Vampire's Pathos

Blood 03

Eara Laire Arella

And here I was staring in front of my dorm..

I was staring at the name plates for so long you'd think I was crazy.

Name plates? So, hindi lang ako mag isa? How's that for a quiet safe haven?

I held my head, and I even rubbed my eyes before staring at the names written on the door again.

Serene Real

Kate Arsen

Eara Arella

So, dito nga talaga ako. There's no mistake.

My name is there.

I exhaled sharply as I opened the door.

It was already past six, so I really thought that there'd be at least someone here..

But surprisingly, there was no one inside.

Seeing that there was a vacant study table and bed, I carefully arranged my things over that free space.

Tahimik lang akong naglalagay ng mga gamit ko, at napatingin nalang ako kaagad sa pinto nung bumukas 'yon.

"Hala! Ikaw yung bago naming kaklase di ba?" I was immediately weirded out when the girl suddenly shouted with joy.

Ba't parang natutuwa pa siyang nandito ako?

I'm not happy to be here, so why should she be?

At sinabi niya bang kaklase? I don't even remember her face.

"Nakalimutan kong roommate na pala kita starting today." She said with a sudden familiarity in her, kaya nakunot ko kaagad yung noo ko.

How come she's already acting like we're close?

"Ba't naman ganyan tingin mo sa 'kin?" I suddenly regained my consciousness nung nagtanong siyang bigla.

Did I stare too much?

Masyado bang nakakunot yung noo ko habang nakatingin sa kanya?

She wore a kind of an awkward smile, but then she soon relaxed her expression.

"You're not a fan of people, are you?" Nagsalita na naman siya at napatingin lang ako sa kanya.

What does this girl want from me?

"Yep, sa reaksyon mo palang halata ko na." Sinundan ko siya ng tingin habang papalapit siya sa akin, and just as she was about to invade my space, napatigil siya.

"You don't mind if I sit here, right?" She pointed at the chair in front of the study table, and I gestured that it was fine.

I guess?

She warily sat on the chair, and she gently puts her bag down the table.

This level of interaction is new to me.

Bakit ba siya nakikipag usap sa akin?

"You need help with that?" Tanong niya na naman, at napatingin sa ako sa gamit ko and I looked back at her.

"I'm fine." Maikli kong sinagot, at nanumbalik na ako sa pag aayos ng gamit ko.

There shouldn't be any problems kung hindi ko nalang siya papansinin, right?

It's not like I asked her to notice me anyway.

"Are you sure? I'm willing to help naman." She smiled warmly, and I couldn't help but look at her.

What does she think she will get from me by acting so close?

"Never mind, I'll help you anyway. Ako yung nahihirapan para sa'yo e." I followed her with my eyes as she stood from the chair, and went directly to my pile of unopened luggage.

"Oh, right, hindi mo pa pala ako kilala no?" Tinitigan ko lang siya habang binubuksan niya yung maleta ko, and she continued to introduce herself.

If any properties of mine are lost, alam ko na kung sino sisisihin.

"I'm Kate Arsen. Nice to meet you!" She said once more with a bright smile, and I shrugged.

How come this one smiles too often?

"Your name is Eara, right?" She made sure, habang ako naman ay napatango habang nilalagay ko na yung mga damit ko sa isang closet na katabi lang ng kama ko.

Hinayaan ko nalang siyang tulungan ako, since two people works better than one.

"Kamusta naman first day mo dito?" Even though hinayaan ko siyang tulungan ko, I still don't think that she has the right to ask the questions.

And nor am I obliged to give any answers.

Kaya nagmumukhang kinakausap niya yung sarili niya.

"Hm, I'm guessing that uneventful ang first day mo?" Sinagot niya lang yung sarili niya, at nanatili lang akong tahimik hanggang sa nalagay ko na yung huli sa mga damit na nasa maleta ko.

I sighed in relief na tapos na ang paglilinis ko, that took about at least an hour or two.

"Ilalagay ko nalang 'tong mga bag mo sa ilalim ng kama." I immediately looked over to Kate who volunteers, at ginawa niya naman kaagad yung sinabi niya.

That's that I guess?

Without another word coming out of my mouth, agad akong pumunta sa kama at napahiga doon.

As soon at I laid on the bed, my body was washed with relief.

What a day..

I exhaled and I looked at the room's ceiling.

"Say, Eara.." Dahan dahan akong napaupo sa kama ko nung may nagsalita.

Right, I wasn't alone in here.

Napatingin nalang ako sa babaeng nasa harapan ko, at ngumiti na naman siya.

And this time, yung ngiting 'yon parang aabot na sa langit.

"Do you want to be friends?"

Hindi ko maisip kung anong itsura ng mukha ko nung sinabi niya 'yon.

It wasn't like this was the first time that I encountered the word. Pero hindi rin ibig sabihin no'n na nasa bokabularyo ko yung salitang 'yon.

In other words, I didn't really know what that word meant.

"What do you mean?"

I found myself voicing out the words from inside my head, at nakita ko nalang nanlaki yung mga mata nung babaeng nasa harap ko ngayon.

"Wow! Nagsalita ka na rin! I should've asked that sooner!" She rejoiced and my forehead creased in confusion.

Nakakatuwa na nagsalita ako?

Pero agad ding natapos yung pagdiriwang niya nung bigla na namang bumukas yung pinto.

And it revealed a rather familiar face.

It was that stupid and mannerless b***h.

"I should really ask for another dorm room." She said as if she was telling herself, but she made it loud enough for us to hear. Tahimik kong sinundan ng tingin yung babaeng 'yon and then looked in front to see Kate speaking.

"Never mind her, ganyan lang talaga ugali niya." I unknowingly nodded at her, at napatingin nalang ako bigla sa kamay niyang nakapatong na sa balikat ko.

And she happily said the words..

"I hope to get along with you!"

She smiled merrily, and she turned to get her bag that was on my study table.

"Oh, that's right! Doon banda yung kusina at banyo." She turned to point over a large space across the room.

I kind of figured that out without her telling me though.

"The kitchen's on the left, and the bathroom's on the right side. That's it! Goodnight!" She finally bids goodbye, at pumunta na doon sa space niya sa kwarto.

After that, I did what I always do at night and went to sleep. 

I awoke at the sound of my alarm, at agad kong pinatay yung alarm sa phone ko para hindi na makabulabog ng iba pang taong natutulog.

With a towel in my hand and my uniform on the other, I went to the bathroom to take a shower. After that, doon na rin ako nagbihis sa loob. I hanged my towel inside, and I put my dirty clothes in a separate basket.

Paglabas ko sa banyo, dumiretso ako sa kusina para may makain. When I opened the fridge, hindi na ako nagulat nung makitang punong puno 'yon ng pagkain. Well, this was already paid. So might as well use what I can.

I took a few eggs, some milk, and a loaf of bread from the cup board.

At niluto ko na yung agahan ko.

By the time that I was done eating, Kate just woke up from her sleep.

"Eara..? Ang aga mo namang magising.." She remarked and I just shrugged. She was still rubbing her eyes, then I noticed that there was still some left of the toast and eggs that I had.

And I silently offered it to her.

"Akin nalang?" Hindi ko na siya kinibo pa, at iniwan ko nalang niya sa kusina.

"Thank you!" I heard her say before I was out of earshot, and I felt something warm welling up my chest.

What is it? Did I catch some disease?

Napakibit balikat nalang ako sa kung anong naramdaman ko kanina, at kinuha ko na yung bag ko at saka umalis.

It didn't take long for me to go to my classroom. Since ang dorms are just inside the campus too. 

Diretso akong pumasok sa classroom, and I wasn't surprised when I saw almost no one there..

Except for that guy..

Kian.

We kind of stared at each other for a few seconds, at naalis ko nalang yung tingin ko sa kanya nung isasara ko na yung pinto ng room.

I just continued walking until I reached my seat, at nanatili akong nakaupo hanggang sa dumating yung iba pa naming mga kaklase.

"Eara!"

Napatingin ako kaagad sa babaeng sumigaw ng pangalan ko, and judging by that voice, it was Kate.

Nakita ko nalang siyang papalapit sa kinauupuan ko, at hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko.

Wait, what?

"Hi!" Bati niya na naman, and I just stared at her for a moment before answering passively.

"Hi." I greeted her back at nakita ko na namang nanlaki yung mata niya, before she smiled again.

"Gosh! Nagsasalita ka ulit! I should do this more often." Masaya siya kapag nagsasalita ako? What is up with that? Well, if that's the case..

Siguro okay lang na kausapin ko siya?

"Ay, nga pala. Gusto mo sumama sa akin mamaya?" I looked at her as she asked, at mukhang sa paningin niya naman ay naging interesado ako kaya dinugtungan na niya yung mga sinabi niya.

"Pupunta akong library mamaya, ipapakilala na rin kita sa kaibigan ko." She chuckles right after like she was a bit embarrassed in asking me but I shrugged.

"Sure." I really couldn't find the reason why I answered that, but nor did I find any reasons to refuse..

Ano na bang ginagawa ko?

I asked myself, at nakita kong magsasalita pa sa na si Kate kaso biglang pumasok si Ms. Teves sa classroom.

"I'll talk to you later." Bulong niya at napatango na naman ako, and she revealed a small smile before going back to her seat.

Everything slowly settles down hanggang sa nakarating si Ms. Teves sa teacher's table. Alam kong hindi lang ako yung nakapansin, because when we saw the expression of Ms. Teves..

Rigid and strict..

I kind of expected what she was about to say.

"I have bad news." After that, students already started to chatter.

Habang ako, nananatiling tahimik at pinapakinggan ang mga saloobin nila tungkol sa sinabi ni Ms. Teves.

"Don't tell me it's happening here.."

"Hindi pa rin nila nahuhuli hanggang ngayon?"

"Are we next?"

"May namatay ba?"

One chatter after another, and it looked like it wasn't going to stop soon.

"SILENCE!"

Biglaang sigaw ni Ms. Teves at nanahimik sila. No dared to speak after that.

"This doesn't just concern me, but it concerns all of you." She started and finally the other students are finally listening.

"As all of you know, disappearances have been happening around us lately. And most of the targets have been high school students." One by one you could hear the students' gasp by the news, while I just quietly rested my head on my seat's table.

"This place is no exception." Pinanood ko yung mga nakikita kong reaksyon ng mga kasama ko sa classroom, and it was amusing.

Wala nang nagsalita, walang nagtanong. No gasps, no sighs, or anything at all.

It was eerily quiet. Na parang tinaningan mo yung buhay nila.

"As precaution, students are hereby declared to go back to their dorms by five in the afternoon. If going somewhere, you should not be alone and at least be accompanied with someone. This is not a joke, so please follow the said guidelines."

It took some silence before every information came sinking in their minds.

If you die, you die.

That's all there is to it.

"Okay, now open your books at page 98. We're continuing our discussion yesterday." Ms. Teves broke the silence that was looming all over the room, at kanya kanyang kinuha ng mga studyante yung mga libro nila.

Another day I guess.

The classes went as it was supposed to, and when it was the last subject before break it was supposedly a self study since hindi pumasok yung teacher.

That's why some of the students in the room are gone, since it kind of became a long break.

I wasn't in the mood for eating, that's why I kind of planned in my head na maglibot libot muna sa mga lugar di ko pa napupuntahan dito sa school.

When I went out our building, meron namang mga signs na tinuturo kung nasaan yung library. I just followed the path until it led to a small forest.

"Library.."

I read the sign out loud, at napatingin ako kung saan nakaturo yung sign. It was pointing to the forest.

Who puts a library in a middle of something like this?

I silently shook my head and I followed the path supposedly leading to the library. I could hear birds chirping, and calm rustles between the wind and leaves..

Well, a change of scenery like this isn't bad once in a while.

I continued on my way until I noticed that there was no path to where I was walking.

Naligaw ba ako? Nakunot ko yung noo ko at napatingin sa paligid ko.

And I immediately caught someone in my eye.

It was a guy.. with a visible scar on his left cheek.

It was my first time seeing him, at mukhang nagmamadali siya. He was frantically running, and when I looked closer.. He was holding something.

Nakabalot yung hawak niya sa jacket niya, but I was sure of something.

May tumutulong dugo doon sa hawak niya.

It looked like he didn't even notice me, because he just continued on running.. After seeing him..

I heard a loud scream.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

Napatakbo ako kaagad kung saan ko narinig yung sigaw na 'yon, and I wasn't surprised with what I saw.

A dead body.. and Kate..

Napatingin nalang ako kay Kate na napaupo sa kinatatayuan niya, and I went to get a closer look at the corpse.

Just like in the news.. visible wounds, but no blood.

That guy from earlier.. did he do this? The blood that was dripping from what he was holding.. Was it this victim's blood?

"I-- She told me.. M-May kukunin lang siya.. Then nagtaka ako bakit hindi na siya bumalik.. I-- I should've stopped her!" Her voiced cracked as she was speaking, at lumapit nalang ako sa kanya.

"It's not your fault." I kneeled in front of Kate and I could clearly see tears rolling down her eyes, at nagulat nalang ako nung bigla nalang niya akong niyakap.

And she continued to cry more.

One by one, teachers came.. And soon after that, the police were rolling in. Yellow tapes were there to prevent someone from trampling evidence.

Flashing red and blue lights coming from the ambulance and police cars.

Napatingin nalang ako sa mga taong kumuha ng bangkay nung babaeng namatay, at napatingin ako sa gilid kay Ms. Teves who was with two police men.

Ako nalang yung kinuwestyon nung mga police dahil sa hindi makapagsalita ng maayos si Kate because of what had happened.

I told them what Kate told me, and that she was the first one to find the body.

But I didn't tell them about that guy.

Something tells me that he's not the killer.

Bakit ka naman kasi tatakbo ng may dugong tumutulo sa hawak mo, as if you want to be found. Aren't I right?

But he certainly is suspicious. It was still blood after all.

"Eara and Kate, you two are excused from classes." I looked at Ms. Teves and I looked over to Kate who was still in shock.

"I'm fine, I'll just take Kate back to the dorm." Ms. Teves nodded, and I guided the almost lifeless Kate out of the crime scene.

She needs to rest.

"Iiwan na kita dito. You should rest as much as possible. " I was just about to leave, but then I suddenly felt a hand on my wrist.

And she looked at me as if she doesn't want to be left alone.

"You'll be fine. Ligtas ka dito." I assured her, and I place her hands right beside her and went away.

Dahan dahan akong naglakad pabalik ng classroom habang napapaisip sa kung sino man ang pumatay sa babaeng 'yon.

Whoever did those things.. I'm starting to believe that it wasn't human..