08:10 A.M.
Sunflower Villa's Basketball Court and Playground.
June 6th, the year 2018. Wednesday.
Matthew furrowed his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes. He cannot recognize the face of the person standing outside of the basketball court. The hood of his jacket had covered his identity. 'There is no one around here, only the two of us. I am sure that for a very long time, he has been observing us.' Matthew said in his thoughts, determined.
Matthew rubbed his eyes for a second. He squinted his eyes towards the person standing outside.
"Bro, hey, what are you observing there?" Marcus asked. Matthew glimpsed at him for a second, then shifted his eyes again. When he looked back, the person standing outside of the court vanished.
Matthew looked everywhere. At the entrance door, on the different sides of the court, while standing up from his seat hurriedly.
He walked towards the shooting ring with a pace, observing every corner of the place. He was searching for the person who was wearing a black hoodie.
"Hey, bro. What are you searching for? You even ran over there," Marcus called out while looking at him. His eyes were eager to know.
Matthew looked at him as Marcus called out. He dazed back to reality and glanced at his feet. He realized he ran over here without noticing himself.
"Bro, what is happening to you?" Marcus asked. Matthew gripped Marcus's arm and led him towards the bench before saying anything.
"B-bro, t-t-there is-is...," Matthew stuttered, scared of what he saw.
"What is it?" Marcus asked, worried. Matthew swallowed first, huffed some air, before saying anything again.
"Tell me what you saw," Marcus pondered, and looked at Matthew intensely.
"There is a person wearing a black hoodie observing us outside of the court. He is over there," Matthew revealed as he pointed to the place where the person wearing the black hoodie had been. Marcus's shocked for a moment. Curiosity painted his face, and not a single trace of fear crossed it. Marcus stood upright from his seat, glaring, and knuckled his fists.
"Marcus, calm down. For sure, it's nothing," Matthew was looking up at Marcus. He shifted his eyes towards Matthew and sat down angrily. He was still looking at the place where the person had been.
"Matthew, promise me that what I will have to say to you will be between us, just between us." Marcus locked his eyes on Matthew.
"Don't say it to anyone, even our friends, especially Zoey. I don't want her to be frightened about this," Marcus explained.
"What is it?"
Marcus sighed first, then said, "When we were at the Kingston Restaurant, I used the comfort room, right? When I was washing my hands, I saw a person wearing a black hoodie. The hood of his jacket is covering his entire identity."
Matthew's astonished by that. "What?!" Matthew burst out.
"I don't want to pay attention to the man I saw, but when I left the comfort room, I'm startled by what he said." He continued, while Matthew listened carefully. He felt the surge of panic and fear rising in his veins.
"He called my name, Matthew. I felt scared, and I asked who was brave. He answered me back with, 'Soon'," Marcus said, worried. Matthew saw for the first time Marcus' frightened face.
"What is with that?" Matthew fretted. Marcus swallowed first.
"He said, 'Soon, your friends will die,'" Marcus said, shaking with fear. Matthew froze in his seat. He felt his body shaking. He shifted his eyes and looked everywhere, as if he couldn't believe what Marcus had said.
'Who the hell would threaten us?' Matthew trembled. They scared him that they would die one by one.
'Katrina...,' Matthew suddenly thought of the love of his life.
"Matthew, please keep this between us. I will catch him. I will do my best as a lieutenant."
Matthew looked at him and nodded slowly.
"Yeah. I promise. But, Marcus, aren't you scared? Our friends should know about this. We're threatened," Matthew explained.
"Bro, I have emotions. I am not a stone. I felt scared, for myself, for our friends," Marcus said with a flushed face.
"Why didn't you say to us yesterday?"
"I don't want everybody to worry, to be frightened."
"Bro, they will all scare their wits out in no time. What if someone's killed in our group because we are not aware?! And you want to keep it from us?!" Matthew yelled. Marcus swallowed and sighed. He held his forehead with his right hand and exhaled. Marcus thought for a minute while looking down and holding both sides of his head. Matthew shook his head from the other direction and felt the tears brimming in his eyes.
"I will investigate it myself," Marcus whispered. Matthew glared at him.
"You need our help. Why don't we tell them?" Matthew mused, while fighting the tears.
"Please, Matthew. I am begging you. Don't say it to them," Marcus pleaded, locking his eyes to Matthew.
Matthew sighed, then affirmed, "I will not say it to them, but let me help you, if you want it."
Marcus nodded and agreed to Matthew's condition. The silence succumbed to their surroundings for a second.
Marcus's cell phone vibrated. Matthew thought it would be Zoey texting him, but his cell phone also vibrated.
Matthew reached for his cellphone in the pocket of his bag and unlocked it. It startled him to see the scandal of Katrina and Carmela in the Kingston Restaurant. Matthew got infuriated by who posted it on social media.
He placed back his cellphone hastily on his bag again. Marcus also did the same thing.
"Katrina's issue is all over the internet," Marcus stated the obvious.
"What can we do with that?"
"We can do nothing, Matthew. She's the one who started it," Marcus concluded, and looked up at the sky. Matthew sighed his exasperation and observed the trees.
'I can do nothing about your issue, Katrina. But one thing is for sure, I will protect you at all costs with the one who wants us dead. That's how I love you, Kat.' Matthew said in his thought as his jaw clenched with anger.