EPHRAIM'S (DEATH) POV
After Briar left my room, Mathew came in. I ignored him and help myself to walk towards my double dresser to get something to wear.
"We're is she?" I ask, not looking at him while fixing my self. Humarap ako sa kanya at naabutan ko itong may tinitingnan sa relo nya.
"She's on the bathroom" Mathew answers, after looking at his watch. I just nodded.
Well, about that. Our watch contain a small tracking device kaya sa pamamagitan nun ay nasasabi nya kung asan si Briar.
"But anyway Death, I saw a mark on her neck. Did you made that? " He ask. Tumango lang ako dun and saying nothing more.
"Hmm I see. But I think you over did it.." Makahulugang komento pa nito. Tumingin naman ako sa kanya at kinunutan sya ng nuo.
"What do you mean?" I confusedly ask. Raising an eyebrow at him.
"I saw that part of her bleeding earlier" He answered, shrugging his shoulders off.
"What? How come? Is her skin that sensitive?" I blurted out stunned, but it's more on to myself.
Damn... That's why she's in pain earlier... I did not notice at. I thought she's just struggling to get away from me.
"Maybe. But nevertheless, Whats your plan Death? She'll be staying here from now on, and sooner and later enemy will find out about her existence. I just hope na hindi ka nag padalos dalos Death" He seriously said. There's a hint of grimace on his voice.
His totally against on's briar being here. I wonder why...
"I'm not Mathew. Everything is under control. I don't even know why are so bothered about this stuffs, when our goal is clearly to hunt Lucas down. With or without Briar. She's out from our business" I responded, while pouring myself a drink.
"And what if she find out our business?--"
"Why are you so triggered by her existence Mathew? Tell me honestly. Is there something I need to know?" I interrupted him, not wanting to hear another debate from him as i stared at him dangerously. I saw how his jaw line move before averting his eyes. It's an indication na his being pissed but restrained it.
"I'll answer that honestly. She's just going to be a burden to us Death. Magiging pabigat lang sya! You brought her here because she's a doctor. We won't worry about going to a hospital if ever something happened. I get it, alright. But still, this is too risky decision of yours. Taking an outsider in. Sa tingin mo ba ay hindi sya mag hihinala sa mga kilos natin? Ikaw narin mismo ang nag sabi na hindi sya basta bastang babae lang! So why the hell are you still keeping her here?" Mahabang pahayag ni Mathew. His expression hard while his features are in complex situation. Dinala ko naman sa aking labi ang hawak kong goblet and taste the wine on it. My gaze never leaving his.
"She'll be replacing Lucas for good" I said with my mini tone voice. As expected ay na shocked ito saglit sa sinabi ko, before totally went ballistic about it.
"What!? That's a crazy shit Death! Ikaw mismo ang gumawa ng batas na bawal ang babae sa grupo natin after what happened 11 years ago. And replacing Lucas? For what? Maybe he has a deep reason for turning his back at you. You know na this is just a misunderstanding between the both of you! Why can't you at least encourage that fact?" He blurted out. Nakasulat sa mukha nito ang pag kagalit sa sinabi ko, na para bang I committed something hell to get worked up for.
"Don't you dare mention that thing to me, Mathew. And your right, I am the one who made the law myself, so i have pretty much right to just change it too" I said. Tumalim ang mga maya ko dahil sa sinabi nya.
"And about Lucas..? Sad to fucking say that his reazons has no place in my vocabulary. I told you didn't i? I show no mercy even with my friends too. The very moment he turned his back to me, I already prepared a coffin for him" I blankly then said again. Keeping my void and lifeless expression on my face.
"Ahrgg! Both of you are so pain in the ass, damnit! I hope you won't regret this decision of yours Death" He defeatedly sighed, and frustratedly pinch the bridge of his nose. I just chuckled at him humorously.
"Oh trust me, I won't... Unless you make something that will made me regret" Makahulugang sabi ko sa kanya and eyed him habang itinataas sa ere ang hawak kong wine. Nag iwas naman ito ng tingin.
Hmm... I know that he knows something about Lucas schemes, but never wanted to interfere in our problems so his keeping his mouth shut. But I don't have any doubts either, na soon enough he'll turn his very back at me too like Lucas... But I hope it's not that soon...
BRIAR'S POV
Naalimpungatan ako ng may taong kumatok sa pinto ng kwarto ko. Wala tuloy sa sariling napaupo ako sa kama, pero nanatiling nakapikit ang mga mata ko dahil talagang inaantok pa ako.
I heard my door cricked open then close again. Ilang sandali pa naman ay may naramdaman akong tao na nakatitig sa akin, kaya automatic na napamulat ang mga mata ko. I was greeted by Mathew and his eying me silently. Medyo nasurpresa naman ako dun dahil hindi sya ang taong inaasahan ko na makikita sa harap ko.
"Y-yes..?" I whispered sleepily. And after knowing na si Mathew ang kaharap ko and I know na he will bring no harm ay pabagsak ulit akong humiga sa kama ko. Nag chuckled lang naman sya dun.
"No wonder, why he likes you so much" He then said softly. Hindi ko naman iyun narinig kaya nangunot ang nuo ko dun. I yawned then umikot paharap sa kanya habang nakahiga parin sa kama ko. Still half sleep.
Ito ang ikatlong araw ko sa mansyong ito. And yeah it went that fast. I have my own room now, and all other stuffs I needed and so. Sa loob ng tatlong araw na pananatili ko dito ay wala akong ginawa kundi ang matagulog, kumain, at gamutin ang mga sugat ni Ephraim. Kahit na subrang awkward ng atmosphere sa pagitan namin minsan. Hindi kase talaga kami nag kakasundo at lagi akong naiinis sa kanya.
Kahapon naman ay katatapos ko lang mag tour sa mansion, kaya medyo alam ko na yung mga basic na daan. Pero sure na maliligaw parin ako when i wonder too deep within this mansion. Syempre may mga rules and violations din silang sinabi sa akin, dahil daw mga restricted area na bawal ko puntahan. Specially dun sa left part ng mansyon. It's out of my reach. I mean, pinag bawalan talaga nila akong pumunta dun and warned me almost every time na nakikita nila ako para lang wag ako mag punta dun.
And it's not really helping me to stay away from that side of the mansion, dahil lalo lang akong nacu-curious sa kung anong meron dun. I mean again, bakit ganun nalang ang reaction nila pag ang usapan ay yung left part ng mansion? Hindi naman ako ganun kakapos para pumuslit ng mga mamahaling gamit dun. At mas lalong hindi naman ako mag nanakaw!
To tell you the truth ay, my curiousity is already killing me na talaga. Sa huling pag kakatanda ko pa ay may pangilan ngilan lang na maid ang pwedeng pumunta dun. With specific time and day. And besides from Mathew and Ephraim ay wala nang pwedeng umapak sa lugar na yun hanggang walang permission to do so.
That made my mind ballistic and insane. I mean, what the heck are they doing in there? With the maid's? That's too suspicious.
"What are you thinking?" Nabalik ako sa reyalidad ng magsalita ulit si Mathew sa tabi ko. Medyo nagulat pa nga ako sa part na subrang lapit nya sa akin, kaya agad akong napalayo ng kunti sa kanya to maintain our distance.
I'm really not comfortable with that position of ours. Specially the space between the two of us. It's not so proper.
"I ahmm... Nothing. Just some stuffs" Nahihirapang makaapuhap ng salita na sagot ko sa kanya. But his next question caught me off guard.
"Planning on going to the left side of the mansion?" He question suspiciously. Tinaasan pa ako nito ng kilay habang may mapag larong ngiti sa kanyang labi, that give me creeps in some point.
His so far from the jolly Mathew that I know. Now his just having this poker face look on his face, while staring at me boredly with a bit of coldness in it. I frown and feel uncomfortable because of that.
"N-no! I mean, No" I answered. Repeating my words to make it more sternly. He hummed playfully at my respond.
"Hhmm... I hope so" He chirp shortly, but more on to himself while nodding at me softly.
"Why are you here by the way?... I mean it's too unusual to see you came here this early?" I questioned, totally wanting to change the topic.
"Good question. But yeah, never mind me. I'm just passing by. Aren't you happy to see me? Or maybe your expecting to see Ephraim instead of me? " He teases then chuckles at me. Medyo namula naman ako dun, dahil for a moment kanina ng magising ako ay I'm hoping na it's really Ephraim.
"N-no! Of course not! Where the heck is that coming?" I denied, then averted my eyes.
"Oww? So I was wrong? Mas gusto mo na pala ako kesa kay Ephraim ngayun? Ikaw huh!" Mahanging biro pa ng luko, na ikinailing ko nalang.
"Not the hell'a either! Ang hangin mo naman!" I scoffed at marahan syang inirapan. Natawa naman sya dun, kaya pinaningkitan ko lang sya ng aking mga mata.
Now his back to normal. Ahrgg! His such a bipolar bitch!
"But really Briar I hate you being here..." Tumatawang sabi nito pag kakawan, so I'm not really sure if his kidding or what. But before I can even utter a word, his eyes glared at me like daggers. It was sharp and intimidating.
This time his more serious and dangerous. Seriously what his problem?
"A-ah... Pardon?" I confusingly asked. Tuluyan narin akong nakababa sa kama dahil I'm trying to get onto his level kahit papaano. Nakatayo kase sya sa rahap ko at ilang hakbang lang ang layo namin sa isat isa. I don't like him towering me down.
"I hate you being here Briar. I hate it to the point na gusto na kitang kaladkarin palabas" He repeatedly said towards me. Halos manginginig naman ang tuhod ko sa lamig ng pag kakasabi nya nun.
He became second version of Ephraim in just a blink. But why is he being like this? I mean, we're looking ok this pass few days. We even hangout a couple of times. So what's this sudden change? Or maybe this is not a change..? Maybe his just pretending to be friendly while being with me all this time? And just holding his irritation inside him so that he will be not caught? But why though? I don't remember being rude to him? Or anything that's too deep na ikakagalit nya.
"A-are you sure... that your Mathew..?" I murmurs in the wind kahit na medyo kinakabahan. Medyo humakbang narin ako palayo sa kanya but napigil yun ng sarili kong kama. Kaya I frown for myself, while his still watching me and have those playfully yet dangerous look on his face. His aura is darker than ever and the atmosphere seems to be so suffocating to me.
"Of course I'm Mathew... Whats with that question?" He said while laughing, kahit wala l namang nakakatawa sa ginagawa nya. Medyo nag panic naman ako ng lumakad ito palapit sa akin.
"Y-your not like the Mathew I know..." Utal utal na bulong ko, at tuluyan nang napaupo na sakama dahil sa subrang lapit na nya sa akin.
"What? I mean ano ba ako sa paningin mo?... Stupid you believe such a front? I thought your that good because Death choose you. But you aren't. I don't really know what Death see on you... Your nothing but a burden" He said unimpressed. Naguluhan lang naman ako sa mga sinabi nya.
I mean what? Death? Who is that? Pangalan ba yun? And me? A burden? Burden from what? As far as i can remember, I barely do nothing in here to be a burden. Any other than sleeping and eating on that matter. I'm also attending on Ephraim's wound. So how the hell did I become a burden? Pag gusto kong mag linis man lang ay agad rin naman nila akong pinipigilan. So what the heck is this burden thing?
"What the heck are you talking about? And Death? Who is that?" Naguguluhang tanong ko sa kanya makalipas ang ilang sandaling pag iisip. But nang tingnan ko muli sya dahil nga bigla syang tumahimik ay nahuli ko itong nakatingin sa labi ko. Automatic tuloy akong napaiwas ng tingin dun.
Naiilang ako sa mga kinikilos nya. I really need to get out of here. Fast. I don't feel safe around him anymore. Pakiramdam ko ay may gagawin ito ng kung ano sa akin any moment by now.
With that in my thoughts ay nag desisyon na akong itulak nalang sya palayo sa akin para natakasan ko sya. But that plan of mine went undone ng marinig ko ang tinawag nya sa akin.
"What a clueless bitch..." I heard him said that. It shocked me for a moment. And when I'm about to shout at him for calling me such a name, ay agad iyung natigil dahil sa sunod nyang ginawa.
"Your lips taste sweet. Thats why his so into you" He whispered on my ears after kissing me. His eyes flickering something that I couldn't comprehend.
Yes. He darn kiss me!
And again, bago pa ako makareact dun ay may nangbulabog sa amin ni Mathew. Kicking the door of my really hard as I heard a very familiar voice booming in every corner of my room.
"Calvente..." The knew person hissed. Subrang talim ng tinging ibinibigay nito kay Mathew.
"Ephraim" I gasped. At gulat na tiningnan sya. Couldn't believe sa fact na he almost destroyed my door. Nabaling naman ang tingin nito sa akin dahil sa pag tawag ko sa kanya, na ikinatayo lahat ng balahibo ko sa katawan.
He look so deadly serious. Scary and so threatening, that says in any moment ay, he might devour me alive. That alone made me shivered to death.
Oh no... I'm in a big trouble...!
END CHAP SIX
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