Mermaid Blues: Beasts, Giants and Spirits

Guy with a Cute Smile

Ana is sitting at the opposite side of the table. She is facing Benjie, Kianu, and Wendel at the opposite side of the table. She feels uncomfortable and awkward with them. She didn't expect that the voices she heard and the visions she saw are facing her. She didn't know what to say. She is afraid to ask if the danger she sees from those men's eyes were real.

She looked around the room where they are in. It seems luxurious. There are three chandeliers hanging on the ceiling above them. A red carpet covers the entire floor. Its design has black motifs and patterns similar to the traditional Mountain Province clothing design. The table is long and oblong-shaped, you can walk at least ten steps in order to reach from end to end. Its sheet is wide thin and white. Each wall in four corners of the room has paintings. Grace noticed a Tyranosaurus being surrounded by a group of dire wolves. On the other wall, she recognized a tiger having long fangs running in a forest. The wall where two huge windows are located has floral designs. Ana looked back to see the painting on the wall behind her. A sky with an eagle in the middle.

"You like those paintings?" Gaston spoke. He is sitting at the north side of the table. Sitting behind him is Cielo. Old Silvia is sitting at the side opposite to them.

"Ha?" Ana immediately looked at him.

"I said 'You like those paintings?'," Gaston said.

"They're...interesting," she nodded. "I had never seen a house with paintings on its walls," said.

Then, Ceilo cleared his throat. Then, he put something down on the table. It is Ana's phone.

"Thank you," Ana said. She reached for her phone.

"Are you aware of them?" Cielo asked, he is referring to Benjie, Kianu, and Wendel. "Do you know who they are, why are they given the tattoos?"

"No," Ana replied. "I don't know them. But I could hear them sometimes. Especially when they are in pain."

"Who are you? What do you do and how do you know us?" Benjie asked.

"I'm..." she replies nervously. "I'm...I am a girl who happens to have an unusual ability. I..I..don't know you. In fact, at all. However, I sense you. I don't know what is happening. I...I tried to ignore your yells and screams. I keep on hoping that those screams are not real, that they are just figments of imagination."

"Spoiler alert. We are real," Benjie responded.

"And so, as the visions of death that I saw?" she asked with horror painted on her face.

Gaston and Cielo looked at each other. Are they going to tell the truth or not? Then, they looked at Benjie, Kianu, Wendel, and Silvia. "That's right," Gaston finally responded.

Ana gasped in horror. "I see," she said. Then, she averted her eyes from everyone. She suddenly felt remorse. Her eyes start tearing up.

"They were murdered because they handle the 'keys' to re-merge the two realities of the Earth," Silvia told.

"What?" Ana looked at her puzzled.

"The other reality, you don't know that?" she wonders.

"I...I have no idea," Ana replied.

"Let me explain it to you. If you think that the surrounding you perceive right now is the only reality the Earth has, you are wrong. The things we perceive - the sky, the land, the sea, the trees, and everything we see, touch, smell, and taste are our reality."

"I don't get it," she said.

"There is only one Earth. However, it has two realities. One of these realities is the one we are living in. The one we exactly see with our own eyes. This very reality is called the 'Material World". The other reality is different from ours. We call it the 'Spirit World'. It is the same Earth but the environment is different. That reality is roamed by creatures so different from ours. They make up different compositions compared to the creatures here in this reality. They don't see the reality the same as ours. For example, if you are seeing a room right now, the creatures in that 'Spirit World' sees a whole entirely different place. Maybe they are seeing forest while we see paintings and walls. However, we are both simultaneously exist in the same place. Are you sure you are not aware of that 'world'?"

"I might have been there. Sort of," Ana said. "However, I can't further tell it to you." She got up from the chair. "I have been gone for how many hours. My mother is surely worried right now. Especially that I haven't told her where I've gone last night."

"No. Please, stay here for a while," Cielo said. "We'll bring you home soon. I promise."

"But I have to go...sir," she insisted. "I don't know where I am. I don't even know if I can trust you? My mother might be worried."

Benjie stood up. "You can't go until you find us a way to get this curse off us!"

Ana got frightened. She gulped heavily while looking at angry Benjie.

"You saw my little brother last night almost getting out of breath. And I won't allow that to happen again. And since you are here, a so called 'daughter of Lumawig'. Stop acting like you don't know anything and let us out of this misery already."

"Benjie, sit down," Cielo said. "She's just a girl. We can tell she doesn't have any idea what is happening."

And so, Benjie decided to sit down. Wendel and Kianu rub his back to calm him down.

"Perhaps you are right. You don't know who we are. Allow us to introduce ourselves. We are the Association of Cordilleran Marksmen. We are an organization that aims at protecting cryptids like you and everyone in this room who are gifted and someone not ordinary. It is like CIA but we only investigate supernatural anomalies and events," Gaston explained.

"So, does the government know your organization?" Ana asked.

"A few people know about us there," Gaston answered.

"So you are cryptids too?"

"Of course," Ceilo looked at Gaston. Gaston smiled. "Werewolves, smilodons, and other beast shifting humans. All of them we protect."

"Lignodon is a term used to call a person who is able to transform into a beast. A wolf-shifter like those three guys for example," Gaston explains as he points at Benjie, Kianu, and Wendel. "We protect them from the hunters. Those guys are the reamaining out of the seven tattoo wielders were murdered."

"But why? What do they want to go to the spirit world."

"We don't know. All we know is that they are doing these things to re-merge the realities back together," Cielo said.

"We have been looking around for you. We are hoping you could turn this investigation around. We have been searching for days and months to prevent the world from destroying itself," Gaston said. "The phenomenon that we have been experiencing right now is caused by the deaths of those who wielded the marks the same as those three guys have in their hands."

"Do you think I have something to do with it?" Ana responded.

"Since you are linked to us in some way, yeah," Benjie replied, still upset.

"It is up to you to think about it," Cielo said.

"I will," she replies. "But I can't do this alone. There are others other than me out there. I haven't met them yet personally. I need them."

::::::::::::::

Kendrick is sitting on the bench in the corridor outside the conference room. He's been there waiting for his brother to come out. He's been sitting there for thirty minutes. His wounds in his arms and his body are dressed with bandages. The illusion chains have marked his body other than the bite wounds. However, he hid them with his clothes. His t-shirt hid the dressing of his body but it can't hide the dressings on his arms. Meanwhile, the door of the conference room opens. He immediately stood up to prepare to meet his big brother.

Benjie came out of the room first. He looks around and he spotted Kendrick standing in the distance.

"Ken?" he muttered. He's glad Ken turns out to be okay. He walks toward him. Kianu and Wendel came out of the door afterward.

Benjie wrapped his arms around Ken. Ken hugs him back. They are so relieved because they are alive and well. A few seconds later, they let go of each other.

"You should be lying in bed right now," Benjie told.

"I am fine. I just want to go home with my big brother," Ken replied.

"I am so sorry. I am sorry they did this to you," Benjie apologized.

Kendrick smiled at him with optimism. "I understand, Kuya. You don't need to apologize. It is not your fault." He turned his head to look at the people who were getting out of the conference room. "I just want to go ---" his statement cut when he saw someone who just got out of the door. He got surprised when he saw Ana walking towards them. She is being escorted by Gaston and Cielo at the back. Ana also got surprised when she turned her head to the right and her eyes spotted Kendrick standing in that same corridor she's walking through.

Ken looks at Ana's eyes as she passes them. Ana looks at him standing still as she passes by. Ana can tell from Ken's eyes that he was wondering why was she in that place. Likewise, Ana was still trying to figure out Ken involvement to all this. She just met him last week, yet, it felt like fate had brought her to him for some reason.

****Blue Water****

The evening came. Every house and establishment in Baguio lit up its lights as darkness slowly swallows the sky. It was around seven 'o clock, some families were already having dinner during this time. The residence of Severino Alhibbing is one of those families.

At the dining area inside the Severino Alhibing's mansion...

There are five people sitting around the rectangular table. Sherdel is one of them. One side of the table, his father Severino Manio Alhibing Sr., is at. On the opposite side sat his wife and an illegitimate mother to Sherdel, whose name is Anais. Sherdel sat alone on the other side while facing his two brothers whom he hates. Severine and his little brother are glaring at him. Sherdel glares back. They are quiet for a while. The maids are still laying the food on the table.

"So...Sherdel." His father spoke.

Sherdel nervously turned his head around.

"I heard you are seeing someone lately. Is that true?"

"Tsk." Severine sneered. "She's just nothing to him."

Sherdel looked at him. His eyes were darkened but other than that he didn't show any reaction.

"No, I do not have," he answered his Dad's question.

"Don't try to deny anymore," his dad protested. "Do you think I will not know that you are seeing that childhood friend of yours?"

Sherdel rolled his eyes. He sighed. "She's a childhood friend, Dad. Nothing more."

"Really?" the old man refuses to believe. "Someone saw you two entering in a women's comfort room together. Isn't that suspicious?"

"Haha!" Severine laughed. He turned his head to look at his father. "I don't imagine what are they doing there," he told.

"Tell me. Who is she to you?" His father asked.

Sherdel took a couple of seconds of silence before he answered.

"She is as important as she is," he answered.

His father cleared his throat.

"Break her up."

Sherdel, Severino's wife, Severine, and Jordan widened their eyes in surprise while they took their eyes on the old man.

"Dad?"

"He's not your Dad. Ulol!" Jordan reacted.

"Jordan! Stop!" his mother yelled at him. Jordan kept quiet afterward.

"Break her up," his father repeated. "I know she doesn't mean anything to you. I also think that she is not going to be a potential spouse for you."

"I don't understand," Sherdelino complained.

"Don't worry. I have someone in mind that suits you better than her," he said. "She is prettier and richer than her."

Sherdel glares at him in anger and hate. "Whatever Dad. I can't break her up just because you want it to."

"You can though. But don't worry, you will change your mind soon enough. I'm having an agreement with my friend."

"What kind of creepiness are you up to?" Sherdel suddenly got more nervous.

"We agreed that you and his daughter will be having a date."

"What!" he raised his voice due to his surprise. His heart suddenly exploded in anger after he heard the news. "No! What the hell are you thinking arranging me to date?" he protested.

"Sherdelino. You are not in the position to object. I and my buddy have already set up a date for you and his daughter to meet up."

"How can I suppose to agree with that, huh?" he said back. He stood up and slammed his hand on the table. "You. You never came to my games. You didn't even think to come to my graduation. And yet, here you are controlling me like I am your damn doll."

"I am your father, Sherdel. I am doing this for the sake of your life! Your future!"

"Thanks for inviting me to your dinner," Sherdel told him. He knows he can't convince his father. He turned away from his father then he walked out of the dining room.

"Sherdel! Get back here!" His father yelled. "Sherdel!"He shouts louder. But Sherdel continues to walk away towards the main door.

:::::::::::::

During their ten o'clock class...

Sherdel is thinking deeply in his seat. He doesn't pay attention to the teacher talking in front. He's thinking about the conversation he and his father had last night. He's getting worried. He's trying to think of something to get out of whatever his Dad is planning to do to him. He's having a problem again that he's got no choice to obey his father. There is no way out.

Grace Joy was busy taking notes on the words written on the blackboard while the teacher is speaking at the front.

"Motherf...." he muttered. He's very frustrated.

Grace Joy immediately looked at him when she heard him. Her face painted a shocked expression.

"Hey. What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Grace Joy shrugged. "You are loud so I looked at you. You really have a bad mouth."

"Tsk..." he frowned. Then he turned his head to the front.

Grace Joy returned focusing on the discussion.

A few moments later. He spoke.

"Why did you do that?"

Grace Joy creased her forehead. She was puzzled. She looked at him.

"Ha?" she reacted.

"In Burnham, remember?"

"Ahh..." She stuttered.

"You wanted to touch me?"

"Uhmmm...." there was a conflict in her mind. She was thinking if she will going to tell her the right reason or lie.

"Nothing," she responded. "You looked so sad that time that's why I wanted to comfort you."

He scoffed. He put down his phone on his desk. He stared at her. Grace Joy suddenly felt insecure and uncomfortable.

"Why are you staring at me?" she asked.

He smiled.

"I never had met someone who wants to comfort me before."

Then he turned his head to the front. After that, Grace Joy got puzzled. Her forehead creased trying to figure out why'd he said that.

::::::::

Gilhameer is in the canteen. He is at the table next to the glass wall. He is quietly sitting still. He's been there for two minutes. He is looking through the glass, looking outside. The view outside is bright, unlike other usual days.

Then, Grace came in. She looks around to find where Gilhameer is at. Then, she spotted him sitting next to the glass wall. She approached him.

Gilhameer noticed her coming.

"Hi," Grace greets. She pulled out the chair opposite Gilhameer and she sit down. "Are you here that long?" she asks.

"No. I just got here," he replied.

"Why did you call me here? Does something happen?" she asked.

"No, I just want to thank you," Gilhameer said without any expression on his face. As usual, people can't determine his emotions because he doesn't show any reaction on his face. "Because of the evidence you gave to me, Ken and Kuya Benjie were rescued."

Grace smiled. "Thank God. I have done something great. How is your friend right now?"

"Thank God, he can come to school today. He's been sent to the hospital yesterday to treat his injuries," he replied.

"Oh my gosh! What kind of injury? Is it serious?"

"Nah!" he replied. "Just minor wounds."

"Oh, thank God. I am so happy the necklace helped," she said.

"Yeah. Thank you," Gilhameer responded.

"Have you told them? About my magic?" she asked nervously.

"No. I haven't," he replied. "I am sorry."

"No. It's okay. It would be better if no people know that I am a no ordinary girl."

Gilhameer nods. Grace asked another question.

"What did the kidnapper want to your friend?"

"It's because of his big brother. Other than that is a secret."

On the other hand... Sherdel came in. He looked around to spot a vacant table. However, as he looks at the tables next to the glass wall, he sees Grace and a guy sitting together at one table. He squints his eyes while wondering if there's something going on with those two. Also, he feels something weird about himself while looking at Grace talking to a guy. He doesn't know if that feeling is bad or good. But then, he stopped staring at them when he saw a guy going towards them. He continues moving towards the counter.

"Hi!" Ken greets Gilhameer and Grace. He took a chair from a vacant table and dragged it towards the table where Grace and Gilhameer are at.

"Hi!" Grace greeted back.

"Ken. I thought you have a class this hour," Gilhameer wonders.

Kendrick smiles. Grace is mesmerized by his smile. His dimple at the right cheek deepens. "Our teacher didn't arrive at the classroom. Fifteen minutes later, we decided to get out of the room," Kendrick answers. Then, he looks at Grace. "You haven't told me you have a date," he told Gilhameer.

"No. You are having the wrong idea," Gilhameer replied. "She's the reason why you were found."

Kendrick looked at her with his eyes wide. He stared at her for a second. He was stunned. "Thank you," Kendrick thanked her. He gives her another smile that made his face cute.

"No problem," she replied. "So, are you a werewolf too?" she asked.

Kendrick looks at Gilhameer wondering if it is okay to trust her. Gilhameer nods. Ken looks at her and nodded.

::::::::::::::

"So, she is Grace Joy de la Rochaz. Twenty-years old. Living in Barangay Ongasan near the Loakan Airport. She is a college freshman at Horizon Reached University studying Bachelor of Science in Medicine. Her mother is Asunta de la Rochaz. Asunta's sister died after the labor of her son, Janus, so Asunta adopted the kid as her own son," Japeth informs the leaders who are sitting around the rectangular table in the conference room. "I can't find anything special about her. She is an ordinary human, not a Lignodon."

"Are we going to risk the confidentiality of our association just to talk to an ordinary girl?" Japeth suggests.

"She saw Gilhameer pre-mutating though," Gaston said. "And according to him, she is not bothered at all. She is the one who treated his wound too. Gilhameer said that he trusts her."

"I agree," Seth seconded. "I think we can trust the girl. We don't need her to undergo any mental consultation."

"I disagree," Gordon said while shaking his head and wrinkling his face. " First of all, she just found out that werewolves are real just days ago. It won't take long before she'll snap and announce to everybody that Gilhameer is a furry prehistoric Asian gray wolf. In fact, we must keep an eye on her instead. Second, is she really the girl Ana is searching for?"

"Well, her name is exactly Grace Joy de la Rochaz. So, what the hell is this coincidence? Ana already gave a name. She was also looking for a Grace."

"Yeah! With no last name, you son of a gun," Cielo protested.

Gaston suggests. "I can't deny when I interviewed that girl, she's not too bothered at all. Of all the ordinary people I have talked to so that they keep quiet, she is too cool for someone who just saw a Lignodon for the first time in her life."

"There might be something with her that we missed out on. She might know something. She might have encountered something like this before," Seth added. "At least she gave something valuable to the case, right?"

"She came to us, so let us not miss this opportunity to confirm who she is," Gaston suggests.

"If this goes wrong and that girl screws us all, the reliability is on you," Japeth told.

"Okay!" Gordon raised his voice so the center of attention was on him. "Let's have a bet. Losers must pay ten thousand pesos each to whoever wins. Me and Gaston will bet that that Grace on that screen, is the same Grace that Ana was searching."

"Okay," Seth immediately agrees. "Let's talk to Ana Camilo. Let's see what she's going to say."

::::::::::

Benjie entered Ken's room. He found his little brother lying in bed while playing on his phone. Ken immediately got up when he realized his brother is in there.

"Kendrick. Can we talk?"

Ken bit his lips and he nodded. Benjie sighed. He walks to the bed and sits down at the edge.

"About these past days...We haven't talked about it yet," he said.

"I am fine, Kuya. You don't need to worry about me," Kendrick replied.

"But still, I need to say sorry. I am sorry I got you involved in any of this. I don't know what I am going to do if they did something to you. I won't forgive myself."

Kendrick smiles with optimism. "The important for me right now is that we are alive after all that had happened."

"I won't forgive myself if my remaining family is taken away from me."

"And yet, I am alive. And I am happy that I can still see you. I was worried too, you know? I was worried that they'll gonna kill you because of me."

Benjie wraps his arm around Ken's shoulders. "I am glad we are alive," he told.

"Me too..." Ken agreed. He gently taps his big brother's back.

:;::::::::

"You're looking for me, Sir?" Seline asked just after she entered the office of Mr. Ian Acosta.

Mr. Ian is sitting behind his desk. Seyhan, his son, is standing next to him. Seyhan is looking at her anxiously. Seline looks at her nervously. Seyhan gives him a squint.

"Hi, Sir Seyhan," she greeted.

"I hate you," he responded.

Seline widened her eyes. She's surprised by his response.

"Seline. I called you here to discuss what happened yesterday - about you and Seyhan," Mr. Ian said.

"I am really sorry. I didn't know Sir Seyhan is in the bathroom," Seline panics. "I was just ordered to clean the room."

"Dad, punish her!" Seyhan suggested. "Bury her six feet under!"

"Please, don't kill me," Seline said.

"No! I am not going to do that!" Mr. Ian protested. He's getting irritated by Seyhan. "Why the hell do you think I will do that?" He looks at Seline. "Seline. I called you here because your academic performances caught my interest," he said.

"What?" Seline got surprised.

"What?" Seyhan got surprised too.

"What do you think if I am going to tell you that I will grant you a scholarship to study at Horizon Reached University?"

Seline widened her eyes in shock. Is she hearing it right?

"Pardon?"

"You heard me. I am granting you a scholarship to enter a better school."

"But...But I am already studying at the other university. I...I can't leave my school since the tuition I have paid there would be a waste. I can't transfer now."

"Don't worry, daughter. It's still the beginning of school days. You can still transfer. Moreover, you haven't paid your tuition yet."

Seline sighed nervously.

"I know you want to study there. Also, it will be a waste if you miss the opportunity. I am offering this to you right now so that it will not be too late for you to transfer to the school you want," he said.

"But--"

"No buts. You deserve it," he said.

"Thank you so much," Seline said gratefully.

Ian noded. "That's all. You can go now."

"What? No! Aren't you going to do something about her seeing me naked?" Seyhan complained.

"Nope. I have nothing to do with that and forget it already."

"I have to go now, Sir. I think Auntie Nime is calling me," Seline nervously said.

"Yeah," Mr. Ian agreed. "You can go now."

"What? No! You can't go yet," Seyhan protests.

Seline walked out the door anyway.

"Hey! I told you to stop. Stop!" he yells. Yet, Seline didn't respond. She's already meters away from the room. "We're not done with you yet."

"Would you please shut up?" Ian told him. "If you want, go talk to her."

"About the punishment?"

"There is no punishment," Ian refused. "Get out of here now. I have things to do."

Seyhan sighed in frustration. He gently shakes his head in dismay. He walks away to the door.