SEVEN: Cursed Souls

CHAPTER 4: ANONYMOUS

Next days were the worst days of my life. I was deafened by the silence in our house-- no fights, no screams, just silence. Some would cry but silence still follow.

Someone who shouts all day cries in sorrow; someone who drinks all night reflects with his failure; and someone who never cared mourns in regret.

Silence was broken when my mother overheard our neighbors.

"He was a drug addict, good for him!"

"Their family are bunch of addicts and maniacs."

"Curse you! Gossips! You do not know what happened!" Mother roared. They then went away but mocks her through the way they look. I hugged her to calm her down and it's the first time in a long while that I was able to hug her. She hugged me back which led tears to cascade from my cheeks.

I know how hard this is for her more than it is for me to cope with. Our world literally crumbled into pieces and these people just makes fun of it. It's easy for them to judge but it seems hard for them to truly sympathize.

I went back inside and met my brother's friends who was visiting him. One of them took me back outside.

"When we were looking for your brother, I found this on the way," he handed me an envelope covered in blood with my brother's name on it, "this may be connected to his death and one time he got so drunk that he kept telling us that he is being controlled, no offense but we just thought that he was pertaining to your mother, I think it is more than that," my brother's friend whispered.

"Do you think that my brother is in a gang or a fraternity? Could he have known something that is why he was silenced?" I asked him.

"We are not certain of that. And because we are not certain, let's keep this between us. From now on, trust no one. I am not asking you to trust me but believe in what I am saying. We must figure out who did this to your brother. I don't trust my friends so if you need help, contact me through this," he gave me a piece of paper with his number written on it.

"You are Darwin, right? My brother's best friend? You are sketchy but I'll have my ways to avenge my brother. Anyway, thank you!"

He smiled at me then went inside.

***

April 13, 2018.

During my brother's burial, I saw the group of people dressed in brown robes lurking at a distance. They looked just like those that I've seen in Sitio Takipsilim. I tried glance at their faces but couldn't.

"Uncle, do you see those people at the distance?" I used my mouth to point where they are.

"There's no one out there!"

"There are, Uncle," I insisted.

"Stop imagining things, Ryder! I know that this is hard for you, but you have to be strong for your parents, you are all they have now."

Those words snapped me into the reality that I am in now, and I maybe am just hallucinating again due to the stress I am under. Even after asking others if they could also see those people, no one could see except me. Even Logan and Lazy don't seem to see them.

I stayed an hour after my brother is buried. Lazy went home with his family and Logan stayed with me then we parted on our way home.

Unfortunately, I crossed ways with Logan's bullies just a few blocks away from the cemetery.

"Oh Fatty, Mr. Fatty! Where is he? You're his friend, aren't you?" the leader smiled while cracking his fingers.

"What do you want?" I asked as I slowly stepped away from them.