"TONIGHT ON THE CHANNEL 3 NEWS... we're on the WOLF WATCH, as the San Antonio National High School is still covered with graduate blood..."
"It was the first wolf attack in San Antonio, and only the second documented case of a wild wolf killing humans in Nueva Camarines..."
"The death toll has risen to a hundred plus as the other victims are still in a critical state..."
"The town officials are looking into why and how a huge wild wolf appeared at the San Antonio national high school..."
Various news updates flooded the entire country with only one piece of content: THE WOLF ATTACK.
People may be tired of hearing the same unresolved wolf attack case over and over, but Nida isn't.
She is lying on the floor while blankly staring at the television.
She keeps seeing images of bloody school grounds and graduation gowns that are torn and left after the chaos.
The news said that the wolf appeared after the fireworks display started. The oversized, crazed creature ran amok and killed the graduation attendees.
She doesn't know if she is lucky or not, but she is still devastated over the fact that a lot of humans lost their lives that night.
Her dark and swollen eyes started to tear up again as she recalled the incident.
After the werewolf left her, she stayed on the rooftop for an hour more, and when she finally managed to get down to the ground, the entire school was already in a chaotic state.
She tried to reveal that the culprit was her boyfriend, Randell, and he was a bloodthirsty werewolf, but no one believed her.
The police...
The officials...
The media...
The professors...
her friends...
her relatives...
All of them shake off her statement of a werewolf existence.
Everyone thought that this was only the effect of being greatly traumatized by the incident that she started to see things or create a different version of her reality.
That wasn't it. She wants to prove the existence of the werewolf, but she doesn't have any solid evidence, only her wounds.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
Someone delicately knocked on the door.
"Nida? I brought your meal."
After saying that, the door opened and her mother looked at her with pity.
She is still lying on the floor, staring blankly into space.
Her mother then sighed after she saw the lunch she brought that was not even eaten at all.
"Please Nida, at least eat. I know you are depressed over your boyfriend's death, but still, please take care of yourself. " Her mother softly spoke.
"He is not dead." Nida mumbled.
She thought that there was a mistake. Her boyfriend was reported dead and was included on the list of those who died from the attack.
They said that his body was not recognizable since the wolf is said to have ripped her boyfriend's body into pieces.
In that case, her statement was shunned and believed to be based more on her own hallucinations.
Her mother tapped her shoulder and said, "you will forget him with the passing of time.."
Nida suddenly sat up and faced then held her mother's shoulder.
"He is not dead! Mother! He killed everyone! He is a werewolf! we need to catch him!" she exclaimed as she tearfully wanted to convince her mother.
However, as she observed her mother's eyes, she could tell that they were filled with pity rather than understanding.
She let go of her mother's shoulder and got back to lying on the cold floor.
"Leave me alone." Her tears flowed down like a river.
"Nida"
"Leave me alone!" she shouted while burying her face with her arms.
Her mother opened and closed her mouth without saying anything. She doesn't know how to comfort her child.
She sighed for the last time and decided to leave the room.
Nida was left in her dark room, lying on the cold floor, scared and frustrated.
....
at the present time...
She can hear the ringing inside her head but still manages to hear the conversation between the two men in front of him.
"Which part of this is a calm conversation?" Randell asked with an angry tone.
With blurry vision, she could only see the shoes of Randell and the president.
She could not remember what happens before she ends up lying on the floor without strength, feeling nauseous and without strength to move even an inch.
"Come on Ranz, it's not like you don't know how our pack works. She will be fine later on, the only difference is that she won't remember her involvement with you." The president sounded laid-back and calmly talked to Randell.
"Are you playing games with me? Then why does she still remember that incident even though the member erased her memories."
[Wait, what? Did they try to erase my memory? but I can still remember him.]
Nida doesn't have any recollection that she is missing any of her memory. The incident ten years ago is still clear in her mind. The pain and the fear she experienced are something her body can not forget.
Nida just closed her eyes to focus more on eavesdropping.
"That part needs an investigation. I am pretty sure that everyone's memories were altered, but I don't know what went wrong."
"Wendell, you better not harm Nida!" She could hear footsteps charging forward.
[Are they going to fight?]
Now that she had become calm and her fears settled, she could finally pick up on what Randell was saying.
[Why do I feel like Ranz is taking my side?]
Still being confused about her current situation, she tried to move at least her arms, but it was useless.
"Wow? Who is talking? Isn't it you who almost slaughtered her?" Wendell sneered at Randell, who was rendered speechless.
"anyway, she will be fine as long as she doesn't know about our identity. If she keeps regaining her memories despite being cast multiple times, you know what next will happen, right?"
"Wendell." Randell casually called the president's name with so much anger.
[What is this? What's their relationship?] Nida asked herself, She wonders what the two are arguing about. Why does Randell talk to the president like they are on the same level.
"What? It has been ages since we feasted. Should I eat her, instead? "
She felt a shiver run down her spine after hearing where the two men's conversation went.
[Is the president also a werewolf?]
She wanted to run and leave the company this instant, but her body betrayed her and wouldn't budge.
The lights suddenly flickered and Nida felt a slight vibration on the floor where she was lying.
[what's going on] She wants to open her eyes to see what is happening, but she chooses to keep her eyes shut because the aura she is sensing off the ground is the same aura she felt when she was attacked by the werewolf.
"Oh boy! Haha, I was just joking! Don't go crazy and berserk here, there's a lot of clean up if you go crazy here. " The president sneered and walked closer to Nida.
"Wendell, you better not harm her." he warned.
"I know, I know. Don't worry about anything. My power to alter memory is much stronger. She will treat you like a stranger the moment she wakes up. " Wendell picked her up and handed her to Randell, then he took her and started to walk out of the conference room.
Still conscious, Nida let her ex-boyfriend carry her toward the infirmary.
Some employees curiously asked what happened, and Randell just answered them that she fainted because of low blood pressure.
[When did I become anemic?]
She feels iffy and confused about the situation she's in.
She cannot move but her mind is conscious, so she decides to think everything out while Randell is placing her on the bed to rest.
[Let's think this over] she said to herself as she could hear Randell leaving the infirmary.
[Randell ran amok ten years ago, but everyone's memories were altered to escape the situation. Except mine. My memories remained . They are quite sure that they also altered my memory, but weirdly, I can still remember everything.
Even now! They said they altered my memories, but I was just here paralyzed!]
Nida opened her eyes again and saw the empty infirmary room.
"ugh"
She groans as she tries to move once more, but this time she successfully moves her arms.
"Shit! I can finally move."
Still feeling heavy, she managed to move her limbs slowly.
She inhaled
haaaaa...
and exhaled as she stretched her body.
She paused for a moment to think again.
[Do I need to act like I don't remember anything? If I runaway now, they might run after me. But if I keep up my act, they might let me go.]
Nida buried her face on the pillow.
[But how can I face him? I'm shivering with fear just looking at him.]