Project LOTUS: Beautiful Monster

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Azul

I SILENTLY stared at the gravestones in front of me.

Zephina Madrigal-Andino

Alexander Andino

Somehow, staring on the static printed names of my parents tickled something within me. It's like the emotions that I buried deep within me struggles to break free and the tears that I forbid stubbornly found their way out of my tear ducks and down on my chin. My chest tightened as I heaved a sigh before picking up the broken fragments of myself that revealed a scared and weak girl that I used to be.

"I will be really busy these coming days..." I started to talk, trying to stifle the rogue tears. "...so I think I will not be able to visit you for awhile. But please don't be sad because once my sched clears again, I will surely make it up to you." I smiled before getting up to get the spare lotus scented candles that I always purposely leave here... it's my mom's favourite scent.

I stared as the flames from the candles danced in the steady air inside this place. White fabrics of smoke rose from the molten wax and then the sweet fragrance of the Lotus flower spread throughout the four corners of the mausoleum which made me long for my parents even more.

I sighed and decided to stand up and stretch a bit of my exhausted muscles. My eyes wandered at the picture frames of my mom and dad. There are a few frames inside this place aside from their hanging portraits. These frames are consist of their personal pictures, wedding picture and out family picture.

My lips trembled as I tried to smile to those static figures.

""You know what? I miss you soooo much! I wish that you were here with me... welcoming me each time I come home. But... well..." My voice faltered and new of batch of tears are threatening to eject from my tear ducts. I cleared my throat as I tried pull myself together.

"...well... I'm still happy. You know why? Because I know that you are now in a more peaceful place wherein no problems or worries will ever make you sad again and t-that... that is more than enough for m-me." The familiar pain enveloped my chest again. Like a chain bound to suffocate and pull me into an unending misery all over again.

It has been years but...

I still feel like being stabbed straight in the chest by a thousands of knives... carrying a lot of agonizing memories from the past; a time that I cannot turn back, a distant memory that will forever haunt me...

"Mom, do I need to skip school again tomorrow? Our intramurals are coming and I want to join volleyball." I asked her. She stopped from brushing my straight long brown hair and gently caressed my shoulder instead. Her subtle hazel eyes met mine in the mirror's reflection.

"I know that this one's precious for you, baby but... you're still under medications so I'm afraid that you wouldn't be advised to join any physically-straining sports in your school." She answered with a voice filled with sweet thoughtfulness.

Her face, her stares and her voice is so sweet and calm that I always feel at peace every time I'm with her.

She resumed from brushing my hair again when my dad entered the room.

"Hi hon, hi baby!" He greeted us enthusiastically with his bright smile plastered across his handsome face.

Hello dad!" I greeted him enthusiastically while waving my hands.

He playfully messed up my hair and fanatically smiled at me.

What's up?" He asked while kissing mom on the cheeks.

"She was just asking me about their coming intramurals, hon." Mom answered briefly, I don't understand but I feel like her tone was a bit gloomy.

Dad stopped a bit when he heard that and directed his attention to me. His eyes reflected the sadness that I am feeling.

"Dad..."

"Hmm...?

"Can't I ever play sports again?"

Dad fell silence for a few seconds. He looked at my mom quietly. But the silence between them was too meaningful, it's like they're talking and  with their eyes. After awhile, dad just sighed and turned to me again. He kneels his left foot so our line of vision would meet.

"Listen baby, we'll do our best, okay? You'll get through this, we'll get through this and you can definitely do the things that you wanna do... without any restrictions." He said genuinely.

His words worked like magic because somehow... I suddenly felt at peace.

--

I BOREDLY played the key with my finger while walking out of the cemetery. I spent more or a less an hour in there and I noticed that the night is gradually enclosing the sky with its dark mystery. Besides, for sure Manang is already panicking or something.

When I reached my baby black, I quickly slid the key inside and roared the engine to life and off I go.

I smirked when I felt the coldness of the wind against the think skin if my cheeks. I did not mind how it wildly blew away my hair in every direction--what's important is that I'm enjoying what I'm doing.

I speeded more when I exited the cemetery's proximity. It will only take me a fee minutes drive before I reach our subdivision.

The wind became more ruthless as speed up.

But the way the wind sounds is like a music in my ears.

My eyes is precisely focused on the road since it is already a bit dark in here. Only the line of street lamps provide sufficient light to illuminate the surroundings and other drivers would probably have a hard time without it. However, this road is a bit deserted tonight. There are no traces of other vehicles other than me in here.

As I figured that fact, an unexpected thing happened...

"What the..." I cursed under my breath when a single street lamp that I just passed by suddenly blacked out.

Scenes of what happened earlier in school flashed my mind.

Then I suddenly felt a familiar chilling sensation at the back of my neck without any particular reason... just like what happened back in school. What the hell?

Whatever the reason was, I did not have enough time to ponder about it because the ominous darkness continues when  the street lamps on my both sides suddenly ceased from their light all at once.

The unforseen event caught me off guard. Darkness spread everywhere faster than wildfire in a scorching forest can. The only thing that provides luminescence on my path are my headlights but I almost cursed my beloved motorcycle when it also flickered, as if giving me a warning that it will also fade any moment, leaving me in blind amidst the darknened road.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THE PROBLEM?" My voice is in a higher pitch than usual because of mixed frustration and anxiety.

I'm having a hard time seeing the road ahead of me because of the lack of source of light. The situation is getting seriously alarming.

I cautiously slowed down my tempo while thinking, yet again, of the possible reasons why this shits are happening again. However, I can't help but to feel the rising tension as the anxiety within me reached its peak that I can almost hear my own heart beating directly in my ears.

But the more I try to think rationally, the more I fall back into the pit of uneasiness.

I felt the hairs on my nape rose for some unknown reason again. The atmosphere seems to thicken every beating second... like the darkness is more than just the blindness of light. It felt like something unexplainable--something uncertain and terrifying.

Just when I tried to adjust my eyes to the lightless road, all the lamps on the streets abruptly opened again. My headlights also ceased from flickering providing a sufficient light to illuminate the road. But the unexpected blast of light shocked my eyes that I need to adjust for a few seconds before realizing what the hell is in front of me.

A huge container truck suddenly in front of me... and by the looks of its unwavering speed, it does not look like it will stop at all.

I almost got choke of shock when I realized that this thing plans to crush me into pieces!

What the fudge? What the fudge!

It is directly driving on my direction, getting nearer and neared every seconds.

With or without a rational mind, I know that there is just not enough time to dodge this unanticipated catastrophe.

Just when I thought that a collision between me and the truck will happen, another unforeseen event transpired...

...the container truck that was almost two meters away from me abruptly stopped for a split seconds before haphazardly propelling on a different direction, it collided on a nearby tree like a powerful invisible force just pushed it away from me.

I felt my face paled and my lips parted because of confusion... what in the hell has just happened now?

My lips remained slightly parted as I finally stopped my motorcycle in the middle of the hazardous road.

I tried to feel my surroundings and refused to move an inch even when the street lamps and my headlights started to flicker again. As if attempting to repeat the same scenario that happened earlier at school.

Just like a de ja vu, I saw two figures standing beside the crushed truck.

And my knees probably wobbled if only I was not riding a motorcycle. Because when the two figures directed their gazes at me, I felt like I was suddenly pulled in the realm of the nightmares.

"We meet again, Azul..."

-C. N. Haven-