Malediction

One Blow

I hadn't had a chance to answer Chris' call and when I called back, he wasn't picking it up. A lone text of his location popped on my screen as I hurried down to the lobby. I was still clutching the damned necklace in my hand as I sped my way to a bus destined to Manila, wondering how it was with Andrea when it was supposed to be gone for good. I really wanted to throw it away. But what if it just shows up again? Will the effort be worth it? I wore it on my neck, making sure the knot was tight. I can't have another person die meaninglessly in a curse meant for me. I'd rather have myself suffer alone than repeating that mistake. And now, I can at least reveal even a little of what is really happening because Chris spotted the Apprentice mingling with fortune tellers round Quiapo Church, a sacred place in a circle of money making heresy of Manila. A bus with an open air system that was half-filled welcomed me inside and accelerated quickly to its next destination as soon as he stopped for me earlier. It felt like he was in a sense of urgency as well. He wasn't wasting time. I thought that it was destined for me to spot the vehicle.

As the bus went through multiple stops from North Avenue, I kept the phone ringing and tried to reach him for the 15th time. Calling him was a failing endeavor but I couldn't give up like that. Another attempt and I was already near the location with no callback from the man in urgency. I worried about his safety. Now, where is he?

I was already near Quiapo when my thoughts trail in the back of my head, I was preparing for the inevitable. I was thinking of how to handle the apprentice without intimidating her. She was aloof but persistent with her goal. She wanted my necklace so bad. We need her. I need her. Her words will bring me my peace of mind.

Quiapo was full of branching streets of stores with a high number of church devotees. The atmosphere was of a bustling crowd and very active lines of businesses that spread through the area. Being in the center of the busy network of customers, businessmen and religious people was confusing. Luckily, my destination was pinned in the GPS from the text, lessening my time for just finding Chris in this scary volume of people. There were so many people it was intimidating to even move. I followed the path Chris created. I entered inside a narrow road of stores, they became smaller and more isolated. It almost seemed quiet as I continued to walk to the end of it.

An abandoned store greeted me at the end of the narrow pathway. I could see movement in the shadows inside of it but I hesitated a little. I wanted to call for him but who knows how he was containing the apprentice? I inhaled deeply and thought of the nonexistent bright open lights flickering at me to come there. I calmed down and walked carefully inside. It took some time for me to adjust to the darkness but I didn't bother. I could hear 2 people breathing. "Chris?" I whispered loudly. He should've said something as soon as I entered the store but no one had spoken since. Slithers of light entered the dark place, only for me to see that Chris was tied with his mouth closed with the same material as the one used to tie him with.

I didn't know how she came up to my back, because when I felt somebody creep in my back, I knew I was too late. She was too fast. Before I could turnover, the apprentice had already given me her first blow of a rusty pan to the head that she was holding in secret without me noticing. I stumbled down and rolled to the floor from impact. I tried to recuperate from the heavy blow but stars continued to linger in my sight. They were swirling around. Chris struggled through his ties, wanting to help with an expression of worry on his face.

The apprentice went closer to me, crouched down and pulled my necklace off but she couldn't snatch it with one hand, or even both. This pissed her off.

"You already endangered other people with your selfishness and still you walk around free? Such audacity." Her eerie voice echoed in the empty store. She took a ball of cloth and rolled it in my mouth. "If you can't give me the necklace, then I'll give you this." She stuck it in my mouth and took an odd looking piece of rock in her hand and replaced the cloth with it. She made sure I swallowed the whole rock. She was smiling as if she was glad with this, satisfied with us that we were under her whim.

Words of unknown origin slipped her mouth as she held my neck up. Immediately after, I felt flaccid. I felt weak. I was defenseless. She released the cloth to my mouth and made me choke with the mineral she placed in my throat by pressing my throat hard. I became unconscious.

____________

"Hey! You drunkard, get out of my space!"

A man's large voice woke me up from slumber in this weird place. When I opened my eyes, my mind wasn't dizzy anymore or confused despite my head swelling. Looking around, no one else was there but me. Chris was gone, and so was the crazy apprentice. I felt like I was in a different place because the space didn't look abandoned anymore. It just looked old, an old small restaurant in the farthest corner of a narrow path from the Quiapo Church.

I apologized to the man and quickly left. In my head, I was understanding what happened but I knew Chris was in danger. I have to find him. I looked around the busy streets. There were many people but I wasn't confused even once. I felt eyes looking at me from afar, it was burning. I looked into the same direction only to see Tim waiting for me with worry plastered on his face. Andrea might've told him where I was.

"Something happened in the office, Andrea needs you." This made me extremely anxious. Andrea doesn't usually ask for help but with Tim coming to wherever I am seems to be an emergency. But I need to find Chris now. He might be kidnapped.

But Tim's burly arms were already holding one of my arms, leading me to our company van. He points to my left temple in concern. "That's one hell of a swell you got there, you feel alright?" "Yeah, it'll go away soon." I didn't mind the swell at all, it was the dilemma.