SEVEN: Cursed Souls

CHAPTER 42: FURY OF A BROKEN HEART (WRATH)

"This is the first time that this had happened, the Sinner is concealed but the place to where it will happen is certain. You might even know the place well, Ryder," Anonymous said while giving the envelope to Ryder.

The charred surface of the envelope only has the "Sin of Wrath" written in its back.

Anonymous is also confused but he does not know of the story of the sinner.

"This is the address of the sinner," told Anonymous, handling over a piece of paper.

As soon as Anonymous left the room, Ryder's mind was nailed onto who would his next mission be. But his heart only grew angry after he looked into the piece of paper, written there is their home address: 35 Carmine Street, Bahaghari, Bukangliwayway, Corazon.

"They don't know?" he punched the table, "First, it's my friends! Now, there are only two people who live in there, my Mom and Dad, it is obviously one of them!"

SIN OF WRATH

Many years ago, Victoria was once a teacher at a kindergarten at Sinagtala, Corazon. Being one ride away from them, it is convenient that she landed a job at the central city of their Province. She worked hard and attended to each of her students.

Her teenage dream might have been to become a pediatrician, she is still living her dream when she started teaching these children. Her own child, Ryder, even met his good friend at that school. Victoria was very fond of Lazaro, in fact, she teaches them both when he plays with Ryder at her office.

But Victoria never knew that her dream with meet its end too early. One of her students died during her class. She only left to defecate but in that few minutes that she was away, two students chased another. The child was found at the base of the staircase, broken bones and barely breathing.

It was the start of the collapse of her once beautiful world. Although Victoria was having diarrhea that day, she was still blamed for the death of the child. Parents questions why she did not take a leave or why she did not inform the teacher at the room beside her when she left. Truth be told, she did inform the principal of her sickness that day--which she only felt while at school. She also told the her co-teacher to monitor her students when she can no longer contain herself from pooping. Both the Principal and the co-teacher denied her statements, protecting themselves from the repercussions of the incident.

It was one unfortunate day that ended both a life and a career. The family of the child is not to be reckon with, many would say that Victoria is still lucky that her and her family are still alive. Victoria questions what was left to live for when the colleagues that she trusted betrayed her. She questions what could a low life like her do to defend herself. Cases here go for ages but Victoria's went swift as a breeze, the board suspended her license too teach and the court found her guilty for negligence.

That is when her and her family's world crumbled.

It was not only Victoria who they condemned that time because Rycardo was also gravely affected by his wife's case. Before that time, Rycardo would only have alcohol during celebrations, but he started to drink daily after Victoria's injustice. He did not know how he could help his wife who's been crying for days, and his two young boys who were clueless to what was happening to them.

Both Victoria and Rycardo despise the people around them. In fact, if not for their children then Victoria would have already ended her own life. Maybe she did, but it wasn't a physical ending because she is no longer the once kind and lovely Victoria. She gets angry too easily and hates to hear her children running around the house. They would be scolded and locked up in their rooms if she hears them do so. 

A few years passed and even though Rycardo slowly became a drunkard, he knew not to have alcohol when he is off to work. Another distasteful day came to pass when Rycardo was gifted a tumbler by his colleagues. Clueless that it contained alcohol, he carelessly placed it beside him and went off to drive the jeepney. Coincidentally, he ran into a checkpoint and the tumbler was found.

What confused Rycardo was that he was ticketed for drunk driving even though he was sobber. He was removed from his work and would later piece together the facts that the family of Victoria's deceased student might have conspired to have him removed from work. His colleague confessed that the tumbler was just passed to him, and was paid to give it to Rycardo, but he did not know that it contained alcohol. 

Rycardo no longer wants to have Victoria carry the burden of him also getting removed from work. He told him he was removed when he was caught drunk driving and did not explain himself. It was hard for him to land a stable job after that and their family only suffered more when their breadwinner also loss their source of income.

After this, Rycardo only succumbed to alcoholism and Victoria only grew more enrage to the world they live in.

SIN OF WRATH

At the Reaper's lair.

"James, how can all of you not know of the person's info?" Ryder asked.

"You may have already figured that out since your mission with Techno, Ryder. It is you who wrote their fate, and it is not us who chose those letters that Anonymous gives you but one thing is certain, the two people who was first chosen as sacrifices for Wrath and Pride changed. Their pictures turned to none and both their info are now unbeknownst to us."

"Then it is decided. James, you have to get me out of here. This time you have to get me out for good. If their sacrifices are based from my journal, we have to get the original version of it."

"You still don't get it, do you?! They have your original journal, Ryder!"

"YES! But no. There are two versions of it, the journal they possess has no names in it but there is another."

James never thought that there are still good cards up of Ryder's sleaves. He agreed to get him out that night, both of them aware that there is no longer turning back.

***

A few months ago...

Victoria heard heavy knockings on their front door early in the morning so she rushed enraged to open the door.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!" she yelled.

"HUH!" a lady replied, lifting one of her brows. "Maid, would you get me to Ryder?" she asked.

Victoria laughed at the lady's inquiry. "Does this house look like its owners could afford a maid?"

"Sorry?!" the lady answered with a distasteful look, "Who are you then?"

"I BIRTHED THAT BOY THAT YOU ASKED ME TO GET YOU TO!" Victoria yelled.

"Aunt Victoria," her face and demeanor changed, "I'm sorry! Why would you wear such clothes anyway? I am the love of that boy you birthed, Aunty... perhaps, Mom?"

Victoria laughed. Funny little lady she thought. "He never told me he have someone so dearly, please get inside. I'll get that boy to you instead, you may not want to see him in clothes like mine! Would you like to drink something? Could only offer you coffee or water though."

"No, thank you!" the lady smiled.

"Then coffee it is," Victoria said.