Malediction : The Tales of South Ligaya

Chapter I: The Body

"Suicide?" asked the tall man in blue, standing behind another man genuflecting on the dry soil.

The other man took a deep breath, tightened his gloves and took a pinch of soil from the dry earth and sprinkled it back on the ground.

"Could be" The stout man replied, squinting his puffy eyes as he turned around and looked at the man behind him.

Those two men were Martinez and Ramos respectively.  Both were standing in front of the crime scene, at the infamous forest of South Ligaya where the two men were crowned with thick and twisted branches of balate trees, resembling an image of hands reaching. The sound of crows cawing echoed as they flew upwards to the dark blue sky.

In front of them was an abandoned temple, all in ruins except one long stone table remaining somewhat intact. Martinez took a step closer and every step made a footprint on the thick crimson blood that came from the open wrists of a body laying down the stone table.

"The Forensics team will be here soon. Miguel is the man to be trusted" said Ramos as Martinez pinched his nose while proceeding to take a closer look of the body.

He tilted his head, knitted his brows and a surge of shock hit his body when he saw her eyes wide open. His face scrunched up as he looked at the dripping blood from the table and seeing it painting the whole area. She was pale, stoic and had flaming red hair.

"Kat... Moreno?" He muttered with widen eyes.

Footsteps were heard coming closer, the sound of heavy boots against the dry soil. Martinez paused for a while and looked at the edge of his eye. The sound shifted into silence. He turned around and was confronted by an old man in an all-white hazmat suit, smiling at him warmly.

A sigh of relief came out from Martinez' mouth.

"Good day, Officer" the man said, extending his hands. Martinez nodded and shook his hand.

"Good day to you too, sir" Martinez muttered as cold sweat dripped from the temples of his forehead.

"You must be new?" The man asked.

"Ah yes--"

"Sir Miguel Alfaro" Ramos called as he walked towards them.

"Officer Ramos, still on duty, eh? " Alfaro chuckled.

"Yup," Ramos said, "I still am after all these years but I still cannot see myself out of this as well" he added and the men laughed. Martinez just took a step back and plastered a smile.

"And I hope the new ones will do well 'cause we ain't gonna be living forever" Ramos said, patting Martinez' back. "This is Kyle Martinez, a new recruit to the Emerald Badge" Ramos chuckled, eyeing Martinez with a radiant smile.

Martinez nodded and pursed his lips, "Sir" he muttered.

The conversation went blur for Martinez after that, he can't help but eye the body of a familiar person being placed on a bed with wheels. It was odd.

When the conversation ended, the two men bid their goodbyes to Alfaro and he left along with his crew to get the body to the morgue for inspection while some stayed for further examination.

"Odd" said Ramos. "Who would end their life here?" He added.

"I believe it was Katerina Moreno, daughter of Paulito Moreno" Martinez said.

"You mean 'The Moreno?'" Ramos asked with a chuckle.

"Yup, the girl has been reported missing three days ago. It could be a possibility that she ran away and ended her life here." Ramos said sternly,

"This happened very recently due to the blood still thick, the slit looks fresh cut.. " Ramos snorted. 

Martinez leaned his head and scrunched up his face, "so, you're suggesting this is murder?" Kyle asked.

"I'm not making a final conclusion but if this happened three days ago then all the blood would look like maggots swarming the ruins" Ramos explained. "Plasma evaporates like water because plasma IS water" He spitted on the soil and shook his head slowly.

"Welcome to South Ligaya" Martinez said and then chuckled.

"Same old" Ramos added with a snicker.

art by: MoNicole3