- Hidden from the sun.

bata.

Amira's pov

May sinabi sakin si Jay kahapon bago ako matulog. Sabi nya, parang may nagpaparamdam sa mag-pinsan. Nung sinabi nya yon, naniwala ako agad. Madami na din kasi akong experience sa mga multo. Either nagpapakita sila, o nararamdaman ko lang presensya nila malapit sakin.

5pm na today.

Nag-online ako kanina kasi naglaro muna kaming Simp Hub bago magkanya-kanya muna ngayong araw. Pansin ko din na hindi padin nag-oonline si Loui tapos ngayon hindi rin nag-online si Yuna.

Chinat ko naman silang dalawa and got a reply. But something seems off about them. The way they replied, the way they tried to avoid a specific question, everything seems so confusing kanina nung kausap ko sila.

Sabi din ni Jay may nararamdaman na din daw syang kakaiba sa server namin. Haunted na daw ata ever since nung naglaro kami ng prohibited game na nakita ni Llen sa deep web.

Since all of us participated, I'm pretty sure kung totoo man na may nagpaparamdam samin isa-isa, yun ang dahilan. But I kept my mouth shut. Some of them doesn't even believe that ghosts exist.

Oo, hindi nila sasabihin sakin na hindi sila naniniwala after ko magkwento but I'm sure na kahit ano pang gawin ko, hindi ko mapapaniwala mga yon.

Nag-open ako ng discord sa pc and joined one of our voice channel afk/music listening only channel. Wala din kasi ako sa mood makipag-usap since inaalala ko sina Loui and Yuna.
Sabi ni Jay, nagaalala din daw sya, although ayaw nyang ipahalata, he believes in both stories.

I selected my personal playlist and just chilling while I scroll down my Ipad. Nandito na nga pala pamangkin ko so I'm guessing later uutusan na nila ako para bantayan yon.

And here I thought nothing extraordinary will happen today.

After my favourite song, an unfamiliar song played. I'm sure na wala sya sa playlist ko. I don't even know the title kaya agad kong inayos ang pagkakaupo ko at tinignan ang playlist channel namin.

I checked my playlist over and over again, at wala ako nakitang kantang ganon.

"So ako naman ngayon?" I muttered as I try to calm myself down. I'm still refusing to believe what had happened after naming laruin yung laro.

No, I'm sure na kasama lang yon sa laro although it looks to real and graphic..

I tried skipping the song 'Daisy bell' pero ayaw ma-skip. Nasa loop lang din sya so hindi na nag-pplay ang iba kong kanta.

I decided na mag-leave nalang sa channel and continue ko nalang mamaya ulit. Narinig ko na din kasi tawag ng family ko and yung utos nila na bantayan ko muna pamangkin ko for awhile.

Pumunta nako sa living room namin and I gladly greeted my nephew. Around 6 years old sya so sobrang kulit, but I can manage naman. Kahit na first time ko mag-baby sit, I know naman na safe sya sakin.

Nagpaalam na muna sila tita and the rest of the fam na aalis for awhile at may bibilin. I assured them that my nephew is safe with me and then they left us both in the house.

"Ano want mo gawin?" I asked while watching him play with his toy car.
"Tita, I want to play hide and seek!" mukang excited sya and desidido maglaro kaya I agreed nalang kahit wala ako sa mood mag-ikot ikot sa bahay.

"Gusto mo bang ikaw muna maghanap? or you want to hide first?" he cutely tilted his head and nagisip for awhile.
"I want to hide first!" we both chuckled and I agreed kaya pumunta ako sa nearest wall and stared at it habang naghahanap na sya ng hiding spot nya.

"I'll count for 1 minute ha?"
"Okay!"

While waiting for him to hide, parang nag-iba atmosphere sa palagid ng bahay. It feels suffocating all of a sudden.

I brushed it off, maybe sa AC lang may problema. So after counting, I finally started looking for my pamangkin.

I searched the whole house pati sa mga spot na sya lang ang pwedeng magkasya. Kahit sa baba ng bed wala rin sya.
I was about to give up when I remembered na hindi ko pa pala naccheck ang basement.

Basement..

As far as I know, 3 beses palang ako nakakapunta sa basement. It makes me uneasy to think na baka nga don nagtago ang pamangkin ko.

Pero surely, hindi susuko yun sa pagtatago hanggat hindi ko sya nahahanap.

So I made my way towards the basement. Malaki basement namin sa bahay so I'm sure na mahihirapan padin ako maghanap.
I'm at the door and slowly opened it.

The creaking sound made it more creepier.

"BOO!" I almost screamed.

I have my eyes closed while hearing a child's laugh. Nung narealize ko na it was just my pamangkin, I slowly looked at him and saw him laughing at me.

"I got bored while waiting for you to find me tita e, so I waited for you to just open the basement door kasi sabi nya you hate going down the basement and baka hindi mo daw ako mahanap." Nya? sinong nya?

I bent down and held his shoulder.
"Nya? what do you mean? tayo lang dalaw—"

I shuddered when I saw something sa paripheral view ko. Behind my nephew is someone staring at us from the darkness.
A shadow with the most terrfying grin staring right at us.

"A friend I met down the basement while I'm hiding! sabi nya, tita is really pretty daw and also very caring. Sabi nya din na I should not make you worry kaya sabi nya I should wait here para when you open the door, you'll see me agad."

Hindi ko na nagawang pakinggan mga sinasabi ng pamangkin ko. I feel so cold while still looking at the shadow smiling at us.
After what felt like forever, I regained my courage and pulled my nephew out of the basement.

"See you again."

A voice whispered, which made me shivered.

And as I close the door, the shadow continued to smile as it waves its hand on us.