(note: This is FICTION)
Weary. Any second my feet are literally going to shut down on me. My heels' soles are melted from the heat and concrete.
"Are we there yet?" One of my friends asked. Although I didn't bother answering their pain-induced complaints for I wasn't sure of where I was heading.
Bernie, remember the path. The white house and the deserted street.
I am now dipping myself, and my friends in magma.
***
AB Communication, clearly not my course, had their preliminary project of shooting for an advertisement commercial. As a member of T.W.P.P. (Tropang Walang Pera Palagi), we all share, give... and take.
Ronii asked for a venue, which required a school environment either a shed or a "tambayan", and a number of places came into mind. The group, except for a few, agreed to take a tour around my place.
After riding a short jeepney-ride, we decided to take the walking distance of the first venue, St. John Fisher School. The place was wide enough for a shoot but there were a lot of students out so Dave, the "director", thought it would be much of a challenge to let some, or few, to cooperate during the shoot. Another few blocks away was my former school Don Stevens Institute. It wasn't much for capacity but enough to make our dear Dave happy (never mind the newly-painted walls of pink, red and black. Dave surely hates pink but we loved shoving pink things on his face.) One last venue for some peaceful (or should I say eerie) shoot was just a minute away into a narrow short-cut to Town & Country (which is way out of my usual community comfort zone). The last take-a-risk venue was located on a secluded area from the corners of the subdivision. The whole place itself was very quiet, a hot spot for people, or couples... A semi-abandoned clubhouse. Semi-abandoned since there was only a couple of caretakers (who obviously haven't been doing their job right) actually stayed there from the few times I've visited the place. We entered a pathway in the middle of the block fields and heard more groans of complaints.
Weary. Any second my feet are literally going to shut down on me. My heels' soles are melted from the heat and concrete.
"Are we there yet?" One of my friends asked. Although I didn't bother answering their pain-induced complaints for I wasn't sure of where I was heading.
Bernie, remember the path. The white house and the deserted street.
I am now dipping myself, and my friends in magma.
I hesitated before taking any turns through the creepy streets of Town & Country. After a few more walks and stops we have finally reached our destination. Before setting foot on it's red-tiled floors we caught sight of a group of guys playing basketball in its open court and figures the place was reserved, also there were kids swimming on the dirty (who knows how long since they last cleaned it) pool (FUGLY).
Dave and I checked anyway. And sure enough there weren't any caretakers so the neighboring streets took over the place. The resort house was fairly enough for two reservations, no rooms, no tables and chairs (and no sign of recent reservations, at least not in a million years anyway). It seemed it was only used for a small-party occasion. I didn't know the reason I showed them the place (despite our swearing feet) but I felt it would give them some (or more) venues to look back in store for future shoots.
"It has a creepy ambiance to it." Dave said, although he admitted he liked it. It did, as a matter of fact, this place was known for its horrific tell tale stories of ghosts, deaths and such genres. The rest of the group wandered about except for a couple who seemed to feel uncomfortable about the environment. I didn't mind though, I was busy taking pictures of the place with Ronii's SLR camera.
"I can't breathe." Ronii sighed and made few attempts to get back to her element but miserably failed. She tried sharing stories with Angela's sister, Annabel.
The next few minutes was scorching. I didn't mind showing them the clubhouse's comfort room facilities, which had shattered mirrors, molded tiles and marble seats. The room was beyond creepy you would think it was a site for murders.
Angela fell silent and a few more minutes the other people, the kids, the ones playing basketball made their way out the club house before the dark dawned in on the place. The last kids patting themselves dry gave us a squinting look or a warning one before they scurried out the house.
I have never been here at this late hour. Me and my friend had only visited this place during mid-day when the sun is high up and burning hot. I turned to the group as they drowned themselves with stories and laughter, never minding the dark creeping in on us. Why haven't they suggested to leave? I glanced over Angela and found her face-down kicking something on the floor. Silent.
My palms started to sweat, my heart raced as I cleared my vision to what seemed to be a tall dark figure towering over Ivy. I gasped for a scream but instead..
"Ivy, would you help me with something?" Almost a whisper against the megaphone quality of their voices. Angela looked up, eyes bewildered and started running towards the resort exit. My feet instantly, if not by instincts, followed her as she turned to stop just before the red-tiled stretch behind her.
'Bernie, we have to get out of here." Her eyes blurred with tears, almost screaming for her sister's aid. She couldn't move, but her eyes tells everything.
We're in deep shit. (XP)
I gave her a reassuring nod and ran back to the group. As I turned to a corner I crashed into a person, C actually, with the same bewildered look on Angela's eyes. He ran past me as if I was just a vase he didn't bother clamming up for. Next was Ivy, dragging her heels through the waxed floor. Dave. Ronii. Ryan with a blunt affect.
I sprinted and ran to where they came from. I saw Annabel hyperventilating on the floor and the room just felt heavy and pulsating that I fell on my knees and crawled out to reach her.
"Where's Angela?" She reached my hand and helped each other up. But before I said anything I bolted to the exit with her. This place is a poison.
***
Everyone was surely out of the place, but Angela was surely out of sight. Where could she have gone into? What was inside the club house? Why were they running? What from?
"Do you hear that?" Ryan yelled. Everyone looked at him and listened.
Silence. The rustling of the lemon grass against the evening wind. And a faint voice.
hiss... he's....
Everyone's brows pressed. Some holding the other's arm, some on the other's uniform.
he's... hisss... DEAD!
Ronii's eyes darted behind her and let out an ear-splitting scream. Okay so we're not safe outside. The voice was from a girl, possibly around 9 years of age. But her voice was clear as if it came from just beneath our feet. The scream led to another, and a wave of terror sent us running in different directions, Ivy and Ryan on the streets, Ronii and Dave on the other street not remembering the way back. The three of us ran for the pathway through the bushes. Annabel, C and I ran half screaming and half calling each other's names. The voice seems to replay itself through my head.
he's dead! he's dead!
For a second I misheard her and thought she said his head. Instead it sent a wave of fear down my spine and I ran faster for dear life as my left heel broke off. My foot twisted in a gross way and sent me rolling on my right wrist. I feel very sure I broke my left foot and sprained my wrist. Annabel and C, without hesitating, pulled me up and dragged-half-carried me out of the bushes.
The moon was full and bright as I squealed in pain. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I held them tighter for grip. I'm barefooted now.
"We're going to get out." C insisted.
"We're already out!" Annabel yelled.
"It's with us!"
"What's with us?!"
"Them!" C yanked my back and sent sharp shooting pain from my foot across my leg. It's obvious I'm slowing them down but I also know where to go to get out of Town & Country.
"I'm sorry." I cracked.
"Not the time for this, Bernie." Annabel in a hurry. We reached the end of the pathway and they looked at me for directions. I pointed with a nod and we all dragged myself toward the shortcut, where are the others? Where's Angela? Who's with us?
"We're going to get out." C insisted.
"We're already out!" Annabel yelled.
"It's with us!"
"What's with us?!"
"Them!" C yanked my back and sent sharp shooting pain from my foot across my leg. It's obvious I'm slowing them down but I also know where to go to get out of Town & Country.
"I'm sorry." I cracked.
"Not the time for this, Bernie." Annabel in a hurry. We reached the end of the pathway and they looked at me for directions. I pointed with a nod and we all dragged myself toward the shortcut, where are the others? Where's Angela? Who's with us?
***
I had to stop for now :P
I'm getting way into this.
Say hello to exams!
