The Party

Prologue

Prologue

Pinapawisan na si John West. He can't move freely. Nakakulong siya. The air was stale. Mahapdi na ang sugat sa kanyang ulo. Pinalo kasi. Pinalo ng malakas. He could smell the metallic scent of blood.

Sobrang init sa loob. Kanina pa nangangalay ang kanyang mga binti. He wanted to scream but his throat was dry as sand. Fear crept throughout his body.

Ganito pala ang nararamdaman ng mga taong kinidnap. Nasa loob si John ng trunk ng kanyang sasakyan. Held as hostage. Held against his will.

Every bump na madaanan ng sasakyan, nauuntog ang kanyang ulo at natatamaan siya ng mga gamit sa loob ng trunk. He winced every time objects hit his head. Inside the trunk was dark. Walang makikita.

Hindi sana ito mangyayari kung hindi sana niya pinasakay yung hitchhiker. Kagagaling pa niya sa school. Nagabihan siya. And when he saw a man at the side of the road, asking for a ride. Pinasakay niya. Hindi siya na-threaten sa suot nitong itim na jacket and cap. He wanted to be kind after what he did. At yung good deed na kanyang ginawa ay humantong sa ganitong pangyayari. Nung inihinto niya ang sasakyan at binuksan ang car door, hinila siya palabas. Hindi nakita ni John ang dala nitong shovel. Hindi siya naka-iwas sa strong blow nito. Nawalan siya ng malay at tinapon sa likod ng kanyang trunk.

Saan ba patungo ang sasakyan? Saan ba niya dadalhin si John?

Baka dadalhin niya ako sa isang lugar. Kukunin ang aking mga lamang loob at ibenta? John thought. Gusto ba niya nga pera? Ang sasakyan, baka yun ang gusto niya. Bakit pa niya ako dinala? Bakit hindi na lang niya ako tinapon sa daan.

Then dirt road na ang dinaanan ng car. He could hear the crunching sounds of rocks and sand. The car stopped.

Bumaba ang lalaki. His heart throbbed with fear. Sa trunk siya pupunta. Kay John. He would now kill John and maybe bury him. Yung walang makakakita sa kanya until he'd turn to dust.

The trunk clicked open. John screamed when the hitchiker grabbed him and hurled him to the ground. Hawak-hawak ng hitchiker ang shovel. The shovel used to hit John and now he was gonna use it again.

Pinalo nito si John sa ulo.

Clank! Clank!

After that hinila nito si John. Sharp rocks scraped his back.

The moon was glaring at him. Kind of happy. Maybe he deserved that.

The air was cold. John could make out the fog that was slowly coming to him.

Asan siya? Asan? Then he saw the sign: WOODSMORE MEMORIAL CEMETERY.