His Silent Obsession

PART 1-PROLOGUE

Ever since I was a child, I've known that something was different about me-that I wasn't like the other kids.

According to the story my adoptive parents told me, my biological mother abandoned me at an orphanage because she was too young and unready for the burden of raising a child. My biological father? He never even acknowledged my existence.

When I was adopted by the Santos family, they gave me a new name, a fresh identity-like I was born again. Lemuel Angelo Santos-that's what they called me because, according to them, I looked like an angel, a blessing from above.

But as I grew older, I couldn't understand why they always seemed to scold me over the smallest things. Was it because I wasn't their real child? Or were they just scared of the toys I kept bringing home? I had no clue.

Did they hate seeing me happy? I wondered if they simply wanted to join in my games, so I invited Mama and Papa to play with me one afternoon. I handed them knives I'd taken from the kitchen and proudly showed them the neighbor's cat I had caught and slit its throat.

I thought they would be delighted-but they weren't. Instead, they seemed more terrified of me than ever. They refused to play, so I shrugged and continued by myself. One by one, I pulled out the cat's organs, squeezing them in my hands like I was playing with slime. They had no idea how satisfying it felt-the warmth of blood coating your fingers, the soft squish as you press down. Besides, I did them a favor. That cat always stole food from our kitchen, anyway.

"Lemuel!" I was jolted out of my thoughts by the soft voice of Aiahn calling my name.

I turned to him with a frown, noticing how he subtly gestured with his lips toward the direction of Sir Cris, who now stood in front of the class with his hands on his hips.

"Nasan ba ang isip mo Mr. Santos?!" Sir Cris's voice rang with irritation, his stern eyes boring into me.

I didn't bother responding immediately, simply staring blankly at him, silently watching the way his lips opened and closed as he continued his lecture, clearly unaware of how much I wasn't paying attention.

But what really caught my interest was his neck-the subtle pulse of his jugular vein as he spoke.

I couldn't help but swallow at the thought. What would be the best tool to slice that vein? A cutter? Scissors? A knife? Or maybe a chainsaw like the ones I saw on TV?

A smirk tugged at the corners of my lips as I entertained the idea. What if Sir Cris became my first human toy? His nagging voice was starting to get on my nerves-it would be so satisfying to shut him up.

"Naiintindihan mo ba Mr. Santos?" he demanded, eyes wide as he waited for my response.

He probably thought I was absorbing every word he was saying earlier, blissfully unaware that I was busy planning which tool would best sever his throat and imagining how it would feel to see his life drain away.

"Yes, sir," I answered cooldly.

He fanned his face with a hand, clearly stressed out by the pressure of teaching us various psycho-therapy techniques.

"Tandaan niyo na huwebes na ngayon, sa sabado pupunta na kayo sa Manila para sa affiliation niyo," he reminded us, his tone sharp. "Kung ipapahiya niyo lang ang Marcelo H. Del Pilar Memorial Academy, 'wag na kayo tumuloy."

Some of my classmates nodded, guilt etched on their faces. They were probably still struggling to memorize the therapeutic communication techniques we'd need for psycho-therapy.

Ako naman, hmm, I'm not guilty. Sa palagay ko, alam ko naman kung paano makisalamuha sa kanila. Knowing whatever is on their mind- it's easy.

After our session ended, Sir Cris dismissed us, giving us time to prepare our things. We would be in Manila for three weeks, so we had to pack accordingly.

As I walked through a narrow alleyway on my way home, I encountered Kap's dog. The poor creature must have escaped its leash because it was barking wildly at anyone who passed by.

Tinitigan ko ang aso sa mata, hinahamon ito na kagatin ako. Tumingin-tingin ako sa paligid, inoobserbahan kung may tao o wala. Nang makumperma kong walang tao ay kumuha ako ng isang malaking bato sa 'di kalayuan.

A smile spread across my lips as I slowly approached the dog. Its owner should've tied it up more securely. What if it bit someone? What if it bit me?

I chuckled softly at the thought. How could it bite if it's already dead?

In one swift motion, I swung the rock down with all my strength onto the dog's head. Blood splattered across my face and onto my white uniform. The weak whimper that escaped the dog's lips echoed around me-a melody to my ears. It staggered, trying to crawl away, desperate to survive, but I don't leave things unfinished.

With another blow, the dog slumped lifelessly onto the pavement, its breaths shallow, waiting for death to claim it.

I smiled, satisfied. I nudged the dog's body with my foot, making sure it was truly dead. Once I was certain, I felt a rush of exhilaration. The feeling never changed-it was still overwhelming, intoxicating.

I took off my uniform, wiped the blood from my face, and stuffed it into my bag. Then I looked down at the dog's corpse. Should I carry it, or just drag it?

Whistling softly, I began singing my favorite nursery rhyme, "Jack and Jill," while I dragged the dead dog toward the empty lot where I disposed of all my toys.

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Author's Note:

Hey, everyone!🫶

So, how was the prologue? I'm really curious to hear what you think about it! Did it give you the chills, or maybe leave you with questions? Your feedback means a lot to me, and I'd love to know your thoughts-what you liked, what you found interesting, or even if you have theories about where the story is headed.

If you enjoyed it, don't forget to vote and leave a comment! Your support really helps motivate me to keep writing and sharing this story with all of you.

Make sure to stay tuned because things are just getting started! Thanks for reading, and see you in the next chapter! 🖤