"All you have to do is to write for me, right? So write everything that I want because I will own you somehow."

The way he said it was too determined as if he was defending a research paper who's already in a life and death situation from its panelist. Leaving me to be stuck staring at his entire existence like he's a sort of a poorly written essay with no relevance to the fucking topic.

Okay, maybe he's rich but he's definitely nuts. Saan ba sa parteng hindi ako kasali sa package ang hindi niya maintindihan? Talagang hinawakan niya pa ako sa magkabilang braso na akala mo naman close kami, baka nga tangayin na ako nito ilang sandali mula ngayon, dahilan para mapabuga nalang talaga ako ng hangin at tinasaan ito ng kilay. 

"Well, I'm not for sale so you can fuck off. Besides, according to Briar's Guidelines on how to get a customer properly, the rule number twenty three stated that when a potential client is being a creep and disrespectful, I can just stab them in the face." I painted a sweet smile as I pointed the sharp blades from my dagger into his bare lips.

Good thing I always have hidden weapons underneath my fishnet gloves. And of course, what I said was fabricated, but who cares? Nobody's gonna know anyway. 

However, in an unfortunate twist of event, that's just when this dude started to laugh sarcastically and quickly grabbed my hand. At first, I really thought he'd throw my dagger away and I was damn ready to twist his arms before he did. But shits really got real when he just lick my fucking knife as if it was some sort of a lilipop! My eyes widened upon seeing some blood dripped from his lips, especially when all this time he was gripping into my hands tightly to stop me from taking those blades away from his tongue!

Curse this man for also wearing a mask that forbids me to see half of his face, making it hard for me to differentiate the reason for the chills down my spine. Was it his stares that's maybe piercing right into my soul or simply because of the happenings. But either way, it's melting me, and it's a fucking shame because I was too stunned to make a move. 

"Isn't it weird, you're complaining about why you should respect your potential clients, but you dislike being disrespected? I mean, shouldn't people reap what they sow?" he whispered as he leaned closer. Close enough that I can literally feel death right behind my back. 

Bruh, namalayan ko nalang na dikdik na dikdik na 'ko sa may railings habang nakakulong sa magkabila niyang bisig. Hindi ko alam kung saan na napunta 'yong kutsilyo ko, 'di rin nakakatulong ang reyalidad na wala na akong kasasandalan pa sa likuran at malay ko ba kung marupok 'tong railing. Edi nagkaroon na ng bagong episode ang SOCCO. Hindi ko rin naman siya matulak palayo dahil baka mabigla siya at tuluyan nga akong mapapa-I believe I can fly dito. And please, stop me with this bullcrap.

Napasinghal ako at seryoso itong tinitigan sa kung nasaan dapat ang mata niya. Natatabunan kasi 'yon ng itim na tela sa likod ng maskara, pero ayon na nga. I never let his dominating presence submerge this feral heart in me. As light as the feather, I traced my slender fingertips towards his nape as I gave him a mischievous smirk. 

"Are you going to punish me or something? Damn I can't believe you're really that kind of person." 

I laugh softly as my other hand traveled the broadness of his chest. I even played with his black necktie underneath those cloak. And it actually looked good being matched with his white-kinda-fitted-polo and such but let's just forgot about that part. I have something to say so I leaned closer.

"Do you really believe that kind of justice exists in this rotten world? I mean, people only like to reap what they sow when it's in their favor, and if it isn't, then they'll start becoming less of what people were like. They'll lose their humanity and would turn into a monster who's always ready to bury their crimes as much as they can, just for them to not experience its corresponding consequences." 

This time, it was my turn to whisper into his ears. "So that they will never have to bow down to anyone, even to their own conscience."

With that, I immediately choked him with his own necktie and jabbed his nape with my left elbow. I never waited for him to recover and quickly pound the back of his head with my sling bag, that unfortunately contains a harbounded dictionary. And viola, when he was surely down, I then used the chance to flee. 

Wala e, sinukat ko 'yong katawan niya kanina kaya mas natatansa ko na ang hakbang na gagawin. And although he's rich and I've nearly thought of stealing something from him and run away with it, I couldn't just take the risk because he might use that to report me as a thief.

However, with me shoving him to the ground, I could just say it's self defense since I still have the marks from where he held my wrist and hand earlier. Fuck being own by him nor anyone. I rule my life and I'm not someone who's going to go down without a fight.

With that, I then mentally noted that being touchy wasn't really as bad as what Briar kept nagging me when we were younger. You see, you should hug people more, touch people more, and familiarize every part of their body. So that you'll know what size you're going to dig when shits gets real. 

*** 

"Did you sleep again with a guy then ditch him in the morning?" 

"What? Of course not!" 

"Then why do you look like you're being chased by one of your ex playmates?" 

"Fuck it, Cleo, who taught you those phrases? And for the love of hot sauce, it wasn't one of my playmates but one of my unofficial Egg Cells!" 

"Oh." She just nodded and rested her back on her chair. She then crossed her legs and darted me a judging gaze. "So you're sleeping with your readers now? I thought they didn't stand a chance?" 

Napasabunot nalang talaga ako sa sarili at di-nial ang number ni Rogue. Gosh, I love Cleo and I know I said that before. But I think I really need to always remind myself about that fact before I accidentally throw her outside the window. As soon as Rogue answered the phone I immediately put it on loudspeaker. Good thing we're vacant and just currently wasting our time on the canteen inside our building. 

"What's up? Did you accidentally kill a potential client?" Oh, what a good way of responding to a phone call. Talagang pinagtawanan pa ni Cleo ang sinabi ni Rogue ah. 

I just sighed and massage my temple. "No, biatch. I think I'm being chased by an engkanto. I mean, I think he's not a human but he's my reader, wait, does that make sense?" Napapadyak ako. 

"But nevermind, here's the catch! He wanted to be my client, he said he'll buy me too and I've been haunted by him ever since!" Gusto kong maiyak dahil sa sobrang inis ngunit hindi nga pala pwede dahil masisira ang mascara ko at hindi naman deserve 'nong lalakeng 'yon ang aking kahit katiting na luha.

Pero kasi, ilang araw matapos ko siyang maka engkwentro doon sa Expression Valley, nagsimula na akong makaramdam na para may sumusunod at nagmamamatyag sa 'kin. 

Saka actually, sinubukan kong maghanap ulit ng ibang kliyente at hindi magpa-apekto. Nakaka isa o dalawa pa rin naman ako kada araw kahit papaano pero pakiramdam ko pa rin para akong may pinagtataksilan kahit wala naman sana akong jowa. I mean, that's so fucking strage.

In fact I was a goddamn horror and gore novelist for the freaking sake of voodoo dolls and I was actually planning to be a Funeral Director, yet I found myself screaming my cousin's name every night as I was running towards his room nextdoor. 

Why? 

Because I couldn't see my reflection in the mirror whenever the sun sets and that guy's cloak always find its way on my indoor clothes storage rack. The most disturbing part? His skull mask will appear on the other side of the bed every time I wake up. So there, I begged Briar to sleep next to him because my room became a haunted spot. 

Of course I hated it too but even if we're at each other's throats most of the time, I still treated him like a brother and I trusted him. Unlike the fucking creep whom I didn't even know the name. 

Madalas na nga akong tumambay sa ospital para bantayan si Papu kaso pati sa labas ng bintana, nakikita ko pa rin 'yong bungo niyang maskara na nakabitin sa puno! Like, seriously? Godammit!

I shook off my head and told them the details of my miseries, but they just said I deserve it so I ended up cursing them to the core.

Mga hayop!

But anyway, they advised me to burn incense to drive away the evil spirit though, but that was too damn useless because the last time I tried to exorcise our house, it was me who passed out instead. 

Bruh, I myself was an evil spirit too, so no thanks. 

And here I am this foggy afternoon, walking my way towards the cemetery gates of Cashmodeus because Briar wanted to conduct a serious meeting. Probably about our financial needs or about the haunted shits that's happening to me. 

The laces from my off shoulder with a long flared sleeve black dress befriends the tall grasses. I was still with my favourite biker boots as I pace the path into Briar's location. I was expecting a priest, a witch doctor, o a business tycoon who'll introduce themselves as our real parents and we're the lost heir of their craps, but imagine my surprise upon seeing the creepy bastard himself. Like what the flying fuck? 

"Anong ginagawa ng isang 'yan dito?" 

Suminghal ako at sinamaan ito ng tingin. Hindi katulad ng pinsan ko na pormal na pormal dahil may pa kwelo pa ang suot niyang black and white checked polo. Itong nilalang naman na paniguradong hindi tao ay naka maskara pa rin at cloak. Para ngang ito pa rin 'yong itsura niya noong huli kaming magkita at hindi ko maitatanggi na mas matangkad siya kay Briar. Ngunit ang lahat ng 'yon ay nawala sa isip ko dahil sa naging sagot ni Briar. 

"Mister Serenade wanted to file a case against you."  

"What?" 

"Its robbery. He said you stole his belongings, especially the most special thing for him which is his necklace with a silver ring pendant." 

Napaawang nalang talaga ang bibig ko dahil sa narinig at seryosong tinitigan si Briar. "Biatch, that's rubbish. You know me so damn well and if I'm gonna be arrested, its always going to be murder and not that crap. And what necklace by the way? I didn't steal anything!"

"But he has strong evidence, and he's damn willing to go to the police station right now if we won't follow his conditions. Plus, you're wearing one of the evidence itself." 

Agad nanlaki ang mga mata ko at mabilis na napahawak sa leeg. Kasabay ng biglang paglakas ng hangin at ang pagtakip ng ulap sa paligid ay ang pagkadiskubreng mayroon na nga akong suot na kwintas. At alam kong imposible 'yon dahil allergy ako sa kahit na anong neckwear. Bigla akong natuod sa kinatatayuan at natanto ang nangyari noong unang beses kaming nagkita. 

Nang biglang nawala sa kamay ko 'yong sandatang hawak at sa isang iglap ay na-corner na niya ako sa railing. Para akong nanlamig at agad napahawak sa manggas ng polo ni Briar.

"Sinasabi ko sa'yo, hindi tao ang isang 'yan. Siya nga 'yong may ari ng mga gamit na bigla nalang lumilitaw sa kwarto ko," giit ko ngunit bahagya lang na natawa 'yong Mister Serenade. What a weird name, by the way. 

"Don't worry, may paraan naman para hindi ako magsampa ng kaso." 

Dahil sa salitang 'yon ng nilalang na 'to, para namang nawala sa isipan ni Briar ang sinabi ko kanina at nagpokus nalang sa huwad na liwanag na galing sa bibig niya.

Lalo na noong humakbang ito palapit sa 'min at humarap sa direksyon ko. 

"I'll have this rotten woman as my personal ghostwriter. She's going to write a book for me and I'll pay her for that. All she has to do is to live with me, and I'll take care of her transportation. She'll have her own driver, she can still go to school but she's going to sleep in my place. The only break she'll have is during Sundays." 

I'm dead. I'm dead! I'm dead!

Napakurap kurap ako dahil sa pagkakalatag ng intensyon niya at dahan dahang napadako nalang talaga ang tingin kay Briar. 

"You need money right? Then she'll just work for me for two months and I will pay more than enough. All I need is your permission for her to become mine."

Briar utang na loob huwag kang maniwala sa hindot na 'to. Hindi siya tao! Kakainin niya ako ng buhay!