Midnight Hunters

Chapter 12

Swordsman's POV

“Naka sakay si Angelica ngayon sa karwahe n'ya. She's about to look for a victim again.” Narinig kong sabi ni Silencer sa likod ko.

Nasa taas kami ng bundok, kung saan malapit nakatira si Angelica. Holding the binocular I've been tailing her carriage for like ten minutes now, while Silencer studied the information about our target.

Naningkit ang mga mata ko nang tumigil ang karwahe at bumaba si Angelica. Tumingin ako sa gawi kong saan s'ya papunta, and I saw that she's heading for the group of street childrens.

I watched her every move.

Someone's POV

“Magandang umaga mga bata,” binati ni Angelica ang mga batang lansangan matapos n'yang bumaba sa kanyang karwahe.

Para namang nakakita ng isang napaka gandang anghel ang mga bata nang lumapit si Angelica. She's wearing a elegant yellow dress, she also has a white cloak that she wore on her head that covers her blonde hair and a pair of white gloves on her hands. She walks gracefully, she has a soft voice that if she speaks, everyone will thought she's an angel.

But inside that beauty hides a very evil persona.

In the street that she stopped by, there are five kids, three boys and two girls. Angelica grinned in the back of her mind, she got her self another victim and they are five innocent kids.

She gave them food and drinks, talk to them and made friends with them. The kids are very happy and full of joy. After three days of hunger they managed to eat bread and drink fresh water, that they can never have without the help of Angelica.

“Gusto n'yo paba? it looks like you guys haven't been eating in days.” sabi ni Angelica at ngumiti nang pagka tamis-tamis.

Para syang hulog ng langit sa mga bata. They all nodded in response, they are starving and want to eat more.

“Opo ate matagal na po kaming hindi kumakain, gutom na gutom po kami.” sabi ng isang batang babae.

Payat na ito, halos lahat ng kasama n'ya ay nangayayat na din dahil sa matinding gutom.

She smiled at her.

“You can come with me, I'll take you to my house. Maganda don, malaki ang bahay ko, kasya kayong lahat. Maaari kayong mag laro at gawin ang gusto n'yo. Ako na ang mag aalaga sainyo, papakainin ko kayo ng masasarap na pagkain.” Sobrang saya ng mga bata nang marinig nila ang sinabi ni Angelica.

“Talaga po ate?”

“Grabe napakabait n'yo naman po.”

“May barbie po ba sa bahay n'yo?”

“Para po kayong angel, napaka ganda at bait n'yo po.”

“Maraming-maraming salamat po ate ganda.”

She giggled upon hearing the kids, but inside she's itching to see them in one of her collections.

“Kayo talaga, you are all so sweet.” She giggled again and blushed.

“Tara na at sumakay sa karwahe ko,” she pointed at her carriage from where she left it.

The kids were amazed.

“Ang ganda! Puting kabayo.” sabi ng isa pang batang babae.

Nag silapitan ang mga bata sa karwahe, tuwang tuwa silang pumasok. Angelica didn't bother the dirty clothes of the childrens that might stain in her white carriage. Umandar na ang karwahe, rinig ang ingay sa loob dahil sa mga masasayang batang naka sakay.

Angelica smiled at them, showing her perfectly set of white teeths. Their mouths form an O. Hindi talaga makapaniwala ang mga bata dahil nakakasama nila ang isang babaeng halos mag muka ng anghel sa sobrang ganda.

Ilang minuto ang nag daan at papunta na sila sa bundok.

“Madilim na po sa parte na'to,” napansin ng isa sa mga bata na napupunta na sila sa isang madilim na lugar.

“Yun ay dahil malapit sa tuktok ng bundok ang bahay ko,” Angelica gently said. The kids nodded.

“Bakit po ang layo ng bahay n'yo? ang dami pong magagandang bahay sa lungsod.” The other boy said.

Hindi nila inaasahan na ang isang babaeng katulad n'ya ay nakatira sa bundok. Muka naman kasing hindi taga bundok ang dalaga dahil sa kanyang kasuotan. There is also no other people live in the mountain that they're heading to. The reason is because many people died in Meantay Mountain so people are scared to live is such place.

“Malalaman n'yo din,” tanging nasabi ni Angelica at marahan na hinimas ang ulo ng batang nag tanong.

Biglang napalingon si Angelica sa labas nang may makita na parang gumalaw ang mga dahon. Nanliit ang kanyang mga mata, pinakiramdaman n'ya ang paligid at nanatili ang mga mata sa labas. Ilang sandal syang naka mata sa labas, wala na ulit s'yang nakitang gumalaw. She rested her back again, she smiled at the kids. In the back of her mind she already thought that someone might be following them.

The carriage stopped at a mansion, it doesn't have any light, her house is completely dark. Bumaba na sila sa sinasakyang karwahe, kita ang pagbabago nang ekspresyon sa mukha ng mga bata. Bigla silang natakot.

“Oh It's so dark here, but don't be scared,” pinakalma n'ya ang mga bata.

“Bubuksan ko ang mga ilaw, wag kayong mag-alala.” She softly said.

The kids cling on her while they enter her house. They walk silently, Angelica uses a lamp as she light up their way. They got inside and Angelica search for the twitch.

When the house lighten up the kids were surprise how beautiful her mansion is. Malawak, madaming gamit, malinis, nakakamangha ang instraktura pero wala silang nakitang ibang tao kundi sila. Pinaghandaan sila ni Angelica ng napaka daming pagkain, punong-puno na ang lamesa.

“Don't be shy, bon appetit.” She said softly and gestured her hands to the foods on the table.

“Opo!” The kids responded happily.

Nagsi-kuhanan sila nang kanya-kanyang makakain. Puno nang tawanan at kwentuhan ang lamesa, napaka saya ng mga bata. Ang lalaki ng mga ngiti na umaabot na sa mga mata nila. They never felt what they're feeling right now, they wish to have a good life with Angelica. In their minds they are thankful Angelica save them from starving and almost dying in the streets of North town.

“How are you all feeling?” She asked then sipped in her cup of tea.

She gazed at the kids who are now quiet because of a full stomach

“Busog na busog po kami,” mahinang sabi ng batang babae.

Tumango ang dalawang babaeng katabi n'ya sa magkabilang gilid.

“Napa sobra po ata ang kain namin.” Sabi ng batang lalaki sabay dighay.

“Hindi na'ko makagalaw sa kabusugan,” mahinang sabi naman ng batang lalaking katabi n'ya.

Angelica giggled and stood up, the kids looked at her.

“That's silly, you still need to eat more.” She said and walked towards the kitchen.

Napaayos nang upo ang mga bata sa narinig mula sakanya.

“Ayaw na po namin!” sabay-sabay nilang sabi.

Angelica turned to them and smiled.

“That's nonsense, of course you want more, just sit there and I'll get you kids some more foods.” They all protested, but Angelica continued to walk away.

Ramdam na ng mga bata ang kabusugan na nasa punto nang hindi na nila kayang makakain pa ng ihahanda ni Angelica. Tumayo bigla ang isang batang babae.

“Gusto ko na umalis,” ani n'ya.

“Ako din.” Bumaba ang isang lalaki at tumabi sa pwesto ng babaeng na unang tumayo.

Hawak-hawak nila ang kanilang tyan na lumobo na dahil sa pagkain. All of the other kids stood up, not wanting to be left behide.

“Sasama kami!” nagsi-tanguan silang lahat at lumabas na sa pintuan ng mansyon.

“Pano tayo makakababa?” tanong ng isa sakanila.

“Yung karwahe!” sagot ng isa.

They quickly look for the white carriage. When they finally saw it near the trees, they immediately went inside.

“Manong gusto na po naming bumalik.” pakiusap ng mga bata sa lalaking kutsero.

But they received no response from him. The kids got confused, they glance at each other before one of them approach the coachman. The little boy held the coachman's shoulder to let him face them.

“AAAAHHH!” They screamed in horror.

Bumaba sila at takot na lumayo sa karwahe.

The coachman's eyes are opened, his skin is now pale, his body is so thin, his neck has some stitches. He's not moving or even breathing. One things for sure.

The Coachman is dead.

This is the sight that the kids can't bare. They screamed and cried for help but only one person came.

“My, my, shush now little ones.” Angelica came to them holding a tray full of treats.

Humakbang papalayo ang mga bata. They felt scared all of a sudden to her.

“Eat now so no one gets hurt.” she smiled sweetly but her tone is now cold.

Swordsman's POV

“Do you think she saw us?” Silencer asked.

We were following the carriage but we lost sight of it because of the darkness of this mountain. We maintain sensing her presences, it now weaker, she's getting farther so we have to hurry.

I nodded as my response to him.

“She's not dumb to not notice us, she's smart.” We jumped and avoided the braches of the trees, we keep on running towards the trace of Angelica's presence.

“Over there,” Silencer said.

Nakita ko ang isang mansyon. It was not that big but bigger enough to be a normal mansion. We search the area.

We saw the carriage that we were following.

“The coachman is now dead.” I declared.

Medyo nanliit ang mga mata ni Silencer, he stared at the coachman's dead body.

“I think he died, like weeks ago,” he said.

I also stared at the body, the dead body stared back. Mulat pa kasi ang mga mata n'ya. It's not a pleasant thing to see. Si Silencer na mismo ang nag sara n'yon.

Tuyong-tuyo na ang katawan ng lalaki, tama s'ya matagal nang patay tong lalaki na'to. Silencer checked his nape, there was a needle.

This women is creating puppets from the dead.

“He was controlled from the start huh.” Binitawan n'ya na ang lalaki at nag lakad na papasok sa mansyon.

I followed him. It's still dark inside, nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad. Not a person to see here.

“Where should we find her again?” I asked, I forgot where to find that women.

“At the basement, that's what Hacker said,” sagot n'ya.

Right, the basement. Pretty good place to kept dead bodies. Hinanap namin ang basement, hindi naging mahirap samin dahil alam na namin kung nasaan mismo banda. Pagbukas namin hindi katulad sa buong bahay ay may ilaw sa baba. It's not that bright, just a small light bulb, there's still some areas that are not getting any light from it.

Nilabas ko ang katana ko bago bumaba. Si Silencer ay nakapamulsa lang, he didn't bother to bring out his weapon. I just shrugged my shoulder.

As expected, we saw dead bodies hanging from the sealing. The view of this place is very brutal, bloods are dripping from the fresh dead bodies that just been killed. They were all tied up like puppets, their bodies are full of stitches.

I even saw the kids we saw earlier, they are now dead.

We are too late.

Nilagpasan namin ang lahat ng nakasabit na katawan. Hinanap namin agad si Angelica. We saw her seated on a rocking chair, sewing the eyes of a little girl, replacing them with buttons.

Puno ng dugo ang kamay n'ya, pero kita sa mga mata n'ya na natutuwa s'ya sa kanyang ginagawa.

“Don't you just love the view of this place?” she spoke while still stitching. Her voice is soft, but her eyes has no life.

I saw her Lacrima on her finger, she turned it into a ring.

“Not our type,” sagot ni Silencer.

“You need to die now,” tinutok ko ang katana ko sakanya. She didn't move.

“Your stitches are horrible,” Silencer said. Now she looked at us.

Her eyes shot daggers at us or should I say to the person beside me. She didn't like what Silencer said.

“They are lovely,” tumayo s'ya, nahulog ang katawan na tinatahian n'ya. She didn't get to finish it because of Silencer's insult.

“When did you learn to stitch?” I asked.

“I learned to stitch by myself when I was seven years old,” she answered.

“And they are not horrible,” she coldly said.

“They are horrible because you do it to people.” Nilabas ni Silencer ang dagger n'ya.

“How ironic, you two are both criminals yourselves, you speak like an ordinary person.” Angelica mocked.

“You kill homeless people,” I said.

“The Mayor approves my doings, I'm just cleaning up our town.” She uses her soft tone again.

The Mayor, that son of a b***h.

“We have no more time to chitchat.” biglang sumugod si Silencer.

I stayed for a minute at my spot to watch.

He was so close to cutting her head off when the body right beside her moved and block Silencer's attack. Suddenly all the dead bodies moved and now we're surrounded.

Umatras si Silencer at tumabi sakin, nakangisi ngayon si Angelica dahil sa ginawa n'yang pag-atras.

“Hindi natin mapapatay ang mga taong patay na talaga, tapusin na natin s'ya agad,” sabi ko. Tumango s'ya.

“I'll handle her puppets, you can take her down Swordsman,” he said.

Sumugod na'ko.

“You are both amazing, I will make you a part of my collection,” she smiled.

Her dead puppets attacked me but Silencer moved quickly. He taken care of those puppets while I ran towards Angelica. In a blink of an eye, I'm now standing infront of her.

Her eyes widened, she then gritted her teeth.

“Lumayas ka sa harapan ko—”

In one swift of my katana, her head flew out of her body. It fell on the ground and made a thud sound, followed by the bodies. Binalik ko sa pagkakasabit sa likod ko ang katana ko.

“You good Silencer?” I turned to face him.

I cought him straggling out of the dead bodies that fell on top of him. I shook my head and chuckled.

“Damn these bodies, hey! Swordsman help me out!” Tinulungan ko na s'yang makaalis.

Kinuha namin ang katawan ni Angelica at binitin sa kisame. Itinali namin ang kanyang mga paa at kamay, ang ulo n'ya naman ay tinusok ko sa isang matulis na bakal.

“Now look at you? you're now one of your own collections.” We chuckled and left the place.

Time to go to our next target.