Chapter 2: A Call For Help

Samantha’s POV

Cylvia badly needed me now. She needed someone's shoulder to lean on. Someone who could make her feel comfortable despite of all the problems that had been breaking her. If there's anyone who could fit in that position, it had to be me.

Kung hindi lang sana kasi ako inutusan ni Ms. Dolor na hanapin ang principal, maybe I was able to lessen the burden of my dear friend. I'm worried about her. But right now, there's nothing I can do except to find the principal as soon as possible para mabalikan ko si Cylvia.

I found myself strolling, following the trail away from the students' study area while giving a gaze at the wide blue sheet of skies with the cottony clouds up above. The glimmering rays of the afternoon sun kissed my face as I went on.

I must admit, it felt kind of boring to walk alone in the pathways beneath the green broad quadrangle of the University, that's why I convinced myself to take my headphones out of my skirt's mini pocket to listen to the music in my shuffled playlist. When the feeling of loneliness finally flew out of my body, nagpatuloy na ako sa paglalakad.

Limang minuto na lang at mag-aalas tres na. We don't have classes this entire afternoon because of the PTA Assembly na magsisimula na maya-maya. Kaya siguro pinapahanap si Madam Principal because the meeting won't start kapag wala siya.

I've been walking around here for almost ten minutes but still I wasn't able to find her. Narating ko na rin ang pinaka-dulong bahagi ng University, which was the old and abandoned two-storey building. I heard a lot of haunted stories tungkol dito pero I don't believe in any of them. To see is to believe, ika nga nila. So far, wala pa naman akong nakikita kaya wala rin akong dahilan upang maniwala.

Walking alone here would be something you'd never like. It's indeed scary and I don't deny it. Lalo na't nasa tabi lang ng building ang school's mini forest na sabi ay puno rin ng kababalaghan. Masyadong liblib, napakaraming nagtatayugang mga puno, na kung titingna'y mahigit ilang dekada nang nakatayo. But there's this one tree, narra tree to be exact, that caught my attention as I roamed around. Its size was really huge. Ang mga naglalakihang ugat nito'y nakagapang patungo sa gusali na kupas na ang mga pintura at nababalot na ng mga lumot.

Masyadong tahimik sa lugar na ito. Yung tipong sa sobrang tahimik ay halos maririnig mo na maging ang paghinga ng paru-parong taimtim na nagta-trabaho sa bulaklak ng santan. Nakaka-panindig balahibo.

"Samantha!"

A good while later, someone called my name. I felt a sudden jolt struck my entire body and paralysed me for almost three seconds. Napalingon ako sa bukana ng mini forest dahil sa pakiwari ko'y nandoon nagmumula ang tinig. At hindi nga ako nagkamali.

It was Keiciara.

"Hey, Keiciara?" I walked towards my classmate.

"Why are you here?" she asked. There were lines drawn on her forehead when she spat out her words.

"Hindi ba't ako dapat ang magtatanong niyan?" I replied while having an imaginary question mark carved on my face. "Why are you here?" I added.

"Wala lang. Tambay lang. I find this place peaceful kasi. Gusto ko lang magpahinga kaya dito ako pumunta," she explained, which for me was really weird.

I looked straight at her eyes and I saw a couple of orbs sparkling mysteriously. It seemed like they were about to burst into tears, but maybe Keiciara had some special ability of controlling them that's why at some point they never made it out.

"Oh! By the way, babalik na pala ako sa gym, sunod ka ha!" wika nito sabay takbo papalayo habang kumakaway.

I don't know pero bigla na lang siyang na-hotseat. I actually had few questions to ask her pero agad naman siyang umalis. Kaya naiwan akong tuliro, tulala sa aking kinatatayuan.

Kinuha ko na lang ang aking cellphone at saka sinubukang tawagan si Vhynz, my twin brother. I want him to tell Ms. Dolor that I'm not able to find the principal.

It took me six dials before he answered my call.

"Hello, ate? Bakit napatawag ka?" he said, deadpan.

"Have you seen Ma'am Dolor, Vhynz?" tanong ko habang pinapadyak ang mga paa dahil sa alikabok na ngayon ko lang namalayan.

"Hindi. At mukhang hindi ko pa siya nakikita magmula noong pumasok ako kaninang umaga. Bakit?" tanong niya pabalik, may tunog ng nagtitipahang mga daliri sa keyboard na maririnig sa kaniyang paligid.

"Inutusan niya kasi akong hanapin ang principal. Pakisabi sana kay Ma'am na hindi ko siya nakita,” mahinahon kong sabi.

"Okay. Sige sasabihin ko," he replied calmly.

"Nasaan ka nga pala?" I asked in a low and soft monotone.

"Nandito ako sa research laboratory. Kasama ko ngayon ang iba pa nating mga kaklase. Bakit, ikaw? Saan ka na?"

"Nandito ako sa quadrangle. Pero babalik na rin naman ako diyan mamaya."

"Okay. End call mo na. Medyo nahihiya na ko dahil nakakaabala na ako sa mga estudyante dito."

"Sige, sige." I then ended the call.

I was on my way back to the covered gym when I heard a loud scream coming out of nowhere. I froze for a moment. Biglang lumakas ang pagtambol ng aking dibdib. Tila nais nitong kumawala.

That was creepy.

It sounded like a scream of pain. I'm trying to recall where that sound came from pero hindi ko na matandaan.

At this moment, I didn’t know what exactly I should do.

I thought I was the only person here in this portion of the school, and hearing that strange sound made me tremble in fear. But not until I realized that I am with someone a while ago. I am with Keiciara a while ago. Bigla akong kinabahan dahil baka si Keiciara talaga 'yon. Baka napapaano na siya. Pero kung hindi ako nagkakamali, sa mga minutong ito' y nakabalik na sana siya sa gym. Kaya sigurado akong masyadong imposible na sa kaniya nanggaling ang tinig na iyon.

Pero kung hindi si Keiciara ang sumigaw, edi sino?

I kept on telling myself, "Keep calm Samantha. Keep calm."

I stood for a while, habang pinapakalma ang sarili at pinag-iisipan kung ano ang dapat na gagawin.

Tinititigan ko pa lang ang old building, pero nalulula na ako dahil sa negativity na mararamdaman mo dito. I know that even if I don't really believe in ghost stories, there could be some paper-thin chances and possibilities na totoo nga sila.

I urged on asking myself. Should I enter, so that I could know who screamed few minutes ago? Or should I just run away to keep myself safe? Ngunit paano kung may nangangailangan nga talaga ng tulong ko?

I gave myself a couple of minutes to think. Not long after, I was able to finally decide for my self.

Papasok ako.

Naglakad ako papalapit sa pintuan ng two-storey building habang ang mga kamay ko ay naka-sign of the cross.

Nang maapakan ko na ang door way sa tapat ng pintuang kalawangin, huminga ako nang malalim at saka pinihit pabukas ang pinto.

Ok, this is it. At the count of three.