Habang nakatingin ako sa mukha ni Manuel ay hindi ko maiwasang maramdaman ang sakit na naramdaman niya, and seeing those healing wounds reassured me that he will be just fine.

And when I think everything's alright, someone barged inside the room, surprising me and Verm.

"Oh my god," Soledad gasped as she saw Manuel lying on the bed beside me. "Is he the owner of Camp Tirso? Anong nangyari?"

Tumayo ako at agad siyang hinarap. "Ba't nandito ka Sol?"

"Well, don't worry. I'm not here for you, I am here for him," Soledad gave Manuel a look that implies repressed lust.

"I told you to stop writing about werewolves. They're not real," sambit ko sa kaniya, napansin kong napapikit si Verm nang banggitin kong hindi totoo ang uri nila. "Don't bother him."

"Seriously? Angel, nagpunta ako sa Camp Tirso to find and to talk to this man. Kaso wala raw siya ro'n dahil nandito siya kasama mo. Mabuti na lang at nakita ko si Verm na papaalis na ng Camp Tirso and I know he's going to follow you. I asked if I could go with him and he allowed me," nilingon ni Soledad si Verm. "Ngapala Verm, sa'n ka ba nagpunta at iniwan mo na lang ako sa kalsadang iyon? You know what, naubusan ng gas yung motor mo. Ipinarada ko na lang siya sa tabi ng pinakamalapit na bahay na nakita ko pagdating ko rito."

"How did you find us then?" I asked her just to divert her attention. Napapansin kong walang nakahandang sagot si Verm mula sa tanong ni Soledad sa kaniya.

Napangiti si Soledad at muling natuon ang atensiyon niya sa akin. "I've seen your van being chased by that police car. So ang ginawa ko, nagtanong ako sa mga nakakasalubong kong residente ng Wichita kung nasaan ang police station nila rito, at napagdesisyunan kong doon na lang magpunta. There's no use for me to chase your trace, masyadong mabilis ang van na minamaneho mo. Ba't di mo kaya subukan makipagkarera sa mga drag racing? You have a potential, you might reconsider your career."

Soledad looked around. "Wala bang mga upuan dito?"

Verm immediately stood up to give her way. "Dito ka na maupo," aniya.

Nginitian siya ni Soledad. "Aww, gentleman. Salamat," umupo naman si Soledad sa kinauupuan ni Verm kanina, then she looked at me. "Mangangalay ka diyan Angel, you should sit down."

Napasapo na lang ako sa aking noo bago ako muling umupo sa monobloc chair sa tabi ng higaan ni Manuel. How long are we going to tolerate this woman around us? My tolerance of dealing with people like her is too short.

"Care to tell me what happened to that man? Sabi ng mga pulis sa akin, inatake raw kayo ng oso? I bet they were just joking, walang oso sa Pilipinas-"

"Lalong wala ring werewolf sa Pinas," bulong ko pa.

"Excuse me?"

I just shrugged, "O tapos?"

Bumuntong-hininga si Soledad. "Well, yun lang ang sinabi nila sa akin. They're not really useful if that's what you mean," Soledad crossed her legs. "So anong nangyari sa inyo? Don't tell me inatake nga kayo ng isang fictional bear kanina?"

"It's none of your business, Sol. Malay mo inatake nga kami ng oso, and maybe you can write something about that. Instead of proving that there are werewolves, why don't try proving na may mga oso pala rito sa Pilipinas?" I managed to give her a sarcastic laugh. "Baka may mapala ka pa, and I will surely give you the whole information kung paano kami inatake and that's my two cents for you."

"Wait, why are you forcing me not to write this story about werewolves? Don't tell me you're writing this on your own at ayaw mo lang na maunahan kita, ulit?" She emphasized the last word that made my blood boil.

Napakuyom ako ng aking kaliwang kamao na si Verm lang ang nakapansin. He didn't say anything but I know he understands me.

Huminga ako nang malalim. If I have to do something right now, it is to focus with my job and not to feed Soledad another second of attention. She's not worth the clock.

"I'm just saying, you're losing it, okay? Sol? It's 2018. Werewolves are just a part of mainstream media, fictional novels, et cetera. Do you think seseryosohin ka ng mga makababasa ng article mo?" I nearly burst my bubble.

"Of course they will. Kapag may proof ako na mapapatunayan ko sa kanila," sambit pa ni Soledad. "Hindi ako nagpunta rito nang hindi ako handa. I know what to do and I'm not going to stop just because of your opinion. Okay? So kung gusto mo akong tigilan sa gusto kong mangyari, it's your choice."

"Fine. Puwede bang manahimik ka na lang muna?"

Magsasalita pa sana si Soledad ngunit tinignan siya ni Verm nang masama. "Irespeto ninyo ang boss ko," tiningnan niya si Manuel. "Kapag nagising na si Manuel at nasagot na niya ang tanong mo, maaari ka nang umalis."

Soledad pretended she didn't hear him as she put her earphones on her ears and played some loud pop music in her smartphone. "That's why we can't have nice things," aniya kasabay ng kantang pinakikinggan niya bago siya prenteng sumandal sa pader.

~~~

Bumalik ako sa Hotel Stonington at iniwan ko muna pansamantala si Verm para bantayan si Manuel. Wala akong tiwala na maiiwan si Manuel sa kamay ni Soledad kung sakaling isama ko si Verm dito.

Abby greeted me with a smile, she's done with her thing on her laptop. She even showed it to me and I was surprised that she's a programmer.

"Just a project created with Phyton language," sabi niya pa sa akin.

I smiled. "You're going places. Keep up the good work," ani ko pa. I was just really feel good talking to random people lately, lalo na kapag nakikita ko silang nakangiti.

"Thanks ma'am," said Abby.

"You're welcome," sabi ko bago ako nagtungo sa elevator.

Agad akong nagtungo sa kuwartong nirentahan namin at nagulat na lang ako nang pagbukas ko ng pintuan ay naabutan kong magkahawak ng kamay sina Marco at Samantha habang magkaharap silang nakaupo sa gilid ng higaan ko.

Napatakip ako ng bibig sa gulat. "Nakaka-istorbo ba ako?" Agad akong tumalikod.

Then I heard Sam laughing. "We're not doing anything. May tinatanong lang ako kay Marco, pakiramdam ko kasi may gusto siya sa receptionist sa ibaba. Naglaro lang kami ng truth or dare habang hinihintay ka naming bumalik," sabi ni Samantha.

Tumango si Marco. "Yeah, ang kulit nga e. Sabi ko sa kaniya wala akong gusto kay Abby, pero aaminin ko. Cute siya."

Hinarap ko na sila at nakahinga ako nang maluwag matapos kong malaman kung ano nga ba ang nangyayari. "Akala ko may namamagitan na sa inyong dalawa."

Samantha raised both of her hands. "Kami?" She smiled. "We're not going to become a thing. We'll stay professional," aniya.

Mabilis naman itong pinasadahan ni Marco. "Tama siya. Tsaka hindi ko type si Sam a, hindi siya cute."

Pabirong hinampas ni Sam sa balikat si Marco.

Nagsimula na naman silang magkulitan at dahil alam ko kung saan na naman hahantong ito, minabuti kong putulin na ang kanilang masayang ugnayan sa isa't-isa.

"Guys, tigil muna. I need to tell you something." I put my hands on my waist like I am going to tell a sermon.

Agad din naman silang tumingin sa direksiyon ko. Good.

I closed the door behind me.

"Nasa ospital si Manuel," I said in a calm way, considering that Manuel is in stable condition already.

They both gasped. Kitang-kita ko sa kanilang mga mata na hindi nila aakalaing mangyayari ang bagay na yon. Not that I expected it to happen too, but there's so many things that can happen instantly.

"A-anong nangyari?" tanong ni Sam sa akin.

Sumandal ako sa pinto at dahan-dahang napailing. Hindi ko kasi alam kung paano ko ipapaliwanag sa kanila ang nangyari.

"May nangyaring kakaiba sa amin," ani ko. "Habang pabalik kami sa van para lagyan yon ng gasolina, may bigla na lang umatake sa amin na nilalang."

Nagkatinginan sina Marco at Samantha.

"And I think you two would find it unbelievable, pero nagsasabi ako ng totoo. I think we've just met a demon," seryoso kong sambit sa kanilang dalawa.

I even saw Sam flinched after I mentioned the word she seldom use. "De-demonyo?"

I nodded in response and now I am looking to Marco who's squinting his eyes as if he's trying to visualize what I am saying.

So I continued adding more information. "Guys, believe me. Sobrang itim ng katawan niya, and I don't know if it's in human form, but one thing's for sure, it was really hideous. May dalawa siyang malalaking sungay at napakalakas niya. It attacked us for no reason."

Sam was still in the state of fright. I know she had a past with paranormal entities, she can see ghosts. Marami na siyang naikuwento sa akin na minsan na siyang sinundan ng isang demonyo. And maybe, there's a possibility that she's thinking right now that the creature that attacked us, is no other than the demon who was following her.

Napailing si Samantha. "We're not safe here anymore if it's a demon. I'm telling you."

"Kalma, Sam," kaagad na hinawakan ni Marco ang magkabilang braso ni Sam at hinagod ito. "Kalma lang. Di ba nga nandito tayo dahil sa mga mangkukulam? Baka naman sila ang may gawa nito?" He looked at me. "Di ba?"

Tumango ako. "That's what I'm thinking too. Kasi hindi lang siya totally biglang sumulpot. Habang inaatake kasi kami ng nilalang na yon, there's this owl na nakatitig lang sa amin, like it's watching us."

Nakuha ko ang atensiyon ni Marco. "Owl?"

"Yup, owl, kuwago. Actually, yung kuwago na nakita mo, that's the same owl na nakita namin. It followed me and Manuel as we came back to our van. And that's when the attack had happened," sabi ko pa.

Sam looked at us with a curious gaze. "Kung na-ospital si Manuel nang dahil sa atake na iyon. Don't you think, we are in danger too? I mean, yes. Nandito tayo dahil sa kaso ni Monalisa. But what if totoong may witch nga? And they're capable of harming us like that? I think..." Sam trailed of, giving me the familiar look which only means one thing.

"No. We're not leaving. I promised Manuel and I promised myself to write this story. This is for my mother's legacy, for my own break. Alam ni'yo naman ang risk ng mga bagay na hinaharap natin di ba?" I'm now trying to persuade Sam to calm down.

She's always ready to go along with me. Dahil alam kong trabaho ang tingin niya rito. But I know for the time she's been with me, she had my back as always. But now, after witnessing how she flinched upon hearing the word 'demon'...

I remembered one of her story from her past. A very dark story that she swore not to tell anyone again after sharing it with me.

Hindi kaagad nakasagot si Samantha.

Lumapit ako sa kaniya at lumuhod ako sa kaniyang harapan para magpantay lang ang aming tingin. Hinawakan ko ang kamay niya at tinitigan siya sa kaniyang mga mata.

"Sam, I assure you, it's not the demon you were afraid of. Trust me," I smiled.

Hindi man ako tumingin sa direksiyon ni Marco ay ramdam kong nagtataka siya sa kaniyang mga naririnig. Hindi kasi niya alam ang tungkol sa demonyo na sumusunod kay Samantha.

Tumango si Sam, fortunately, she trusted me. "I trusts you, Angel. As always," napapunas siya ng nagbabadyang luha na tutulo pa lang mula sa kaniyang mga mata. "Nandito kami as your crew, sidekicks," she looked at Marco.

Ngumiti si Marco at tumango-tango siya. "Oo, sidekicks. At ang mga sidekick, hindi nang-iiwan."

"Thanks, thanks. Alam kong maintindihan ni'yo ako." I am so glad that they finally accepted the news that I shared to them.

Samantha didn't say anything again after that. She just continued listening to whatever I say. Hindi naman ito napansin ni Marco and it ended up normal for the three of us.

Tumayo na akong muli at inayos ko ang aking sarili. "I need you guys to stay here. Babalik ako sa ospital."

"Babalik ka pa? Dito ka na lang, ako na lang pupunta ro'n. Magpahinga na kayo ni Sam," sabi ni Marco.

Umiling naman ako. "No, stay here with Sam. Besides, nandoon naman si Verm. Siya yung kasama sana natin pagpunta rito kanina kaso naiwan siya sa camp dahil may hindi sila pagkakaunawaan ni Manuel." Inayos ko ang buhok ko.

"Sumunod siya sa atin. Mabuti na lang talaga at naabutan niya kami bago pa may nangyaring masama sa aming dalawa ni Manuel," I smiled. "Siya ang dahilan kaya nasa ligtas na kalagayan na kami ngayon."

Ngumiti sina Sam, dahilan para kumalma na rin sa wakas ang loob ko. Now that they know what's happening, I can freely do anything right now to make the wheels moving again.

Lumabas na ulit ako ng kuwarto at nagpaalam sa kanilang dalawa bago ako muling dumiretso sa ospital.

Little did I know, someone is waiting for me outside the hospital...

It was the man who was watching me from the storefront of that cafe. And I think he's the one who's giving me the tip.

"Looks like you've seen a ghost," napangiti siya. "But you'll see something far more dangerous than them. Ako si Noah. Noah Calicdan, at mukhang marami tayong dapat pag-usapan."

He lend me his hand, and I accepted the handshake. "Angel Ferguson. Wait, kayo ho ba yung nagbigay sa akin ng tip tungkol kay Monalisa Sebastian?"

Tumingin sa paligid si Noah. Tantiya ko ay nasa early thirties na ang kaniyang edad. He's not that old for me to treat him like one.

Agad siyang tumingin sa akin. "Tara sa loob, there's someone's watching over us," he looked into something.

And I'm not surprised anymore. That owl was watching over me again.

"Alam ni'yo ho ba kung saan galing yung ibon na yon?" tanong ko kay Mr. Calicdan habang sabay kaming naglalakad papasok ng ospital.

He looked so wary and he's acting as if he's starting to feel scared. Hindi siya lumilingon sa aming likuran at mas bumibilis lalo ang hakbang ng kaniyang mga paa.

Hindi ko muna siya kinausap hanggang sa tuluyan na kaming makapasok sa loob ng ospital, malayo sa ibon na iyon at sa kung anuman ang kinatatakutan ni Mr. Calicdan.

Nagtungo kami sa lobby kung saan may mga bakanteng upuan kaming natagpuan. We sat down there opposite to each other, and I prepped up myself to look comfortable with this stranger in front of me.

"That owl, is a familiar," ani ni Mr. Calicdan, his english is starting to sound like he have an accent.

"Fa-familiar?" tanong ko sa kaniya.

He looked around, nobody is watching over us. Nang mapanatag siya ay bahagya siyang umurong palapit sa akin. "Familiar. Isang hayop na ginagamit ng amo nilang mga witch sa mga bagay na gusto nilang mangyari. Nagpunta ako rito dahil binabantayan ko kayo, alam kong binabantayan na rin niya kayo kaya kailangan ninyong mas maging atentibo sa paligid. Nobody is safe here, I guarantee that."

"Te-teka, binabantayan nino? Sino ho bang tinutukoy ni'yo?" tanong ko sa kaniya, kumunot na ang noo ko dahil hindi ko masyadong maintindihan ang mga sinasabi niya lalo na yung tungkol sa familiar.

"Si Lara Sullivan, siya ang tinutukoy kong nagmamasid sa inyo. At ang kuwago na kanina pa sumusunod sa inyo? That's her familiar. She's a witch, and she used that owl to emanate a demon to attack you and that man with you," aniya.

Napailing ako. How in the world did he know about it? Alam na ba ng mga residente ng Wichita ang nangyari?

"Hindi ko ho kayo maintindihan-papa'no ni'yo po nalaman yung nangyari? At bakit niya naman po kami binabantayan?"

He leaned much closer to me. "Tinawagan kita dahil kailangan ko ng tulong. The police officers here are now covering up Monalisa's death. Natatakot sila na baka may gawing masama sa kanila si Mayor Sullivan. Hindi man naniniwala ang karamihan sa mga tao rito tungkol sa mga witch, may iilan pa ring natatakot na baka totoo sila. At sila yung mga taong nakaranas na ng masamang pangyayari sa kamay ni Mayor Sullivan."

He tried holding my hands but I put mine away as fast as possible. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng kaba sa mga ikinikilos ni Mr. Calicdan.

His eyes are filled with fear, something that I know he have seen hell already.

"Gusto ko nang umalis sa bayan na 'to... tulungan ni'yo ako," he started sobbing. "Wala akong malalapitan sa bayan na ito kung hindi kayo lamang."

"Pero puwede naman kayong tumawag sa mga kinauukulan?" tanong ko sa kaniya, his reason is quite absurd.

Kung nagawa niya akong tawagan, he could have found a way to escape this town. Like call people I know is capable of handling this case.

"Kasi-" biglang natigilan sa pagsasalita si Mr. Calicdan.

His mouth stayed wide open as his eyes went unresponsive while it stared back at me without even blinking for a second. Para siyang naging bato sa kinauupuan niya.

"Mr. Calicdan?" I called him out, something's wrong is going to happen.

Hindi pa rin siya gumagalaw hanggang sa maya-maya lang ay bigla na lang siyang nangisay. His left arm stretched upward, his fingers fixed in an awkward position.

He's convulsing!

"Nurse! Nurse!" I started calling for help.

Gusto ko man tulungan si Mr. Calicdan, wala naman akong alam sa kung anong dapat gawin sa mga sitwasyong kagaya nito.

Isa lang ang nasisiguro ko, there's something wrong here. My heart beats so fast that I couldn't even notice my breathing. Sa sobrang kaba ko ay muntik na akong mag-panic.

Mabuti na lang at may mga rumesponde kaagad na mga nurse sa direksiyon namin. They immediately performed some safety procedure, inihiga nila sa sahig si Mr. Calicdan at maingat nila itong ipinuwesto nang patagilid.

Napatakip na lang ako ng bibig habang pinagmamasdan ko kung ano ang nangyayari kay Mr. Calicdan at kung paano siya sinusubukang bigyan ng agarang lunas ng mga nurse sa paligid niya.

His eyes are looking at me, but there's no hint of expression inside of those eyes. Nakatirik lamang ito na siyang nagbigay ng matinding kaba sa aking isipan.

Ba't biglang nagkaganito si Mr. Calicdan? May kinalaman kaya rito ang mismong mayor ng Wichita? Si Lara Sullivan?

Is it just his health? Or it's a work of a witch?