Chapter 1
Azaria Ashlyn Alcott
Its just a normal day, Hindi gaanong maaraw pero hindi rin naman masama ang panahon, tamang tama lang. Kanya-kanyang lakad ang mga tao papunta sa kanilang mga trabaho, mabagal ang usad ng mga sasakyan. Ano pa nga bang aasahan sa ganitong araw? Masyadong mabigat ang daloy ng trapiko pag gantong oras, makikita rin na nagbubuga ng maiitim na usok ang mga sasakyan nagdadagdag ng polusyon sa hangin.
Sa tapat ng isang kilalang coffee shop ay may isang babaeng nag-aabang ng masasakyan. "Azaria! Anyare sa kotse mo?!" Isang matangkad, maganda ngunit di kaputian na babae ang lumapit sa dalagang nagngangalang Azaria. "My wheels. Kailangan palitan tsk." She groaned and kicked the wheel of her car. Natawa ang babaeng kausap nya at saka tinitigan nito ang gulong ng sasakyan nya. "I'll call my Kuya to help you, hold on for a minute," kinuha nito mula sa bag ang cellphone at nagsimulang tumawag. "My Friend needs help, yung gulong Kasi ng kotse nya...Just help her okay? Don't be rude Kuya just do it." Nakatitig lang ang dalagang si Azaria sa kaibigan hinihintay na matapos ang tawag at nang patayin ang tawag ay bumaling ito sa kanya. "My brother is on the way but I have to go, sorry Az." Malungkot na wika nito, sinsero naman na ngumiti ang dalagang si Azaria. "No Problem Kaylee, thank you for lending me a hand ingat ka." Humalik sya sa pisngi ng kaibigang si Kaylee bago ito bumalik sa kanyang sasakyan.
Nang makaalis ang kaibigan ay napabuntong hininga si Azaria. "Aish!" Napapadyak sya at napasabunot sa sariling buhok. Ilang sandali pa ay nakaramdam sya na may papalapit sa kanya, bigla syang naalarma kaya nang lumingon sya sa taong papalapit sa kanya ay tinutok nya dito ang pocket knife nya. "Put your toy down, young lady. I'm here to help, you're Azaraya I presume?" Naningkit ang mga mata ni Azaria sa paraan ng pagsabi nito sa pangalan nya. "My name is pronounced as Azarya not Azaraya." Mataray nyang wika. Napatawa ang lalaki sa kanya at kapagkuwan ay inangat ang kamay bilang simbolo ng pagsuko. "I said put your toy down. My sister called me to help you fix your car. I had no idea my sister is hanging out with a badass lady." Nakangising wika ng binata.
Umirap na lamang si Azaria at umatras dahil di sya komportable sa kapatid ng kaibigan na si Kaylee. "Oh I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Theodore Kay's brother. Nice to meet you Azaria." Nakangiting inabot ni Theodore ang kamay para makipagkamay sa dalaga ngunit tinitigan lamang iyon ni Azaria. Tila ba napahiya ang binata kaya binawi nya ang kamay at saka nagsimulang ayusin ang kotse ng dalaga. "I thought you were as loud as my sister, given that you two are best of friends. I assumed that you're loud as Kaylee but I was wrong." Wika ni Theodore habang nililigpit ang gamit. "Your car is good Azaria, I should go now." Nakangiting wika nito. Napakagat sa sariling labi si Azaria. "Thank you Theodore and sorry for being a little rude it's just that I'm not comfortable around you. You may be my friend's brother but still to me you are a stranger forgive me for being straightforward." Natulala ang binata sa pag-amin ng dalaga, batid nyang naiilang Ito sa kanya at di nya Ito masisisi dahil iyon pa lamang ang unang beses na sila ay nagkita.
He smiled to himself and looked at Azaria, "Thank you for being honest Azaria, I have to go stay safe." Magalang na wika ng binata at saka umalis. Bagaman magalang ang pagkakasabi ni Theodore sa mga katagang iyon ay nakaramdam ng kaba ang dalaga. Kaba na tila ba may panganib na darating. Pumasok sya sa kotse at saka sumulyap sa labas laking gulat nya ng makita si Theodore sa bandang likuran ng kanyang kotse ng nakangiti. Ngiting malamig at nakakatakot. Hindi nya Ito pinansin at nagpatuloy sa pagmaneho, Hindi na sya muling lumingon at kinalma ang sarili.
Azaria is good at deducing people but this time she was disappointed of herself because she can't deduce anything from Theodore and that's the mystery. Nang makarating sya sa bahay nya ay tumunog ang cellphone nya may tumatawag. Nang tingnan nya kung sino ay nakita nya ang pangalan ng kaibigan na si Kaylee. "Are you home now girl?" Napangiti si Azaria sadya talagang napakamaalalahanin nito pagdating sa kanya. "Nasa bahay na ko," sagot ni Azaria. Narinig nya ang buntong hininga ng kaibigan sa kabilang linya, "Bakit? What's wrong?" Narinig ni Azaria ang tawa ng kaibigan. "I'm just glad that you're safe Azaria. I have to go take care okay?" When the call ended Azaria jumped on her bed and looked up at the ceiling.
She looked at her phone to check the time and sighed in relief when she saw that it's 7:30 in the evening and she heard her stomach growl and it only means that she is hungry. She decided that the only way for her to eat is to order foods and have it delivered. Azaria have some issues when it comes to dark and nighttime, she hates the night because her parents warned her that grave danger awaits in darkness.
Naalala nya ang mga magulang at di mapigilang mapaiyak. Pinilig nya ang ulo at inabot ang cellphone para magpadeliver ng pagkain. Napagdesisyonan nyang umorder ng makakain. Nang makaorder sya ay muling humiga sa kama si Azaria napalingon sya sa bintana, madilim na sa labas hindi nya mapigilang matakot. Mabilis nyang hinanap ang remote ng TV at saka nanood na lang ng mga palabas. Nagulat sya nang biglang mag flash sa screen ang isang kilalang reporter.
"Pasado alas sais ng hapon ay namataan ng isang residente ang dalawang bangkay di kalayuan sa isang kilalang coffee shop. Hindi malaman ng mga awtoridad ang sanhi ng pagkamatay ng mga biktima, wala itong mga sugat o galos man lamang sa katawan. Ang ilang impormasyon ay di maaring ilabas sa publiko Breena De Guzman nagbabalita!"
Nanginig ang kalamnan ng dalaga sa narinig na balita. Binalot ng matinding kaba ang kanyang dibdib, tila ba napako sya sa kanyang kama at hindi magawang makagalaw kahit ang paghinga nya ay hindi na normal. Isang tahimik na salamat ang inusal nya ng marinig ang tunog ng doorbell. Ah! Maybe this is the food she's been waiting for or maybe the danger she was trying to escape? She slowly walked out of her room and walk downstairs she turned all the lights on and let out a deep breath before opening the door.
She's holding her pocket knife, she sighed in relief when she saw that the man who rang the doorbell is wearing a uniform of a very well known fast food chain. Magalang nyang kinuha ang order at nagbayad sa lalaki, she didn't wait for him to give her change instead she smiled and said, "Keep the change and be safe." She walked inside her house and locked her door she also checked if one of her windows are open she couldn't take the risk. She's used to living alone but this day is different and she doesn't have any idea why. With a frown on her forehead she walked towards the kitchen and prepared her foods. She put down the bag of food at the table and walked towards her fridge to get a jar of water.
Labis ang uhaw nya ngunit hindi nya alam kung bakit, tuyong-tuyo ang lalamunan nya at napakasarap naman sa pakiramdam nang uminom sya at humagod sa kanyang lalamunan Ang malamig na tubig.
Hindi alam ni Azaria kung anong nangyayari sa kanya hindi naman sya Ganon kabilis matakot kapag mag-isa pero bakit ang sinasabi sa kanya ng kutob nya ay may nag-aabang na pangamba? Ipinilig nya ang ulo at ginulo ang sariling buhok bago umupo naamoy nya ang pagkain pero tila ba wala syang gana pero bago naman sya umorder ay gutom sya, ano ba talagang nangyayari? Inayos nya ang biniling pagkain at sinimulan ang pagkain.
She thinks that maybe she was just stress and needs some rest, she didn't mind how nervous she is, instead she continued eating though it seems that she lost her appetite.
Nakatulala lang si Azaria habang ngumunguya ng pagkain, kumakabog pa din ang dibdib nya at hindi nya alam kung bakit nahihibang na siguro sya. Muntik na mahulog sa upuan ang dalaga nang tumunog ang kanyang cellphone. "Hello?" Wika nya. Labis ang pagtataka nya nang walang sumasagot sa kabilang linya kaya tiningnan nya ang screen ng cellphone at nakitang unregistered ang number ang numero pero kahit di pa rin ito sumasagot ay di pa din nito pinapatay ang tawag. "You better Stop pranking me whoever you are!" Bulyaw ng dalaga at saka pinatay ang tawag, hindi na sya natutuwa sa mga pangyayari ngayon tila ba sinasadya ng tadhana na matakot sya ngayong gabi.
Just a few moments later her phone buzzed which only means that she got a message. With a frown she reached for her phone and opened the message. The sender was unknown but it is the caller earlier. When she opened the message she froze. Its her picture while eating on her house. She wants to turn her head and look around her to see the one who sent the photo. She's sure that whoever is the sender he or she is near to her. When her phone buzzed for the second time and she felt her knees weakened.
From:09*********
You're surprised? Poor lady, still can't see me?
Find me pretty girl find me and you will be safe
Do you want to run? Why can't you run? Too scared eh?
She closed her fists at the sudden realization, the sender is playing with her. She smirked to herself as she gather herself up to be ready once the sender of the message attack her she put her hands on her waist and feel her pocket knife there. This will protect her maybe? Before she can move she was stopped by a dreadful scream.
"Tulong!"
Azaria heard a loud thump and she felt like her heart stopped beating.