Decay In Her Bones

CHAPTER 22

Bobby felt an avalanche of panic crushing down on him when he found it impossible to wake up. He was aware of his own consciousness, but opening his eyes did not help him escape the shadows blocking his sight. He tried to call for his other senses, but nobody responded. The only thing he knew was that he still had the ability to think. Out of nowhere, nonetheless, a solid object materialized under his right hand. It transported itself in front of his face, followed by a yellow glow showing him a digital screen, which was actually his watch. The answer hit him: he could not see because the room was very dark as if it was just moments ago when he had slept, but the time said that it was early dawn already, and the coldness that had numbed his involuntary muscles removed his sense of touch and control. Finally acquiring his senses back, he shifted to the right and saw the inanimate forms of Daniel and Randell, Randell letting out a vivid rhythm of snores. Maneuvering inside the blanket to a more comfortable position, he dozed off to try and get back to sleep, only to find out that it was a mission impossible. He set himself free from the blanket and saw that his eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and the pale blue moonlight that echoed across the room had immobilized his sense of sight.

Seeing the corners of the cottage, the memory of his previous night back in his room when he had seen the Bloody Mary again crouched lowly in one corner came flooding back, but he abruptly erased it from his mind. No, he thought, he wouldn't see her here ― it was a holy place, after all. To keep himself from these frightening thoughts, he shifted to another memory. Bobby wasn't sure how the thought came to him, it just did, but he thought about what Mylene had said when they were at the Transfiguration Chapel the previous afternoon.

What a perfect place to get married.

Perhaps, it is normal for people t have peculiar thoughts in the morning; they just wouldn't stop butting in from random directions. With no alternative idea to think about, he did not reject it and focused on what she had said instead. Okay, so Mylene wanted to get married there. Was it plausible? Manageable? Feasible? Bobby thought so, but he also knew it would cause a lot of fortune, considering the place's elegance. Enough of this silly idea...

He shifted to a sitting position before eventually hugging his knees with his hands wrapped around them tightly. The coldness was almost skin piercing and he imagined mist coming out of his mouth as he breathed. A checkered pattern of light was reflected on his face and on the floor next to his bed, which was coming from the window beside him.

He checked the time again.

4:33 AM.

He recalled their Day 2 schedule and realized that their call time that morning won't come for at least two hours, but going back to sleep seemed like not an option either. So, he decided to start the day and take a bath.

He walked as quietly as possible, like a thief in a stranger's house. He slowly made his way towards the closet to retrieve his towel and a fresh set of clothes. He thought he wanted to do it ahead of them, because he wouldn't want to rush while others wait or wouldn't want to be the one waiting and be late for their morning sessions.

He entered the bathroom and groped blindly for the switch. When he located it, the light bulb came to life without a sound, revealing a bathroom which looked more elegant than his bedroom back home. Its walls were covered with tiles the color of a dark tint of red, adding up to its grandeur that could pass the standards of a five-star hotel. A two-foot tall divider separated the toilet area from the shower area, veiled with a translucent curtain. He undressed and shivered as the chilly air hugged his bare skin. He abruptly stepped inside the veil and felt the water from the pail before throwing it over his body: it was ice cold. Luckily, the bathroom was equipped with a heater, which you would seldom find in Filipino homes considering that it is a tropical country. It would be his first time to use it, but thankfully, there was a manual posted on the wall indicating the steps on how to use it.