Trickster of the Butterfly

Special Chapter 5- Praereptor

March 19, 2015, 8:16pm

In the cool, rainy night, the three Randelo brothers were having sinigang around the dining table. Nobody spoke a word.
Their parents were out on a date and left the house all to the boys. Cafe Adriatico was the best place for their parents to lay off some steam, espeicailly since nobody's found a trace of Michael for two months now. His disappearance took a toll on the whole family.

*"Even when the night changes..."*

Shane put down his spoon and fork and picked up his phone.

"Hello?"

"Shane, si kuya Norman mo 'to."

"Ah, hello po kuya. Bakit po?"

"Gusto ko lang kayo i-check. Nandyan ba yung mga magulang mo?"

"Ah wala po. Nagdate po sila."

"Kayong apat-- ay tatlo lang nandyan?"

"Opo..."

"Oh sige sige... Basta bro, alalahanin mo lang na hindi kami pipigil na hanapin siya. Kung may kailangan kayo, sabihn niyo lang sakin ha."

"Thank you po."

"Pasabi na lang kanila Ezekiel at Dane na hello ha. Mag-ingat kayo. Ba-bye."

Norman ended the call and Shane put down his phone.

"Sino yun?" Ezekiel asked.

"Si kuya Norman. Nangangamusta lang." Shane replied.

Norman's been looking out for the Randelos ever since the Complex incident. The school authorities put him in charge because he was part of the student council and he was also one of the last people to talk to Michael before he left. His position made him responsible and concerned with the whole operation, even making sure the siblings were safe.

Dane put his spoon down angrily. "Ano ba talaga pinaplano Michael? Hindi ba niya alam kung papano niya pinapaiyak sila mama sa pag-aalala sa kanya gabi-gabi?! Yung batang yun... kung pwede lang masapak ko siya ngayon!"

Shane just kept his head down and continued eating.

"Pagpray na lang natin sila mama, kuya... pati rin si kuya Michael, malay mo wala siyang tinitirhan ngayon. Baka wala rin siyang kinakain. Baka rin pata- hindi, hindi. Pagpray na lang natin..." Ezekiel said depressingly then popped a spoonful of kangkong and okra in his mouth.

Dane grit his teeth, but it's not like he could argue with that logic either, so he just went back to eating too.

"Naawa lang ako kay ate Alora. Buti na lang stable na raw yung condition niya." Shane said. "Pero may isang bagay lang talaga akong di matanggal sa isip."

"Ano yun?" Dane said with a mouthful of pork and rice.

"Si kuya Michael, may gusto ba talaga siya kay ate A-"

Loud thunder boomed along with the lights going out.

"Brown out!" Ezekiel exclaimed.

"You don't say." Dane teased. "Labas niyo phone niyo, gamitin niyo yung flashlight app. Yung mga kandila nasa sala."

They turned on their phones' flashlight and the three of them proceeded to the living room. The job only needed one of them to do it but they easily get spooked in the dark.

"Ito na yung kandila." Shane picked a pack of candles from behind the TV rack. "Yung mga posporo..."

"Teka, meron siguro sa kuwarto ni Michael. Akyat lang ako." Dane said. "Uh, samahan mo ko Ezekiel."

Ezekiel rolled his eyes. "Sige na nga."

Up in the second floor, Ezekiel stood at the doorway with his flashlight on as Dane scoured Michael's room with his own flahslight.

"Agh. Saan ba niya nilalagay yung mga yun?" Dane was getting frustrated.

"Ay diba may "emergency survival bag " siyang iniiwan sa ilalim ng kama niya? Tingnan mo dun." Ezekiel suggested.

Dane ducked to look underneath the bed. As he flashed his phone's light, he didn't find any backpack but instead,

"What's this?" something sparkling caught his attention. He reached out for it and got up.

"Woah, ano yan?" Ezekiel was amazed at the crystalline sphere in Dane's hand. It was the size of a tennis ball and shined as it reflected the light from Dane's phone.

"Fortune teller pala si Michael eh. Hahahaha!" Dane kidded.

The sphere suddenly shone bright with silver, blue, white,  and yellow colors all shifting across its surface and illuminating the entire room.

"Yieee! Ano 'to?!" Dane tried to drop the sphere but it seemed like it was glued to his hand. "Ano to?!" he tried to shake it off but to no avail.

"Freaky! Stuck siya?" Ezekiel couldn't stop laughing.

Dane stopped his commotion when the two of them heard what sounded like a loud thud and plates and glasses shattering from downstairs.

"Kuya Shane!" Ezekiel shouted. "Wag ka matakot, walang multo dito! Hahaha!"

"Uy baka ano na nayari dun, baba muna tayo. Ito na lang muna kandila natin." he pointed to the sphere.

"Haha-" Ezekiel's mouth was suddenly covered by a hand. A tall, buff man in a black shirt and jeans emerged from the doorway, restraining the struggling boy's movements and keeping him from screaming. The sphere gave Dane enough light to notice the man was atleast 24+ years old.

"Ezekiel!" Dane was startled at the sight of another man emerge from the doorway, wearing a black jacket and ash gray jeans. What was more startling was the black, round, featureless mask covering his face.

"Good evening, Randelo." said Janus.