Mermaid Blues: Beasts, Giants and Spirits

The Fourth Link

It was already around eleven-thirty at the night. Benjie and Japeth parked their cars on the side of the road along the Sitio of Little Kibungan. Japeth then came over to Benjie just when he slammed the door of his car.

"Are you sure this is the place?" Japeth asked.

"My tattoo is shining. So, this might be the place," he replied.

"Wow. I thought you don't know how to use that," Japeth teased.

Benjie looked at him sternly.

"Anyway, let's go and find him, shall we?" said Japeth. "His name is Arthur Agonon. Thirty-seven years old. He retired from the navy. He lives in number thirteen, somewhere just around here."

"Whatever," Benjie responded impolitely. Then, he started to walk away. Japeth followed him.

:::::Meanwhile::::::

Benjie and Japeth were standing outside Arthur's home. They were by the door. Benjie knocked on the door. The door suddenly opened by itself once Benjie touched it. It seemed like the owner of the house forgot to close his door properly. However, Benjie and Japeth thought differently. They got suspicious just when they saw the door open without a person behind it to open it. They were alarmed wondering how could a person lets his door closed and locked unproperly in the middle of the night. Japeth grabbed his gun out of the holster in his belt and slowly raised it. Benjie's mark was like biting him again as it shines.

"I don't see any light inside," Japeth whispered.

"He's just near," Benjie said as he tries to endure the pain in his wrist.

"Just stay here. I'll go inside," Japeth instructed.

"What?" Benjie replied with refusal. "No. I can help," he insisted.

"Oh yeah. Can you fight with your one hand shaking?" Japeth protested. "Stay here until I say so."

Without any more words of argument, Japeth pushed the door open and he immediately pointed his gun to the dark space inside the house. He went in slowly and as silently as he can. He was in a small hallway going to the living room. It was so dark that he can't almost see anything. Thankfully, his lighter has a flashlight connected at its bottom part, he used it to light his path. He got surprised when he saw blood spatter on the hallway's wall. He doubled his sense of defense. When he arrived in the living room, he was further surprised to see corpses on the floor. All four of them showed signs of being bitten and scratched deeply into their guts.

"Okay?" he sighed stressfully while looking at the bodies. Then, he decided to resume looking around when he regathered his courage.

::: Outside the house::::

Benjie was hearing a voice whispering inside his mind again accompanied by some slight ringing. He was still trying to endure the pain in his wrist while trying to listen to the whispering sound. He was facing the open door while peeking at what's happening inside.

"Look...Behind...." the voice says. "Look behind...Look...Look at me..."

Benjie then turned around when he heard the statement "Look behind you." He was frightened when his eyes revealed to him something he did not expect. He was facing a huge black wolf staring angrily at him. Immediately, with a headbutt, the huge wolf sent Benjie flying into the house.

"Benjie!" Japeth worriedly yelled when he saw him land on the bloody floor. He quickly approached him. Just when he was about a foot away from Benjie, the wolf came at him and headbutted him away. Japeth was slammed against the window. As the glass shattered and the windowpane crashed, Japeth was sent outside.

The black wolf was then standing above Benjie. Benjie was unable to move because the wolf was stepping on his arms and legs. The wolf was growling at him showing its threatening teeth.

"I am not here to hurt you," Benjie said as he pants. "I...I wanna talk."

However, two men came in by the door with their guns pointing at the wolf. They were hunters. They tried to shoot the wolf but neither of the silver bullets landed on him, except one. It hit right through its right hind leg. The wolf immediately ran away with a bleeding leg. He jumped through the broken window out to the backyard.

The hunters kept on shooting despite the wolf's escape. They were aiming for Benjie then. Benjie immediately crawled and hurriedly hid behind a wall that serves as a divider between the living room and the kitchen. As the invaders slowly advance toward the concrete wall, Benjie transformed into a wolf. He didn't miss any second to attack after he fully turned into a beast.

***Blue Water****

The next morning...

Ana was in their backyard. She was under a tall ipil-ipil tree while sitting down among one of its large roots that sticking out from the ground. She was admiring how cute the husky was. She was watching him rolling over the ground, running to the rose bushes, and chasing some butterflies. It was already four days since her big sister found him and sheltered him in their home. Yet, they weren't able to find his master.

Meanwhile, she brought out her cell phone from her pocket. She pressed the camera app, focused its lens on the puppy then she started videoing it while running around like playing patentero by himself.

"Here, puppy. Look at me. Over here," she called. "Come on now. Smile."

But the dog didn't care. He was just enjoying chasing the butterflies.

Meanwhile, she immediately stood up and faced the wall behind the ipil-ipil. By the way, their house has concrete walls around it that separate it from the outside. She thought she heard a groaning sound behind it.

Ana got startled when the puppy suddenly barked. It scared her. She rolled her eyes when she turned around to see the dog. The dog was still barking, while he was facing the wall. Ana sighed then she faced the wall again. She began to suspect that someone was behind the wall. She was getting a strange feeling.

Later, she decided to use her power to push the rock beside the ipil-ipil tree towards the wall. Right after the rock transported itself next to the wall, she slowly stepped on it. The puppy was watching her scan the outside. No one was in there. Ana began to wonder.

"What was that?"

The dog suddenly whined faintly. She stepped down the rock while thinking if what she heard came from a dog passing by. To her surprise, she was shaking. She looked at the wall again with a confused expression on her face.

"What the hell was going on?" she asked herself then.

:::::::::::

Ana was standing next to the door. She was wiping off her slippers with the doormat placed on the doorway. After that, she came into the living room. She suddenly stopped when she suddenly noticed a stranger in the living room. She turned her head to look at the sofa that was facing the t.v. Someone was sitting there. It looked like it was an appearance of a guy. She was looking at the hair at the back of his head. She wondered if he was her father since he's the only guy in the house. But her father was still working abroad and he wasn't granted to go home yet. She squinted her eyes. Meanwhile, she slowly and silently approaches the stranger who was sitting on the sofa. The sensation of nervousness and fear we're getting stronger as she gets closer and closer. She never knew that the stranger can feel her presence. Not only her presence but also her scent. The sensation he felt gets stronger and stronger as she gets closer and closer...

Ana was already close enough to the backrest. Slowly, she stretched out her hand to reach for his head. Closer and closer, but the boy's hand suddenly grabbed her hand just when it has reached the tip of his hair. Ana gasped since she got frightened. Because of that, the sensation she felt had gotten worse. She can feel her tummy aching. The boy then stood up while he was still holding her hand. He turned around to face her.

To her surprise, she saw a cute-faced boy with a dimple on his right cheek when he smiled. Ana felt very strange though but she couldn't believe that there was a stranger in the house. He was also surprised that the alarming sensation he was feeling was coming from an innocent-looking girl. He smiled at her before he removed his hand from hers. She smiled back.

Suddenly, her big sister came. She was from upstairs.

"Ana!" She called. "You are here?" she joked.

The two turned their heads to look at her.

" Do you think I left my body here and my soul went to school?" she protested.

The stranger laughed. Her sister then realized that Ana and her visitor were facing each other.

"So, do you know each other?" she asked.

Ana and he looked at each other.

"Absolutely not," Ana answered with her nose creased as she faced her sister.

"Yeah. Yeah, we do not." The cute guy chuckled faintly while he shook his head.

Ana looked at him after he replied. She was wondering what kind of feeling she was getting from him.

"Ah... okay," then Katelyn went towards them.

"Ana. This is Kendrick," Kate introduced. "Kendrick. This is Ana, my little sister." She then introduced Ana.

"Nice to meet you," they smiled at each other and they shook hands.

Then, they heard the puppy barking as it enters the living room.

"Black. Is that you?" the boy got excited as he watched his approach. He stooped down while both of his hands stretched forth.

He then hugged him and carried him on his chest. The puppy was happy to see his master. It was licking Kendrick's cheek while he was trying to avoid its tongue. He put the dog down. The dog ran away from him.

"You are the owner?" Ana was surprised.

"Uhhm..." Ken cleared his throat. "Yeah, I am." He smiled.

"Isn't it cute?" she commented.

"I can't argue with that," he crossed his arms across his chest.

"His name's Black. Really?"

"Yeah, I named it myself."

"Black is as cute as his owner. Am I right, Ana?" her sister teased.

Ana nudged her. "Ate!" she growled.

Kendrick laughed at what she said. "Thanks," he blushed while chuckling.

Ana cleared her throat.

"It's good that you found him. Are you going to take him home now?"

"Umm...actually, I was thinking of bringing him home now but your big sister begged to let the dog stay here until afternoon."

"Ate, what are you thinking?" Ana complained to her sister.

"You should thank me because we are given more time to play with Black," she defended.

Ken agreed by nodding.

"No. It's okay. Besides, I have school today so I don't mind."

"Oh. You see?" Kate told Ana with a stern look.

Ana rolled her eyes. After he saw what Ana did, he laughed silently.

"Why?" Ana wondered.

"Nothing. It's just that you are cute when you roll your eyes like that," he replied.

Ana suddenly blushed.

"I have to go now. My first class for today is at nine."

"Okay," Kate replied.

"Sige po," he smiled at her. Then, he turned his head to see Ana.

"Bye!" he slightly waved his hand at her.

Ana smiled back. "You take care," she told him.

After that, he turned around and headed towards the door to exit. Ana was watching him opening the door. Kately nudged her.

"Hey! Aren't you going to escort him out?"

"What? Why me? Isn't he your visitor?"

"Just go! You're gonna embarrass this family if you left him walking out on his own," she said as she grabbed her sister's thin arms and pushed her to the door.

"Go! Go!"

::::::::

Grace was in the comfort room for girls located on the topmost floor of the Ramos Building, a place where not many of the students go to. She was alone in that place then. She was sitting on the toilet at the cubicle farthest from the door. She was relieved as she let all the water in her bladder go.

Meanwhile when she was about to stand up. She heard the door open and she heard footsteps coming. She never knew that those footsteps she was hearing were from Sherdelino and his girlfriend Alexa.

Sherdel and Alexa stopped over the sink. They stand while they face each other. Grace who was in the cubicle suddenly felt nervous. It doesn't seem like they are there to relieve themselves.

"What happened to your face?" Alexa asked worriedly while looking at Sherdel's black eye. She pressed her soft gentle palms on his cheek.

"This is nothing, Babe," Sherdel replied.

Grace was surprised when she heard a man's voice inside the room intended only for women's convenience. Moreover, speaking in her mind, how come he sounds like someone she knows? And she was also wondering who was the girl he was talking to. She got up slowly from the bowl making sure she won't make a sound. She fixed her pants quietly. After that, she froze and make sure not to make a sound. She decided to stay there for a little longer until those guys get out.

"Is it Gregory again?" Alexa suspects. "Damn that idiot."

"It's okay. I'm okay," he said. "You know he always takes more beating than me."

"You shouldn't suppose to take whatever he says seriously, Babe. You know that he is just doing that because he is a lonely guy."

"Yeah," he said with disagreement on his face. "A lonely egotistic horny guy."

"Anyway..." she said to change the topic. "It is good that you came." She smiled at him. Her eyes sparkled as she gazes into his eyes.

Sherdel smiled. He seldomly smiled but Alexa is an exception. Just seeing her presence makes him smile. He seldomly shows that to his grandfather and never to his father and his stepbrothers. He held his lover's hands.

"I miss you," he said.

Grace was kind of moved right when she heard him say that. "Awe..." she mouthed.

"Me too," she said back. "If only your dad can accept me...for who I am, then we are not here hiding our relationship from others," she said.

"I am sorry," Sherdel apologized. "But at least we are still going strong, right?" he enthusiastically told her. He runs his fingers through her hair. "What my father says doesn't matter. I love you and that's what matters."

"Yeah?" his girl got her smile back on her face again.

Sherdel kissed her on the cheek. "Yeah," he nodded. "I do not care how long are we going to keep this a secret. We are together, that is all that matters." He kissed her again.

"I like to have some milk tea. And some street foods after school," the girl suggested, satisfied by the words of her boyfriend.

Sherdel grabbed both her feet and he lifted her up. "We'll do that after 'this'," he said as he immediately took her toward the cubicle farthest to the door - the same cubicle Grace was in.

"What are you doing? Put me down," Alexa giggles. She didn't resist Sherdel carrying her. She just let him lead the way.

Although, seeing that the door of the cubicle was closed shut. Sherdel ignored that sign anyway, knowing that he and Alexa are the only ones in that room. And so, Sherdel slammed the door with his sixty-six kilograms of his body with a great amount of force due to the added weight of Alexa. He opened the locked door due to excitement, thinking that the door was not locked from the inside. There the awkward moment happened.

He was shocked to find someone inside. He put down Alexa and she was surprised too. Grace was staring at them awkwardly. Sherdel was further surprised when it was Grace and Grace was more shocked when she found out that the familiar voice of the guy was really from Sherdel.

"Umm..." then she cleared her throat. She was tensed. At that moment she thought she's gonna die. Then, she pulled the lever with her shaking hands, and the sound of the toilet flushing was heard. "I...am sure...I locked that door."

"Oh God," Sherdel face palmed. Alexa is just awkwardly staring at her. She even doesn't know what to say.

"Okay. Bye," Grace immediately passed them and she quickly gets towards the door to exit.

::::::::::

Benjie was sitting at the edge of the hospital bed. He was half-naked, leaving his upper body exposed. His upper body was all wrapped up with gauze bandages to cover his gunshot wound in the shoulder blade. His injured head was still giving him migraines due to too many head butts to the walls by accident while defending himself from the enemies. He was groaning in pain while gently pressing his head with an ice bag.

Meanwhile, the door suddenly opened. Ken entered the room. Benjie was surprised. Cain should be at school not in that hospital.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Benjie immediately asked.

"Are you okay? What the heck happened to you?" Ken asked as he approached.

"It's nothing to worry about. You shouldn't be here. You should be at school."

Ken grabbed the ice bag Benjie was holding.

"Let me help you with this," he said. He was about to press the ice bag on Benjie but he dodged Ken's hand.

"No. No. What are you doing here?" Benjie asked again.

"The association texted me that you were hospitalized so I got worried," Ken explained. He sat down beside him.

"Oh my God, Japeth..." he lowered his head, closed his eyes, and slowly shook his head in disappointment.

"I am okay. You do not need to worry about your big bro. It's just minor injuries..." Then, he attempts to wrap Ken's back with his hand but he suddenly felt his wound in the shoulder blade reacting. He groaned in pain while he still forced himself to stretch out his arm.

"I am scared..." Ken said with the softest voice.

Benjie looked at him with sympathy in his eyes.

"Hey! There's nothing to be afraid of." He patted Ken's back. "I am here. Alive and well. I know that my situation is not that normal lately but I can make it through. We can make it through. Once this problem of mine is gone, I promise not to worry you again. Have faith in me. Just a little more and this crisis is over."

Ken was not convinced. However, at least the weight in his chest was somehow lightened. He bit his lips and he looked at Benjie with optimism in his eyes. Benjie smiled at him while he rubs his back. Then, Gaston pushed the door open. He entered.

"I have some good news and bad news for you," he informed. "The good news is that Japeth and his hips are alright. However, the bad news is that the hunters you knocked down were in critical condition. It will take more days before they wake up so for now, we can't interrogate them."

"Oh my God. What to do now?" he muttered. "Where's Arthur?" he asked.

"That is the other bad news. I am sorry but he was already gone off the area when we arrived."

"So, what's the next step?" Ken asked.

"Keep trying to find him," Benjie replied.

"Don't worry. Our nerd already has a plan," Gaston told them with an enthusiastic smile on his face.

::::::::

It was General Mathematics class again. The only class where Grace and Sherdel were in the same room. The teacher was writing an equation on the board as an activity for the students.

Grace was at the seat next to the window last row of the last column. Sherdel was sitting right next to her. They were silently looking at the front. Grace's eyes want to see him but she doesn't want to turn her head. Sherdel on the other hand was trying not to look at her.

"Okay. Try to solve this equation," the teacher then said when she was done writing.

Grace can no longer resist ignoring anymore. She has to say something or else she won't sleep at night in peace. And so, she turned her head to the left in Sherdel's direction.

"About what happened a while ago--"

"Solve the problem at the board," Sherdel responded.

Grace continued what she was saying. "Okay. I am sorry if I overheard you and your girlfriend."

"Then, shut up," he raised his voice. Grace was startled. She realized that she was not supposed to speak the word 'girlfriend' loudly. The students brought their eyes to the person sitting at the back.

"Mr. Sherdelino. What's wrong over there?" the teacher asked with a threatening look on her face.

"I am sorry, ma'am..." he glared at Grace. "This girl over here is annoying me that's all."

"Sorry, ma'am," she apologized. She got embarrassed all of a sudden.

"Don't worry, she's just annoying you because she likes you," Jerome, a gay student, said teasingly. "Ayiieee!" he whined with a grin. The students also whined after him.

"Okay. Back to solving the problem. We only have thirty minutes left," the teacher said.

Then, the students brought their serious solving mode back and they focused their eyes on their papers.

"Shut up, okay?" Sherdel whispered.

"Yeah. Promise. I'll shut my mouth," Grace replied.

"Good. Because if anyone finds out about us. You will be the one who's going to taste my wrath even if you are not the one responsible for spreading that I have something. You are dead to me."

Grace looked at him with her eyes terrified. "You don't need to threaten. I know my place, okay? I'll keep quiet. Do not worry. Cross my heart."

Sherdel looked at her with uncertainty in his eyes.

"What? Let's solve the problem at the board, shall we?" she responded.

Sherdel shrugged. "I don't wanna solve it."

"Suit yourself then," Grace replied. Then she looked down at her paper. She began to do the activity.

Sherdel also averted his eyes on her and he turned them at the blackboard.