Monsterstruck

CHAPTER XIX: Unwanted Possibilities

        The background metal music complemented well with Craig’s chaos of thoughts. Oblivious to the music that he was listening, his memory flashed back upon his meeting with Mrs. Mendez.

        “Yomas are everywhere son. You get to see them everyday. But you’re just clueless with their existence around us because they are in a human form at daytime. There are yomas at hospital, orphanage, government institutions and even in our circle of friends.” Mrs. Mendez said with an edge in the last phrase.

        He could feel his stomach doing flips upon hearing the last phrase “circle of friends”

        “Well, how do I get to detect a yoma?” Craig asked desperately.

        “Auras,” the woman replied quickly. “Some of the cresclunar owners can read auras of people. It varies in three colors, purple, burgundy and gray.” She said as she took a sip at her rose tea.

        Craig’s spirit drooped. “I can’t read auras. Can you?”

         “Unfortunately, I can’t”

        “But how did you fight them? If in the very first place, you’re unable to detect a person whether he’s a yoma or not?  Is there any other way?” 

        The woman was impressed by his eagerness.

        “Just like any other monsters, they’re afraid of something,” she said as she held a small crucifix.

        “A crucifix?”

        “Not particularly. But the power of Divine Almighty.” The woman extolled.

        “But how? Is it going to detect one?” He asked as he had enough of the woman’s unseemly warrior potential.

    “You need to figure that out by yourself.” Mrs. Mendez noted as she mirrored herself way back when she was at his age.

        “Please Mam, I’m hopeless. I can’t wait anymore to figure that out. You know that my father’s case remained to be unsolved, and given the fact that a yoma is the reason of all these hideous things, how do I get to seek justice for him if I can’t read people’s auras?”

        The woman absorbed all the flood of emotions that splashed from him.

        “I clearly see myself in you when I was at your age. Young, full of questions and madly desperate to learn the know-hows. I almost lost hope because I can’t see myself fighting with those monsters knowing that I can’t detect them from the sea of faces. Until one day, I’m on my knees, and my uncle —may his soul rest in peace, also a cresclunar warrior, lifted my spirits and told me that the Lord will help me. I must hear the voice resonating in my heart. Because that voice is the most powerful amulet I’ll be carrying. I must have faith in it. Trust me, He’ll help you throughout the fight. Not all those who can read auras always win from their encounter at yomas. Sometimes they fail to listen to that voice in their heart and that’s how they lose. They may be technically fully armed, but their heart is not.”  She trailed off for a second and a faint smile swept across her pale lips.

        “And I realized what he meant until I met Arthur, my one true love, who was a yoma. I’ve discovered it that wrenched night...when I saw him transformed. I was aghast and all the blood in me started to drain. I tried to convince myself that I was just having a nightmare, but I wasn’t. Arthur was very sorry and explained to me that he didn’t choose to become one. His fate sealed him in becoming a yoma. I was caught swimming between the devil and a deep sea. I didn’t want to kill him though and I didn’t want to admit the fact that my one true love, my everything was a monster. But then again, I remembered what my uncle told me, to listen to that voice in your heart and that voice kept calling out his name, playing a blissful rhythm from the depth of it. That’s when I realized that I couldn’t kill him for I really love him.”

        Craig was dumbfounded by her story. He felt like he was watching a dark fantasy romance movie and he was on the edge of his seat at every part of her story.

        “Then what happened next? After you decided not to kill him?” He probed as his tone sounded hypnotic.

        Silence stretched between them as the woman took another sip from her rose tea. The wrinkles on her face writhed exponentially as she struggled to continue her story.

        “Arthur said that he really did love me and had no ill intention of fooling me. He was just vulnerable just like us. Then I forgave him and embraced his yomanity.”

        “How is that possible? A yoma and a human love affair?’ Craig asked incredulously.

    “They said that in love, anything is possible Craig,” she answered, smiling.

        All the feeling of impatience dissolved upon hearing her story.

        “Is he already dead?”

    “We didn’t end up together, that’s the bitter pill of our story. He got killed by his fellow yoma for not abiding their law. They even spat on me that it’s all just a ploy— they sent him after me to get the cresclunar. But I knew Arthur better; I felt the authenticity of his feelings for me, even though he was a yoma. But honestly, I’ve never felt him being one of those hideous beings throughout our affair.  His love outshone his tormented soul, enough for me to feel the greatness of that exquisite feeling.” She countered proudly.

        Craig was caught dumbstruck again. He was lost at her words. It took a minute before he could speak.

     “That was…” he mouthed groping for the right adjective “Magnificent.” He said finally. The woman smiled weakly at him.

         “But I thought yomas don’t have a license to kill each other?”                                                                                                                                       

       “Yeah, but just like human, some of them doesn’t follow the norms and the rules.”

          “So, always listen to that voice in your heart Craig. It will lead you to the right track. It is more powerful than your cresclunar or any armor you could have.”

        The idea of the hideous yomas around overshadowed his train of thoughts.

        ‘Even in our circle of friends’ He gulped at the horrible possibility that maybe one of his friends is a yoma. He shook his head; convincing himself that it couldn’t be for he knew them since ages. But Chief Rendoza’s wise words echoed in the background.

        “Life is full of secrets Craig. Don’t dwell too much on what you already know. You have to dig into the deepest pit of it and you might be surprised what lies in it.”

         Perhaps he was right. He was now having a trust issue upon letting those possibilities that had him chewing inside. —his dad and Vygnet’s mom paramour. His bandmates, Alex, Jake and Cameron, and also Vygnet—maybe all of these people whom he thought he already knew well could be a yoma.

        But the thought of Vylet suddenly brought him into a buoyant mood. He plugged off his earphone and grabbed his phone.

        ‘Hi, how r u? I mean how was having a curfew?

        He grinned as he hit send. Then, he hit on a plan as his buoyancy escalated and hurriedly dressed himself up.  He couldn’t wait for this anticipated evening as he had been scheming this up days ago. Time couldn’t wait any longer, and so did his heart.

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        “Damn it, think, think!” Vylet mumbled as she was dreading to think of ideas for her article.  It was due tomorrow and the thought of it is giving her a brain hemorrhage.

        “Oh God, help me. Why I’m running out of ideas?” Vylet chortled as she almost pondered the keyboard as she typed. Suddenly, her phone buzzed. But she didn’t bother to pick it up for her ass was glued at her seat and she didn’t want any interference.

        “f**k off,” she hissed at her phone as she continued to type.

         The phone buzzed again, still she didn’t care to pick it up.

        “What’s happening to me? I feel like I wasn’t in myself today,” she sighed.  But the incessant ringing was getting on her nerves. She finally stood up to see who the heck was calling.

        Craig’s name gaped at her on the screen. She cringed.

         ‘Okay I need to answer him and tell him to stop bugging me for I was cramming for the deadline.’

        “I thought you’ll change your ringtone.” Craig said over the phone.

            This made her heart jump off in her chest.

            “Uhmm…yeah...and I did.” She stammered.

            “Liar,” he chuckled dryly.

            “Wait what the hell do you want? I’m cramming for this damn article which is due tomorrow!” She yelled over the phone.

        “Aww sorry for interference my dear, but have you forgotten to change your ringtone as you promised? I swear my ears is having an eargasm when I heard Lifehouse’s “First Time” over here.”

        Over here? Where the hell is he?

        “Turn around,” he admonished.

        She spun around. Much to her surprise, he saw him sitting in the roof top that was right in front of her room.

        “That’s trespassing!” She exclaimed on his face.

        “Yeah, that’s what a thief does right?  Remember I am a thief,” he said flashing a lopsided smirk as he ducked inside.

        “You’ll never get away with this. I’ll call mom!” She threatened as she started to close the window.

        “Don’t worry, I’ll just use the main door.”  Craig smirked and started to climb down.

        Vylet was left gape.

        In the nick of time, he was already on the ground floor and about to knock on the main door. Vylet glowered at him, but he just replied his rockstar grin.

        She heard her mom beckoned him inside. With that, she quickly went downstairs and ran towards her mom.

        “Mom he tried to creep in my room! I was startled to see him sitting in the rooftop!” She said to her mom warily, pointing him accusingly like a child.

        “Is that true Craig?” Mrs. Amarillo’s facial expression suddenly became stern.

        “Uhmm sorry for that Mrs. Marcia, I was just checking if she…”

        “Stop explaining yourself. You’re screwed!” Vylet said petulantly.

        Then suddenly Cameron, his bandmate popped outside the window.

        “Who is he?” Mrs. Amarillo asked quizzically. Vylet shot a baffled look at him and went outside to check on him.

         Cameron had an acoustic guitar with him and started to play it. Craig started to sing the intro.

We’re both looking for something,

We’ve been afraid to fight

It’s easier to be broken

It’s easier to hide

Looking at you, holding my breath

For once in my life

I’m scared to death

I’m taking a chance

Letting you inside

I’m feeling alive all over again

As deep as the sky under my skin

Like being in love, she said for the first time

        Vylet stood there immobile as the titillating emotions started to flood on her.  She couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. There he was, singing a song for her with his friend in tow. Out of the blue, Alex appeared and handed her a red heart shaped card.

        “Read it,” Craig admonished, flashing a crooked smile.

        “From now on Vylet Amarillo, I promise to turn that poker face of yours into a face that is flitted with a sweetest smile,” she read aloud. She turned to look at her mom who seemed to be gushing over them.  Then Alex’s appearance was followed by Jake carrying another card, a purple heart shaped card.

        She read again aloud what was written on the next card.

        “Behind your antagonistic attitude towards me, I found it amusing. You never fail to amuse me everytime. You never fail to raise me in a trance, hearing your laughter inside the car as you headbang, hearing your odd but amusing reasons on why you always put a poker face in your I.D picture, on how you care to push me for my father’s case. Above all of these, you never fail to raise my heart in a euphoric feeling that I’ve never felt before.”

        Dazed and overwrought, she bounced her gaze at him after reading it.

        “And here I am standing before you, professing my pent-up emotions on how I feel about you and I think that… I’m falling in love with you Vylet.” Craig confessed amorously as he strode toward her, zeroing the distance between them and took her dainty hands.

        In a heartbeat, Vylet’s face flushed into tomato red. He is falling in love with me? Her heart was sputtering hyperactively as his chestnut eyes bore heartily at her.

    “I want you to be my girl.” Craig crooned in his velvety voice.

        As the word slipped out from his tongue, time hung suspended. Vylet didn’t know what to say as she could feel her stomach fluttering with butterflies.

        “So does this mean that you’re now courting my daughter?” Mrs. Marcia chimed in. Craig turned to the woman.

        “Yes Mrs. Marcia, and I’m also asking your permission to court her,”

         “Well, if my daughter will approve…” She chirped.

        Craig smiled thankfully at her and turned back to Vylet.

        “And from now on Vylet, I’m putting an end to your curfew,” her mom deliberated.

        “Really Mom?” She asked with wide eyes, sounding pleased by the announcement.

        “Yeah, you heard it right,” her mom affirmed.

        “Well, I guess that was a great news!” Craig cackled happily.

        “But going back to the question…would you allow me to court you? I know it sounds traditional, but I guess chivalry ain’t dead.” He said, flashing his pearly with teeth.

        What am I going to say? Would I allow him to court me?  Don’t be a hypocrite Vylet, you like him right? So what are you waiting for? 

        “Okay.” She drawled like it had carefully slipped out from her tongue.

        Craig and his bandmates hooted triumphantly. He embraced her out of glee.

        “Thank you, you don’t have any idea how you made my night,” he said, overwrought.

        “But promise me you won’t creep in my room again!” Vylet mumbled, making a face.

        “I promise and I’m sorry if I disturbed you. I just wanna see you. And hey, I didn’t get inside your room, I’m just about to,” he jested.

        Mrs. Marcia cleared her throat. “Enough with this cheesiness.”

        “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he pursed his lips. She just nodded as she twitched her lips.

        “Goodnight Craig, Goodnight guys. Thanks for this.” Vylet said as she smiled at them.

        “Goodnight Vylet, goodnight Mrs. Amarillo.” They all said in unison.

         Vylet couldn’t believe what had just transpired. But she was pretty sure that her heart went overdrive as she read those cards, his beautiful face, his glossy chestnut eyes like pelican shells flickering arterially into hers and his velvety voice hushing uncertainties in her heartstrings.

       Little did they know, someone was so unhappy with what had just happened. It had him clawing inside. His rotten green skin and deep black eyes blazed with anger and jealousy. He watched them from the tall spruce tasting the vindictive night gale.