Finn busied himself with the household chores. He fetched some water, and picked fruits they would need for the whole day. Sometimes it was enough, most of the time it wasn't. He had to work twice, even thrice, to feed the family.
He chopped wood and made charcoal to sell in the market that afternoon, and he chopped some more wood until he was satisfied. And he wasn't content all the time. He never was.
Another person wasn't content with him, in fact, in everything he does. His mother always sees the worst in him. Mandy was his archenemy.
"How long are you chopping that wood?" And here was her mother, again, criticizing his work. "It's already two in the afternoon. You won't sell anything if you're late."
"Give me a minute. I'm almost done." After chopping the last piece of wood, he turned to the finished charcoal and secured it with a rope.
"You should've left earlier when you're done with the charcoal, then just finish the remaining wood when you get back. Is your brain for decoration?" Her eyebrows were creased permanently as she continued scolding her second child.
"Alright. I'll do that next time. I'm sorry."
Mandy sneered before handing him a basket full of eggs that she got from their chickens. "We're out of chicken feed. Don't forget to buy some."
"Alright."
After securing the charcoal behind his back, he called inside. "I'm off to the market! I'll be back before dinner."
Carl came rushing out to see him off. "Take care, kuya. Don't forget my yoyo. You promised!"
Finn chuckled before rustling his brother's hair. "Of course, I won't forget. Please take care of ate Charis for me."
"Consider it done!" He grinned.
Finn locked their wooden gate, and traversed through their quiet town. As usual, there were people whispering and gossiping while staring at him. He had expected this, and it had been going on for a while now.
After Finn's father's death, which was rumored to be a punishment from hell, not only did people start gossiping about their life. They also isolated the family. No one dared to go near their household anymore, nor talk to any of the family members.
And when children hurt Carl for wanting to play with them, Finn prohibited his brother from going out. Charis's former friends stopped visiting her as well, and the other mothers stopped inviting Mandy at their gatherings.
Finn was left with no choice but to volunteer himself. After all, someone had to go to the market and sell some goods in order to eat. If not, they'd starve.
He was the only one left in the family to provide since he was also the eldest male in the family. His eight-year-old brother could not walk miles and miles just to go to the market, and then continue working once he got home.
*
Finn was worn out when he sold all the charcoal he brought. On the other hand, only two eggs were sold from the basket. A lot of competitors were here with him who were also selling eggs since it was the easiest to acquire.
It was already late in the afternoon, and he needed to go back soon. He still wanted to sell the remaining goods, but he was afraid his mother would be too angry if he was not home before dinner.
On his way home, there were a lot more people in their town than when he left. And some of them were talking so loudly that he couldn't help but overhear their conversation again. Or maybe, they wanted him to hear it.
"That's the guy," a middle-aged woman said. "He was the d-mned's eldest son."
A woman around her fourty's gasped dramatically. "I wonder what his father did for the evil himself to come pick him up personally."
"No one knows. But I bet ten silver coins that the family knows about it."
Finn sighed. Just give me the silver coins if you're just going to bet with it. I badly need it, he thought before walking a little faster. But another curious conversation slowed him down.
"Another victim was found in the east part of Fract," a guy said after blowing the smoke from his cigarette.
"Is it an animal attack?" asked the other.
"The elite army says so, but I'm telling you, there's no way it's an animal attack. I bet you it's another murklin."
Another betting game. Nice. But Finn stopped on his track. The East side of Fract. That was near their household. Whether it was an animal or a murklin attack, his family was in danger.
He ran as fast as he could, not looking back and not minding the prying eyes of the Vad Tribe. He didn't stop for another gossip. All he could think about was the safety of his family, nothing more.
When he arrived, he was panting. He struggled to open the gate, anxious and terrified. He was praying that it was just his paranoid self acting up. He was hoping the people were just gossiping about it all the time. And gossip wasn't meant to be the truth all the time.
But it wasn't gossip.
The moment he opened the door, he caught his breath. He could almost hear the beating of his heart, and the ragged sound of his harsh breathing.
"Nanay?" he called his mother, who was sitting on a chair, her back turned against Finn. She didn't move.
"Ate?" This time, he faced his sick sister. She was lying on the cot, eyes closed, like she was just sleeping. She was still. So still that her chest wasn't even moving.
"Carl?" His brother was the only one standing, but his back was also facing Finn. "Hey, buddy. I have your yoyo. I didn't forget."
He ambled near his brother, who didn't move even after calling his name. When Finn was a few inches near his brother, he noticed something surrounding his body. Black smoke was circling Carl's body, like it was hugging him.
Finn held his brother's shoulder to face him, but was horrified with the sight. Carl's eyes were rolled back into his head. His whole body was stiff, and his fingers were curled. Now that Finn was closer, he noticed that Carl's body was floating.
"Carl," he called his brother weakly. "What's happening? Talk to me."
Instead of hearing an answer, the smoke moved and hugged Carl's body until he couldn't breathe anymore.
"Stop!" Finn shrieked. "Stop! Don't hurt my brother. Please." He tried to take the smoke off his brother's body, but his hands went through it. He couldn't touch the black smoke. It just danced in the air, then went back to str-ngling Carl.
"No. No. No!" Finn continued his futile attempt to save his brother, but he was too late.
Carl wriggled in the air, like he was trying to break free from the black smoke suffocating him. But after a while, he stopped moving, and his breathing stopped. The black smoke crawled away from the dead boy's body, and let it drop on the wooden floor.
Finn caught his brother, and tried to resuscitate him. He was weeping when he failed, and could only hug his brother's body. And when he saw his elder sister and mother again, he screamed, hoping that someone would hear him. He still believed that someone out there would help them.
But no one came.
His eyes caught something moving, and saw the black smoke crawling around. He glared at it and shouted, "Go away! What do you want? Why are you doing this to us? What did we do to you?"
The black smoke moved again, but this time, it started solidifying. From a shapeless black smoke, it slowly solidified in front of Finn. His eyes widened when it finally took its true form, and he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
"You?" he asked in disbelief. But again, he didn't receive any response. "How could you do this to us? I took care of you, fed you, but this is what you're going to repay me?" Finn exploded. "Why?! What do you want from us? Who the hell are you?"
Finn didn't know what to ask first. He was already so confused and hurt to think straight. He wanted to k-ll the woman in front of him, but he didn't want to leave Carl. He wanted his brother in his arms.
But the woman had a different plan. She also wanted to take Finn. She wasn't done yet. The woman was still famished.
She ambled near the grieving man, held his chin and tilted it up. But Finn slapped her hand away, glaring at her in the process.
"Get away from me!" he shouted. "I'm going to k-ll you. I swear!"
Finn placed his brother on the floor carefully before facing the woman with contempt. He was boiling inside. He wanted to hurt the woman, but before that, he wanted to ask her the reason. He wanted to know that at least.
"Answer me," Finn furiously. "Why are you doing this? What did my family do to you?!"
When the woman didn't speak, Finn didn't have a choice but to attack her. He pinned her to the wall, thankful that he could finally touch her.
"I am going to ask you again. Why. Are. You. Doing. This?" he asked through gritted teeth.
This time, Finn didn't think twice and str-ngled the woman. Despite facing the woman, he could still see his family like they were in front of him. Carl, whose eyes were still rolled back. Charis, who was lying down on the cot like the usual, but wasn't breathing anymore.
And his mother. Oh, his poor mother. No matter how strict and harsh she was to Finn, she was still as precious. She was preparing their dinner for that night since Finn was running late. But because of this woman, Finn would no longer be able to taste her mother's food.
Finn snapped back to reality when the woman raised her hand to touch his face. Her expression didn't change. Despite being str-ngled, her face stayed the same, empty and emotionless. And then, she smirked.
"Chase…" she muttered under her breath. "Let's… play… chase…"
He didn't know why, but Finn was reminded of their earlier conversation. Something struck him, and he realized that the woman wasn't being chased. He definitely misunderstood her, and it was too late for that realization now.
The woman was the one chasing someone.