Roger Santos' P.O.V.
Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock! Silence.
The only thing I could hear was the sound of the clock. Its sound was deafening. I couldn't understand what I was feeling. This is the first time I've felt this nervous. Besides that, my mind was in chaos; I couldn't think straight.
I looked at my wristwatch. It was already twelve midnight. I am currently in Ka Pineng's living room. Isko came here with me.
Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!
I didn't notice the time passing. I couldn't understand what I was feeling either. I was freezing, yet sweat was pouring down my face.
How many times have I called Nana? Four? Five?
She chose to stay behind at the hospital and accompanied Mrs. Ocampo back to our place. They said they'd stop by the house briefly to attend to the visitors at Ara's wake, then follow us here afterward. But why? Why can't I contact them anymore?
Even Madge, who stayed at the hospital to watch over Janice, isn't answering.
So, it's just Isko and me who went ahead here. The problem is, in this vast mansion, it feels like no one is around. Isko even had to go look for Ka Pineng—whom Mrs. Ocampo and Madge recommended—somewhere inside this house.
Damn! Why was Nana in such a hurry?
We could have settled this after Ara's burial. Silence.
Suddenly, the noise from the clock vanished. I stood up and looked around. Where was that clock? Why couldn't I see any clock here in the living room? If so, where was that ticking coming from earlier?
Then I looked at my wristwatch again... and shit!!! It had stopped.
I shook it. Only then did I notice the time: it was 10:15 in the evening. I was suddenly confused. What time is it really? I checked the time on my cellphone.
What the! It was 10:15 P.M. too! Was I just seeing things earlier?
I stared intently at the time on my phone. How many minutes have passed? Why isn't it changing? I shook it again.
Time seemed to have stopped. Darn!
It sent chills down my spine.
The lights suddenly flickered, making me look up. Moments later, I heard a noise.
Someone was whispering.
Where was that noise coming from?
I peered down the narrow hallway. I could definitely hear whispering. I stepped toward it. After just a few steps, I saw something.
There's someone there!
That must be the person I heard whispering. The thing is, they were far away. If that was them, how was I able to hear the whisper so clearly from this distance?
I decided to approach them even though fear was starting to build in my chest. They were far, but I could hear them muttering something. I couldn't understand it, so I moved closer.
As I approached, the whispering grew louder. Until I was just a few steps away. Just a little more. I swallowed hard.
I could finally make out the figure. A woman?
Yes, it's a woman! Her back was toward me while she whispered.
She was hugging herself while trembling. I noticed her shoulders shaking as she did it.
"Miss? Are you alright?" I asked her. I noticed she was drenched when I was only a few steps away.
She didn't move. She remained in her position, her shoulders still shaking. I sensed she was freezing.
I stepped a bit closer. "M-Miss?" I stammered out of nervousness.
But I still received no response from her. Instead, the shaking of her shoulders grew more violent. Along with it was the dripping of water, like rain, from her long, soaking-wet hair. Her back was still toward me.
"M-Miss... I-I'll come back for you..." I backed away. I had a bad feeling!
But I was shocked when the woman also backed away! She was walking backward!
Does she have no intention of facing me? I realized I was backing away further and further.
She continued doing that.
She was getting closer and closer to me, but she was walking backward! Dammit!!!
I was paralyzed with fear, so I backed away even more. My eyes were glued to her as I stepped back.
But this woman—she was getting faster! Fuck!!! Run!
She sped up!
Getting closer!
So I turned with all my might! I sprinted until I reached the living room where I came from.
"Roger Santos?" a voice spoke from in front of me.
I looked up, gasping for air, struggling to catch my breath.
"W-Who are you?" I asked the man who had suddenly appeared from nowhere. He approached me. "Just call me Ka Pineng..." He offered his hand.
I shook it. I noticed he had a lot of luggage with him.
"Are you okay? You look out of breath," he said with a furrowed brow.
I just nodded. How could I say I was haunted? How could I explain what I saw? "H-How did you know my name?" I asked instead.
He smiled at me. "Because I know that you're coming. You and Isko."
Huh?! Seriously? But I didn't want to beat around the bush. I went straight to the point. "We came here to talk to you about—"
"About Ara, right?" He finished my sentence. "Huh?" was all I could say.
"Ka Pineng!" Isko arrived, currently coming down the stairs.
"Isko..." He just nodded at him and then picked up his bags. "Let's go!"
Isko and I looked at each other. "Where are we going?" I asked. "To your house," he said, his face serious.
"You're coming with us?" Isko seemed unable to believe it.
Ka Pineng looked at me. "Yes. That's why I already prepared my things..."
"You knew we were coming?" I still couldn't believe it.
He just nodded. I had thought it would be hard to convince him. But my assumption was the opposite of what was actually happening.
"I-I thought you didn't want to get involved?" Even Isko couldn't believe Ka Pineng's immediate agreement.
I suddenly saw sadness in his eyes. "It's too late for me to refuse. I don't want my son to be dragged into this, so... I'll just help you..."
"I-Is your child a girl?" I asked, taking a chance.
He and Isko looked at each other. "My child is a boy. His name is Justine..." he said while looking at me.
I knew it! What I saw earlier wasn't normal! So, who was that woman?
"Justine is with my sibling right now. I'm the only one here," he continued.
I just looked down. Meanwhile, I noticed Ka Pineng staring intensely at me. "What you saw..."
I snapped my head up. How did he know?
"What you saw..." His face was grim. "It was Ara you saw..."
"What!?" I lost my cool and grabbed him by the collar.
Isko stepped in to separate us. "That's enough, Roger!" He stood between us.
"Respect my daughter's death!" I snapped at him.
"Roger, what's wrong with you?!" Isko faced me. "What is happening to you?"
I paused for a moment. Even I couldn't understand myself. With so many incomprehensible problems happening, it was inevitable to lose self-control.
Ka Pineng just looked at me. "Let's leave."
"Let's just wait a bit for Mrs. Ocampo and Clarisse. They might be on their way..." Isko added to Ka Pineng's short command.
But the old man suddenly shook his head. "They aren't coming anymore..." Isko and I were stunned. "W-Why?" I asked immediately.
He just looked down and didn't speak further. What was he saying? Was this man a fortune teller?
"W-Why, Ka Pineng? D-Did something happen?" Isko asked nervously.
"I don't know either." He raised his face. "I'm just sure they aren't coming anymore..."
"How can you be so sure?" I asked while trying to calm myself down.
"As sure as I was of your arrival today." Ka Pineng's gaze was direct. As a lawyer, I know when someone is telling the truth. And at that moment, I knew he was one of those people.
I don't know why I suddenly felt weak, so I abruptly sat down.
After Ara's death, one strange event followed another. But it's impossible! We shouldn't have gone ahead. We should have waited for them.
Oh, dear God! I can't lose Nana.
Ara is already gone; please, not her too.
"I-Is it possible you know where they are?" I couldn't look at him anymore.
"I don't know," Ka Pineng's voice was sad. "Let's go to your house." Isko just nodded.
"Wait..." I stopped them. Then I dialed my cellphone, again.
I called Nana. Three times, but still no answer. Maria, same thing. Madge, nothing. But a familiar noise caught my attention. There it was again, I could hear it.
Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!
"What time is it?" I asked them immediately.
They looked at their watches. "12:30 in the morning," they said almost in unison.
I covered my mouth.
I still didn't want to believe it. Is this really happening? If this is a nightmare, I hope I wake up. I looked at my wristwatch again. They were right; it was 12:30 A.M.
I looked at them. "Let's wait three more hours..."
The two agreed.
But after three hours, Nana and Mrs. Ocampo still hadn't arrived. I didn't stop calling them, but no one answered. So we decided to head home.
We traveled using Isko's vehicle. We went straight to the hospital because I needed to pick up Madge first, hoping she was just with Nana and Mrs. Ocampo.
When we reached the hospital, Isko and I went ahead while Ka Pineng stayed in the car. I almost collapsed when I saw police officers in a commotion right at the building's entrance. Isko stayed behind to find out the reason for the chaos, while I went straight to Janice's private room.
Shit!!!
There was no one there! Moments later, I ran into Isko. "W-Where is Janice?" I asked nervously.
I noticed Isko was pale. "The CCTV caught Janice leaving the hospital at around past three in the morning."
"Where was she going?"
"She was seen running out. No one can say where she went," Isko said with his head bowed.
I punched the air. I felt like crying out of sheer frustration. "And Madge?"
"They say she left at 9 P.M. and hasn't returned..." "W-What does this mean, Isko?" I was tearing up. "They're missing."
I didn't think twice. "Let's go to the house..." We went back to the car and headed home.
I checked the time. It was already four in the morning. Ka Pineng wanted to say many things, but I didn't want to let him speak yet. My mind was in a mess. And honestly, I didn't want to hear whatever he had to say.
The woman I saw at their house earlier—was that really Ara? But she didn't have my daughter's build... that woman earlier was too thin... like she was a different ghost.
What the hell?!
My brain is about to explode from thinking!
It was 4:30 in the morning when I looked at our clock by the door. We were home, but no one was there. The mourners were gone too. The only thing there was Ara's coffin.
Bullshit!!!
I think I'm going crazy! I tried calling them again, but it was the same—no one answered.
"I'll head to the apartment first. I'll check Mrs. Ocampo's house too," Isko said. Mrs. Ocampo and Janice were his neighbors, after all.
I just nodded at him. I was out of it.
"I'll go back to the hospital. I might get some information there," Ka Pineng said, who was calm at that time.
I really wasn't myself. I couldn't believe what was happening. I forced myself to speak. "I-I thought you were a paranormal expert?" I turned to Ka Pineng. "W-Why can't you tell us where they are right now?" Isko also looked at him.
He sighed. "HE is stopping me."
"Who?" Isko and I asked simultaneously. "Who is stopping you?"
He exhaled. "Ara is stopping me..."
Isko and I looked at each other again. "Why would Ara do that? She's a victim too, right?" Isko asked.
"I don't know either. That's what I'm wondering about, and that's why I want to find out..." Ka Pineng answered.
I cleared my throat. "That's not the Ara I know. My daughter is kind..."
"That's not what I'm sensing..."
"Ara is kind. My daughter is kind..." I insisted.
Even if they didn't say it, I could see the sadness in their eyes. I didn't realize I was already crying. But my hand never stopped dialing their numbers.
"I'll go straight to the police. I'll report this," Isko said sympathetically. After that, I bowed my head and didn't notice they had already left.
Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!
There was that noise again.
I looked at the clock because of what I heard. My eyes widened at what I saw. I bolted up just to check the clock a second time.
It's 10:15 A.M., again! Is what I'm seeing real?
My gaze caught Ara's coffin. I was startled to see it was closed, so I approached it. I took a deep breath. Nervousness suddenly hit me again.
Moments later, the lights flickered. I looked up at the ceiling, but the flickering continued. Until finally, they went out.
Oh Lord!!!
I can't see anything!
But they quickly turned back on. It was blinding.
I just shook my head, though fear remained in my chest. I turned back to Ara's coffin. I stepped tow—My God!
I backed away! Why is Ara's coffin slightly open?!
I realized I was drenched in sweat. Should I approach? Or back away?
I swallowed hard before stepping closer... closer to Ara's coffin. But the lights flickered again. In my mind, I was already praying. But the lights went out anyway.
What am I going to do? What now?
But after just a few seconds, the lights turned back on, making me look immediately at Ara's coffin.
I stepped slowly to close it. But I stopped when I heard a drop of water.
Water?
I looked around. Not to my side, not to my right or left. Not behind me, but in front of me.
I felt myself start to shake when I saw it. The dripping of water—it was heavy, like raindrops. I tried to back away upon realizing it was coming from above. Slowly, I looked up even though I was terrified.
My eyes widened.
Son of a bitch!!! On the ceiling, SHE was there. On the ceiling was... ARA!
Tick! Tock! Tick! Tock!