GRIEVOUS VENGEANCE

CHAPTER 35

"Have you heard?" Jen asked Janine and Jackie. They visited her in the school clinic to invite her for lunch.

"What gossip did you get from students now?" Jackie teased her.

"Remember the girl you brought to the hospital? Bernadette Sarmiento?" Jen paused a few seconds. "My ex boyfriend's ex girlfriend?"

"Yeah, it's been over two weeks since we rushed her to the hospital. Why?" Janine replied. "What happened to her?"

"She dropped out from school last week. She didn't want to study here anymore to avoid gossips."

"That's sad. She'll stop because of rumors and gossips?" Jackie shook her head. "Is she ruining her life just because of some scumbag who fooled her?"

"I hope she's doing fine after what happened to her and her baby," Jen said. She felt bad for Henry's another victim.

☆☆☆☆☆

Andrea caught Henry's attention. "Babe, did you know, it was as if you had a shadow when you approached me just now." Henry sat on the bench next to his girlfriend. They are now in the campus garden.

Henry laughed. "Huh? Everyone has a shadow."

"It's not that kind of shadow. The shadow was not on the floor but walking behind you. It looks like that." She even gestured her hands in the air to demonstrate what she saw in human form.

Henry got terrified again because of what she said. Was that the time he felt goosebumps? "M-maybe it was just an imagination?"

"No. I really saw it. But now it's gone." She even glanced at her boyfriend's back. "All right, I'm going back to the classroom."

"What did she see?" Henry asked himself in astonishment. "That's not it. I'll just eat at the cafeteria first." He stood up to eat. He didn't notice the black shadow behind him, walking with him.

That night at the Galvez' residence...

Henry and his sister Bianca were having fun in the living room of their mansion when the crystal flower vase on the center table suddenly collapsed not far from where they were standing. They cats, Lyra and Brune, moaned as they faced the middle of the living room, as if angry over something or someone.

"W-What happened?" Bianca asked. She got startled at the noise made by the broken vase.

"I-I don't know." He's having a goosebumps again. "Mrs. Lupe, please clean the broken vase."

Mrs. Lupe, their household helper, came out of the dining area. "What happened there?" Mrs. asked,shocked at what she saw. It was an expensive vase brought in France.

"We also didn't know. It just fell and got broken. Lyra and Brune were too far from it." He called the two cats to approach him.

"Wait! Someone could step on it and get wounded. Lando! Get a broom and dust pan, help me clean it," Mrs. Lupe called her young son. He entered the living room carrying a dust pan.

"How did it fall, it's in the middle of the table?" Bianca asked me in astonishment.

"Maybe just not so well positioned." He put his arm around his sister. "Come on, let's eat. Where are Mom and Dad?"

"They will come home later, the company seems having a party in the hotel." They went to the dining area at the same time, followed by the two cats.

"Brother," Bianca exclaimed as her mind traveled.

"Why?" He looked at his sister.

"I'm terrified. I'm having goosebumps." She hugged herself and rubbed her arms.

The two cats quickly approached Bianca. He frowned and remembered what Andrea said before, that cats scare off negative energy and spirits. Is that true? Does it mean that there are spirits surrounding us? He just shook his head and continued eating.

"Brother, Brune will sleep in my room first." She caressed Brune's neck.

"All right."

"I'll go upstairs now. Good night!" Bianca went upstairs with Brune.

He picked up Lyra and carried her upstairs, too. When he reached the second floor, his phone rang. It was Andrea who's calling. "Hello?"

"Hi, Babe. Are you going to sleep?" she said in a tender voice.

"Not yet, I just entered the room." He put Lyra down. The cat sat near his feet.

"Good night, Babe. Let's go to school early. See you tomorrow at school." She even made a kiss' sound.

"Good night, Babe. I love you." He also reciprocated it with the sound of a kiss.

"I love you more," Andrea replied again.

"I love you most," he replied laughing.

She giggled. "All right." She ended the call.

A sweet smile drew to Henry's lips. He stood up and took the towel to take a shower. A hot bath before sleeping is relaxing for him. After taking a bath, he took care of Lyra's litter box. The cat is litter trained, she only does her business in one place. He also took her cat food from the drawer and then he filled Lyra's bowl before he went to bed.

He was in a deep sleep when he felt hot but he took a bath before going to bed. He was restless. He felt different. It looks like someone is watching him or someone else was around. He opened his eyes and saw the shadow at the bottom of the door that seemed to be standing outside of his room. He could clearly see it. "Who is that?" No one answered.

Lyra raised her head and looked at the side of the door. Her fur raised and made a loud, deep meow. She jumped to the door and was ready to chase the shadow that seemed walking away. She scratched the door.

"Lyra!" He stood up and approached the door. He caressed Lyra to calm her down, then lifted her up. He turned the door knob and opened it to see who passed by his room but he saw nothing. He closed the door again and laid down on the bed. Lyra also returned to lying at his feet.

He could not understand what he saw but he did not feel normal. He took a deep breath before being forced to sleep.

It was five o'clock in the morning when he woke up. His first class was at seven o'clock. He struggled to get up and went to the bathroom to take a shower. He made a quick fix. He grabbed his backpack and carried Lyra down the house.

"Bianca, good morning," he greeted his sister who's having a breakfast by the pool side. He laid Lyra down before he sat on the chair.

"Good morning." She took a hotdog and placed it on her plate.

"Just the two of us here again?"

"Mama went to her friend. Papa has a meeting," Bianca explained. "Brother, did you go to my room last night?" Bianca tore a piece of hotdog and threw it at Brune.

He shook his head. "N-no, why?"

"I thought you went to my room, then Brune made a loud noise, jumped from the bed, scratched the door and scared you off." She drank her orange juice. "It felt like someone was watching me sleeping."

His chest throbbed at what Bianca said. They had the same experience last night. "Maybe you're just dreaming?"

"No, I was wide awake. I even got up to pick Brune up. I peeked outside the door but no one was there." His phone rang. "Chester... Hello?"

She listened to what her boyfriend was saying from the other line. He noticed a frown at her sister's face.

"So what are you trying to say?" Bianca's eyebrows met. "So you're going to cool off with me over the phone because your Mom said I was ruining your studies?" Bianca was blushing with anger.

He poured orange juice into Bianca's glass. She picked up the glass and emptied it before speaking again. "Cool-off is not a trend for me. It's either us or not. You know what? Stay at your Mama's skirt. Let's break up now!" She ended their conversation then slapped the cellphone on the table made of narra. They heard a loud "c***k" sound of the phone. Brune also jumped in panic and ran to Lyra in the corner of the pool area.

"Sis, what a waste." He got shaken by what she did.

"It's annoying." She picked up the phone and peeked at the screen. The phone has a c***k but its screen is still on. "My phone!"

"You're worried on your phone better than your break-up." He laughed, teasing her sister.

"You heard that, Brother, didn't you? He's annoying! He's a Mama's boy!" He slapped the broken phone on the table again.

"Oh, I thought you said he was just really obedient?" He smiled, teasing her.

"Shut up, Brother." She checked her phone. "It's broken."

"Just buy a new one and get a new boyfriend." He drank the orange juice quickly then he stood up. "Mrs. Lupe, take care of Brune and Lyra."

"All right, I'll take care of everything here." Mrs. Lupe answered loudly from the kitchen.

They walked out of the house. Henry opened the car door for Bianca before he moved into the driver's seat. "Buckle up!"

He quickly started the car engine. He has to catch up on the first subject otherwise he will be late.

"Brother, on Saturday, what time are we leaving for our trip to Hong kong?" Bianca asked while applying lipstick.

He glanced at her for a moment. "Early in the morning to avoid heavy traffic."

"Cool. All right. I packed my things it last night." She put some powder on her face. then sprayed a mist.

"What did you put on your face?" He turned the car around in an alley to avoid traffic jam.

"Brother, this is a hydration mist, so my skin doesn't dry out. It's air-conditioned in the classroom... Brother, watch out!" Bianca screamed as she pointed in front of the car.

A human shadow seemed to collide of the car that's why he suddenly stepped on the brakes.

"Brother! I think you just hit a person. OMG, you're a killer!" She covered her mouth.

He opened the car door and got out. He looked to the front and under the car but no one was there.

"Brother?" Bianca went out and peeked underneath the car. "What did you collide on?"

"I-I don't know. I saw something but it was like a shadow, or maybe he's just wearing black clothes. Did you notice what we collided with?"

"No, I'm busy with my makeup." Bianca hugged herself, she must have also felt the horrible wind he felt.

"Let's go, Bianca." They got in the car and left the area immediately. He wanted to dismiss what had happened in his mind but he was restless the rest of the day.