Morwittz High

Death #01: The Lost School

Hayden Calsey Salvia's POV:

If I could only have a power where I can read everyone thinks, I would love to have that. I'm still lost from myself, I could die thinking what would happen to me without my parents' guidance.

"Hi, Hadey baby! It's mom and dad, we're glad that you played this record to hear our message for you, darling. How's your first week at your grandad's home? Did you catch a cold when you first went there?"

I fixed my clothes inside my luggage as I listen to the cassette tape for the 5th time this week.

"You'll be in a new environment soon and we're already so proud of you. I hope you'll have a great time there."

"It's dad, Hayden. We miss you, angel. Sorry dahil ilang buwan mo na kaming hindi nakakasama, we wish we can see you again sooner."

Inayos ko ang nasa backpack ko at napabuntong-hininga nalang pagkatapos, I looked at the old cassette tape player that's on my empty study table.

"Remember, don't do anything naughty inside your new school. Think before you act, sweetheart. We love you. Bye, Hayden!"

And when the record ended, I just looked at it with no happy feelings at all.

Just like what my mother said, mag-isip muna bago gawin ang isang bagay.

Pero para sa'kin ay binabalewala ko lang 'yon. Why? Are you willing to stop yourself from doing whatever makes you happy and contented?

Speaking of that, will people do the same? At their point of view, they'll judge some of your decisions just because they think you don't deserve it.

What else could I think whenever I feel left out sometimes from my own family, they surely cared for me but you could never run away from your alter ego...that punk.

Lumabas ako ng kwarto ko, I walked downstairs and exited the house and entered the porch where I see my lolo standing near the wooden stairs and staring at the cloudy sky.

Tinabihan ko siya at tumingin rin sa langit and at the same time, my incomplete childhood entered my mind.

All my life, I grew up being not socially active, maybe because my parents doesn't want me to socialise to other people so I think that's the reason why I'm not familiar with making friends so I ended up being alone, laging mga kapatid ko lang ang nakakausap ko.

And as I grew up, It's normal for them to let me finally decide whatever I want, but there's one thing that I can't... And that's deciding which school should I attend.

I actually liked looking for some schools around the world when I'm bored, I have no idea why I always do that though.

They both agreed to send me in a old school, too old that I never heard about it. My recent school was okay, the students are fine, my life is also fine there so what's with the sudden agreement?

I sighed as I remembered the name of the school.

Morwittz High.

It has a unique name, doesn't sounds like a friendly school to me either. It gives me some war vibes depending on the name.

Base on my knowledge that I've heard about that school, it can only be heard if someone you knew graduated there. I've never seen it listed on every schools in the entire Europe.

But how did I heard about it? Doon grumaduate si lolo, he never talked about it but he would sometimes tell me some stories about one certain school and my guts always tells me that it's Morwittz High.

That school gives me thousand of clues that's written in white ink on a white paper.

I opened my eyes. I'm clueless.

"Remember the details he told you yesterday, Hayden?"

Napaisip ako nang pumasok sa isip ko ang katagang 'yon.

We talked about it before but it was too short, itsyura lang ng loob ang nasabi ni lolo saakin.

The school according to him is big, walls around the place that's securing the school. For years that it wasn't heard by the locals, the trees surrounding outside the walls of the school duplicates through decades. My lolo was sorry for me to tell that it already looked like a newly found forest because of the trees. May apat na dormitory buildings din daw na nakatayo sa likuran ng campus, may labimpitong palapag na naglalaman ng tig-labindalawang kwarto bawat floors.

He also said that the school has a very large field and gym, the fact that the school is for high school students only made it sounds normal but kinda weird for me. Strange rather.

About the students, wala siyang binanggit. The weird part when I was asking that, tinitigan niya lang ako at hindi nagsalita. Lolo can be weird sometimes but this isn't the good time to be like that, he's quiet all the time... Well he's formal in front of other people.

But although the plans about my student life is unexpected, still, my expectation tommorow will be weird but at the same time, exciting. I don't know why I can feel butterflies in my stomach everytime I'll think about the school, kinda hoping that maybe I'm just nervous.

I slowly looked at lolo who's staring at the trees few meters away from us, my lips thinned as I stopped myself from asking lolo the same question for the tenth time. As hard as I wanted to know about the location about the school, mukhang wala talaga silang planong sabihin saakin 'yon. But I'm still hoping that lolo could answer my question although halos mabingi na siya sa parehas na tanong ko.

Huminga muna ako nang malalim bago nagpasya na magtanong, "Lo, anong lugar po ba talaga yung eskwelahan?" hindi ako kumurap habang nag-hihintay ng sagot.

Ilang segundo muna niya akong hindi kinibo pero makaraan ang ilang segundo ay huminga siya nang malalim at nagsalita, mukhang naririndi na talaga siya sa tanong ko.

"Damnum Iter." Tipid niyang sagot.

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko, "Damnum what, 'lo? Mukhang ngayon ko lang narinig 'yon." nagtatakang tanong ko.

He looked at me, "It's because you've never been here, Hayden."

Natahimik nalang ako at hinintay siyang magpaliwanag. He's really straight-forward, pilosopo rin minsan.

Lolo sighed heavily before speaking, "Schola Periculo, 'yon ang pangalan ng eskwelahan. It was Schola Periculo before, but I can't really remember kung anong pinalit nila na pangalan ng school years ago." He paused for a second, "But you'll surely gonna know the entire history of that school tommorow."

I frowned a bit again.

From where am I going to know it? Will he hire a great historian for me? This family is really something, iba ata talaga ang epekto ng hindi nakikipag-usap sa mga kamag-anak mo.

Makalipas ang ilang minutong katahimikan, umunat si lolo bago ako tiningnan.

"Sige, matutulog na muna ako. You should rest too, Hayden. Malayo ang byahe natin bukas baka mapuyat ka pa."

Tumango nalang ako bago sinundan siya ng tingin na pumasok sa loob at umakyat sa kwarto niya habang ako ay nanatiling naka-upo sa labas at iniisip ang iba pang detalye about sa papasukan ko.

Makalipas ang ilang minuto, tumayo na rin ako at umunat. Pumasok ako sa kwarto ko at dumapa sa kama.

Binuksan ko ang laptop ko na nakalagay sa kama at agad na sinearch ko ang pangalan ng school.

Natigilan ako bago i-tap ang enter button. Wait, existed kaya ito sa social media?

Pinilig ko nalang ang ulo ko, pinindot ko nalang ang enter button at hinintay na lumabas ang result.

"Schola Periculo since 1942. Renamed as Morwittz High by Sir Joshua Fontenelle on the early 2000s." Mabuti nalang pala at may mga information pa ito? Well, hindi siya gaanong kilala kaya mas expected ko kanina na wala akong mahahanap na information sa school na 'to. I've been looking for some good schools around the world kaya nakakapagtaka dahil hindi ko 'to minsang nababasa kahit saan.

Sinarado ko nalang ang laptop ko, wala naman na akong nakuha pang ibang information dahil 'yon lang ang nakasulat doon at wala nang iba. Walang nakasulat na taon kung kailan ito pinatayo, kung sino ang founder ng school at kung sino ang kasalukuyang namumuno ng school.

Lumabas nalang ulit ako ng bahay, nang nasa harapan na ako ng bahay ay pumamewang ako at nagbuntong-hininga. Tommorow will be different. New place, new school, new people and of course, new terror teachers.

---

Kinabukasan, nang matapos na akong makapag-ayos ng mga gamit ko ay pumunta na ako sa kotse na pagmamay-ari lolo. Dala ko na ang malaki kong maleta, gamit, at mga ibang kailangan ko na inayos ko kahapon.

Alas-sais palang ng umaga kaya hindi pa sikat ang araw lalo na at mapuno ang daan.

Nang makaandar na kami ay tahimik lamang ang byahe kaya nagpagpasyahan kong magtanong, "Lo, anong oras po nagsisimula yung klase sa papasukan ko?"

Ilang segundo natahimik si lolo bago nakapagsalita, "9 o'clock ng umaga." tanging sagot niya habang nakatingin pa rin sa daan.

Napaisip ako, napaka-late naman ata ng simula ng klase nila, depende nalang kung masyadong marami ang mga estudyante kaya kailangang magkaroon ng vacant ang ilang section para makagamit ang iba.

Tumango-tango nalang ako at isinandal ang ulo ko sa katabi kong bag at nagpasyang matulog ulit, limang oras lang ata ang tulog ko kagabi.

As I stare outside, hindi ko mapigilang kabahan sa kalalagyan ko sa Morwittz. It may be too late but I still wanted to go back and sleep in my original room.

Makalipas ang ilang minuto, I slowly fell asleep while staring outisde but there was a weird dream. A dream about guns and...blood?

---

"We're here, Hayden. Umayos ka na."

Nagising ako sa boses ni lolo.

Umunat muna ako bago inayos ang sarili ko, hindi pa rin ako makaget-over sa panaginip ko kanina kahit hindi ko na ito matandaan. It was totally weird.

Nakapikit akong lumabas ng kotse dahil sa antok, nang maimulat ko ang mata ko ay nanlaki ang mata ko sa nasa harapan ko ngayon. Isang malaki at mataas na pader ang nasa harapan namin ngayon.

So we're really here, just in front of the big tall walls.

Kinuha ni lolo ang isang maleta ko para hindi ako mabigatan, malakas pa naman siya, malaki siyang tao at malaki rin ang pangangatawan kaya hindi na akong nag-abalang tanungin kung mabigat ba ang maleta ko.

Naglakad kami palapit sa isang bakal na mataas na pintuan. May kinuha siyang susi sa pantalon niya at binuksan ang pinto, nang makapasok kami ay ni-lock niya 'yon at sumalubong naman saamin ang isang mahabang pathway na may malaking pintuan ulit sa dulo. Nang mabuksan ulit ni lolo ang pintuan ay sumalubong naman saamin ang isang empty area na parang pinaglumaan na lugar, walang katao-tao doon.

"Whatever happens, don't let anyone know that we entered from this door."

Napatingin ako kay lolo, I gave him a confused look but he raised his both eyebrows and widen his eyes as a return to tell me that I should listen to him.

I sighed, "Whatever the hell happens."

Tumango-tango si lolo bago umiwas ng tingin.

Umiling-iling nalang ako bagl nilibot ng tingin ang paligid, mukhang hindi ito nalilinisan dahil medyo maraming mga dahon sa daan at lumang-luma na rin ang nag-iisang bench sa gilid.

Nang makalabas kami ay dumiretsyo kami sa isang malaking gate na pinagigitnaan ng gilid ng tinatawag nilang Main Building at School Building Number Three.

We walk inside the gate and continued until we reached right building in front of us, may nakalagay sa taas nito na 'Dorm Building Number Two'. Nasa bakal siya naka-ukit na medyo luma na ang bakal kaya nangangalawang na ito nang kaunti. May nakalagay din sa ibaba nito na 'Ladies Dormitory Building' pero maliit lamang ang pagkaka-ukit dito.

Apat nga ito pero dalawa lang ang nasa unahan na gusali, the 2 remaining dormitory buildings are behind it; the same width and the same numbers of floors.

Hindi na ako nagulat pa nang may sumalubong saamin na babaeng nakangiti saamin at parang nakapang-opisina ang suot, siya na ang nanguna sa paglalakad habang katabi niya si lolo habang ako naman ay nasa likuran nila.

Habang nag-uusap sina lolo at ng babae ay medyo napapansin ko ang mga estudyante na nakakasalubong namin sa daan, I couldn't tell if they're really pleased to see a new student in this place. Sa iba ay para wala lang na para bang hindi nila kami nakikita. Siguro wala lang talaga silang pakialam sa mga outsiders, mukhang sanay na rin sila na may mga baguhan dito.

Napahaba ang tainga ko at napabagal ang paglakad nang marinig ko na magsalita ang isang babaeng estudyante na nakasandal sa isang pintuan at may kasamang pa siyang isang babae.

"Ah... A new prisoner, she looks weak." Aniya.

Tumawa ang kasama niya, "Don't judge too quickly, we don't know what she can do. Just look at Sir Joshenbert as her grandfather, pity her." Sabi ng kasama niya habang nakamasid sa'min.

I frowned. Paano nila nalaman na lolo ko ang kasama ko?

Bago ko pa sila tuluyang hindi na marinig ay nagsalita ulit ang isa, mas lalo pa akong nagtaka sa sinabi niya.

"How did they enter here anyway?"

I was taken aback from their last sentence.

How in the hell they didn't know how to enter this school? Naka-blindfold ba sila nang pumasok dito?

Natauhan nalang ako nang bigla kaming tumigil sa isang pinto sa second floor, hindi ko rin namalayan na nasa second floor na pala kami.

"Hayden, siya na ang bahala sayo. I need to hurry, your mom suddenly called." Nagmamadaling sabi ni lolo.

Tumango-tango ako kahit gusto kong tanungin kung bakit tumawag si mamá, tumalikod na siya at umalis, pinagmasdan ko nalang ang likuran ni lolo hanggang sa mawala na siya nang tuluyan.

"Ikaw si Miss?"

Nilingon ko agad ang babaeng katabi ko nang tanungin niya ako, "Ha?" I was dumbfounded at first.

"Hayden Calsey Salvia po." Pakilala ko at ngumiti ako nang pilit.

"Welcome to Morwittz, Hayden. It's a pleasure to meet one of the 7th generation of the Salvias." Nakangiting sabi niya bago kumatok sa pintuan. Nagsalubong ang kilay ko nang mahagip ko ang peklat niya sa may panga niya, mukhang may nangyari sakanya. Hindi ko na rin binigyang-pansin ang huli niyang sinabi. I barely know about my roots, ni ancestors ko ay hindi ko kilala.

Nang mabuksan ang pinto, tumambad saamin ang isang babae na nakasalamin. I blinked multiple times to make sure if I'm really seeing my new roommate.

She's so stunning white, she has a dirty blonde hair, natural red thin lips and big eyes with a thick lashes pero hindi siya gaanong katangkaran o sadyang matangakad lang talaga ako? She also got a great shape of jaw. She looks nice too, I guess.

"She will be your roommate starting from now on, if you have any questions, free to visit me in my office." Ngumiti ang babaeng katabi ko at nagpaalam na siyang umalis, napatingin naman ako nang kuhain ng babaeng roommate ko ang isang maleta. Ni hindi na niya ako tinapunan ng tingin.

"I'm Sierra." Pakilala ng babae at pinapasok niya ako sa loob, tahimik niyang binaba ang maleta ko sa sahig.

"So, you're the new kid?" Tanong niya habang nilalagay ang maleta ko sa loob ng isang kwarto, lumabas siya agad at umupo sa sofa.

"The seventh generation of Salvias... And the 2,448th student in this school.." Dagdag niya na ikinasalubong ng kilay ko. Why do they know about us? And what's with the sudden count of students?

Mahina siyang tumawa, "Sorry for that, para kasing virus lang kapag may baguhan dito, lahat ng mga estudyante nalalaman nila agad. Right after some gossips about the new students 2 weeks ago where one of them easily broke someone's arm, mukhang mas lalong naging interesado ang ilang estudyante sa mga baguhan."

Tumango-tango nalang ako sa mga sinabi niya dahil ayokong masyadong feeling close agad, hindi ko rin alam kung anong sasabihin ko.

Umupo ako sa sofa katabi niya.

"I don't even know why the hell did they sent you here but no choice, you're already here." Tiningnan niya ako, "Sir Joshenbert told me to tell you only about the school." ngumisi siya nang kaunti. "Are they afraid to tell you the truth?"

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko sa mga pinagsasasabi niya. Truth? Afraid? What the hell is she talking about?

"Anyways," Umayos siya ng upo bago huminga nang malalim. "No need to tell about those things, Sir Joshenbert only said na history lang ng school ang sasabihin ko sayo."

"O...kay?" Nawe-weirduhan na ako sakanya, I didn't expect that lolo will hire a student so just they could tell about this school.

She shushed me, "Please, stay quiet for a while."

I blinked multiple times before slowly nodding my head.

She gave me a fascinating smile before dropping any word, she's like about to drop a bomb within a second.

"Morwittz High was known as Schola Periculo, it was built in 1942 and was founded by Sir Sebastian Setarña, came from the blood of blue-eyed Setarñas. Schola Periculo was one of the most known university in the country but sadly, that was before." Mukhang may naalala siya kaya nag-buntong hininga siya bago muling nagsalita.

"I know it's so sudden to tell you this and... Strange to hear but there's these 3 places you shouldn't go, it's better to be safe than sorry... Let's start with the Periculo Field. That place is a private area, no one knows who owns that place but one thing that you should know? Don't go there, and that is located behind the School Building Number Three." Tinaas niya ang dalawang daliri niya, "Second, Dead Lake. 20 students died there pagkatapos nilang pumunta doon, that lake was haunted for many decades, probably hauted dahil sa isang babae na nakasuot ng pulang bestida."

"Third," Tinaas niya ang pangatlong daliri niya, "Gym Morteferum. May dalawang gym dito and you should totally know kung saan ka dapat pumasok, no need to explain what's in there. Let's say two words, guns and bloods."

Napataas nang wala sa oras ang isang kilay ko, she can pass as a tour guide for sure. Pero nang marinig ko ang huli niyang sinabi ay bahagyang umawang ang bibig ko nang maalala ko ang panaginip ko kanina, my dream was all about guns and bloods too.

"Morwittz High is now owned by the Fontenelle family, Sir Joshua Fontenelle." Binaba niya ang kamay niya sa hita niya bago nagpatuloy sa pagsasalita, "And the rule na dapat sundin ng mga naka-graduate na dito? Every third born child should enter Morwittz without any further questions, just take note that they're not pushing you to have a 3 kids in the future." binigay niya saakin ang isang pirasong papel. "That rule was made by the past SSG President in 2009, Mitch Salvia."

Napatitig ako sakanya nang makilala ko ang pangalan na binanggit niya, "That's my..."

"Brother?" Paghuhula niya, tumango ako bago binasa ang nasa papel. So this is where my siblings attended high school, mukhang plinano na talaga nilang dito ako pumasok sa last year ng senior year ko.

"So you're the third child?" Tanong niya saakin.

"Yeah." Sagot ko habang nagbabasa pa rin, narinig ko siyang tumawa nang mahina.

"Pity. Lahat ng mga estudyante dito ay pangatlong anak."

Umangat ako ng tingin sakanya, "Really?"

Tumango siya, "In fact, Sir Joshua Fontenelle's son is currently studying here. His name is Nowen, he's not really intimidating but he's kinda rude sometimes."

Tumango nalang ako dahil wala naman akong interest alamin ang tungkol sa anak ng may-ari ng school na 'to, just with the word 'rude', talagang wala na akong interest doon.

And how could I let this slip away? Lahat ng mga gusto kong malaman kahapon tungkol sa eskwelahan na 'to ay nasabi na niya.

Makalipas ang ilang minutong pagpapakilala ay inaya niya akong pumunta sa cafeteria para kumain, hindi nalang ako umangal at sumama nalang sakanya palabas. I want to see the building too before attending my classes tomorrow.

Dumiretsyo kami sa tinatawag nilang Hallway B, ito raw ang pinakamalaking hallway dahil nasa Main Building daw ito.

Habang naglalakad, hindi ko mapigilang mamangha sa paligid dahil naninibago rin ako. Well this is the first time though and this place is really huge, I couldn't lie.

This might be every student's dream school. Malaki, it looks like a freaking castle and everything looks enchanted. Who wouldn't say yes to transfer to this place? Well, not me.

All of sudden, bigla akong napaupo sa sahig nang may mabangga ako. Ni hindi ko 'yon napansin dahil sa pagkamangha ko sa paligid. At hindi ko rin akalain na mapapaupo ako sa lakas ng pagkabangga ko.

Tumingala ako habang tinutulungan akong tumayo ni Sierra na mukhang nagulat din sa nangyari, lumingon saamin ang lalaking nabanggaan ko habang nakakunot ang noo nito at may hawak na isang pirasong coupon bond.

Nang makatayo ako ay wala sa sariling napatingin lang ako sakanya, I was immediately drown to his blue eyes.

Marami na akong nakikitang lalaki na may asul na mata katulad ko pero iba ang mata ng lalaking 'to. And for me, his slight curly shoulder length hair may be one of his assets. Wait... I'm totally mistaken, hanggang sa panga lang niya ang kaniyang medyo kulot na buhok.

"Sorry, Nowen. We're so sorry."

Natauhan ako nang marinig kong humihingi ng tawad si Sierra sa tabi ko habang nakayuko siya nang maigi.

"Not even gonna apoligize?" Tanong ng lalaki at walang kaemo-emosyon na tiningnan ako, napa-'ha?' nalang ako at nang mapansin kong kailangan ko ring humingi ng tawad ay nauutal na ginawa ko 'yon.

Bago pa ako makaramdam ng hiya ay napatingin ako agad sa may locker na malapit sa'min dahil may pinaskil ang babaeng kasama niya doon, nanliit ang mata ko para mabasa ang nakasulat.

"One student has been missing for two days, the school already contacted his parents but they're not allowed to enter this place. If you two saw this man, his name is Samuel Purry. Reach us if you saw him roaming some of the places inside this school." Paliwanag ng babae.

I frowned, confused. "Are we not allowed to contact the police-"

Hindi ko na natapos ang tatanungin ko nang agad akong hinila ni Sierra paalis habang nakayuko pa rin siya, nagtaka ako sa gawi niya pero nilingon ko pa rin ang lalaking nabanggaan ko. Patuloy lang siyang nakikipag-usap sa babae habang nakakunot ang noo at para bang may dini-discuss sila tungkol sa papel na hawak niya, ni hindi na niya kami tiningnan ni Sierra.

Biglang may pumasok sa isip ko nang mahagip ng mata ko ang papel na nakapaskil sa locker. Should we at least call the cops? 911? One student is missing and they only contacted the parents but they're not allowed to go in here? This is beyond weirdness, schools shouldn't be like this.