CHAPTER THREE: Mark

SERRA

“Bruce!” I called running after him, again.

“Stop, Serra. You’re getting on my nerves.” He increased his pace making me do the same.

“Bruce just listen–”

He halted and faced me harshly. “If ever I die it’s none of your business, Serra. I’d rather die than seeing you every day.”

His words were like burning arrows fired at me. He walked away leaving me hopeless.

“You tried your part, Serra. It’s not your fault if he dies,” a familiar voice uttered from behind.

My fist clenched. He was not helping, he made me felt worse instead.

“If he dies it only means that what I did wasn’t enough." I stormed away with heavy feet.

“Stubborn,” he whispered but it didn’t escape my ears.

I felt him followed me. We’ve been tailing Bruce for two days now and I didn’t notice anything or anyone suspicious lurking around but I could still feel that hideous shadow lingering on Bruce.

I swiftly hid myself behind the nearest column before Bruce looked in my direction.

“We’re like creepy stalkers,” Gugu complained and hid too.

“You’re a ghost, Gugu.” I reminded her and she just gave me a pout.

Bruce entered the library. We hurried up to catch up. I roamed my sight when I lost sight of Bruce.

My eyes laid at the librarian first. She looked at me from head to toe. I just gave her a small bow before entering her territory and she responded with a small smile. I was stunned for seconds because of that. She was one of the terror profs in the university and making her smile was nearly impossible. No one dared to make a noise in her den, not even the resonating click-clack of heels on the marble floor and the wall.

I checked the place. Each side of the room was filled with ten good-for-one desks with a complete set of desktop computers. At the middle were rectangular wooden tables surrounded by chairs. The place is bright and cool, perfect for studying. I passed by the students who were studying and headed towards the towering bookshelves. There were spaces in-between the shelves. I was about to enter the space in the middle right.

“Ah-ah...” He shook his head and pointed to the middle left side. He was leaning on one of the shelves while his hands are in his pockets.

I clicked my tongue before entering the space he pointed. I saw Bruce at the end of the space but he turned left. I widened my steps to catch up and because of that, I bumped into someone who popped out from the intersection.

I looked back and lowered my head as an apology. I only saw her red shoe and I wasn’t able to glance at her face because she kept going her way ignoring me.

“Bea, let’s go,” she added.

I headed back towards the direction I originally took and continued on my way but I slowed down right away.

“Red heels...” I whispered.

“What’s wrong, Serra?” Gugu questioned.

I raised my hand to shut her. I carefully listened to the surrounding. A click-clack of heels echoed nearby. I swiftly turned my back and searched where the sound came from but it suddenly stopped. I checked the shoes of each student nearby but all of them are wearing black shoes. I sighed in surrender and continued searching for Bruce.

I turned left after reaching the edge. I peeked at every space but no Bruce to be found not until I reached the corner of the room.

“Abort it, Ara.” A man’s voice was filled with authority.

“Y-You’re not Bruce.” Amara gasped.

I removed a book on the shelf so that I could see what’s happening on the other side of the shelf.

“I am and I’m not. Don’t act like you don’t know me, Ara. Have you forgotten my voice already?” He pulled Amara and pinned her against the wall. He put his other arm on the side of her head, cornering her. “We shared a bed many times and I lavishly ravaged you. You used to moan my name too.” His other hand trailed down until her belly. He caressed her belly and later on, he grabbed the side and pressed it.

“D-Don’t...” Amara begged. Her face soured as if she’s in pain.

I immediately thrust back the book I took on the shelf hard making it fell on the other side. The man cornering Amara let go of her and looked at the book on the floor that I intentionally dropped.

My eyes widened seeing the face of the man. It was Bruce but not him either. His face was dark and his aura screamed tremendous rage and obsession.

“B-Bruce...” Amara called.

I couldn’t believe her. All I could see in her was sadness and love. There was no fear nor anger. She lifted her hand and reached for his cheek but he grabbed her wrist with force.

“Get out of my boyfriend’s body, Mark.” She acted tough, looking straight into his eyes. “Bruce, are you there? Answer me, baby.” Her longing eyes pleaded.

“He can’t hear you. I’m almost done devouring his soul,” he responded.

His voice was deeper than Bruce’s.

“Baby...” a voice echoed from somewhere.

He let go of her wrist, leaned closer, and brushed her hair. A shadow-like figure was pushed out from Bruce’s body but not entirely. The lower part of its body remained attached.

“B-Bruce!” she threw herself towards Bruce and with teary eyes, she hugged him tight.

“I-I’m sorry, baby.” He hugged her girlfriend back. “I’m sorry... I’m so sorry...” he repeatedly whispered.

The desire of the shadow raised more. The more things get complicated, the more its rage grows. It likes thrills. It chuckled and leaned forward.

“Your sorry won’t change the fact that you hurt her, Bruce,” it whispered in his ears.

“Bruce...” She tightened her hug. “Don’t listen to him, baby,” she added.

“You raped her, Bruce. Not just once. You were right, Bruce. We are different want to know why?” He leaned more.

I couldn’t see Bruce’s reaction but I could feel the growing anger inside him. His anger fueled the shadow’s darkness making it stronger, anger for no one but himself. If self love is the greatest love of all, rage to oneself is the greatest form of hatred.

My knees trembled feeling such terrible darkness. I leaned my side against the shelf to support my weight. For some reason, it was making me weak.

“It’s because you are worse than me, Bruce.” Evil laughter echoed in the place. It was able to enter Bruce’s body again.

Bruce harshly grabbed Amara’s shoulder. He pushed her against the wall with force. He grabbed her neck and strangled her.

“If I can’t have you no one should, Ara.” He gritted his teeth.

I shut my eyes forcedly. I couldn’t bear watching anymore. My body was trembling all over but I managed to took some steps with a book in my hand, and threw it at Bruce. He kept on choking her as if he didn’t feel the impact of the book on his back. I grabbed another book and aimed his head but he remained still. He closed his palm forming a fist and lift it aiming for Amara’s belly.

I suddenly felt a pang when I realized what he was planning to do. Every creature has the right to live. Only the heavens could decide whether to take someone’s life or not. A mere human, especially an evil spirit has no right.

I felt intense courage grew inside me. My mark glowed and projected a yin-yang symbol.

“Ghost fed up by darkness will turn to evil spirit and evil spirits who harm any human is a demon who should be executed and burnt to ashes,” I mumbled, out of control.

He let her go upon feeling my presence and glanced in my direction. Anger in his eyes subsided and was soon replaced by fear.

My hand swiftly moved on its own. I grabbed the coin-like yin-yang on my chest using my index and middle finger cloning the yin-yang symbol. I was about to throw it but someone grabbed my chest and my belly from behind.

He took the opportunity to run away. Amara slid down her back on the wall, feeble. I stood still. My mind was clouded by turmoil, still trying to process what happened.

“You’ll end up burning Bruce’s soul to ashes too,” someone whispered in my ears from behind.

I could feel his warm breath on my neck and his toned body on my back. My eyes widened realizing where his hands were placed. His other hand clutched my left breast. I immediately hit his stomach with my elbow. He groaned and released me right away. I inched myself before facing him with both arms on my chest. I glared at him.

I felt molested.

“What?” He feigned ignorance. “I thought it was your back. I didn’t feel anything,” he added grinning.

I was about to punch him in the face but I heard a soft thud behind me. I looked back and saw Amara lying on the ground, unconscious. I hurried in her direction and carried her in a way a groom would carry his bride.

Grip with wide eyes filled with amazement covered his mouth with his hand seeing me carry Amara as if she was paper-weight. I carried her out of the books area and I attracted everyone’s attention. They looked so shocked that they didn’t bother to give me a hand.

“What happened?” the librarian asked and called a male student to take Amara from me.

I gulped upon hearing her question. Grip the reaper whispered the word fainted on my ears.

“S-She fainted,” I reasoned out.

I couldn’t tell her the truth, she won’t believe me. Besides that, Bruce will be in danger, or anyone near him. We immediately brought Amara to the clinic. I waited outside, restless. I stopped walking back and forth in front of the clinic’s door when I noticed something was missing.