A Glance At Your Abyss

Chapter 2

He was staring at the ceiling, not thinking about anything at all. Nope. No. That was a lie. He kept thinking about that woman he encountered in the alley that night.

'Ella. Ella. Ella.' His mind full of her name, he didn't even noticed he reached home already or how he did it. Her face, her actions, her captivating eyes. He wanted to free her of her struggles, her troubles, and anything that might stain her or make her cry. She looked so heartbreaking that he can't stand it. It was bizarre. It was merely a fleeting moment when he touched her yet it brought sparks within him, traveling from his hands throughout his body, settling near his heart.

'I wanna see her again, would I meet her again?' with that thought floating in his mind, he fell asleep.

The next day, with anticipation clear in his eyes, he went back to where he found her. He even made an excuse to Lola Ali that he's just gonna retrieve something he lost in the night market. When he arrived, he was disappointed as he couldn't find her. He searched every nook and cranny of the night market and even went to places near it, yet not a single hair of her was found. As he was starting to give up, he heard a voice behind him.

"Hey, isn't it quite unfair? I don't even know your name." As he listened, his heart skipped a beat. He turned and was awestruck at how radiant she looked. Truly stunning, her face hidden in the dimness of the night cannot even compare to this spectacle. All her features exposed and heightened by the sunlight.

"What?" She pat out, looking aggravated .

"Even her annoyed face looks cute" he mumbled just enough so she wouldn't hear.

"Sorry, I was in a hurry last night. My name is Anastacio but you can call me Cleo." He introduced himself formally, like one would during an interview. To that, Ella held back her laughter, faking her nonchalance.

"Hmmp. I was not even that curious. Anyway, thanks for the candies." She pretended.

'Cute. All her actions are just so adorable, makes me wanna shower her with affection.' He suddenly wondered why she cried last night. However, knowing it's not a good conversation starter, he kept it to the back of his mind and responded with a lame "Oh, Your welcome."

The atmosphere instantly became awkward. To break it, he tried a second time.

"So, uhh, how are you feeling? Did you arrive home safe?"

"Yes." She hesitated before continuing. " About last night, I'm sorry for my actions. I was not in my right state of mind that time."

" No worries. It's fine. I just hope your okay now." He said, worry and concern evident in his eyes.

"Hmm." She replied.

He just became aware that they were still standing and offered for her to sit on the bench nearby. They sat side by side and just seized the freshness of the wind. The peace enveloped their bodies.

As time passed, Cleo judged that he had to go back. He asked for her number but she refused, saying she doesn't have one. Albeit confused how she lived without a number, he yeilded and instead opted out for an appointment with her the next day, with the location same as today.

Cleo walked back home with a bright smile tugging at his lips. He looked like a boy who owned the world, with how childishly he acted.

"Apo, did you find what you were looking for? It took quite a long time for you to arrive back home."

"Yes, I di-" He cheerfully said but stopped as he noticed that Lola Ali seemed very pale.

All of a sudden, Lola Ali coughed blood. He panicked, not knowing what to do.

Fortunately, he went back to his senses and called 911 before the coughing worsen and Lola lost consciousness. He also contacted his cousin Lucian, filling him in the sudden situation. It was not until 10:00 that night that the doctor announced the patient safe and stable.

The next day, they met each other and simply talked about the casual stuff. It might not be that serious , but the tension was clearly seen in the air. They met again a few times after that and slowly got closer together. There was something about Mikaella (her full name which he found out by mistake when she slipped up.) that just makes you uneasy. Her face certainly shows that she enjoyed their meetings, yet her eyes got duller and duller each day. They can only spend the mornings of the day together since Cleo needed to be by his Lola's side in the afternoon.

As Cleo bought her candies, the durian and Malagos chocolate which she became fond of in the last few days, he finally gathered his courage and asked her the reason she cried that night.

"Ella, you remember the night we first met? It has been bothering me for a long time but may I know the reason why you cried that night?" He slowly brought out the topic, nervously scanning her reaction.

True to his expectations, she suddenly went cold and stormed off, not even uttering a single word. Dismayed, he pledged to get to the bottom of this. He had already observed her deteriorating health and it pains him every time to see her force a smile on her face.

The next day, instead of going back home after their meeting, he silently followed her. He asked his cousin to reciprocate tending to Lola Ali. At first, there was no suspicious activities found. She merely went back to what looked like an apartment and didn't leave her house unless to buy groceries. The only thing suspicious about that is the jacket she wears whenever she goes out.

This continued for exactly 4 days. Whenever they meet, she acts like nothing happened and smiles as they talked about the mundane things.

But then, on the 5th day, she suddenly distanced herself. When she saw him approach her, she walked past, acting as if he didn't exist. He was heartbroken, confused so he followed her the whole day, determined to uncover the reason for her actions.

That afternoon,while leaving the market after buying her groceries, the wind blew the hood of her jacket, revealing something horrible and nauseating.