Monsterstruck

CHAPTER VI: The Vixen and her Prey

     With grave air, Verona flicked the lighter and lit the cigarette as she stared at the poor woman in front of her, wailing behind the bars.

     "I'm sorry Adela. I'm sorry for torturing you so much since I gave birth to my children." Verona apologized in a somber tone.

      Involuntarily, her thoughts wandered from the bitter past.

    "But I love Samuel so much Ate!" Adela cried indignantly.

    "Damn it. He'll be the death of you! Don't marry him!" Verona seethed.

    "What the hell are you talking about Ate?!" Adela recoiled as she rummaged through her closet and started to pack her clothes.

       Miffed, Verona gripped her hand rigidly.

     "Don't be silly Adela. You'll never know what trouble you're getting into." She chastised.

     With that, Adela's brows formed into thick ripples as her lips twisted into a scowl.

     "Then be it!" Adela mumbled and yanked her hand away.

     "You're not human Adela!!!!!!!" Verona interjected.

      Upon hearing that, Adela's bones suddenly liquefied as she pitched her sister a stupefied look.

      "We're not human at all. We are a yoma. It is a kind of monster that feeds on human brain and sometimes on human blood. We can shape shift into human that's why we look like a human." Verona pressed in a hushed voice.

       Adela just guffawed at the revelation.

     "Are you insane Ate?" She scoffed.

       "I'm dead serious," Verona replied darkly and started to transform into a yoma.

      Shell-shocked, Adela covered her mouth. She was aghast by what she just saw, right before her naked eye, her sister transformed into a gruesome monster. Witnessing that, Adela stepped back as fear swept through her.

     "Don't be scared, I'm still Verona, your sister. Listen Adela, you can't marry a mortal. It is against our law. Can you imagine how Samuel will react if he found out? He'll damn you." Verona reprimanded.

     "No!!!I'm not a monster!!! I'm not like you!!!"Adela shrieked indignantly.

     But her words failed her; her body was slowly contorting into a monstrous one.

    "See, Adela. You can't hide or shun what you really are," Verona asserted.

      Horrified, Adela mused at herself in the mirror. It had never crossed into her mind that such monsters exist. Moreover, it had never crossed into her mind that she'd be one of them.

    "This can't be happening...ing" Adela stammered as she cringed at her morbid appearance.

     Suddenly, soft knocks on the door snatched them away.

"      Adela," Samuel called.

     Adela's eyes widened in surprise as panic shot across her face. She threw a hysterical stare at Verona.

      "We're f****d," Verona grunted.

      "I'll handle this. How can I shift back to my human form?" Adela rasped.

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      The sky was bathed with a wisp of clouds billowing in the horizon that foretold that it was going to be a sunny day.

     "I thought you don't want to see me," Blaze said icily as he fiddled the chains of the swing.

     "I'm sorry Blaze," Vylet mumbled as she looked down on her sneakers. Suddenly, a gust of air blew, sweeping the dried leaves on her feet.

    "How are you? Are you still friends with Craig?" Blaze asked bitterly.

    "We're not friends," She huffed.

    "What happened?" Blaze asked, gawking at her.

    "Can we just go somewhere else?" Vylet egged with a deep sigh.

    "Okay. If that's what you want,"

      "I'll have to tell you something." Vylet piped up as she stared at him intensely.

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February 1989

      "I love you Adela," Samuel said heartily and locked his lips against hers. Adela found herself braiding her fingers to his hair. She kissed him passionately as their tongue danced in harmony. She had never wanted him like this. She gasped when their lips parted.

     "I wanted to be with you forever. We'll build our house, and we'll have kids," he crooned as he cupped her face.

     Blissfully, Adela closed her eyes and felt the hot liquid threatening to jerk down in her tear ducts.

      "You are my life, Adela Ferrer," Samuel crooned as he kissed her forehead. They lay there, with their hands entwined bathed with the luminous beauty of the moon.

      "I love you Samuel," she murmured and leaned closer to him.

    "I love you more," he replied and held up her hands and affectionately stroked it on his cheeks.

      Surprisingly, Samuel slid a ring to her ring finger and kissed it.

     "Let us start the forever." He said heartily and kissed her forehead.

            Adela burst into tears and before she could answer, he scooped her in his arms.

      "I do Mr. Davis, I do." Adela replied teary- eyed.

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       "What is it anyway?" Blaze asked as he gazed over the immaculate white sky that veiled the shades of trees.

     "Blaze, do you believe in monsters?" Vylet asked.

     Blaze grew pale. This question shot him like a forty-five-caliber gun.

     "Why did you ask?" Blaze’s voice cracked.

       "Because I do believe that they exist." Vylet countered, flashing a plaintive smile.

      Suddenly, Blaze felt the lump in his throat. Is she about to tell me what she is? Will I tell her that I am a yoma too?

     "What makes you believe then?" Blaze asked intensely.

    "Because... I... uhm..." Vylet stuttered, unsure how to break it to him.

       Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream escaped from somewhere.

     "What was that?" They both asked in unison as they dashed towards the direction of the scream. As they got there, fear swamped all over them when they saw a corpse of a woman, probably in her mid- forties. The policemen were already trooped around it, doing further investigation.

     "He was found lifeless here, with his body contorted in a strange position, vines of plants wrapped all over his body, and gashes of claw marks writhed across his face."

     Vylet gulped as she recounted the moment when Craig lamented about the tragic death of his father.

      "Momma!!!" shrilled the red-haired teenage girl, continuously weeping over the lifeless body of her mother. It was the exact resemblance of how Craig's father was murdered.

     Upon seeing that, beads of sweat started to bud out on Blaze's russet skin.

      "So how long she has been missing?" The police officer asked.

      "Exactly forty-eight hours, I thought she'll just go out to meet my aunt. But my aunt confirmed that she had not seen my mom yet and then everybody went in hysterics. When we dialed my mom's number, her number was out of coverage," countered the daughter of the dead woman in between her tears.

     "Look there are claw marks around her face, but it doesn't look like claw marks of a human. More likely of a cat," the other policeman quipped.

      Vylet's heart was jumping off her chest. She couldn't shake off the thought that maybe the likes of her did this to the poor woman.

     "So, you're saying that a cat did this to her?? What a lame joke," the husband of the victim snorted.

     "We'll investigate more Sir. By the meantime, we'll have to do an autopsy to her body. Now excuse us," said the policeman and tucked his notebook inside his chest pocket.

     "But how can you explain the vines of plants wrapped all over her body?" The son asked sullenly.

     "Yeah right. Don't you know that this murder has the same resemblance on how Mr. Samuel Davis was murdered some years ago? I bet you still remember that case, it's like it have gone the way of all flesh." Vylet interceded, laced with sarcasm.

      The policemen just exchanged dubious look at each other. Soon enough, the attention of the family diverted towards her.

    "Right, I could still remember that case... Mr. Davis was a well-known botanist here in Tagaytay. His body was found lifeless in some deserted area...somewhere in Heinville's," countered the husband as he clucked his tongue.

    The policemen exhaled sharply upon the recollection of Mr. Davis' case.

    "Sir, can we have a moment with you in the precinct? We have to tell something about these cases." The chief asked formally and beckoned the family of the victim inside the police car.

    "Can we also come over?" Vylet demanded.

    The policemen paused for a moment before they nodded their heads.

    "What are we going to do there?" Blaze hissed as his eyes squinted.

     "If you don't want to go with me, it's okay. I'll go by myself." Vylet replied firmly.

    "No, I'll go with you." Blaze insisted.

        "But wait, Craig needs to know about this new murder case!" Vylet exclaimed.

    "I thought you're not in good terms with him?" Blaze reminded.

    s**t. He was right. Major oops but can she just set aside her hateship with him for the meantime?

    The blinding haze of the sun bid them goodbye. Exasperated, Vylet sighed deeply as Blaze lightly patted her back.

    It was funny to think that the likes of her caused all these catastrophes, and here she was, unlocking the mysteries behind all this bizarre. Blaze was right. What would they do then in the precinct? There were so many questions bugging her fuzzy mind.

    Deep in thought, Vylet's heartbeat rammed violently. She suddenly recalled the three hooded entities who almost attacked her. Who were they? She felt her head swimming with the demons trying to torment her heart and soul, demons that were hard to drown out.

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    Verona woke up and fiddled the thick wad of cash she had earned last night. She got up and picked up her clothes. She felt sorry for the old man lying lifeless on the floor.

    "Thank you, dotard for that night." Verona murmured and dragged the body to the secret passage beneath the floor where she hoards the dead bodies of her victims.

     "I'm loving this job," She stripped down her bathrobe as it pooled down to her toes and strutted her way to the bathroom.

    Society despises the likes of her; a prostitute, money hungry w***e that will satisfy your carnal desire in exchange for money. But for her, it was like hitting two birds in one stone. She had earned money at the same time; she had preyed another body. Smarting herself, Verona let out a raucous laugh and blew some bubbles as she soaped herself.

    "How was work Ate?" asked the then seventeen years old Adela as she was busily typing her term paper.

    "Mighty fine," Verona replied.

    "Can I watch your fashion show ate? You said it'll be on Thursday?"

    "No way!" Verona interjected that startled her younger sister.

    "Huh but why? Am I not allowed?" Adela asked in bewilderment.

    "Uhmm... Yes... only the models and the guests." Verona bluffed.

    Disappointed, Adela pouted her lips.

    "Sorry dear, I promise I'll buy you a new pair of flats afterwards," she cooed and winked at her.

    With that, Adela perked up.

    "That sounds great. Thank you Ate!" Adela beamed and hugged her sister tightly.

    I'm sorry Adela. I can't find other means to provide us in our daily needs. I'm sorry that it has to be this way.

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        As the night unwound, slowly slithering into nightfall, Verona transformed into a seductive vixen about to prey some men.

        She was clad in a red peplum top that showed a hint of cleavage and a black bandage skirt that emphasized her wide hips. She put on her zebra print stilettos that she had bargained last month from her friend. She let her silky black hair cascaded over her slim shoulders and strutted her way towards the bar. She treaded her way and walked past by the mob of dancing party animals. Suddenly, she felt someone stepped into her toe that made her stumble and lost her balance.

    "Damn it," Verona winced.

    "Hey Miss. Let me help you stand up. Are you okay?" asked the tall guy with a strong jaw as he helped her stood up.

    "Thanks," Verona mumbled as she fixed herself.

    "Would you mind if I get you a drink?" He asked.

    "Sure," Verona mumbled and smiled seductively at him.