IT WAS DARK in that forest. He didn't know how he got there. He just realized he was walking around that dark forest and he couldn't seem to find his way back.
Where the hell am I...?
He could hear the crackling of branches under his feet with his every step. It was cold and chilly, and his heart was starting to drum hard in his chest. The little light coming from the moon seeping through the thick leaves of the forest trees wasn't helping either.
Where is the way home? I need to get out of here soon.
How long had it been since he realized he was trapped in this darkness? Ah, it doesn't matter. He just needed to get out of here and everything will be fine--
He noticed something from behind him. He tried to see what it was but it was just too dark everywhere around him. But...he knew where was something lurking in that darkness. He just knew. And it was anything but good. Then he heard it again. His heart pounded against his chest.
The giggling of a little girl echoed through the dark forest.
And seemed to be coming for him.
He just ran out of there as fast as he could, blindly darting through the thick and seemingly endless dark forest.
Run...run...run...
Another giggling sound and it was nearer than the last time.
Run, run, run, run, run!
Branches and leaves slapped his face and cut through his cheeks. Something suddenly caught his arm. No! He pulled his arm free and continued to run the heck out of there, ignoring the warm liquid gushing from that painful slash in his arm.
Blood?
Wind pushed out from his lungs when his feet caught something and he stumbled on the ground. He felt searing pain from his leg.
Damn it! Not now!
He pushed himself to get up and continue running. But the pain was just too unbearable he groaned loudly with his every step.
Then there's the voice of the little girl again.
'...it's already too late...'
'...for you to try and run away...'
'...I can sense your horror...'
'...I'd like to see it closer...'
He tripped and fell on the ground once again. His head felt like it was going to explode when he saw two glowing red eyes coming from the darkest corner of the forest. And it was coming towards him.
It took all his strength and might to pushed himself to move and crawled away from the glowing eyes.
'...here I come to find you...'
'...hurry up and run...
'...let's play a little game and have some fun...'
He was finally able to get up and continued to run despite the growing pain on his already injured leg. He needs to run and hide. He needs to escape. He can't be caught. Not now. Not ever.
He looked back and he could see to what the pair of glowing blood-shot eyes attatched to. An old, dirty, rag doll. A sinister smile slowly showed.
'...I hear your footsteps...'
'...thumping loudly through the...ground...'
'...I can hear your sharp breaths...'
Run.
Run!
Run, run, run, run, run--
'...you're not very good at...'
Something grabbed his arm.
'...hiding,' voice whispered near his ear!
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MALAKAS NA NAPA-UNGOL si Carlo nang bumagsak siya sa kanyang kama. Mabuti na lang at naka-carpet ang sahig ng kuwarto niya at kung hindi, baka humalik na siya sa malamig na marmol.
"Carlo, hijo, what are you doing on the floor?" It was his mother.
"Nothing, Ma. I just had a bad dream." Pero hindi pa rin siya tumatayo. Nanatili lang siyang nakadapa sa sahig habang inaalo ang sarili at pilit na inaalis sa isip ang masamang panaginip.
"Kaya ka ba sumigaw? Hay naku, para ka namang bata."
"It was a very bad dream, Ma. Isang impaktang manika ang humahabol sa akin at gusto akong kainin nang buhay."
"Baka sign na iyan na kailangan mo nang mag-asawa."
Malakas siyang napabuntunghininga. "Ang aga nyo namang mang-asar, Ma. Hindi pa nga ako nahihimasmasan."
"Anong maaga? Mag-a-alas dose na ng tanghali. Kaya nga rin kita pinuntahan na rito para gisingin dahil mag-lunch na tayo. Also, may importante tayong pag-uusapan kaya tumayo ka na riyan at mag-ayos na. Magagalit na naman ang Papa mo kapag pinaghintay mo ang pagkain."
"I'm not hungry--aw!" Malakas na siyang pinalo ng Mama niya sa kanyang binti. "Ma--aaah!" He screamed as he saw his mother wearing a facial mask. "Ma!"
"What?"
"Akala ko nahabol na ako ng manikang iyon hanggang dito sa bahay..." Tinapik-tapik pa niya ang kumakabog na dibdib. "Parang aatakihin ako sa puso..."
"Oh, you're so dramatic."
"Kapag kayo hinabol din ni Kuningning sa panaginip, ewan ko na lang kung makapagtapal pa kayo nyang nasa mukha ninyo paggising nyo. 'Yun e kung makakagising pa kayo."
"Sinong Muningking? Babae mo na naman? Hay naku, my beloved unico hijo, tama talaga ang desisyon ng Papa mo para sa iyo."
"It's not Muningking. It's Kuningning...wait...was it Kumingming...? Kumingking...? Aringkingking...?" Whatever. Kailangan niyang makita uli ang batang iyon na nag-aalaga sa manikang iyon.
He had a feeling that it truly cursed him.
"Sumunod ka na lang sa amin sa dining area, Carlo. In less than five minutes. You know your father. Istrikto pagdating sa oras."
"Ano nga pala 'yung sinabi mo kanina na plano ni Papa, Ma?"
Nilingon siya ng ina at ngumiti. "He was arranging your marriage to Destiny Elinor San Cristobal."
BINABASA MO ANG
UNTITLED
Roman d'amourBea loves to cosplay. But one day, she decided to cosplay as her favorite support doll on a Halloween costume event where she accidentally met Carlo, who thought her doll had cursed him when he touched the said doll the first time they met where she...
