Silver Tongue

Chapter 1

April 29, 2012.

That was the date that changed started. The date when all of the things I believed has been washed out and terror began to conquer my whole sanity. It was the date when the book I've been reading became reality and started to hunt every people in our land, and I was never excluded.

People cried due to fear they are facing and pain inflicted by them. People mourned for the deaths of their beloved. But little did the people know, I was the cause of it and it was I who led them to their horrible deaths.

It was six years ago when all of this unexplainable things occurred. The memories of the past years are still fresh to me. And now, they are back, they brought fear to the people once again and there is nothing that I can do but to outrun them.

I am standing in front of our house, watching every inch of it to be devoured by the dancing flames of hell. Naririnig ko ang bawat tunog ng bawat kahoy na natutupok ng apoy. Ang mga haligi ng aming bahay ay unti-unti ng narurupok dahil sa init ng apoy na pumapatay sa pagiging matayog nito at unti-unting natutumba.

"Criselda," Rinig kong tawag ni Mama sa akin kaya pansamantala kong pinutol ang tingin ko sa nasusunog namin na bahay at tiningnan si Mama. Her dress was half-burned. Dark coals occurred in my Mother's face and that's because of me. "We're going to live at your Grandma's for a while, okay?"

"Okay." I said and stared at our burning house again. I just heaved a sigh, trying to get rid of this eerie feeling but I failed.

I am afraid. Not because of them but because of what lies ahead of us. Even if I can outrun them and even if I hide in the deepest and farthest place on the planet, they will eventually find me. But what makes me afraid more? It's about the fact of leading my Grandma and the people in the place where we are moving into their graves.

I want to protest about my Mother's decisions but I don't have any courage to tell her what is happening. She doesn't know about it. And I don't want her to know either, dahil kapag nalaman niya, mamamatay si Mama. Lahat ng namatay at nagdurusa ngayon ng labis-labis ay dahil iyon sa nalaman nila tungkol sa kanila. People want to know everything, at sa kagustuhan nila na malaman ang nangyayari at mabigyan ng solusyon ang lahat ay pinatay sila.

"Can't you see? Biktima ang anak ko rito, Inspector. Ilang ulit ko na ba na sasabihin sa inyo na walang kinalaman ang anak ko sa mga nangyayaring gulo rito sa atin!" Rinig kong sigaw ni Mama kaya agad akong napatingin sa direksyon niya. And there, I saw Inspector Evans.

"Mama,"

"Since andito ka lang naman, can I ask some questions, Miss Gaudencia?" Tanong ni Inspector Evans. "Where were you when the fire started?"

"Hindi niyo ba nakikita, Inspector? My daughter's still in shocked and you dare to ask her that kind of question? Are you really trying to help us to know the perpetrator? Dahil hindi iyan ang nakikita ko, Inspector Evans!" Galit na sigaw ni Mama. I saw Inspector Evans raised his hands in mid-air, indicating that he'll stop and he did. He turned around but he paused for a while and looked me at the eyes.

'I'll be watching you, Gaudencia.' He mouthed and went his way.

"Are you okay, Sweetie?"

"Opo." I answered and smiled to convince my Mother that I really am.

"Ugh! Ano ba ang pumasok sa isipan ng pulis na iyon? Kung maka-tanong parang sinasabi niyang may kinalaman ka sa sunog!" Galit na sabi Mama, hindi ako sumagot at tiningnan lamang si Inspector Evans sa ginagawa niya.

For the second time, I let out a big sigh. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko ilalayo ang mga tao sa gulong ginawa ko noon. At ngayon na nandito na sila ay hindi ko alam kung ano na ang gagawin ko.

I admit I am the cause why our house burned. It was because of me and him. I don't know why but he and his troops are after me. Marami na ang namatay dahil sa akin. Dahil sa pagliligtas ng ilan sa akin and I can't afford to lose someone again. I can't afford someone who is ready to risk its life for me.

Ayoko ko na! I am too tired to run and too tired to hide from them. Dahil kahit na anong gawin ko na pagtakbo ay nahahanap at nahahanap pa rin nila ako.

Just like what happened earlier.

I was cooking for our dinner when I heard a loud howl. I thought it was just a wolf since our house is near by the forest at dahil full moon ngayon ay hindi na ako nagtaka pa. Wolves are roaming freely at the forest of Samreid. But when the howl became louder and louder and louder my heart pound triples as the normal beat.

Akala ko hindi na nila ako mahahanap, pero nagkamali ako. Dahil kanina lang, habang nasa kusina ako, isang nilalang ang biglang sumulpot sa harapan ko at nag-anyong tao.

"Found you, my Queen!" That was he said to me. He tried to drag me out of the kitchen but I manage to pick the knife on my right and stabbed him at the back. I saw him flinch in pain at tinulak niya ako ng pagkalakas na siyang dahilan para mabunggo ang likod ko sa stove. He walked directly at me and transformed into his true form.

He got pointed ears, a body with lots of fur and sharp teeth. He's standing on his four damned paws! His eyes were fierce. He is growling with anger and his jaw shivered whenever he growl. What he said next made me weaken my knees.

"You can never escape from me; you will die in my claws just like I did to the others. Do not call anyone because no one's going to help you. Help yourself, Criselda. You brought us in your world where we all going to die. But we will never let you live. You will suffer and die with us!"