Decay In Her Bones

CHAPTER 12

"Kuya, is college really hard?" Albert asked. Bobby was taken off-guard because the question came all of a sudden.

Albert, Bobby's 13-year-old brother, had been quietly sitting on a tumba-tumba, watching a primetime television show. Bobby, on the other hand, sat on their sofa with crossed legs. Although he could only hear the show as a vivid buzzing in his ears, his attention was not fully on the program, which was a cheap drama soap.

Their parents were out attending their friend's wedding anniversary celebration in Pacita.

Bobby withdrew his attention from nothingness and chose his answer carefully. "Uhmm... Kind of."

Albert was a quiet dude, but when he asked questions, it meant curiosity at its finest. "Sometimes you go home early. Sometimes very late. Sometimes I see you busy, but most of the times, not."

"Well," Bobby slowly composed his response, "you see, college is very different from High School. Everything is being given to you, but us, we're all on ourselves. When a professor gives us tasks to do, it's up to us how we'll do it. And I think that's why it's hard."

Albert did not answer, but since his eyes were staring blankly towards the television, Bobby knew he was thinking; processing his answers.

So, he added something to encourage his little brother. "Don't worry, Albie, College is hard, but then you'll be older. You can do it. Besides, we'll be here to help you out... Mom and Dad."

He was 13 already, Bobby thought, but he regarded him as someone who was still fragile, especially when it comes to emotional stability. He had been with him enough to believe that the kid had potential, so he tried his best to motivate him in any way possible.

Without saying anything, Albert stood up and went to the sink. His figure vanished after he walked past the kitchen, but the sound that he made told Bobby that his brother was already brushing his teeth. After that, he went upstairs.

Bobby was left alone.

Albert seldom stayed outside of his room. During weekends, he stayed there for almost the entire day. When their parents told them that they were going out that night, Albert staying with Bobby downstairs was already something miraculous.

Bobby lingered for a little while when his eyes came upon an object that hanged motionless right above his head. It was the mirror where he first saw Bloody Mary... where he saw a ghost for the first time in his life. From his point of view, he couldn't see the glass, only a thin silver line that reflected the light of the living room. Still, a sharp pang of fear suddenly gripped him. A lot had happened already that he began to forget where it had first started.

He approached the TV and switched a button that turned it off. He made for the stairs, almost jogging, until he reached the top step. He planned to wait for their parents to arrive but after what he remembered downstairs, he decided to do the waiting in his room.

As he was passing through his bedroom's door, a queer noise reached his eardrums from somewhere to his left. It sounded like galvanized iron sheets being crumpled. Bobby turned his head sideward and realized that it came from somewhere far (for the screeching noise was a little faint) but directly passed through his window. Without turning his light on, he pulled the curtains to provide a small opening and peered through his glass window.

What he saw stopped him.

Three lots away from theirs was the house of the Comia family. There lived three people: Kuya Ariel, his wife, Ate Becky, and his old mother, Mrs. Avila.