Jail of Freedom

Living in a Graveyard

The rain stopped pouring right after the mist cleared up. The trees that used to surround us were all replaced by a plain land with different sizes of tombstones protruding on each direction. Tall porch lamps with weak lights served as a guide to our path. It was a cemetery!!!

Dongwan descended from Amihan's back which gave me a sign that we are already on the location he mentioned. I checked my palm and now, there are just 4 more dots remaining. I didn't even feel a pinch of pain when it disappeared. The cure is amazing.

As I was admiring the antidote, a cold dusty hand grabbed my left ankle. I screamed in surprise to what happened and saw a face emerging from the ground that I am standing on. OH MY – this is a zombie zone. My chaperon immediately threw a flower to the zombie who's gripping me and as soon as it landed on it – it planted itself back to the ground. So that is why he brought flowers.

Just like the vines, I assume the zombies are all just after me. I thank Dongwan for being by my side at this moment. I can't handle surprise attacks. I am scared and I am glad that I am allowed to feel that in this place. It took me by surprise when a zombie appeared behind Amihan – it grabbed backpack instantly while the philanthropist is already occupied guarding me from a different direction.

"NOOOO!" I screamed as I almost fell halfway from the elk's back when I felt that the pulling stopped and pushed me back to my appropriate position. I looked at the zombie right away and I was startled to see the creature abandoning me in an instant. The zombies which are all on their way towards us stopped the pursuit and turned around spontaneously. It was odd. I went off Amihan since they are all retreating.

It was then when I saw a figure of a man wearing a white suit appeared behind the crowd of the undead. The young IT Company CEO emerged from the ground clean and slick. He let out a careless yawn and waved at Dongwan like an excited kid. He walked across the graveyard with a full speed and by analysing his stance; he already became aware of me. Andy began to walk a bit slower and gradually became self-conscious. I saw him fixing his bow tie and feeling his under-shaved skin on the sides of his head, making sure his hair was perfectly pulled up together on a uniform direction.

"Why is she –" before Andy can even finish his question Dongwan interrupted him in the middle of his sentence to answer it.

"It was all an accident. We need to help her get out before it's too late. I'll go to Eric's castle now to advise him about her presence here. Take care of her okay?" It was short and precise. It was notable how Andy responded to him with concerned eyes when his older brother intrusted my safety to him.

"I'll see you soon Chelsea." He gave me a gentle pat on my head and beamed at me as he went to his next destination. Dongwan climbed back to Amihan's back after I went off.

I removed the hoodie of my raincoat and unbuttoned it as well. Andy looked at me with a pleasant smile as he mused on what to say to me. I can see his excited eyes rearranging his thoughts over and over again before he can even pronounce a word.

"Judging from the way you look, Dongwan Hyung already gave you the antidote right?" He shyly started. He doesn't sound like the two who I met earlier. Both of them can causally start a conversation without the feeling of reshuffling their feelings before they speak but him, he composes his sentence carefully. The man behind the advancement of our technology, the one whom I always see behind the monitors is this graveyard's master?

Dongwan and Andy are the least people that I thought to be involved in this case but now that I am seeing them again here one by one, they appeared to be fonder of each other than what I expected.

"Uhm, yes." I answered awkwardly. I don't know what to say.

"I'll make sure to entertain you. Can I see your palm again?" By this, he made it clear that he is also aware of the consequence that I need to face upon entering their place. I stretched out my hand towards him. He held my hand with both of his as he examined it properly. His light grey eyes focused intently on remaining dots on my palm.

"Great! You arrived here faster than expected. Now we still have more time to be together!" He exclaimed. Andy looked the most welcoming of all. He was so happy that he can't even hide it. I am starting to wonder why when he started to tear up.

"Sorry for being too overwhelmed you were the first living person who has been here for a very long time. I guess today is my lucky day since every time the plates move my place is always getting relocated near the exit and by the time that strangers gets here – they always ran for their lives. I always wake up alone and puzzled." Andy enlightened me about his situation. I never thought their kind get to feel emotions too.

"When was the last time that someone actually got lost here?" I queried out of curiosity.

"I can barely remember when to be very honest. We all got busy going back and forth the outside world building our reputations and since it was rather a short time, the memory of it didn't last in my mind." He squinted his eyes as he tried to remember but like what he said, it is not that significant to him. It might be those times when he said that he's on a nap.

"What happens when the human gets out of this place? Is there a chance to return?" I want to know what I should expect from getting out of this place and – yes I feel so greedy that I am even interested to comeback and explore some more.

"Base from the last accounts, it seems that they forget about this place. We never see them again even in the outside world. We'd like to know too but to no avail, we are not able to encounter again anyone who's able to go out. Maybe it's also a curse to us, for letting them go out safely." Andy directed his view on the ground below his feet he looks sadder than sad.

"It's strange how you say that saving someone's life can also bring you torment." I blurted out all of a sudden after remembering what they've been doing to the orphans.

"What are you talking about?! Life is the best gift that you have Chelsea. You must feel thankful every day you wake up alive and breathing. Spending my time here in the grave yard made me realize how far these zombies would sacrifice just to spend another moment of their lives with their loved ones." He was trembling with sentiments overflowing from him.

"It wasn't anyone's fault when a stranger gets lost in here. That's the Vayanhan seeking for someone to complete it one day I guess. We will all know when it will stop but we are clueless when it will happen. We know what this place is after and an innocent stranger should get back unharmed." He calmed down all together when he declared their main intention.

"Andy – she already heard too much. Go get her a pillow. She will be sleeping at my castle." A cold acquainted voice stole my attention from him.