Schnider
Nakatayo ako sa gilid ng hardin, ang lamig ng lupa ay dumidikit sa talampakan ko habang tahimik kong binubunot ang mga damong ligaw sa paligid ng mga bulaklak. These flowers were surprisingly well-maintained-roses, tulips, and even rare orchids-but something about them felt misplaced. The vibrant colors looked strange against the mansion's dark and eerie aura.
I crouched down and traced the edge of a red petal, noticing how soft it felt against my fingertips. "You're too beautiful for this place," I muttered under my breath, as if speaking to the flowers would somehow make the cold loneliness inside me disappear.
Para akong bata na walang malay, abala sa simpleng gawain. Numb. Lost. The world around me continued to move, but I was stuck in a haze of detachment, not quite here but not gone either.
"Careful with that one," a deep voice said, breaking the stillness behind me.
Napalingon ako agad, ang kamay ko'y saglit na napahinto sa hawak kong bulaklak. A tall figure loomed in the shadows of the garden, his silhouette outlined by the pale moonlight. The voice was familiar but not as chilling as the one I remembered from before. This one carried an air of casual authority, laced with an undertone of charm.
"Who are you?" tanong ko, ang boses ko ay halos hindi gumagalaw mula sa monotony. There was no urgency in my tone-just a flat curiosity, a disinterest even.
The man stepped closer, the moonlight now revealing his features. He looked to be in his late twenties, sharp in a tailored suit that seemed almost out of place in the wild, untamed garden. His electric blue eyes, trying to haunt me, failingly. His hair was neatly combed back, and a faint smirk played on his lips as he watched me.
"I'm Schnider," he said simply, crossing his arms over his chest. "A friend of your host, so to speak. Though I suppose we're more... business partners than friends."
Hindi ko alam kung anong pakialam ko sa relasyon nila. His words didn't faze me, nor did his presence. I simply blinked at him, waiting for him to say something that mattered.
"And you are?" he asked, his tone polite yet probing.
"Lilac," sagot ko nang walang emosyon, bumalik ang tingin ko sa bulaklak na hawak ko. I was more interested in the flowers than in him. At least the flowers made sense.
He crouched down beside me, his tailored pants brushing against the damp grass, and looked at the same flower I was touching. "Did you know that red roses symbolize love and passion?" he asked, his voice light but deliberate.
"Does it matter?" tanong ko pabalik, still not looking at him.
He chuckled softly, the sound low and smooth. "Not to you, apparently."
Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa kanya, iniisip kung ano ang gusto niyang makamit sa paglapit sa akin. His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw something flicker there-curiosity, perhaps, or pity? It was hard to tell.
"You're not scared of me," he observed, tilting his head slightly.
"Should I be?" sagot ko, diretso ang tingin sa kanya.
That seemed to amuse him even more. "Not really. But most people in your position would be. This mansion has a reputation, you know. It tends to... unsettle people."
"I don't care about the mansion," I replied, my voice steady but empty. "It's just a house."
His smirk widened, but there was something behind it-something calculated. "You're an interesting one, Lilac. Most people who come here are trembling by now."
I didn't respond. What was the point? His words were just noise, like everything else around me.
Schnider stood up and brushed the grass off his pants. "Well, I'll leave you to your flowers, then," he said, his tone almost mocking. "Enjoy your... solitude."
Tahimik akong nanatili sa pwesto ko, pinanood siya habang naglalakad pabalik sa mansion. His polished shoes barely made a sound on the stone path.
But before he disappeared completely, he stopped and turned back, his eyes catching mine once more.
"You might want to be careful out here, Lilac," he said, his voice dropping an octave. "The night isn't always kind to those who wander too far."
Hindi ako sumagot. I just stared at him until he finally left, his figure swallowed by the mansion's looming shadow.
Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa mga bulaklak. They were still there, untouched by his words, unaffected by his presence. Just like me.
But for the first time in a long while, I felt something. A shiver.
YOU ARE READING
Lethal Lilac
Roman d'amourLilac Sy Armenton suffered at a young age due to some past memories resulting to her numbness and leaving her orphaned at just six years old. At seventeen, she was adopted by an enigmatic man who claimed to be her husband. Confused and trapped, Lila...
