Random thoughts (ONE SHOTS/ENCOUNTERS)

Trickling of Blood

I just smiled back and immediately regretted putting the telephone near my ear.

[Grace, ayos ka lang!? Si tito Isagani mo'to! Ngayon ko lang na pickup ang tita Martha mo galing sa trabaho. Chelsea called us and said that she's already home. Sinabihan ko siya na i-lock ang mga pinto at 'wag magpapasok sa bahay. Looks like we can't make it on time na masundo ka namin galing sa work mo kasi may nagrarally pa rin sa kalsada. We're going to be so late. Grace, I'm sorry if I'm going to ask you this but please go home early. Chelsea is scare--]

Then the call was cut. Hindi man nila ako pinasalita.

"Na'ko, na cut ba 'yung call?" Napatalon ako sa biglang pagsulpot ni manager sa likod ko.

I just nodded and she shook her head out of disappointment as a response.

"Nalowbat yata ang tito mo." She massaged her temples. "You know what? Naguiguilty ako, since maaga ka naman dumating at nagtrabaho ng maayos, pwede ka na umuwi sa inyo ng maaga. I'll just convince our boss tomorrow. Magpasama ka nalan--"

Tumigil siya sa pagsasalita when I nervously shook my head so hard and waved my hands in front of her with panic. Gesturing that I'm declining that offer.

"Sigurado ka?" Mukha siyang galit pero alam ko galit siya dahil sa pag-alala. "You know, you don't need to act as if what happened earlier didn't affect you, Grace." She just sighed in defeat. "Sigurado akong natakot ka at ang iba sa nakapasok na bampira. Pero diba, wala naman nakakita sa kung anong itsura 'nun? Maybe that little guy only got lost and accidentally alerted the whole security." She covered her mouth as she chuckled.

I just smiled at her as usual.

Her eyes somehow widen then she shook her head. "I'm sorry...not a good topic to discuss." She sighed, "Oh, basta mag-ingat ka."

I then nodded.

Minutes passed by after I changed clothes ay napatingin ako sa mga lamesa. Mukhang umalis na ang binatang iyon dahil may iba nang nakaupo sa table niya. I somehow looked back at the other table where that guy with a cap was sitting. Wala na siya doon at malinis na din ang table.

Nagpaalam na ako sa iba at lumabas na sa restaurant para maglakad pauwi. I don't think transportation is going to help nang dahil sa traffic due to the still ongoing rally against vampires.

Sobrang dilim na nang makarating na ako sa isang highway for shortcut papauwi. Only the orange light from the street lights we're the reason I can see what's ahead of me. There we're two streets in front of me. The right side is where I can ride any transportation and can meet up with a lot of anti-vamp slayers but I don't want to get too much attention and so I took the left street.

The left street is a narrow lane. As I kept on walking, I could see sprayed brick walls that have threatening words against vampires. This lane is also famous for having a lot of garbage around along with its stinky smell. But then. I got used to going here.

Napailing nalang ako at nagpatuloy sa paglakad nang may kakaiba akong naramdaman. I quickly hid from one of the large trash bins nang may nakita akong dalawang lalake.