What huh? You really are! I've been looking for you and calling you for a while and then you're just here?" She frowned at Vanesa.

That girl named 'Maria Sanches', Vanesa's bestfriend. They are currently in grade 12.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear you." It snorted at her.

"How can you not hear me? You're busy with your dream guy again!"

"Huh? He isn't!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

Maria keeps on frowning at her that's why she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah! Yeah! Whatever Vanie! Let's go? The class is about to start." She smiled at Maria before nodding. She quickly put away her things on the table.

They hurried back to the classroom before the bell rang. They waited for a while before their teacher arrived. They discussed about their upcoming submission of their thesis about environment.

"Ok class! I hope, all of you can pass the thesis this coming next week."

"Yes, Ma'am!"

"Ok! Class dismissed."

Their thesis are consisting of six student in each group. Actually Vanesa got her own group yesterday. They are; Maria, Alexis, Zhera, Citto, and Katreya.

"Guys! I got a venue." Zhera said.

Next to Vanesa's chair is Maria while Zhera is sitting at their back. Alexis, Citto, and Katreya quickly went to their seats.

"Where?" Alexis asked to Zhera.

"At Villa Alcasta! I saw it on the internet yesterday and guess what guys, I got the rent with a low cost."

"Are the surroundings beautiful? Sure we can do well?" Katreya countered.

"Yes! The entire environment is definitely beautiful and refreshing." Zhera said while daydreaming.

"So guys? We're leaving tomorrow?" Citto asked that's why they all nodded.

JAN. 13, 2000

Vanesa woke up just after four in the morning. She was checking her bags if her stuffs is suit for a week. She doesn't know why but, instead to feel that they are in a vacation, she felt like something bad are meant to be happen. She sighed before ignoring her hunch.

They rode in the same van. Vanesa was the last to be picked up, so after that the car went straight to the Villa. Vanesa's companions are like lard if they sleep while her, she can't sleep. She keeps on sighing the whole trip.

It's weird,

She suddenly says. And again, she felt like there is something wrong in the whole occurence or it was just her? And again! She ignored her hunch.

A few hours passed when they arrived at the Villa. They all suprised when they reached the Villa. The whole place is beyond to called beautiful, it's so much for that. The house is big, it can be called a mansion. There are also trees around that are meant to be shaped like humans, others shaped like animals. There are also many flowers to be seen, a typical Plantita or Plantito made. There are also fountains with an angel’s sculpture in the middle and with water coming out. The most popular of all is the small river on the side with a mini bridge passage above and below it there are also sculture but animals. In short, it's like you're in paradise.

"Good morning everyone. I'm Thomas the caretaker of this Villa."

"Good morning, Mang Thomas." They all said in chorus.

"Once a week I go to this Villa so before I leave, I want to say the only rule in the Villa."

"Rule?" And again, they all said in chorus but this time with confusion.

"What's that rule?" Vanesa asked for the all of them.

"The only rule in this Villa and not to be violated is to go out at six o'clock in the evening."

"Why?" Maria was so close to Vanessa's arm because she started to feel nervous and strange around.

"You don't need to know anymore. It's also for you so you should just listen. I repeat, you should be in your rooms by five fifty-eight or five fifty-nine. There will be no overlays at six o'clock. Whatever you need, you should have it in your rooms so that you don't have to go out at that time. Eat early so that six o'clock doesn't reach you. Is that clear? "

No one spoke to them because their brains seemed to be floating on the thing that was messing with it. They just woke up in a daze when the old man said goodbye.

"I'll be ahead of you, I'll be back in a week and I'll repeat, please remember the only rule in the Villa."

No one spoke to them because their brains seemed to be floating on the thing that was messing with it. They just woke up in a daze when the old man said goodbye.

"I'll be ahead of you, I'll be back in a week and I'll repeat, please remember the only rule in the Villa."

They all nodded and later said goodbye. Even though they felt strange to the old man, they still tried to shrug off everything he said.

Throughout the day stay at the Villa, they spent time arranging their belongings for a week’s stay here. They chose to have the girls together in the same room and so did the boys. Maria, Vanesa, Katreya, and Zhera are together in the same room while Alexis and Citto are in the other room. By five o'clock in the afternoon they had eaten for dinner. Even though they didn't know what the old man was saying, they still chose to listen to it because it would be good for them.

Five fifty-five of them were asleep except for Vanesa who was restless in bed. She was still slightly seated and leaning against its headboard. They all have their own single beds so if she fidgets her companions will not wake up.

Annoying! I couldn’t sleep after that I was still thirsty.

That's her thought. No matter how hard she tried to sleep, she was still not really sleepy. She took a glimpse in the wall clock.

It's already five fifty-seven in the evening and she's really thirsty.

There's nothing wrong with her sneaking in to drink water, right?

She asked herself.

She slowly got out of bed and went to the door before turning the lock. She took one more glance to her classmate before she goes out. It was dark around but even so she still did not turn on the light so that no one would know she came out. She tried to widen her eyes just to see the way.

Their rooms are located at the 2nd floor of the house that's why she need to use the stairs before she reach the kitchen room. He looks like a thief if he tips his toes.

She seemed to be breathing easy when she drank the water. She quickly left the kitchen to go back to their room but she was stunned. She looked at the door of the dining area. She heard a lot of sounds. Her heart beating so loud as she heard the loud noise coming from the dining.

What is that?

The sound of plates, spoons, there was even the sound of someone opening a cabinet. Eventhough she was scared and nervous, she tried to encourage herself to go there. She peeked through the door that was a little open just to stand still. Her lips parted and her narrow round eyes widened. She couldn't even believe what she was seeing.

I-is this real? Am I sleeping? Am I having a dream again? If I am, please wake me up!

She sighed as the man's head slowly lifted toward her. She is now having a hard time to breath. She felt like, she is going to collapse. She could not react and ended up with his feet stuck in the stand. She was trembling with fear and nervous. She thinks, she would pass out the moment their eyes meet.