Yokai Slayer

Yokai 1: The Target

3/17/2016 (posted)

***YOKAI SLAYER***

CHAPTER 1: THE TARGET

Heron went out of the store, carrying a small bag full of foodstuff. He looked up the sky and gazed at it for a minute. It was getting dark. The sky was at its beautiful orange hue. He formed a little smile and started to stride through the road. He crossed at the lane and his eyes were caught up by the time he saw a lot of people coming.

There was a commotion and a big crowd gathered, circling in a half part of the street. Maraming nagbubulungan at nahihilakbot sa nakikita. And all of the sudden, the siren of the police car go off as it was getting near at the scene. The car stopped at the corner and the two police hurriedly went out of the door to inspect the incident.

"Mayday. We have a situation here," agad na sambit ng isang pulis gamit ang kanyang radyo. Pagkatapos ay mabilis siyang pumunta sa crime scene at naglagay ng caution police tape.

Napatigil din si Heron sa nakita kaya naisip niyang lumapit din sa mga tao at alamin kung anu ang meron. Nakipagsiksikan siya sa mga nagkukumpulang tao hanggang napunta siya sa unahan. He was scared-stiff once he saw a dead woman laying on the cemented surface. The corpse was like a figurine, obviously her gesture was saying that she was frightened of something.

Napasapo na lang si Heron sa kanyang bibig at ilong dahil na rin sa masamang amoy nitong nagsisimulang kumalat sa paligid. Dinadapuan na din ng mga langaw ang patay na katawan at tila tumanda ang itsura at balat nito. It was also like dehydrated, its bones were almost visible inside its thin skin.

"Ano ang nangyayari dito?" He thought to himself. Nagpagala-gala ang mga mata niya sa ginagawa ng pulis.

Nagsidatingan din ang iba pang pulis at tumulong sa iba. Nagsuot ang mga ito ng surgical gloves at mask, hinay-hinay na pumunta sa bangkay para imbestigahan.

"Tabi ho kayo. Kailangan lang namin 'to makita." Rinig ni Heron galing doon sa isang pulis na papasok sa kulay dilaw na tape at sinisinyahsan ang ibang taong nakikinuod. Nagpatuloy siya sa panunuod din nang may marinig siyang nag-uusap.

"Sino kaya ang may kagagawan nito ha nuh?"

"Aba hindi ba napapadalas na din 'yong ganito?"

"Talaga? Ganito rin ba?"

"Oo. No'ng nakaraang linggo nakapanuod ako sa balita na may ganito ring nakita. Katulad na katulad sa itsura nito. Parang kulubot at naubusan ng tubig."

"Nakakatakot naman pala. Parang sa halimaw lang ang ganito. Naku!"

His eyes widen upon hearing those conversation. He knew about the news but he never believed about it and he never expected to see something's similar to it. He closed his eyes, shook his head to throw off those words and when he opened it again, his heart started to pound heavy.

"'A-Andito din siya?" Heron asked himself the minute he saw the young woman about his age on the other side of crowd. The girl was Heron's longtime crush and he hadn't got a chance to talk to her since he was kind of timid whenever he's trying to.

The young woman was a quiet type in their class but it never been the case or made Heron to stopped him from his infatuation towards her. He even find it charming. Ilang beses na din niya itong sinubukan na kausapin dati pero pumapalpak siya gayunpaman hindi pa rin siya tumitigil. Pero nagtataka lang siya kung bakit wala itong masyadong kinakausap o kahit kasama man lang. Alam niyang meron ding humahanga sa babae pero hindi naman ito pinapansin. He must be an exemption, he thought and giggled.

All his thoughts were wiped out once they locked an eye to eye contact. Nanginig siya at tila pinagpapawisan ang mga kamay niya. What was this feeling? He gulped several times and didn't know what to do. Titig na titig pa rin sa kanya ang babae at tila hindi ito kumukurap.