Unfold
1757 Words
After putting the kids to bed, Lucio traveled back to the hospital. He was holding the old pendant that would serve as his good news to his wife and the Shaman. The Shaman was waiting with Aria at the hospital. He can't pretend that everything is fine. He was troubled, and his mind was left in the basement. He could see no reason why those photos were in there and the pendant was on the altar. As his memories explored and traveled back in time, he remembered that his father took Aria's pendant away at one point. But his pendant was found missing days after that. He actually forgot about it entirely.
"What is going on? Am I just getting paranoid?" he uttered.
He stopped in the middle of the road and slowly parked the car at the side of it. He has to concentrate on driving. He shouldn't let anything get into his mind that would keep him from sanity.
"Where are you?" Alexander called out to Lucio.
He was talking to him on the phone. He sounded unhappy and weird.
"I'm going back to the hospital. What's the matter?" he questioned.
"Nothing, I thought you were going to stay at the mansion since Aria is with Fortune," says Alexander.
"I will be home tonight. Is that all that you called about?" he asked.
"I think so. Take care, send my regards to Aria and Fortune." Alexander said.
He ended the call and started to drive. From a near distance, he saw Aria talking to the shaman. They are outside Fortune's room.
"How's everything?" Aria asked him right away.
"Good. What's up now?" he replied.
"Fortune is a brave child. He continues fighting and it is a great favor for the pendant. It prolongs its life. What do you have for me?" said the shaman.
"That's good to know. I have one thing for you. Here!" he said.
He handed him over the old pendant.
"Great that you have found it. Where did you get this?" he asked him.
"In a marble jar in my father's basement. I didn't know it was there. Something was telling me to look for it in the most sacred place at home," he explained.
The Shaman was holding the pendant and examining it thoroughly. He looks at it very closely as he brushes his fingers around it. He doesn't look happy.
"This has been stained," the shaman said.
"What do you mean? It looks fine and new to me," he replied.
"That's not what I meant. Someone who has got a dark power has been holding this for the longest time. Because of that, this has weakened the power of this pendant. This cannot be used for good causes. Instead, it can harm someone who doesn't know the sole purpose of the pendant. I will take this with me," explained the shaman.
"So, you are saying that my father is evil?" he asked the old man.
He was trying to confirm what was on his mind.
"Is there anyone whom you think could have kept this and possibly used it?" said Layla.
"That's impossible! We have no record that Dad has done something like this before. I never thought that Reyes could do any harm. He was older than my father and he was just a loyal servant," Lucio claimed.
"I will conduct my own investigation, but one thing that I can tell you is that someone in your house has black magic. That person wants to keep you unsafe. That's why he confiscated the pendants that I have given you." Layla warned them.
Aria was looking at her husband anxiously. She believed whatever the shaman was saying.
"Do you have something to say?" Lucio asked his wife because she was looking uncomfortable.
"I guess he was right. Since I got pregnant, I felt something was going on in the mansion that I couldn't explain. That time that I was trapped in the elevator was not an accident. It was done on purpose. I can say that the pendant that I got from you helped me out of that delicate situation," Aria shared her experiences with her husband.
"Who do you think it is then? I grew up in that big house but I didn't feel or see any strange things that were happening," he persists.
"I don't know. I couldn't point out who that was. Maybe Layla can dig deeper and tell us," Aria said with an encouraging smile.
"Don't worry because I will get to the bottom of this. Just cooperate with me and have faith in what we are doing to get the best result," Layla replied.
"I have instructed the twins to wear the pendant all the time. Will it keep them safe? Can you assure me that?" Lucio asked Layla.
"Yes, as long as they have it," Layla assured the couple.
The couple felt relieved, but they shouldn't be complacent. It's their family that is at stake.
"I forgot to ask you something. Layla, why did the pendant keep on blinking?" Aria was intrigued.
"When did it happen?" he replied.
"Last night, when Keila and Alexander visited my son, they were there to check on him. We didn't feel its presence until it started blinking," she explained.
Layla was looking serious and gave them a warning look.
"Why? What does it mean?" Aria asks again.
She wants specific answers.
"The source of the black power is near. It recognizes enemies and it is a warning that you should not get too close to that person. The pendant is fighting back to sustain the positive energy of the host," he explained.
"So my son was the host and the evil ones are my sister and father-in-law?" she asked to confirm.
"Yes," he firmly replied.
Lucio couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"How could that be? My father was the best grandfather to my children. How the hell could he do such a thing to them? For what reason? I am his son and they are his blood," Lucio burst out angrily.
He was frustrated by what he learned.
"Honey, please calm down. Layla was just trying to help us. He might be right," Aria said.
"How could you say that? My Dad was not evil, he was a very good person. You know that! He loved you and you think differently towards him?" he confronted Aria.
"I am not saying he was bad. What I am trying to explain is that there may be something or someone that has demonized and poisoned his mind. I know how caring and lovable he was. I can even attest to that. Let's just help each other out, please! We are both having a hard time trying to digest everything that is happening. It was difficult," she explained.
She was comforting her husband. She understands what he is feeling.
Lucio did not answer her back. Instead, the shaman continued to explain what might be happening next.
"I am telling you this to get ready. Don't be shocked. For as long as you follow my orders and the pendants are in your possession, you will be guarded." He continued.
"Is that the reason why Fortune was hearing different and rowdy noises?" Aria asked Layla out of nowhere.
Her mind was not getting anywhere. It was all over. She couldn't take much.
"When did it happen?" Layla asked.
"He was aware that someone was coming in to visit but he was hearing noises. It's hard to explain, but he just told me that when there were only the two of us," Aria explained.
"Then it just strengthened our speculations, but we couldn't stop right there. We had to find out its origin and how it would be stopped." Layla said.
"How can it be stopped? Do we have to end someone's life?" Aria said in panic.
"Not necessarily. We may just need a cure." Layla told them.
Aria didn't feel good about what was about to happen. Lucio was quiet and didn't say a single sentence.
"It's okay, honey. We will get through this together." She said in comfort and hugged him.
"Before I go, let me remind you that we only have a few days left. Let me know if you have got anything," the shaman said before he went out of the hospital.
They are left confused about how to feel about the situation. They just wanted the best for everyone. But this time they have to choose between the good and the bad.
Alexander was in a rage, knowing that someone had got into his sanctuary. He had just arrived from a business meeting in town. He went directly to the basement, as he normally does. He felt strange and he knew that something had happened when he was out. He walked quickly to the altar and found out that the pendant was missing. He knew it. He couldn't contain his madness. He threw the jar out and it created a mess. Reyes ran towards it and cleaned it up.
"How the hell did you get into my room?" he shouted.
Reyes couldn't recount the incident earlier. He realized that he might have forgotten to secure the place. He bowed his head and didn't speak up.
"Did you know about this?" Alexander confronted him.
He didn't reply, and Alexander knew what it meant.
"Did you let him come in?" Alexander asked him and waited for his response.
Reyes apologetically admitted what happened.
"I just assumed that's what happened, but I wasn't sure. I saw him outside the library room and we talked briefly. I didn't know that he was into something." He reasoned out.
"i***t! I have told you a million times to be extra careful and not let anyone get into the basement. It was a sacred place. I knew it was him. He was here earlier." Alexander stated.
"What are we going to do now?" Reyes asks fearfully.
Alexander looked at him like he wanted to kill him.
"Head Master, please forgive me! I am going to do anything you tell me to do," Reyes begged for his life.
Alexander turned his back, trying to compose himself.
"I am not going to do anything stupid. I still need you and you have been my greatest ally since. Forget but learn from today. I just want your loyalty and will take care of whatever mess you have brought into my place," Alexander said mysteriously.
He was into something. Whatever that is, it's only him who knows his plans.
- Writer
