Isko's P.O.V.
I didn't go with Roger and Ka Pineng to the province they were heading to.
According to Roger, that was where Clarisse and Roli grew up, so I might find many leads in that area. I don't know why, but I felt like I could find more leads here at their house than there, so I let them go ahead.
Our agreement was that I would just follow them later.
Besides, I already knew where that place was. Roger explained the directions to me, and they said they would just keep in touch by phone. For now, I am here at their house where Ara's body is still laid out.
I turned on the lights, and Ara's coffin greeted me just a few steps away. I am the only person here.
I walked toward Ara's coffin and peered inside. There she was, looking as if she were just sleeping.
What a waste.
She was far too young to pass away so soon.
After that, I went back up to the second floor. It was a good thing there was a large mirror there. I checked to see if the cowboy hat I found in Mrs. Ocampo's room suited me.
It actually did!
Does this really belong to Maria Ocampo? Then, I pulled her photo out of my pocket again. In that picture, she was the one holding it. I then thought about that old photo of Clarisse and another woman. Who could that woman be? I showed that old photo to Roger earlier. He said he didn't recognize her. Furthermore, he claimed it was his first time seeing that photo until I showed it to him.
I went back to Clarisse's room. I planned to find their photo album. But it wasn't there; I couldn't find it. So I went back downstairs. When I reached the ground floor, I approached Ara's coffin again.
I peered at her once more. She really just looked like she was sleeping. However, something at the head of the coffin caught my attention.
What was that?
I squinted to get a better look. What could this be? It looked like... a blowfly!
I lifted the lid of the coffin, but it didn't budge at first. When I finally managed to lift the cover, that's when it moved. It burrowed into Ara's hair, so I tried to catch it, but I moved slowly. I couldn't help but glance at Ara's face.
I turned back to her hair and felt for the fly. Moments later, my attention shifted back to her face.
Then I searched for the fly again. But I looked at her face once more. Eyes closed.
I went back to searching, slowly parting the strands of Ara's hair one by one. Then my gaze drifted to her face again.
Eyes closed.
Then I focused on her hair again. I could feel the fly now!
Then back to her face.
Eyes closed.
Back to her hair—there, I finally caught the fly. I turned to look at her face. HER EYES WERE OPEN.
Then I looked at her hair again. I held the fly and—wait? I suddenly stopped. Did I see that right?
Ara... her eyes are open!?
I swallowed hard. I took a deep breath while trembling. I didn't want to look at Ara's face anymore. But it was as if I was automatically drawn to look at her. My gaze slowly traveled toward her face. I was shaking and tearing up from the tension and fear.
ARA'S EYES REALLY WERE OPEN!!!
In my terror, I ran out of the house. I quickly got into my car and sped back to my place. I was still gasping for breath when I reached my apartment. Was what I saw real? Or was I just consumed by fear?
I couldn't stay still, so I called Roger and Ka Pineng. But they weren't answering my calls. They left earlier at noon, but it seemed they were still on the road until now, which is why no one was picking up.
I was about to turn on the lights when I stopped. I saw something inside the apartment. There was someone there!
The figure was standing and wearing a cowboy hat!
I quickly drew my revolver from my side and aimed it at them.
Then I burst out laughing at what I saw.
I was just facing a mirror. It was just so dark! I turned on the light. I was probably just being paranoid because of everything that had happened. I had forgotten I was still wearing Mrs. Ocampo's cowboy hat.
I thought to myself, maybe I need to return this. Because of that, I went back to Maria's apartment.
When I arrived there, it was the same—the door wasn't locked. I went inside. The fishy smell was still there. I was still getting the creeps. Why? I looked around. I shouldn't be afraid. But I was really nervous.
I took the cowboy hat off my head and placed it on the table. Afterward, I headed to the kitchen. The smell was foul there too.
After a while, I went to the bathroom. Same thing; the smell hadn't changed. Then I entered the bedroom.
It was the s— My God! What is that?!
I swallowed first before slowly approaching. Who is this?
I moved closer. Someone was sleeping on the bed!
I leaned in to take a closer look. I wasn't mistaken; there was someone lying on the bed. They were covered with a blanket, wrapped tightly.
Who could this be?
I was about to approach them when I suddenly heard a knock from the door. Someone was knocking outside.
I drew my revolver and slowly stepped out of the room. But before that, I looked at the person on the bed one last time and then turned back toward the door.
I moved slightly closer. The knocking continued and wouldn't stop. Who would dare knock here this late at night?
I prepared myself. "W-who's there?" I asked. No one answered. But the knocking continued.
Whatever happens, happens.
I'm going to open this door. Why should I be afraid when I have a gun?
I slowly opened the door while staying alert, my gun pointed forward. It slowly creaked open. My eyes widened at what I saw.
I immediately holstered my revolver. "W-what happened to you?" I asked the person at the door.
But they didn't speak. They were trembling, and their hands were covered in blood. "Come in, get inside!" I immediately assisted them in. I brought them to the kitchen. They just sat blankly on the stool, staring into space.
I was already panicked. "W-what happened? Where are they? You've been missing for dalawa days..."
They just looked at me. Their eyes were tearing up. I couldn't look at them directly. I took my cellphone to call Roger and Ka Pineng, but they stopped me. "W-water..." they said.
"Wait... I'll just get some..." I ran to the far end of the kitchen to get water. But there were no clean glasses, so I washed one first. "You worried us so much... Where did you go? And... where are they?" I said while washing the glass. But I received no response.
I took the pitcher from the refrigerator. I was shaking. "D-don't worry. I'll do everything to get justice for what's happening." I poured water into the glass. "But before that, I need to know where—" I suddenly felt the room spinning.
I collapsed to the floor! I felt dizzy along with intense pain. My head—the pain was excruciating! I tried to stand up but I couldn't. My whole body went numb. I felt my head.
There was blood!
But how? Then I looked at them. You bastard! They were smiling while holding a hammer!
So, it was them... It was them all along! They were... Ara's killer! They struck me in the head.
Where is my revolver? Shit!
There it was, at their feet. They picked it up and tucked it into their side. After that, they went to the table.
They picked up the... cowboy hat!
"Finally, I found you..." They put it on.
I couldn't move, couldn't even budge. Moments later, they went to the room. I heard them dragging something from there. When they came out, they were pulling something along.
They were holding it by the hair while dragging it. This must be the person who was "sleeping" in the room earlier. But no! It looked like they were already dead! Their feet were covered in blood.
I stared intently at what they were dragging. At that point, I burst into tears.
My God!!!
The one they were dragging—it was Janice Ocampo. She wasn't breathing anymore because she was dead! I began to sob uncontrollably. How could they do this? Why did they do this?
They're insane!
Mad!
They're going to kill us all!
They dropped Janice in front of the door and approached me. They were smiling. "All of this is for Ara. You're next, Isko." After that, they took a swing, holding the hammer in their left hand—the hammer I was sure was meant for me.
Ugh!
A hit to the temple. Ugh!
A hit to the jaw.
Ugh!
A hit to the eye.
Ugh!
A hit to the... My God! Ugh!