Murderer's Glimpse

“This is Cresilda Rae Fenetria, and I am..” My lips formed an innocent smile.. To a fiendish one. “A serial murderer.” — "CRESILDA RAE!" My lips formed a small smile. That high-pitched jolly voice.. "Found you, finally!" I then felt her put her hand around my shoulder and her weight on my side. I looked at her with my smile. "Nalibot ko na yata ang buong university!" pag-eexaggerate niya pa at pumunas ng pawis sa noo kuno. I chuckled and set my eyes in front, hands holding my books tightly. "I-I.." my voice shook all of a sudden. Bigla ko kasi naramdaman na may nakatingin sa akin sa paligid. It caused her, together with the students around to shoot a confused glance at me. I chuckled lightly to conceal things. I felt my friend's grip on me tighten. "You good?" she asked. I cleared my throat and nodded a bit. "Yes, of course." I looked down. Baka imagination ko lang 'yon. "I was from the library a while ago, Mil." I looked straight as her grip on me loosened as seconds pass by. "Did some reading to ease boredom." She sighed and nodded. "Typical Crae," she remarked. "Why didn't I even thought of that? Tara na lang nga sa food stalls! Libre ko na!" My face lit up and nodded. "Sure, why not?" Mil, short for Mildred, is my closest friend. She has this fair skin and heart-shaped face with hazel hair. With her chinky eyes, tall nose, brownish eyebrows, and rosy thin lips, she looked exquisite and foreign. 'Yun nga lang, medyo maliit siya. I am way taller than her, but her beauty never let it be a reason for her not to be noticeable and head-turner. We are childhood besties, and kahit grade 12 na kami, walang nag-bago sa bond namin. If there was a change, we just became stronger and more matured. We are both taking up STEM strand–her because she's a future doctor, and me, a future architect. Our relationship isn't very ideal and perfect, but I am contented. Beyond that pa nga. "Crae, teka lang." Napatigil ako sa pag-lakad. I looked at Mildred who hurriedly went to a child in the middle of the busy sidewalk. I sighed. She's at it again. Lumapit ako sa kanila. "..At bumili ka na rin ng damit mo, ah?" Kita ko ang ngiti ng bata na naka-tingin sa kaniya. Mil disheveled the boy's hair and pinched his nose. I almost rolled my eyes. "Gusto pa sana kita maka-kwentuhan kaya lang naghihintay ang Ate Crae mo. Mababagot lang 'yun. 'Til next time!" "Sige, Ate Mil!" Nginitian na lang ni Mil ang bata at dumiretso na sa akin. We went back at the school to get our cars and go finally home after the long day. "Hey," she suddenly called me. We're now at my condo unit which is only beside hers, but she usually stays here because she doesn't want to be alone. We just went home from school, and patulog na. She's at the other bed next to mine. "Yes, Mil?" "Look at me first." Confusion gushed through me. Still, I looked at her in the eye. She smiled. "Why did you paint using blood?" Freeze. What..? "How did I see?" she rhetorically asked as her eyes squint in slits seconds by seconds, suspicions raising real quick. "It was in your art room–" "It's not blood, Mildred." Finality and rage was evident in my eyes, getting over the shock in no time. Why is she like that? She was taken aback, but stayed calm. "It was–" "Paint, yea." She rolled her eyes, cutting me off. "Whatever," she angrily whispered. I sighed heavily, trying to calm myself. Ngayon ko lang napansin ang naka-kuyom kong kamay, kung kaya't pinaluwag ko ito. I removed the wrinkle in my forehead and stared apologetically at Mildred. "Sor–" "Good night," she just said, went off the bed, and stormed out of the room. I heard another door being tightly shut, so probably she is going back to her unit. Napapikit ako nang mariin. Paano na 'to ngayon? I sighed and went out of my room as well. Bumungad sa akin ang pinto ng art room ko, katabi ng guest room. I stared at it from concerned to blankly. I went to it and opened the door. As soon as I opened the dim lights and went inside, I shut it close. I roamed my gaze around. Canvases, some untouched, some undone, and some fully finished, were scattered. Few were on a stand where swatches of colors were evident. Paint brush and paints of various types were seen all over the place. But in the middle of the room.. Was red paint massively making a mess, with a medium-sized canvas in the center. Knives and scalpels were mixed with the brushes soaked in crimson, slightly dried up already. A word was written in the middle using the paint, with different shades of ruby dots and abstract lines surrounding it. Abstract is an art. Freeze. With a racing heart, slowly, I neared the canvas. I went down on my knees. My trembling hands touched its now dried surface. As my hands got in contact with the special paper, a small smile was creeping in my lips. I caressed the paint. I then put my hand near my nose. Slight rust and its thickness. My smile went demonic as I remember what I exactly used to make this masterpiece. Blood. —