The Collection

       I almost caught him, yes and she and they. They kept on running and some flies. Then it reached me again but I'm tired and exhausted. I grabbed them all, put them all in my hands. I have this vulture that feeds on flesh, also i have collected parasites that feed on the dead. Worms and flies I have collected them. I gave them home specially made for them. I have been alone with them though I have my friend with me, who betrayed me but things were already fixed between us. Like for that instance I could easily forgive him.
Weeks ago I went to their house to visit him, just visit him. The day was fine and my shadow lurking under the broad of the sun. I knocked at their door once he opened I immediately as if he is waiting for me. We spent the whole afternoon together, we ate lunch and we drunk coffee as we looked how the sky met the ocean. In a while, a woman came and I know her for sure. I know her very well. It was my girlfriend visiting me? Then yes, visiting him. I haven't say a word but just walked away.
He explained to me why these things are happening. It was me who push her away and I admit it's all my fault.
One day he went to me asking if he could stay in my house for awhile, I let him come in with all hospitable. 
I even offered him foods and clothes. And yes, I am alone in the sense that he never went off his bed and never went out of the room. One night I heard him crying, shouting but I didn't bother to interrupt his moment. Suddenly he stop, I looked at him but he's already asleep. He already close his mouth and peace at last. The other morning my collection grow bigger and bigger. A countless worms and flies. This vulture of mine would fly every night and by the morning it would go back to its cage by itself. One good thing about my friend he doesn't care about my collections that my neighbors would think that I do witchcraft.

Days had passed he's been very silent. He will just stared at me when I sent him food and cloth. But evey night I would hear him crying. I can see the vulture attacking my friend I would throw a knife so it will fly away and it will always escape. The vulture left some scratches to my friend's shoulders. I gave him first aid and it was silent again. He never groaned, he never shouted. The morning came, I saw my hands were full of blood on my left hand was the knife and I remembered what had happened last night.

One morning me and my friend watched my collections. I would count them if I want to but he would watched them carefully. Then night came again. Exactly the same time every night. I would sneak into his room and waited for the vulture to come in. I almost feel asleep when i heard my friend cried. I brought a saw so I would cut its wings. I hurriedly ran into him and caught the bird and cut off its wings. Then I saw my reflection but I haven't remembered that I put a mirror into his room. But my reflection would smile at me like he has his own mind. The same thing to what I did to my friend, aided him and guarded him from the vulture.

Another morning i can see that my collection keeps on multiplying. No need to tend them anymore cause the will come by their own. My friend would still looked at them carefully. The sound downstairs annoyed me. It was the vulture, still complete though I cut its wings off last night. Interesting it's on his cage looking at me I know for sure that it would attack my friend again tonight. I can't touch it while it is on its cage. I always waited for the time that it would fly to my friend's room so I would touch it and kill it.

I put a chair by the door and waited there patiently. This time I brought a sharp dagger and I could stabbed its eyes and see the room no more. Every time that I almost asleep  like it is waiting for me to sleep. Then my friend cried again and I caught the bird; and repeatedly stabbed its eyes until it was blinded. Then it flew away. My hands were stained by its blood again. I looked a the mirror again, same thing; as it always smiles at me.

The morning came again. I found myself stained with blood again and a dagger on my left hand. I could still hear the vulture downstairs. Still have its two eyeballs. What should I do to kill this bird? It keeps on coming though how many times I killed it. maybe it is already known to me, a very friend of mine but its actions hurt others so I must stop it. I found my friend upstairs still asleep. His eyes were close at peace. I  managed my self to watch my collection, me Alone. In a little while they all gone away and disappeared. Where might they be? I found nothing even a single one. The room was clear again. I saw the vulture come walking inside the room. Then it looked at me. My friend awaken when it fly and landed to him. I found myself holding a butcher's knife. I caught the bird and cut off its feet. I know it will only come during night but it is still early in the morning. Then it flew as I cut it off. My hands were filled with bloods again. I saw my reflection from the mirror I got stunned looking at it. Suddenly the vulture downstairs cried. I didn't came out of its cage. Is that another bird?

Looking at the blood, on my own reflection ; looking at the butcher's knife. I kept on looking at them trying to recognize what was happening. Slowly my collection came back. The flies were flying inside the room. The worms were crawling into my friend's body.

It was not the bird that I tried to kill. Now I know it was all my deed. The bird never came out of its cage the reason why it never died after cutting its feet, its wings, stabbed its eyes and unfeathered it. Indeed it was not the bird i did try to kill.

I caught him and stabbed his heart, now I remember, the flies, the worms were none of my collection. I killed my friend. For hiding such grudge . It was not the bird's wings that i cut off but his arms; not the birds feet but his; not the bird's eyes but his, the reason why he is still asleep; not the bird's feathers but I peeled off his skin. The scratches were not the bird's deed but was the knife that i am holding.

It was me after all. I didn't feel any fear or guilt but why is it? know my deeds are wrong an merciless. The vulture was only me attacking my friend. So what a vulture will do is to left nothing so no other vulture will feed on the flesh. The vulture that feed on the flesh is inside me slowly eating me until it went into my brain.

I have fulfilled my desire but something is still lacking. I can't still be happy like it's haunting me. I will not wait that my deeds would flow with the air.

The vulture came again. I found myself holding a kerosene gas, poured it all over the place. On my right hand was a matchbox and lighted it up til then it created a bigger fire. The fire slowly ate every wood of my house. I was there looking at my collection but the flies escaped and they turned away. To hide my deeds is to leave no evidence not even I. I just watched everything burned down until all I see is darkness.

The End