The Night Watch: Return Of The Burnt God Book 1

Mysterious Woman

Midnight passed by quietly, and I am hoping thatit stayed like this until dawn. Even the night wind disappeared with thebuzzing of the cicadas. Grandfather is sleeping soundly. I can hear a slight wheezingfrom his nostrils. And then the wind came, a slight breeze. It all came withthe rustling of the leaves. And then it's gone, but in the middle of thatsilence, a humming sound followed. Someone is singing.

The Third Watch

Smoke? Fire? Wait . . . kerosene. No, wax. I came to my senses with the suffocating smell of something that's burning. Darkness welcomed me as looked at the room about. But there was a faint illumination coming from a curtain which was slid to one side. There seem to be people murmuring at the sala. The fresh air with the strong smell of the burning wick came into my senses as I made my way out of the room. And there are people inside the house indeed. It seems almost all the locals are here. Some are standing at corners, while others gathered over a table where people are sitting over cards. What are they doing? The tables are everywhere, to my surprise, there are even more people by the sala. My heart pounded so hard the moment I saw the candles in a brass stand. They were placed by the corner near the windows and amidst those stands is a white coffin. Wait . . . who is this?

I went near into the coffin, brushing my way from the crowd. I was a few paces from it when a knock fell, and it was coming from the door at the dining hall. Ugh! Grandfather . . . The people seemed to stop and looked at the door, but they are not moving.

"Make way!" I hop and turn to one side, slipping at the crowd which seemed to not mind what is happening. I was not that far from the sala when the windows burst open and from it are hundreds of hands all trying to grasp anything at the coffin. And then the crowd laughed to my horror.

"Daft old man."

"Serves him right."

"That's for the almost knowing people."

No . . . what are they saying. They seemed to be entertained at what is happening. And their eyes are all madly looking at the coffin. Is that grandfather?

"Elesee-o-ooo . . . Elesee-o-ooo . . . Elesee-o-ooo . . ." voices reverberate around chanting grandfathers' name.

"Grandfather!" I pushed the crowd with all might, trying to get near at the coffin before they do. The knock was still there, the arms are in rage, the chant growing louder with the laugh of the crowd. Wait . . . the sword. I need to get my hands at the sword.

"Demi!" came the call amidst the noises. I tried to free myself from the arms imprisoning me. I did not even count how many faces I had fisted.

"Grandpa?"

"Demi stop . . ."

"Demi! Wake up!" my body seemed to fall from thin air, and I fell to the bed. My foot slapped as I gasped for air. Grandmother's face was there waiting in surprise.

"It's noon, and your phone has been ringing for quite some time."

Grandmother seemed not bothered by what happened the other night. They did not tell her from what I can see. The happenings got me thinking. There were nights that it was so quiet. It was as if they too are resting. If I am about to count the span from their last attack, there are two nights per attack. And the worst that had happened so far was that night of Wednesday, when Angelina told grandmother about the silly charade. Today is Friday, and it has been two nights since the incident at the window. If my calculations are right, something will also happen tonight. Was I expecting? Will that monster come down of that tree?