01

s t a b b e d

THE cold wind of December seeped through Astrid's heavily layered outfit sought to combat the cold of air of Christmas but even her double breasted velvet coat cannot protect her from the cruel chilling breath of nature. This is the sole reason why she hates December aside from she is wasting an hour or two on planning her next layered-cold proof outfit she's also having a hard time waking up in the morning it's like she is under a cryogenic treatment.

"I hate December." Astrid whispered under her breath while her free hand continuously rubs the sleeves of her clothes.

Inayos niya ang strap ng bag ng kaniyang laptop na nakasabit sa kaniyang balikat at nag simula na siyang maglakad palayo sa library.

Currently she's making her way outside Pontus University. She looked at her wrist watch to check the time. T'was 10 in the evening, regrets rushed through her body she should've changed the schedule of her seminar but she doesn't have a choice but to choose the latter schedule.

Nagkaroon siya ng seminar tungkol sa Symbolism and History of Cults, it is a specialized seminar spearheaded by the Anthropology Department and apparently she was chosen to represent the said department and talk in front of history geeks.

She really enjoyed giving that talk dahil halos lahat ng um-attend ng conference ay nag participate at nagpakita ng interest sa topikong kaniyang tinalakay.

Kasalukuyang nasa huling taon na siya sa kursong Anthropology. Studying the past and how the changing tides of time affect the social construction are the reason why she chose anthropology and besides her late grandmother is also an anthropologist naging miyembro din ito ng isang ad hoc team na nakabase sa America upang pag aralan ang kasaysayan ng Salem Witch Trial.

Habang binabaybay niya ang daan palabas napansin niyang parang nag iiba ang unibersidad sa tuwing sasapit ang gabi. Pontus University became a vast galaxy of darkness a black hole to be exact where even a single thread of light cannot escape the darkness that swallowed the whole vicinity.

Kaya ayaw na ayaw niya ang umuwi ng gabi although ligtas naman ang maglakad kung dis-oras ng gabi sa unibersidad ay di niya pa rin maikakaila ang takot na dala ng mga kwentong paranormal na umiikot sa bawat sulok ng Pontus University.

"I should stop thinking about ghosts and ...." Nagulat siya nang biglang may nagsalita sa likuran niya kamuntik na niyang mabitawan ang laptop na hawak hawak.

"Astrid?" Napalingon siya sa pinanggagalingan ng isang matikas at baritonong tinig ng isang binata. Kahit madilim ay naaninag ni Astrid ng bahagya ang mukha ni Leone Vega ang tatlong'put taong gulang na professor niya sa Asian History.

Kitang kita niya ang magandang hubog ng mukha nito , those perfectly chiseled jaws aren't that hard to notice and his fitted white long sleeves na halos ipitin nito ang mga biceps ni Leone.

Si Leone ang gurong pinagkakaguluhan ng mga kababaihan sa unibersidad.

Bigla namang naglaho ang inis na kaniyang naramdaman kanina nang bigla itong ngumiti sa kaniya. His perfect set of white teeth is also his asset to captivate the hearts of everyone.

"Why are you still here? Its late na. You should've left the university before 8? Madilim na dito." Nag aalalang wika nito sa kaniya. Panandaliang nagwala ang kaniyang puso.

"Pauwi na po ako daddy, i mean sir. Bago lang din natapos yung seminar ko." Wala sa isip niyang sagot.

"Oh? Seminar? About what?" Interesadong tanong ni Leone

"Symbolism and the History of Cults." Nahihiyang sagot ni Astrid, they rarely talk ayaw niya kasing ma-issue-han ng mga estudyante ng Pontus na nakikipaglandian siya sa professor niya.

"That's good. I hope you've also mentioned the ancient symbols of Asian culture." Anito

"Yes sir. I also talked about that one. No one can't forget your lessons." Sagot ni Astrid, kunwari'y palinga linga ito sa kaniyang wrist watch upang ipaalam kay Leone na aalis na siya na agad namang nakuha ng kaniyang professor ang ibig niyang sabihin.

"Well i guess kailangan mo na talagang umuwi." Nakangiting wika ni Leone.

Bago pa tumalikod si Astrid ay nakita niya ang hawak hawak na libro ng kaniyang professor nang tamaan ito ng kaunting liwanag na mula sa streetlight.

"The Survivors of Witch Trials" basa niya, hindi na siya nag bigay ng gaanong atensyon sa librong iyon dahil gusto niya na ring umuwi kaya nag paalam na siya sa kaniyang professor.

"Yes. See you tomorrow Professor Leone." Paalam niya at ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad.

Habang binabagtas niya ang daan ay unti unting nagliliwanag ang paligid hudyat iyon na malapit na siya sa side gate doon kasi nakatayo ang mga streetlights na nagbibigay ng kakarampot na liwanag sa daanan ng mga estudyante.

Her free hand rummaged inside her bag, hinahanap niya ang kaniyang cellphone. Kailangan na niyang i-text ang Daddy niya upang sunduin siya nito.

Nag presenta ang kaniyang ama na ito na lang ang susundo sa kaniya dahil alam nitong gagabihin siya ng uwi.

"Aww shit!" Mura niya nang maalalang naiwan niyang naka-charge ang kaniyang cellphone sa library.

"Bakit di ko nakita yon?! Fudge!" Inis na wika niya at padabog na naglakad pabalik sa library.

She was muttering endless curses and rants while she's making her way back to the library.

Her feet are already aching she could almost feel that ticklish little electrocution slowly creeping on her muscles. Her stomach is already rumbling na animo'y may kraken sa loob na nagpupumilit kumawala kung bukas lang ang cafeteria nila ay bibili siya ng pagkain.

She walked fast but carefully in an empty pavillion passing many activity corkboards with hanging notices and pre-arranged school occasions posted on it from different school clubs, empty vending machines were their lights are flickering, and an empty grandstand.

Ilang hakbang na lang at malapit na siya sa library ngunit nakita niya ang isang balingkinitang babae na nakasuot ng sequins filled jump suit it was Emilia Paige nakaupo ito sa isa sa mga benches sa harapan ng Med Building.

Nag te-text ito at panay rin ang palingon lingon sa paligid na animo'y may hinihintay.

"Maybe she's waiting for her boyfriend." Astrid hypothesize.

Emilia Paige is a famous philantrophist, a women's rights activist, a model, a beauty guru and the sachem of an aristocrat infested sorority the Alpha Kappa Tau. It is a sought after sorority where every women in Pontus University are going gaga and crazy over this elite circle. It was indeed a perfect example of cult.

Kilala ni Astrid si Emilia and she isn't one of those typical mean alpha girls of a certain group in the movies.

She is actually the opposite of that embodiment.

Sa katunayan mayroon siyang limang charities na hinahawakan most of them are for cancer patients and for the abandoned elderly, palagi siyang nakikita na bumibisita sa mga charity houses na kaniyang tinutulungan.

One of the most notable phase of her generosity was when she answered the tuition fees of all cancer survivors. Siya rin ang leader ng The Womb of Eve isang feminist group sa kanilang university na kung saan pinaglalaban niya ang karapatan ng mga kababaihan lalong lalo na ang mga babaeng biktima ng bullying.

For Astrid , Emilia is perfect inside and out.

"Emi...." She was about to go to Emilia upang tanungin kung bakit nasa inconvenient part siya ng university nakatambay but suddenly a human figure slowly emerged from the thin sheets of darkness. Wearing a black hooded jacket and a mask.

Biglang kuminang naman ang metal na hawak hawak ng tao nang tamaan ito ng liwanag mula sa isa sa mga nakabukas na streetlights. That someone was holding a knife!

Gusto niyang sigawan si Emilia ngunit baka nag sho-shoot lang ang nobyo nitong si Eric para sa vlog nito. Isang sikat na vlogger ang nobyo ni Emilia, madalas ay food, travel, and anything trending ang content ng vlogs ni Eric.

It was creepy lalo pa't nasa isang madilim na parte ng unibersidad nakaupo si Emilia kung saan maliit na liwanag lang ang tumatama sa parteng iyon.

Pinasyal ni Astrid ang paningin niya upang hagilapin ang camera ngunit laking gulat niya dahil wala siyang makitang camera na naka set-up.

Astrid felt something in her guts. Something wrong, that feeling when anxiety and nervous assimilate.

She immediately looked around to check if there are security guards who are roaming around but it's already 11 in the evening and usually Pontus University's security guards often sweep at 1 in the morning or earlier whenever there is a special occasion.

"Shit." She whispered. Kasalukuyan siyang nag hahanap ng paraan upang makuha ang atensyon ni Emilia.

Sa di kalayuan nakita niya ang controll room.

She checked the control room where all electrical switches and surveillance outlets are controlled and luckily the door was open. Naningkit ang mata niya nang makitang kalahating nakabukas ang pinto ng control room.

Tinulak ng braso niya ang pinto ng control room at doon tumambad sa kaniyang harapan ang dalawang security guard na nakahandusay sa sahig at babad sa sarili nilang dugo.

"This ain't a vlog anymore. This is a fucking murder!" Hindi makapaniwalang saad niya.

Her stomach twisted, gusto niyang masuka, naghina rin bigla ang kaniyang tuhod pakiramdam niya'y anytime ay babagsak at hihimatayin siya, she never saw a fresh dead body in her whole entire life.

The air taste blood, like a combination of iron and rusty metal and the stench of their bodily fluids still linger in the corners of the room.

Dali dali siyang lumapit sa panel upang hanapin ang switch ng ilaw sa harap ng Med Department.

She turned it on, ngunit hindi ito umilaw, tinestingan niya ang ibang ilaw ngunit hindi rin ito umilaw.

"Someone clipped the wires of the light! Damnit!" Astrid sniped.

Dali dali siyang lumabas ng control room. Naroon pa rin ang tao na dahan dahang papalapit sa likuran ni Emilia. She has no choice but to shout.

"EMILIA!!!! BEHIND YOU!!!" Sigaw ni Astrid. Sa sobrang lakas ng pagkakasigaw niya ay nakaramdam siya ng pananakit sa lalamunan. It was her first time shouting at sa babaeng hinahangaan pa ng lahat.

Inangat ni Emilia ang paningin sa kaniya.

"Fuck it!" At this point Astrid can't control her inner herself from cursing. She really is  a cussing machine. 

Astrid picked up a medium metal rod , she doesn't even know kung para saan iyon but in case the killer will attack or charged towards her she can protect herself.

She immediately ran towards Emilia but the killer acted quickly.

"EMILIA ! RUN! SOMEONE IS GOING TO STAB YOU!!" Sigaw ni Astrid habang tumatakbo siya palapit kay Emilia.

Tumayo si Emilia at lumingon and there the horror appeared straight to her face.

In a matter of seconds, the killer's huge butcher knife buried in to Emilia's chest cavity.

The knife was so sharp that it easily penetrated Emilia's soft chest. The killer removed the buried knife like King Arthur pulling his sword from the stone and in the second time the killer stabbed Emilia's chest again.

"TULOOONG!" Sigaw ni Astrid habang tumatakbo papalapit kay Emilia.

Her lifeless body slammed on the ground like a sagged rotten vegetable, the killer immediately grabbed Emilia's mobile phone at tumakbo ito hanggang sa nawala ang killer sa gitna ng dilim. Sakto rin ang pagdating ng mga security guards.

"Emilia. Stay with me! Wag ka munang matulog. I want you to stay awake." Utos ni Astrid habang pinapahiga niya ang katawan ni Emilia sa kaniyang hita.

Astrid performed a first aid measure, mabuti na lang at miyembro siya ng Sagip isang Non-Governmental Organization sought to provide emergency and humanitarian assistance.

Both of her hands covered her wound and put a hard pressure on Emilia's wounded chest to prevent the continuous spilling of blood.

"Call an ambulance!" Utos ni Astrid sa mga security guard.

Her sequins filled jumpsuit became a battlefield of carnage as blood cover every fibers of her outfit.

Emilia's eyes were half close, naririnig niya pa ang pag aagaw buhay nito which makes Astrid feel more a little bit tensed and anxious.

"Emilia ! Open your fucking eyes!" Sigaw niya . Astrid shouldn't spit curse and cuss but she just can't gusto niyang ipakitang nagagalit siya kay Emilia upang sundin siya nito na wag isarado ang mga mata.

But its too late. Emilia is dead. She cannot feel her pulse anymore. Astrid knows that she will not survive given that the she was stabbed right through her heart.

Ang kanina'y panaghoy ni Emilia habang nilalabanan ang kamatayan ay napalitan na ng nakakabinging katahimikan, tanging ang tunog na lang ng kuliglig ang namutawi sa buong paligid.

Suddenly a piece of paper emerged from Emilia's hand. She opened it and read the words inscribed onto it.

"Palum, Ignis , Palum, Ignis"

Who would've done such horrendous crime? And why Emilia?