As the sun set and its rays disappeared, Gregorio felt the cold breeze of the lonely day. The young teenage boy sat on a bench, alone on the street, dressed in nice clothing and crying, using his breath to hide his sorrow from passersby.
It was a Sunday morning in March when Gregorio found himself outside, crying. He was all alone, without the company of his parents, as his house was filled with police and crime operatives. The red and blue lights around his home indicated that something terrible had happened. His family had been killed earlier that morning, in a case involving corrupt officials of the city. The rumors suggested that his parents deserved to die because of their corruption. His mother was the Vice Mayor, and his father was the Mayor of the city, which had become overpopulated due to the abundance of job opportunities. Many people had come from other provinces hoping to find work, unaware that corruption had taken root at the highest levels of government.
Little did Gregorio know that his parents were truly corrupt, and their actions had resulted in their tragic deaths. As he sat alone on the bench, tears streaming down his face, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of emptiness in his heart. Suddenly, a little girl's voice could be heard calling out to him.
At first, Gregorio thought it was just his imagination, but the voice persisted. He looked around, but there was no one there. Just a bush rustling behind him, a mini trash bin beside it, a tree to his left, and an empty bench beside him. The voice grew louder and more insistent.
"Hermana, Hermana!"
Gregorio stood up and tried to locate the source of the voice. He searched the street, but there was no one around. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he realized that something was not right. He slowly walked back to his bench and sat down, his hands covering his face.
Suddenly, the little girl's voice grew more frantic and terrifying. It seemed to be coming from all around him, echoing off the walls of the buildings and reverberating in his head.
"Hermana, Hermana!"
Gregorio felt his heart pounding in his chest as fear took hold of him. He started to scream, pleading for the voice to stop, but it only grew louder and more intense. Passersby on the other side of the street stopped to stare at him, and some even ran away in fear.
As the voice continued to haunt him, Gregorio felt like he was losing his mind. He ran away from the bench, feeling the cold grip of fear tightening around his heart. He could feel the presence of something sinister and otherworldly, following him and calling out to him with the voice of the little girl. He knew that he had to escape before it was too late.
He ran back home and reached the doorstep of his house. It was quiet, and the police and crime operatives had finished their investigation. As Gregorio sat on the couch, he felt the weight of his despair crushing him. He cried and wailed like a wounded animal, his sobs echoing through the empty rooms. The memories of his family flooded his mind, each one more painful than the last. He remembered their laughter, their hugs, their smiles. But now, all he had left were the echoes of their voices and the shadows of their faces.
With each tear that fell from his eyes, he felt his body growing weaker, his heart heavy with grief. The once warm and cozy home now felt cold and empty, a stark reminder of what he had lost. He clutched his chest, trying to hold himself together, but the pain was too great.
Suddenly, Gregorio stood up, his anger boiling over. He couldn't take it anymore. He needed to let out his frustration, his pain, his rage. He started grabbing furniture, vases, and anything he could get his hands on, throwing them across the room, smashing them into pieces. The sound of shattering glass and splintering wood filled the air, as he shouted and screamed, releasing all his pent-up emotions.
His heart raced, and his body shook with every blow he landed. His hands were now bleeding, but he didn't stop. The anger and tears mixed up, and Gregorio's madness became wild, as he destroyed everything in his path.
But as he was about to smash another vase, he caught sight of the altar. He froze, staring at the holy symbol. He fell to his knees, crying and whimpering in front of it.
"Please, give them back to me! Oh God, please! My whole life...my whole life, I never asked you for anything. Now, this is it! This time only! Please, give them back to me!"
Gregorio begged and pleaded, his voice cracking with sorrow. He felt lost and alone, his heart shattered into a million pieces. He didn't know how to go on, how to keep living without his family.
But then, a voice interrupted him.
"Hermana! Hermana!!!"
Gregorio stood up, startled, his eyes darting around the room.
"Who the hell are you? Hey!!! Show yourself!!!"
The silence in the house was deafening as Gregorio struggled to catch his breath. He had been searching for hours, but there was no sign of the girl who had been tormenting him. His heart pounded in his chest, his hands shaking with fear and frustration.
The voice continued to echo in his mind, taunting him with its incessant chatter. It was driving him mad, and he could feel himself slipping further and further into darkness.
Suddenly, a knock at the door shattered the silence, making Gregorio jump. He slowly made his way over to the door, his mind racing with possibilities. Could it be the girl? Was she finally here to put an end to his torment?
With trembling hands, he reached for the doorknob, steeling himself for what he might find. But when he opened the door, there was no one there. The emptiness of the doorway mocked him, and he felt a surge of anger and frustration rise within him.
He slammed the door shut with all his might, the sound echoing through the whole room.
"Stop... please," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart.
He collapsed onto the couch, his body wracked with sobs as the voice continued to torment him. He felt as though he was losing his grip on reality, and he didn't know how much longer he could hold on.
The voice of the girl finally ceased after what felt like an eternity of torment. Gregorio was left alone in the silence of the house, his mind reeling from the experience. The words that the girl had spoken - "Hermana, Hermana" - echoed in his mind, taunting him with their meaning.
Despite the relief of the silence, Gregorio was still consumed with fear and frustration. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, that the girl was still lurking in the shadows, waiting to pounce.
But eventually, exhaustion took hold of him and he lay down, his body wracked with fatigue. He closed his eyes, hoping for some peace, but the memories of the girl's voice continued to haunt him.
For a while, he tossed and turned, unable to find comfort or rest. The fear that had gripped him earlier refused to let go, and he felt as though he was trapped in a nightmare.
But slowly, he began to feel his body relaxing, his breathing slowing. The tension that had been building inside him began to dissipate, and he finally drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.