"Are you just making fun of me... again?" Zane asked, his tone uncertain.

"No," Raine shot back. "I’m telling you, I saw something out there."

"Look, Raine, we’ve got to be rational about this, all right?" he said, trying to stay composed. "You’re the one who was against all of this in the first place."

Raine’s gaze steadied as she recited, "Confront what you cannot see; for in the shadows of the unknown, reason must prevail." Her eyes followed Zane as he stood to pour himself some water from the pitcher Mrs. Suarez had left on the table near the door. "It is not the darkness we should fear, but the abandonment of our search for understanding."

"Here, have some water first. You must be having a breakdown," Zane said, handing her the glass. Raine accepted it with trembling fingers, taking a tentative sip. "Enough joking around. Are you really all right? You look pale... try to relax."

He took the glass back to the table and returned to his chair, watching her closely. "You’ve been so stressed lately. Maybe you’re pushing yourself too hard with all the multitasking," he continued. "You’ve got loads of work, tons of responsibilities, and—"

"If I stop, then what?" Raine interrupted, her voice low but heavy with meaning.

"Maybe your mind’s so full of chaos you imagined something," Zane suggested gently. "It was dark and eerie out there—anyone might’ve seen things."

"I am perfectly fine," Raine said, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She turned away, her breathing quickening as panic clawed at her chest. Pressing her fingertips to her temples, she let out a low groan of anguish.

"Raine, don’t worry," Zane said softly. "Everything’s going to be alright." He watched as her trembling fingers pressed harder against her skin. "Whatever you saw out there, it’s gone now. We’re inside, safe. Let’s not let our imaginations run wild—"

"I said I am perfectly fine!" Raine’s voice rose, sharp and furious. Her hands dropped, her eyes blazing. "I’m perfectly alright!"

Zane exhaled deeply and flicked on the lights, the room instantly brightening. "I see," he replied simply.

"Fine. If you want rationality, I’ll give you some," Raine said, drawing in a steadying breath, her effort to regain control evident. "We’re in a province where superstition runs rampant. A remote place, sparsely populated—a perfect spot for people to do whatever they like without being noticed. Brilliant, isn’t it?" Her voice carried a sharp edge.

Raine glanced over her shoulder, her gaze settling on the framed photograph pinned to the wall—a forty-by-fifty-five image of a man, a woman, and their son. They sat together on a living room sofa, Vincent positioned between them, all smiling for the camera.

"Look at them," she said, gesturing towards the picture. "They’re just one of the few families living here. A provincial man and a woman from the city. They moved here, thinking raising their child in a place like this would be ideal." Her tone carried a hint of irony, her eyes lingering on the family’s cheerful expressions.

"How can you be so sure?" Zane asked, his skepticism evident.

"That photograph looks recent," Raine replied. "The furnishings here are new, as is the house itself. They likely moved in just a few years ago—around the time Amara inherited the house where she died." She gestured toward the picture. "This family is a blend of backgrounds. The man, Mr. Aaron, grew up here, steeped in local superstitions. He probably met his wife while working in the city, where he’d gone seeking better pay. They fell in love, had their child, and eventually returned here. Maybe they wanted a quieter life, away from the city’s chaos, so they built this house."

"Uh-huh," Zane muttered, his expression a mix of doubt and reluctant admiration.

"Now, how would I know all that?" Raine began, her tone carrying a touch of amusement. "You know, Mr. Nuñez, it’s fascinating how much you can infer about a family just by observing them for a few hours." She leaned slightly forward. "Let me break it down for your simple mind."

Zane raised an eyebrow, his skepticism undiminished. "You’ve only just met them. What could you possibly know?"

"You can tell plenty," Raine replied with confidence. "From the way Mr. Aaron spoke about warnings and customs, it’s obvious they’re tied to his childhood here. He’s lived in this place for most of his life. But he’s left before—he had to have. When he mentioned the city, his voice tensed just slightly. That kind of hesitation speaks volumes. Likely, he left this town looking for better work, the way many do when times are tough. And that’s where he met his wife."

"And you figured all that out just by chatting with them?" Zane asked, incredulous.

"Not just chatting—listening and observing," Raine corrected him. "He mentioned how the city was 'exhausting.' You probably didn’t catch that since you were already in the room. He said it while watching the news earlier." She glanced at Zane, then back at the photo. "It’s not hard to deduce that they stayed there long enough to see its darker side. Crime, overcrowding, all the struggles. They had their child there, but they didn’t want to raise him in such a place."

"So they moved back here?" Zane asked, intrigued.

"Exactly," Raine replied. "They came back to where Mr. Aaron felt grounded, away from the chaos of the city. Building their own house wasn’t just about financial progress—it was their way of saying they wanted to settle down for good." She paused, her gaze sharp. "But I’m afraid their relationship might be in trouble. How can I tell? Just look at how they ignored each other at dinner a few hours ago. As a provincial boy yourself, you'll understand that communication around the dinner table is important. They’re clearly having a misunderstanding, and that’s why they stay quiet—not wanting their guests, or their son, to see them argue."

"Okay, you’re really perfectly fine then," Zane said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Raine didn’t flinch. "You’re from Region 5, right? The Bicol Region?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. "How did you end up here—attending university in Nueva Aurora?"

She continued, "Nueva Aurora’s not that far from Bicol, so you probably lived closer to the city. But there’s still a great distance between Nueva Aurora and your home. I’d wager that’s why you moved into the flat—to save money. It’s obvious to me that you left your province before your sister ever met the father of her child."

"Yes, that’s right," Zane said, his expression unchanged.

Raine nodded, her gaze steady. "You’re probably living somewhere near this barangay, surrounded by all these superstitious people," she remarked. Then, she shifted her voice, adopting a playful mimicry of Zane’s earlier tone. "'Now how about the thing you mentioned about Amara Turner’s house, Raine?'"

Zane muttered under his breath, "I don’t sound like that."

"Now, let’s head to the house I mentioned earlier," Raine said. "Ms. Turner’s house seemed old, but it was probably freshly painted when she moved in a few months ago. 'How can you say it was just an inherited property?' Well, it was likely her mother’s. I have a hunch her mother’s already dead, and her father probably only made her mother pregnant by accident. 'Are you sure about that, Raine?' Of course, I am. I’ve already proved it by reading the reports at the office." She glanced at Zane, her expression confident. "That must be why the people here seem to ignore her."

Raine took a deep breath, almost relieved but still filled with sarcasm. "Now, as you can see, my senses are just fine, Mr. Nuñez. I’m feeling unwound now, finally having the chance to enjoy a peaceful vacation in the province. So, for the sake of your own relaxation, can we just go to sleep?!"

She glared at Zane, who stared back at her in shock.

"Yeah," Zane replied, clearing his throat. "Alright, that's a… that's a nice idea."

Distressed by his colleague's mysterious attitude, he tried to settle back in his chair as Raine continued to stare at the wall, breathing heavily.

"And why would you listen to me? I’m just your friend, anyways?" he muttered, mostly to himself.

"A friend, huh?" Raine's voice was cold, almost distant.

Zane sighed, standing up and walking towards the bed on the other side of the room. "Alright, fine. Good night then. You know, you should probably get some sleep before midnight. The dark spirits are mostly active around that time. Oh, and definitely around three in the morning too. If I were you, I’d just go to sleep now."

Time seemed to stretch on, ticking away slowly, as Raine's tears welled up. Before she realized it, sleep claimed her, and she drifted into the world of dreams, the reality of the moment fading into the quiet of the night.

𓇢𓆸

"Raine, wake up," her mother’s gentle voice called, soft nudges pressing against her curled form, still wrapped in the warmth of her bed.

As young, teenage Raine’s eyes fluttered open, the pale moonlight streamed through the window, casting a soft, silvery glow across the room. The crimson curtains swayed gently in the breeze, the cool zephyr brushing against her skin, carrying with it the promise of a quiet, early morning.

Sitting beside her, her mother, Nadia, smiled, her expression warm and inviting. Raine noticed the unusual attire her mother wore—a stark contrast to her usual clothing. Her mother’s shoulder-length wavy hair was neatly tied back, and her lips were painted with a reddish hue, the familiar shade of her favourite lipstick.

“Happy birthday, Raine,” her mother greeted with warm russet brown eyes, her gaze fixed on her as Raine stretched her hands. “Come and eat your breakfast.”

Raine hopped off her bed, dashing towards the staircase and down into the kitchen, where her mother had already prepared a meal. A plate with a serving of rice and scrambled eggs awaited her. But as she sat down, an uneasy feeling began to settle within her—a subtle sense that something was out of place, as if the very air around her was trying to draw her attention.

Invisible signs of fear seemed to linger just beyond her awareness, stirring a vague unease in her mind. She noticed her father, William, moving up and down the stairs, his hands full of papers she couldn’t make out. Her mother, momentarily distracted, went to tend to something else in the kitchen. In the corner of the room, her older sister sat on the sofa, folding clothes with an air of quiet concentration, bags beside her, as though preparing for something unknown.

They all appeared calm, but a restless feeling gnawed at Raine’s mind, refusing to be silenced. “Mom, where are we going?” she asked, unable to shake the unease.

Her mother beamed, still absorbed in her tasks, though her voice held a trace of amusement. “Oh, right!” she replied, her attention divided between Raine and what she was doing.

Elizabeth, sitting in the living room and folding clothes, paused for a moment, looking up at their mother. “How did you even know?” she asked, her tone light but tinged with curiosity.

Since then, it wasn’t uncommon for Raine to ask questions—her parents were used to her inquisitive nature. But Elizabeth, in contrast, had always been more reserved. In her first year of college now, she had distanced herself from the carefree closeness they once shared. When Elizabeth became a high school student, her focus shifted entirely toward her studies, driven by a desire for perfection. The bond they once had seemed to fade as the pressures of her academic life grew.

“Based on the moon I saw through the window and the time on my room’s analog clock, it’s just one in the morning,” Raine replied, her voice calm but filled with curiosity. “Mom is dressed in clothes she only wears for special occasions, and Dad is wearing his favourite necktie. As for you, Elizabeth, you're folding clothes and packing them into a bag. My bag is beside you, so you must have packed mine first."

Elizabeth didn’t answer. She simply stood up from the sofa, pushing herself off with a quiet grace, and headed upstairs. Raine’s attention shifted as her father came down the stairs, his hands now occupied with even more papers than before.

"Is our destination important, then? Where are we going?" Raine asked again, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Of course, we need to dress nicely because it's your birthday today," her father replied, setting the papers down on the table in the living room. He walked over to her and wrapped her in a warm embrace.

“Happy birthday, sweetie,” he greeted, his voice warm and filled with affection. “What do you want as a gift?”

“Dad,” Raine asked, her voice soft and innocent like a young girl’s. “I know we're going somewhere. Where will it be?”

“You’re really a naughty one,” he teased with a chuckle. He knelt down in front of her, his sweet smile never fading, and gave her cheek a gentle pinch. “Alright, because no one can keep a secret from you,” he whispered playfully.

“We’re going to visit your aunt,” he added.

“In Ameri—” Raine beamed, but her words caught in her throat as an unexpected wave of emotion flooded her.

“So hurry up and get ready, because that’s where we’re going for your vacation. You’ve still got a few days before your classes start, so your Mum and I decided to give this as your birthday present,” he said with a grin.

“That’s why your grades should stay good until the next school year,” Nadia added with a playful tone.

William stood up and walked over to his wife, their hands meeting in a soft touch. Then, their lips met briefly, followed by a warm embrace, a shared moment of affection that made Raine smile.

“You, Missy, should also learn to speak English well, so you can communicate properly with my sibling,” William teased, his eyes twinkling.

“You’re the one who isn’t fluent in English,” Nadia shot back with a laugh.

“Your spouse used to be the one to receive Best in English back in my days,” William boasted with a proud smile.

“Alright, if that’s what you want,” Nadia replied, a hint of annoyance in her voice. “Where’s Liz going? Hasn’t she eaten yet?”

“I think she just went to get something from her room,” William answered, not noticing the shift in Nadia's expression.

It was that dream again. A memory that had haunted Raine for several years, slipping into her thoughts uninvited. Something was wrong, she could feel it, but she didn’t know how to place the unease. The familiar weight of it clung to her chest, gnawing at her.

As her parents continued their conversation, the room seemed to fade, and Raine was lost in the echo of her thoughts, her mind still lingering on that feeling of something being off. Something she couldn’t quite grasp.