CHAPTER 1

ALIYAH POV

I woke up to the loud sound of the siren. I found it so eerie. Ayoko sa tunog na aking naririnig. I opened my eyes, I was surprised to see an unfamiliar room. I looked around.

“Where am I?” sabi ko sa sarili.

Bumangon ako upang tingnan ang sarili sa salamin. I am wearing a red dress and I still have a light make-up on my face. Ang mga mata ko ay parang nanggaling sa isang malalim na iyak. May pasa rin ako sa aking isang braso.

“What happened to me?” as I tried to scan my body.

I tried to examine my face in the mirror. Wala akong maalala. I don’t even know my name or the place where I came from.

Nanaig ang takot sa aking puso, hindi ko alam ang gagawin. I heard the loud sound of the siren again. I tried to open the curtain and see what was outside. Mula sa glass window, tanaw ko ang maraming mga puno. Konti lang ang nakikita ko dahil natatakpan na ng hamog ang kabuuan ng kagubatan. I can’t say the time. It was cloudy outside. Animo’y uulan na mamaya. Hindi ko makita kahit isang palatandaan ng sikat ng araw.

I tried to remember who I am, and how did I get here?

Tumingin ako sa kwarto, ang laki nito. I think it was a Master’s bedroom. I can see antique furnitures from the bed to the chairs. There was also a wall dangling clock pero hindi na ito gumagana. While I was looking at the room, I heard some noises outside. Agad akong lumabas upang hanapin ang mga tao sa bahay na ito. A dark hallway welcomes me. I tried to walk a little to find light until I reached a portion of the hallway that is bright.

I can see lots of paintings in this part of the hallway. Hindi ko maintindihan ang mga paintings. I can see naked humans in some of it, beside them are the figures of demons. Other paintings are very scary, mga mukha ng halimaw at demonyo ang nakikita ko. May ilan ding nagpapakita ng laban sa pagitan ng mga anghel at demonyo. Nanlamig ang buong katawan ko habang pinagmamasdan ang mga ito.

Habang naglalakad sa hallway, narinig ko ang ilang mga yapak. Nakita ko ang isang hagdan. Sa may living room ay may nakita akong dalawang katulong na naglilinis. I immediately went down the stairs to talk to them.

“Hello, pwede po bang magtanong?”

They just stare at me for few seconds and went back to their tasks.

I was shocked with their actions. I tried to ask again.

“Excuse me po. Nagising ako ahm, sa kwarto sa taas. At wala po akong maalala. Nasaan po ako?” tanong ko ulit. Umaasa na masasagot nila ako. But to my surprise none of them answered me.

I approached one of them and touched her arm. Still no response, they just bow their heads as if they don’t want to talk to me and walk away.

Naiwan ako sa sala ng mag-isa. It was weird, so weird. I am in an unknown place and no one wants to talk to me.

Tumingala ako sa malaking larawan na nasa dingding. It was the portray of a very handsome man. He has a defined cheeckbones and a sea rover blue eyes. His smile was very mysterious. I think he was in his 30’s. He looks so smart. But I can’t say if he has a good heart too. Siguro siya ang may-ari nitong bahay. I need to find and ask him. Maybe he knows something about me.

I tried to walk around the house hanggang sa nakarating sa kitchen. Wala ring tao doon. Halos masuka ako sa nakita. May mga karne sa isang mesa at puno pa ng dugo.

“Ganito ba sila magluto? They will just leave the meat on the table at tumutulo lang ang mga dugo sa kung saan. This place is messy,” I told myself.

I was about to turn when I saw an old woman standing on the door. I almost scream. Her hair was very messy. I think hindi siya nagsuklay for months now. She was holding a knife and looking straight at me. I was so scared right now. I know it is not good to judge a person, but by how she looks, I feel scared.

“Manang, I am sorry to interrupt you, but alam nyo po ba kung nasaan ako?” I felt my voice trembling.

I thought she would respond, but she just went to the table and started chopping the meat.

This is really weird. I am starting to have a different kind of feeling in this house.

Lahat ng tao, ayaw akong kausapin. What is wrong with them? Don’t tell me pipi ang mga tao dito or bingi? I don’t know.

I walked out of the kitchen. I need to get out from this mansion. Maybe someone out there can help me.

Sa pagbukas ko ng main door, naramdaman ko ang malamig na hangin. Nagsitayuan ang mga balahibo ko.

Sa labas ay may hamog. Wala ring katao-tao. Naiinis ako sa sarili, bakit wala akong maalala. Kahit pangalan ko o kung saan ako nanggaling.

I tried to walk more to check the place. I felt creepy feeling as I saw a huge tree. It was already dry and dead. Sa katawan ng puno ay may naka-ukit na isang salitang hindi ko maintindihan. I think it was written in a latin word. I don’t know. Sa taas ng mga mga salita ay may krus. What makes it more creepy is that naka-baliktad ang krus. Nagsimula nang manginig ang tuhod ko. I tried to look around, I saw the main gate at a distance. I think I need to walk a little to reach the gate. Habang naglalakad, narinig kong muli ang tunog ng siren. I swallowed hard, what is that sound for?

As I reached the main entrance, I saw people passing by. Nasa labas sila ng gate and I think they are in a hurry. Nasa lima sila at lahat ay naka-itim. Actually, it was a black hood. And I can’t see their faces.

“What kind of place is this?” I asked myself.

Sinubukan kong maglakad palapit sa gate when I sensed someone at my back. Hindi ako lumingon agad, thinking it was just the wind or the leaves making noise.

Nagsimula akong maglakad patungo sa gate nang bigla akong may naramdaman sa likod ko. Napasigaw ako sa takot nang may malamig na kamay na humawak sa aking braso.