One crow for malice 
Two for mirth
Three for a funeral
Four for birth,
Five for silver
Six for gold
Seven for a story
that should never be told,
Eight for heaven
Nine for a hell
Ten to the devil
wherever he may dwell.

---Pen Parker 

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Living with two deranged brothers ever since we were granted immortality is becoming a curse in its own right...

One is a masochist.

Another is a sadist.

Me?

"I'm just plain evil."

At hindi katulad nina Joker at Knight, wala akong balak magbago. No, not when this fucked up world has taken so much of my humanity over the years. I've seen it all---the civil wars, the plague, the assassination attempts on political figures. Nakakawalang-ganang isipin na naroon ako sa lahat ng mga sandaling iyon at tahimik na pinagmamasdan ang pagpapalit ng mga tauhan. This entire messed up world is just a stage where the actors and actresses come and go.

Same problems, different generations.

Pare-pareho lang ang mga tao.

Pero nakinig ba sa'kin ang mga kapatid ko? Syempre hindi. Either they're too fucking stubborn or they just love the dramatics.

Ang ending pareho silang mga tutang sawi sa pag-ibig nang dahil lang nagmahal sila ng mga mortal.

It disgusts me.

"Midnight, Eastwood Cemetery."

Nagkaroon ng panandaliang hinto sa kabilang linya. Maya-maya pa, agad kong nilayo sa tainga ko ang iPhone nang marinig ko na naman ang nakakasuklam na boses ng kapatid ko.

["WHAT THE DUCK?! Akala ko ba 'di mo kami guguluhin kapag Sunday?! Killjoy! Toot toot~ bossing us around like that as if---"]

"I boss you around because I CAN," I calmly reminded the nuthead. "And don't even think about replying with a knock-knock joke."

["HAHAHAHAHAHA! Frabjous! Kilala mo talaga ako. Aww, how sweet of you!"]

Sa lahat ng teknolohiyang nadidiskubre ng tao, hindi ko alam kung bakit wala pa ring feature na pwedeng sakalin ang kausap sa kabilang linya. Saan ba suggestion box para rito? It would be too much of a waste of energy to fly back to this fool's cabin and smack him on the head for questioning my authority.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako. Alam kong walang patutunguhan ang pakikipag-usap sa isang ito. Might as well get on with it.

"Kung tapos ka nang lagutan nang hininga sa kakatawa, I'm also commanding you to bring Knight."

The shift in the atmosphere when I mentioned our other brother was quite obvious. From the other end, I can hear Joker clear his throat.

["I refuse your request, Mr. Killjoy."]

"It's not a request. It's a command, Joker."

["Bakit ako? You know how that bastard is more depressed than a bag of potatoes nowadays!"]

"Everick can't spend the rest of his years trying to revive a dead girl... Not when that devil is still out there. Hindi pa tapos ang misyon natin."

["If you're so concerned, then why don't YOU get him? Stop acting like a heartless monster who doesn't even---"]

"This conversation is over."

Bago pa man makapagreklamo ang panganay namin, agad kong pinatay ang tawag. Oo, bunso ako sa'ming magkakapatid. Oo, pareho-parehong mga siraulo ang mga "kuya" ko. I'm the boss here, and unless they actually decide to act their age, I'll be in charge. Taking in a deep breath, I shoved the phone inside my pants' pocket and started walking in the middle of an empty road.

The night breeze did little to help.

Hindi ko alam kung ilang beses ko na bang nadaanan ang kalyeng ito sa mga gabing pinipili kong magmanman sa mga tao. It was pitch dark, save from the warm and flickering lights from the old lamp posts. Naririnig ko ang kaluskos ng mga daga at mga taong ginagawang tahanan ang lansangan. Ramdam ko ang mga matang nakamasid sa'kin mula sa dilim, nag-aabang ng tamang oras para magpakita ako ng kahinaan. Thinking I was just some stupid mortal who cluelessly walked into the lion's den.

Well, think again.

In a split second, I angled my head sideways to dodge the pathetic attack of a robber. I remained standing in my spot, not even bothering to face him. Sa kabila ng gulat na sigaw ng lalaki, walang kahirap-hirap kong inagaw ang kutsilyo sa kanyang kamay, ipinihit ang talim nito, at itinarak patalikod---sa gitna ng kanyang noo. Without even turning to him, I heard his final scream of pain before his body fell on the ground behind me.

"Poor soul. Haven't anyone told you? Neverwoods never die."

I didn't even avert my eyes when the blood from his wound painted the pavement red.

A red carpet made just for me.

I smirked wickedly, hearing the other mortals cowering on the sidewalk.

"I command you all to bow down to me."

Maya-maya pa, isa-isa nang humilera ang mga nilalang sa gilid ng kalsada. They dropped to their knees until they were on either sides of me, a blank look on their faces. A mute audience as I walked down the empty road with a red carpet of blood from the man I killed earlier.

They all bowed down, as they should.

Why else would I be called the King?

With that, I left the streets in a flurry of black feathers and flew off into the night.

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