Magic Shop

20 | HAUNTED HOUSE AT THE AFTERNOON AND FESTIVAL

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It was two pm in the afternoon, Dawn, Sejin, River and others were walking wearing their summer clothes under the scorching heat from the sun.   From time to time the warm breeze of air will blow from the mountains momentarily easing them from the sweltering heat.

The shirt they are all wearing sticks to the bare skin, and sweat was transmitted throughout their body. No matter how lightly they breathe to dispel the heat, the moist just goes in and out of their lungs making it unbearable.

Sejin who was the most sensitive and the most person who lacks patient, was not enjoying their afternoon walk as his face’s expression can’t be painted.

“It’s so hot! I hate the sun. I even hate the heat more.” He grumbled as he harshly wipe his sweats.

“Are you a child?” Kiel who was even sweating more than normal wearing his white T-Shirt, grabbed the fan he bought a moment ago and fanned himself.

Sejin wanted to annoy his friend even more. He walked near him, their skin were touching each other at it was sticky. “Damn, what the heck are you doing!?” Kiel who can’t bare the heat and the stickiness brought by Sejin jerked away. Sejn who used this opportunity managed to stole the fan Kiel bought earlier.

“I told you to buy one now you’re stealing mine!?” He scoffed.

“What are you two, kids?” River who was eyeing his friend with disgusts. He then proceed to move his shirt so that some air would pass through his body. Ayase who was walking behind him was oddly quite as he tried his best to dispel the heat he was experiencing.

Roen, Adien and Dawn were quite and watching their friends backs. The heat was unbearable for them  they can’t even spare an energy to join their friends teasing each other. All they want was to discover some shades and rest for a few minutes or so.

“Hey, Kuya Dawn and  Kuya Roen,” Adien who was always obedient called his two friends who he view them as elder brothers.

“Hmm?” Both Dawn and Roen said as they looked at their youngest. Roen used his right hand to brush his hair backwards.

“Let’s find some shades and let us rest there for a while.”

“Should we?” Dawn asked. They’re only a few minutes away from the haunted house. Ayase who heard this conversation looked back. Both of his hands were now on the pocket of his short. “Should we? Let’s rest for a while. I feel like we won’t be able to rest after we arrive there.”

“Okay, let’s rest.” Roen agreed and called the rest over. Seeing a big Balete tree, the group rested there for a while. River, Sejin, and Kiel carelessly sat on the ground not minding if later on their butts would be dusty and muddy.

“Are we really going?” Ayase said his eyes and expression were clearly bored. His hair were sticky as he doesn’t have any towel nor handkerchief to wipe them. He was leaning on the tree enjoying the cold breeze of the wind. It was the same for Adien who were replenishing his energy.

“Dawn wanted to go” Sejin rolled his eyes. He started to feel refresh as the warm wind from the mountains blow over them.

“Dawn said he wanted to check some things again especially where the body was found.” Kiel joined Sejin as he also rolled his eyes.

“Are you playing detective now?” Ayase mocked Dawn giving him a smirk.

I am trying to save you, i***t! Hmpt!  “I want to see where the corpse was because I wasn’t able to see it. I was lost!” Dawn said in his mind and just scoffed at his friend as he focused on resting.

“Where you exactly that time?”

“Don’t know I don’t remember” How would I exactly remember if I am from the future. Besides, I won’t even go back there if it wasn’t needed to help me found a clue.

“Are you having an amnesia now?”

“Whatever!”

River who were watching his friends looked at the sky. His ears echoing their conversation as he remembered one of his sister’s words early in the morning before he left. He glanced at his friend before grabbing a stick that was laying on the ground and draw some symbols. “Hey, I heart there will be a festival held for the good harvest this year.”

“Harvest festival? Did we have a bountiful harvest this year?” Sejin was excited. He love events such as this and it would also make an excuse for him not to go home and enjoy time with his friends even more.

“Yes, wanna go?” River asked. “I’m planing to take Reika there later.”

“She asked you too?” Roen said and River nodded. “Yes, Sunday is my rest day after all.”

“Will there be fireworks?” Aiden joined the conversation.

“You like fireworks right?” Ayasa walked towards him and ruffle his hair. Adien grumbled but he didn’t take Ayase’s hand on the top of his head as he just nodded.

Dawn chuckled. This kid. He acts cute sometimes.

“Let’s go there and enjoy after we finished our business in the haunted house.” Dawn agreed as he was looking forward to it. Back then, he knew that there was a festival but he just shut himself in his room. If he remembered correctly, he was sulking because of he and his father had a fight that time because of his father’s girlfriend so his friends went out without him.

Thinking now, he deeply regretted it.

“Let’s go now so we can have more time to travel the festival and try their games.” Sejin suggested and all of them nodded. The other’s stand up and brushed their butts. Having their spirits light up, they were happily walking without minding the scorching heat of sun.

It was indeed the start of summer.

--

Arriving at their destination, the atmosphere shifted quickly. While they were walking earlier, the view from the fields were calm and peaceful but as they dive deep inside the forest, everything turn gloomily and eerie. Dawn who knew that he should not be scared felt a little iffy.

The trees around the house were withered. There were no grasses but some tried and black soil were surrounding the house. The house looked old and iffy. Dawn didn’t want to go inside as he regretted his decision. However, he knew that he should go inside and see things for himself.

Looking back at his friends, five pairs of eyes met his. “Should we go?” He said with a smile although he looked like a man with constipation.

Keil chuckled and Ayase shook his head. “Let’s just look around and leave. I think the festival starts at four. Let’s have some snacks before we go.” Sejin suggested. His mind was now full of the festival.

Dawn nodded and he lead the group. Entering the house, the door made a sound. The sound coming from the door made the rest of the group feel goosebumps. All of them gulped trying to overcome their fear even though it was two in the afternoon and it was not dark.

They’re not scared of the ghost and the rumors but instead, they were scared because they might discover another corpse inside the house.

Dawn walked slowly and the rest of them followed. There were old paintings on the walls and some woods were breaking. There were even some weird smell coming from the rooms. The furnitures were black dirty and wrecked. It was obvious that no one was living in this house for so long. It was abandoned.

“Where did you all found the corpse?” Dawn glanced back at his friend.

Ayase who were beside him answered. “In the room where there’s a rotten rat smell.”

“Shall we go?” River was the one who asked the question. He was also curious why was that room smell different from the others.

After walking for a few steps, they arrived at the room. Dawn whose heart was beating like a drum gulped as he tried to draw his courage. His friends behind his back were also gulping behind his back.

The sound of the door opening echoed through out the room at the same time. The six of them were rendered speechless by the sight of the bloody and sinister room reflected thorough their eyes.

There were nothing inside the room except for a bloodily altar. There were splattered of blood on the walls and there were bags flying all over. As they step inside, all of them instinctively covered their noses as they can’t bare the smell surrounding the room. It was rotten that even Adien almost puked.

As he can’t bare it anymore, he excused himself to get some fresh air. Ayase and Keil accompanied him leaving Roen, Sejin, Dawn, and River only.

Dawn who can’t bare the smell stepped back. He did not enter the room and just observed it from the door.

“It look like someone was trying to sacrifice something here.” Dawn mumbled his voice echoing the place.

“Are you saying those things were they sacrifice people still exist!” Sejin answered back as confusion were reflected on his face.

“I don’t know but there are people who were insane you know” Roen answered his brother.

Struggling to keep his wits together, Dawn was clenching his fist. The sight made him remember different things from the future. Trauma and fear were enveloping him as time ticked and passed by.

“L-Let’s go” In the end, he asked his friends to leave as he felt himself quivering. River, Sejin and Roen noticed the change of their friend’s expression. River who wanted to remain and examine place only nodded as they went towards the exit.

After some time, after leaving the haunted house and eat their snacks. Sejin paid for the whole meal. Later on, they agreed to meet at the festival’s entrance as River needed to go home to get his little sister Reika.

At the same time, Dawn tried his best to keep himself together. He doesn’t want his friend to be suspicious of him. However he was also puzzled by such things were in that house. He even noticed some of the blood were fresh as if someone were really trying to sacrifice people there.

It was indeed terrifying.

--

It was four in the afternoon and the rest of them gathered. Dawn’s eyes went to the little girl who was holding his big brother’s hands. When she saw Dawn’s gaze, she smiled and greeted them.

“Hello kuya!’ She said. Her eyes were big and her hair was tied in a bun as she wear a dress with flowers.

She’s cute. This was the first time Dawn was seeing his friend’s sister for he clearly don’t have any memory from it.

The little child who had a pure smile and her eyes we’re glimmering made Dawn felt at ease. He smiled deep from his heart. “Let’s go?” He asked in a cheerful voice and the little girl Reika nodded enthusiastically. Her cheeks were red and she was humming happily.  

“Yes! Kuya Dawn!”

Author’s note: Kuya is a filipino term for elder brother.