Chapter 4: I’m not a monster

I WOKE UP because of a knock. I immediately fell back on my bed. I almost fell because of the rush!

I quickly opened the door.

“Have you changed your mind? Are you going to let me go?” I desperately asked. Still hoping that his answer would be ‘yes.’

“No,”

It’s not. Who did he scare? I’ll find a way. The window is open. I saw last night. I can get out of here right away. I’ll just run away from him.

“Even if you get out of this house, you don’t know the way out. We don’t have neighbors,” he said.

Since last night I have not seen the change in the color of his eyes. His eyes returned to their original color and the blank expression remained on his face.

“I have to help my parents! They are innocent but they are locked up immediately!” I shouted at him.

He raised an eyebrow at me as he placed the tray of food on the table next to my bed, “They are innocent? Are you sure? There is a warrant of arrest.”

“Why did I come to you if you can’t help us? I just wasted my time on you! Then you kept me locked up here!”

“Try me more, you won’t be able to get out of here.” He said and pointed to the table with food, “Eat now, you might even die.”

“What about my parents? They told me to go see your dad but he’s gone…” my voice trailed off as I remembered Mama and Papa. “Can’t you really help me?” I questioned him.

“I don’t know,” he said, then went out with the door closed.

I chased after him and shouted, “Even if you don’t help me anymore, just get me out of here immediately! I won’t say anything!” I shouted even though I knew he wouldn’t hear it anymore.

The door suddenly opened so my mouth opened slightly. He’s calm enough to open the door now.

“Sit,” he pointed to my bed.

I followed him. Maybe he has something to say? I do not know. I’ll just be nice to him so I can get out of here.

He took the chair that was under the table with food. He sat there. Even though the seat is small, he is still taller than me even when sitting.

It's a 6 footer.

“I’m 6’2,” he suddenly said.

I floated to face him, “H-huh?”

“I’m not a monster,” he said.

“You said yourself that you are a vampire,” I said. I can’t even look at him properly because there is still a part of me that is still afraid of him even though he is calm now. “You drink blood, eh? Then, you eat only the inside organs of people!”

“We eat organs but not the human organs. We eat animals. That way, we are all at peace,” he said calmly.

I looked up at him, “How can I be sure you don’t eat people?”

He pointed to the food he served on my table, “There, that’s all I ate,”

“You didn’t eat the fish you cooked yesterday! You can not fool me!” I still screamed.

He covered his ears, “You’re making so much noise. It’s annoying.” He even glared at me while still covering his ear with his finger. “How can I eat? And you prayed suddenly,” he added.

“Oh, come on! Satan!” I shouted while pointing at him.

He looked up and sighed. He also removed his finger that was in his ear earlier. “We have no right to pray,”

“What do you mean nothing? Just pray, do you still have rights? You’re fine,”

“It’s just that it’s hard to explain. You won’t even listen because your brain is closed,”

“Calm down bro,” I kept nodding while saying that. “You don’t speak like that earlier. I can’t really tell if you’re serious,”

He just sighed and stood there on the chair, “You gotta be kidding me,” he said without removing the chair from his ass.

I laughed out loud, “There! You still won’t let me out? You’ll make my head spin. I can do a lot more than that, so if I’m I were you, I’ll let me go,” I said, then grinned.

I put shoe glue on it last night. I just saw the shoe glue in the cabinet here in the room so I put it in earlier, before I opened the door. I know he will sit there because of my rudeness.

He sighed heavily and then effortlessly removed the chair from his ass, “You’re wasting my time,” he said and his expressionless face returned. Can’t tell if it’s calm or not.

“Hey!” I screamed after him but he just slammed the door shut

I threw the pillow in annoyance.

“It’s annoying! Really annoying!” I shouted.

I don’t really have anything to say, I know I will die early.

I was lying down for a long time so when I wanted to eat, the food was already cold. Before I ate it, I checked it first.

Maybe he put poison in it.

Is this human he’s feeding me?

Maybe what I eat is human, I don’t know yet.

There seems to be nothing wrong here but I’m still nervous. Maybe something will happen to me here. Even though I have never seen him be violent I know he can do a lot.

I looked at the clock first. 1:07 p. m.

It took me a while to get there. That’s why I felt hungry because it was late afternoon.

I started eating the food he put on the tray earlier. I also finished it quickly because I was still hungry.

I had just finished eating when someone knocked on the door. I didn’t rush to open it because I accepted that my mouthing off and doing something silly wouldn’t do anything because it would only make him more annoyed.

“What again?” I openly asked him. My voice is calm but I make it clear to him that I don’t care what he wants to do.

His eyebrows that were meeting earlier have been removed. He even looked at me while saying, “Are you scared?”

I looked at him—straight into his eyes. “Me? Scared?” I asked, then I laughed sarcastically. “I’m not afraid of anything,” I said with a grin.

“Nothing? You almost dropped to your knees earlier when you saw my eyes change color,” he retorted. His eyes were full of amusement.

Does he want me to start an argument? I am really serious that I am not afraid of anything. I was just amazed by his eyes. I just saw it now.

I brought my face closer to him so I could look him in the eye better, “I’m not afraid of you,” I said firmly.

A smile appeared on his lips. I was so surprised when he bent down so that his face was only a few centimeters away from mine. I froze where I stood because of the shock.

I didn’t expect that!

“Aren’t you afraid?” the tone of his voice seemed to be playing. He was still playing with his tongue there inside his mouth. His cheeks moved because of that. “I can kill you now. I have no reason to keep you alive because you already know it,”

Even though I was shocked, I followed his tone, “Kill me and I’ll thank you,” I said and tried to direct my gaze at him because I was squinting at his closeness.

It's good that he moved away from me. I still look up to him. He also looked down at me even though his face had moved away from mine.

“The one you played last night,” he said out of the blue. “Play that again.”

I looked at him strangely. “What? What for?” I will ask. “Are you going to kill me?” I added—still trying to keep my voice straight. My tone must be sarcastic.

He licked his lips, "You like it right?”

“I told you,” I stepped closer to him and stopped when I was close enough, “When you kill me, I will thank you.”

“How can you thank me if you’re dead?”

“Before I die,” I answered immediately. “Thank you for killing me. Thank you for ending my fucking life!” I realized my smile. I turned my back on him and walked away—I sat there in the chair facing the sunlit window.

“How about your parents? I thought you wanted them out of jail?”

My neck stiffened slightly when he said that. Why did my parents feel sorry for me again?

“I will get them out of jail. Many ways. I’m not the only one who believes in my parents,” I answered him.

“Play it again,”

I faced him, “Play what?” I asked cluelessly. What is he referring to?

“The song I deleted and then you downloaded it again,”

I asked him, “My cellphone is broken. You broke it. You threw it so it can’t be opened,” I said while looking at my phone. I opened it even though I knew to myself that it didn’t really work. My eyes widened when I saw it open, “Come on! You’re really something!”

“How---” I still covered my mouth due to shock. “It’s not working! What are you doing?” I asked looking at him.

“Play it now,”

“Why? What for?”

“You want to die, don’t you? You even said you would thank me,” he said— he was obviously trying my patience just by the tone of his voice.

I secretly swallowed, “Alright,” and I played on the song.

I just looked at him as the song started. Just instrumental, I feel that he is not comfortable there. What is in that song?

When the song was in the chorus, I saw his eyes change from brown to red! It was like a contact lens that spontaneously entered his eyes when he opened his eyes.

“Oh my---”

“Aren’t you scared yet?”

“N-no. I’m not afraid,”

He approached me, “What about this?”

I was surprised when his fangs suddenly came out of his lips. It’s very sharp!

“Unbelievable,” I whispered. “H-how do you do that? Impossible---”

“That song…” his lips were still shaking as if he was struggling to speak. “I hate that song,”

“You can’t hurt me. You don’t eat people,” my memory returned to what he had said earlier. He just told me that he doesn’t eat people. “You only eat animals so that you can all be at peace,”

“Even if I don’t kill you now, there are many of us. You already know what I’m hiding, so I’m sure if I’m not the one who will kill you…” his gaze moved to the floor, “They’ll be the ones who will finish you, Rackhie,”

“I’m not afraid!”

I screamed louder. I feel the weight of the wind blowing my hair. The window also opened due to the strong wind.

“Leave. Before I change my mind,”

“You’re going to help me with Mama and Papa’s case, aren’t you?”

His eyebrows met, “You’re going to die, you’re still thinking about them? And you don’t even know if they are just lying to you,” Ameer said. “You told me earlier, even if I don’t help them anymore, as long as I get you out of here. Now that I’m sending you away, do you want me to help your family?”

“We have nowhere to run, we will pay you when they are released—or when the money is recovered again,”

“Get out. There is nothing I can do to help,”

“I promise. I’ll pay you,” I said, desperately. “Please,” I pleaded.

“Pay?” he asked more. He went there to the cabinet. He took the thickest of the four books and opened it. There is money in there. “There, that’s all yours. Use it. Just don’t come back here,”

“Why did you send me here if you’re not going to help me?” I asked—my throat was getting a little dry. I feel like I’m about to cry.

“For emergency purposes, your parents supposedly hid something. Use it in case something happens. The old man just ordered me to do that,” he explained.

“My parents, ‘supposedly’?” I repeated what he said.

What are my parents, ‘supposedly’? He’s talking about my parents so that’s a big deal.

“Your parents.”

“And why is there a word, ‘supposedly’?”

He averted his gaze, then stared blankly, “I just said something wrong,”

“Who is the old man who ordered you?”

He faced me. He seemed to be angry at my question because his eyes narrowed. “My father,” he answered. “Take that and get out of here,”

I didn’t speak anymore. I didn’t even take the money even though I knew I would need it. I don’t know where I’ll end up tonight but I hope I get lucky.

I took my cell phone which was still playing the song. I paused that then I powered it off.

I would have liked to ask him more. Including how he fully charged my cellphone without charging it. Then how is he able to change the color of his eyes.

I was outside the bedroom door when I heard him whisper.

“They’re here,”

“Huh? Who are they?”

He faced me, “Leave now. Faster. Don’t even show your face to me. Do you understand?”

I blinked when I turned my back on him again.

“Rackie! Hey! Just wait!”

I faced him angrily, “What? I don’t need your money neither! I meant to leave that,” I said with a sigh, “I’m leaving. I have nothing to say.”

“Go away,”

“Yes! I’m leaving! Just wait! Keep calling as you know,”

I walked again to get out. I was just at the door to leave the house when I stopped when I saw someone else outside.

“Come on!? Why is there a war here?”

I felt Ameer’s footsteps from behind me.

“We’re fucked,” he whispered.

A strong wind hit us both. That’s so strong, that’s not normal! I felt like a helicopter was landing from somewhere.

“T-there seems to be something wrong,”

“You’re not afraid of anything, are you?”

It was hard for me to open my eyes because there might be a small stone in there but I still forced myself to face him and look. “Can you please explain what’s going on?”

“They’re close,”

“Who?! Who’s nearby?! What’s up?” I asked him one after another.

I’m confused about what’s going on around me.

First, how did the forest outside his house become? Second, who is coming? Third, what is really going on?

“Ridge clan. My relatives,”

I covered my ears because the wind was coming in there, “What!? What do your relatives have to do with what is happening now? Only the earache makes the wind deafening!”

“If I did not make you my dinner, they, can’t stop. You would be dead there,”

I don’t know if he scares me or what. But seriously, I didn’t feel even the slightest bit of fear when he said that.

“What? I thought you don’t eat people? How can they not hold back? You said when you don’t eat anything you are at peace?”

“Don’t ask, go find a place to hide!” The frustration in his voice was obvious. I also noticed that his eyes didn’t close even though the air around him was strong.

“Promise me that you will help my parents!” I was screaming because he might not be able to hear me because of the wind.

“Just hide!”

“Promise me!”

I was surprised when he suddenly grabbed my hand. He ran towards a ‘unspeakable road’ but I just followed him. I don’t know what will happen.

“Where will we go?” I asked him while we were still running.

“I’m going to get you away from here, I can already smell them. I’m sure they heard your scream earlier. Of course, I too will be destroyed because of you, you don’t even want to listen,”

“I’m not guilty! I just want us to go back to the way my family used to be!”

We entered there through a tunnel. It’s an old tunnel and then there’s a rusty railroad track. It’s dark at the end but we can still see because the sunlight is bright here.

“We’ve come a long way! I don’t know the way back!” I told him.

“Lower your voice! Be quiet, is that okay?” even though I can’t see his face, I know his face is irritated now.

I just kept quiet. Maybe something else will happen.

When we got to the end of the track, I saw a big door. That’s why it’s dark, there’s a door blocking it.

“It doesn’t want to be opened,” said Ameer when he finished trying to open the big door. “Help me here if you want to get out alive,”

I just helped him open it. When we opened it, my eyes were even more amazed.

Something cold touched my forehead. I held it, “Snow,” I said. “How come there is snow in the Philippines? Why is it snowing?” I asked myself while still looking in front of me in amazement.

The surroundings are putty-white. The trees, the ground, even the mountains and some small houses. In other words, someone lives here.

“Am I missing something?” I asked Ameer when our eyes met. “Is this an illusion or what? It feels real!”

Instead of answering, he pulled me again with my wrist.

“Hey! This is so amazing!”

“Yes, keep your mouth shut!”

“You’re loud too!”

We ran there to a small house. I am still amazed by what I see and feel.

It’s the first time I’ve seen snow, the first time I’ve touched it. It’s my first time.

In the past, when we went to another country for vacation, if it wasn’t summer, it was fall or spring. I never experienced the snow because we were leaving right away. I don’t know if they did it on purpose, but it always happens like that.

We were just about to open the door but suddenly it opened on it’s own. A strong wind blew our hair again.

“West Spencer,” said the very white man. She was wearing long sleeves and pants. “You brought a snack. In the right time,”

I looked behind him. I gasped when I saw a familiar face. They were dressed in black as if they were attending a funeral. Their eyes are red and their complexion is very white. Their hair is also black.

“Lester,” my companion said. He stopped too. It was obvious to me that he was surprised by what he was seeing now.

“Nice to meet you again, Rackhie,”

“Fucking asshole!” I shouted and quickly strangled him, I made him lie there in the water full of ice. I dug my nail into his neck.

He was the one who Invited me that day. I will never forget his face.

He still laughs even though I stayed married to him. “You grew up so fast. You look good.”

“Fuck you!” I hissed.

“How dare you!” a hand pulled my hair. That’s from behind me. I think that your hand is from his girlfriend. That girl with straight hair and bangs. He was with her at the bar that night.

“It’s okay, Ravenne. Let her, I’m perfectly fine,” this man was able to smile so I tightened my grip on his neck even though my scalp was almost torn from his girlfriend’s tugging.

“Ravenne—” it was the voice of the woman with them.

“Leave me alone, Shivani!”

“Landrice! Aren’t you going to do something!?”

I stopped choking the man when I saw the face of the person I wanted to ask many things for a long time.

“Wendy…”

I let go of the neck of the man I was strangling earlier, so his girlfriend’s grip on my hair is even tighter. She pulled my hair from behind and forced me to face her

“You’re fucking done,” she said and showed me her fangs. It’s like bragging. “Thank you and you ended up here. If you meet the Ridges, you’re done.”

She let go of my hair. That’s when I saw Wendy’s face more clearly.

She is now standing in front of me. A lot has changed in her. The girl also called her Landrice earlier.

Ameer did nothing at all.

“It’s nice seeing you again, Mendiola,”