THE NIGHTS

CHAPTER 3

The moment the sun seems to be drifting away all the people in the village wake up, they must get up to prepare. The men are preparing their houses the women are taking the clothes they hang outside, and the rest are busy going to their usual hiding place. Some eat their meals ravishing everything because this might be their last meal and again this is a long night.

Chief Rambo and some men walk and surveyed their village, checking every houses and helping the ones who need help. They don’t have horses to ride on since all their horses are killed by this horrible creatures.

As soon as they finish their task they went back to their home to protect their families. Chief Rambo’s wife is waiting for him behind their slightly open door, she stand there looking for her husband to came back. When she sees his husband she immediately open the door widely to welcome him, he help her husband took of his coat and put it in one of their chair. She prepared the table before her husband got home so when he arrived he will just eat. Chief Rambo sits in his usual chair, she pours water in her husbands glass then settled herself in front of him.

Chief Rambo just looks at her wife, when their eyes meet he smile slightly. Her wife smiled too and put her hand above her husbands hand and rub it for a second before gesturing him to eat. He eat quietly and after he finish he stands up and look at his wife, she seems to know what to do next so she also stand and nod to her husband.

Mang, Antonio is now preparing inside his house after making sure that his children’s houses are ready. He lives alone now since his wife died, but he is making sure that his family is going to survive. He is a serious man ever since the attack happen so some of his grandchild are afraid of him, he is now used of his grandchildren avoiding conversation to him but he is slightly surprise this morning. Elena is a soft girl and asking him to help him in his work surprises him. He just thinks that maybe Elena notice that he is too old to be working and he should rest, so he didn’t think of it much. It warms his heart thinking that one of his grandchildren is concern about him. A small smile come out of his face, but he quickly look serious again when he hears someone is knocking at his door.

It was his son Simon knocking at his door panicking and looking worriedly.

“What is it? The sun is almost gone, why are you here?” he ask his son, while still holding his sword.

“Elena is not in her room.” his son responded worriedly he clearly do not know what to do.

Mang. Antonio’s heart beat rises but he remains steadfast as he think of something to tell. “Go back to your house immediately, I will find Elena,” he felt scared for his son but he felt even scared for his grandchild whose missing in this time when the danger is almost coming.

“I will come with you.” Simon said but his dad cut him immediately.

“No, you will go back to your house and protect your wife and children their, I will surely find her.” he said seriously his eyes make his son understand that what he said is final.

“Pa you don’t understand shes my child I cannot go back in thinking that shes out there and not safe.” he said almost crying.

“And she is my grandchild I will not let something happen to her.” he said before going inside to pick his coat. “Now go back to your house and turn down your fires.” he said when he come back out before going to search for her grandchild.

Mang. Antonio search their area first thinking Elena is there strolling around. She has been a very kind child so why would she stroll around instead of staying in their house. Unless someone took her, he thinks Elena is not a reckless person so somebody really did manipulate her to go outside at this hour. While his mind is flying everywhere he continue to search for his missing grandchild.

He decided to widen his search since no trace of Elena is in their area. Mang. Antonio walk from their house to the street where lot of houses are located.

“Elena!” He shouted. “ Elena, Where are you?!” his voice is now growing louder since he is now losing his control and start to panic.

“Elena!” he calls again and again but it seems that the name his been calling is not hearing it at all.

“Antonio, for heaven sake what are you doing?” Flores said opening her window slightly. “ You’ve been shouting loudly as if the sun is still up.”

“Have you seen Elena?” he ask while breathing heavily.

“Your grandchild?” she responded. “No, if shes missing you better find her tomorrow, the light is almost gone you should head back home.” she said not minding the sake of Antonio’s grandchild. She closes her window and he thinks again.

There are only few people outside their houses and in a minute they will all be inside. He doesn’t have time to ask them, instead of going back he continue to shouts Elena’s name. He ask a few people along the way and all of them say the same thing. ‘They did not see Elena.”

He is far from his house and he still didn’t find any evidence of Elena, the dusk is slowly covering the whole village fires from the houses are being turn down and the sound of crickets emerge. “Elena, where are you?” he calls and calls again. His now feeling tremendous worry not because in a few minutes mysterious creatures will appear but because his grandchild is still no where to be found.

He walk and walk forward still shouting his grandchild’s name, in a few meters he will reach the end of the road where no houses are built. He still continue and he almost cannot see where he was heading, suddenly a hand grab his arm.

He was so shock that he immediately punch the person who grab him.

“Mang. Antonio its me Cesar” Cesar said while raising his hand toward Mang. Antonio indicating him to stop.

Antonio did not talk he inhale deeply calming himself from the shock.

“Why are you here its almost night--”

“Did you saw Elena?” Mang. Antonio cut him. “She not home, I think somebody took her."

“Mang. Antonio we should head inside its dangerous out here.” Cesar said while pointing at his house. “I will help you find Elena.” he added when he notice him not caring what he just said.

Mang. Antonio still hesitate to come with Cesar since Elena is still missing but Cesar is right its dangerous out here at this time and the distance to where his at to his house is quite long. He just hope that Elena is somewhere out there safe until he will find her.

Cesar guided him at the side of his house, instead of going straight to the front door they use the secret door Cesar built in going inside. Its dark on the inside but they can still see. Mang. Antonio notice that Cesar house is almost empty, his living room has just one chair and a table. Cesar guided him to the kitchen and too some hidden door place in the ground of Cesar’s kitchen. Cesar lifted it and gestured Mang. Antonio to go first.

Mang. Antonio enters in an underground room inside Cesar’ house, its so dark now that he cannot see a single thing. He is used of darkness since the attack started because they don’t want to be notice by those strange creatures but he is not use of hiding in someones house other than his family. Cesar is a son of his old friend Michel but ever since Michel died Cesar seems like a acquaintance for him.

Mang. Antonio was startled when Cesar light a candle before going inside after him. He thinks that Cesar is crazy for lighting a light at this hour. Before he can react Cesar said something.

“Don’t worry light cannot be seen trough here.” he said at Mang. Antonio. Everything in the room seems to be visible now, Cesar put the candle in the table before sitting down in a corner. The room is not big, its just enough to fit two to three people and some things like small table and things for protection.

“You said you will help me find Elena.” Antonio said while settling his sight to Cesar. “How can we find her if we are here?

“Well looking for someone at this hour is risky, we should wait for tomorrow at least.” What Cesar said is not wrong but Antonio is still piss at him, he is still worried that his grandchild is being kidn*pped by someone and might do something bad to her.

“Your grandchild is not the type of person to roam around at this hour, maybe she just in your house, hiding.” Cesar said while reaching for a knife in the corner.

Mang. Antonio did not respond he is just silently thinking were would his grandchild go and if someone took her, what would be the reason?

“You know I got this feeling that shes just fine.” the old man across him still did not say something. “Because when you said she was missing my heart beat didn’t increase.” he said it with a smile but Mang. Antonio seems piss by what he just said.

“Do you think Elena’s disappearance is a joke?” his voice is now low but you can sense the seriousness in it. Cesar did not respond more after that question seems like Mang. Antonio is really worried and there is no way for him to ease that.

To break the tension between them Cesar just bring back his attention to his knife and start cleaning it. ‘Maybe silence might ease Mang. Antonio a little,’ he thinks.

They are silently waiting now for the up coming attack by this strange creatures. Everyone in the village is alert, while the two of them silently observing their surroundings they hear something that shock them both.

“AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!”

Their eyes both widen and they got alert instantly, ‘someone shout before the arrival of the strange creatures’ they grab something to defend themselves since the voice is clearly near from them they stand up and observe.

“HELLPP!!!AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!” the eerie scream of someone brings shiver to their spine.

Suddenly Mang. Antonio realize, “Elena” he said.