Episode 7

AFTER a ten-minutes break, Maxine and the other students had to return to the hall, where they all gathered.

 

 

“Okay participants, fall in line by course,” Miss Gillany announced. Everyone followed.

 

 

“Sit on the ground,” she instructed. The students lined up and sat on the green grass.

 

 

“Maxine, look,” Meghan whispered from behind Maxine. The latter followed and sat down. She looked in the direction Meghan pointed and caught Hevo looking at them. He smiled shyly and waved discreetly.

 

 

“He seems to like you, huh,” Meghan teased.

 

 

“You’re wrong. He’s just being nice to me…”

 

 

“I don’t think so.” Meghan shrugged. “I bet.”

 

 

“Whatever.” Maxine shook her head.

 

 

They sat up straight as the microphone echoed.

 

 

“Good morning students!” greeted the newly arrived instructor. “I will be your first speaker for this morning. By the way, I am Belsie Macalisang but you can call me, Ma’am Bellz.”

 

 

She seemed nice, Maxine thought.

 

 

“Actually, I just arrived from Europe yesterday for my research. I thought I wouldn’t be able to make it because of jet lag, but thanks to God, I made it to be here today with you guys.”

 

 

After a while, she started to discuss.

 

 

Maxine yawned after a few moments. She didn’t know why, but the discussion was the best sleeping pill for lazy students who didn’t want to listen.

 

 

She lifted her head when she felt something hit her head. She saw a crumpled leaf. It wasn’t painful, just surprising.

 

 

She turned to Meghan behind her. It was definitely her again.

 

 

“What?”

 

 

“It’s you, no forgiveness for you, maybe you can pass that throwing thing of yours for now. We’re not in school.”

 

 

“It wasn’t me.” Meghan shook her head. She pointed her lips in Hevo’s direction, so Maxine followed. He was grinning and gesturing for her not to sleep.

 

 

“See? He likes you.”

 

 

Maxine turned her attention back to the speaker, ignoring Meghan’s whispers.

 

 

“Okay students, that’s the end of our discussion.”

 

 

Everyone seemed to come alive from their slumber at the sound of it.

 

 

“Any questions?” Miss Macalisang asked.

 

 

No one spoke, as if they were all hungry.

 

 

“Okay, before we end, I’ll be the one asking the questions.”

 

 

Oh, great! Maxine thought silently.

 

 

“Does anyone here know about a gray wolf?”

 

 

A few raised their hands.

 

 

Maxine didn’t. She didn'’t know about different breeds of wolves.

 

 

“Great. Actually, that’s my research study all about since I’m fond of wildlife species.”

 

 

A few moments of silence passed before Miss Macalisang spoke again.

 

 

“But do you guys believe in the existence of human wolves?”

 

 

It seemed like Teacher Macalisang was the hungry one. There’s no such thing. They only exist in movies, Maxine thought.

 

 

The instructor laughed at their reaction, but quickly became serious.

 

 

“I know what you’re thinking. But believe it or not, they do exist.” She took something out of her bag, a flash drive. “Lemme show you something. This one caught my attention while I was traveling.”

 

 

It was incredibly quiet. Everyone seemed curious.

 

 

“But this has nothing to do with our topic a while ago, of course. I just want to share with you what I saw.”

 

 

No one spoke, and everyone just looked at the white screen where the projector was pointed. The students seemed interested in seeing what the instructor was talking about.

 

 

“This picture was captured when I traveled somewhere in central Europe,” she said, showing a picture on the screen. It was a picture of a woman with large scratches on her face and chest while inside a car. There were also traces of scratches from claws, perhaps, on the car as if it was done by an unusual animal. Around her were people who were curious.

 

 

“The woman was not alone. She’s with her kid and husband when the incident happened,” Miss Macalisang continued and showed the next picture. It showed a man not far from the car, his chest torn, and his lower body missing.

 

 

Maxine ducked her head. She couldn’t bear to look at the picture, she felt like her stomach was going to turn.

 

 

“Excuse me.” It was Hevo’s voice.

 

 

“Yes, Mr.?”

 

 

“Hevo Fontanella,” he introduced himself. “You’ve mentioned that she was with her husband and kid. Where is the child?”

 

 

“The child is currently under the care of a hospital in central Europe. She was lucky to survive.”

 

 

“And how do you know it was a human wolf that did it?” Beatriz chimed in. “Maybe it was another animal.”

 

 

“The child herself said so. She saw how her father’s companion turned into a monster.”

 

 

Maxine felt her hair stand on end at the sound of it.

 

 

If Miss Gillany hadn’t spoken, everyone wouldn’t have calmed down.

 

 

“Seems like you’re caught up in Ma’am’s story, huh. Okay participants, get up and line up for lunch except for those who are in punishment.”

 

 

“Thank you guys for listening,” Miss Macalisang added. “See you in my class next week. We’ll continue the story.”

 

___

 

 

FROM the backside of the palace, Lucas passed through the wall and went straight to the balcony on the third storey where his room is. It’s past two in the afternoon. He had fun strolling that he wasn’t aware of the time.

 

 

He formed a smile as he took off his t-shirt. That woman’s face reaction amused him. He doesn’t know what made him help them find food. It’s just that he had to do something when he heard them talking about it.

 

 

Weird. He thought.

 

 

But he didn’t expect them to take off their shirts.

 

 

Of course, he was there.

 

 

Suddenly, he felt a little bit of fever down on his belly reminiscing the scene a while ago. Shaking his head, he decided to take a shower.

 

 

LUCAS went downstairs after showering. He met Manang Ebith on the stairs.

 

 

“Good afternoon, Sir!” she greeted.

 

 

He smiled in response.

 

 

Manang Ebith had been their housekeeper since they migrated to the Philippines. She knew, as well as their guards, the secret of their family.

 

 

“Should I make you a cabbage salad?” the old woman asked. She knew it was his favorite.

 

 

“No. I’ll make it myself.”

 

 

Lucas continued to the kitchen. He felt hungry and wanted to eat cabbage salad. Weird, but he was probably the only CANIS who was vegetarian.

 

 

He took the cabbage out of the refrigerator and the other ingredients he would use.

 

 

“Cabbage salad again?”

 

 

He stopped chopping the cabbage and looked up. It was his sister, she had just entered the kitchen.

 

 

“Don’t you think that might purge you?” she asked, laughing.

 

 

“Get rid of me.”

 

 

“Fine.”

 

 

“I saw her again,” he uttered without giving her a glimpse.

 

 

“Who?”

 

 

“The girl in the supermarket.”

 

 

“Then?” he heard her hiss under her breath. From the corner of his eye, he saw her coming closer and watching him.

 

 

“Nothin’. I am just amused with her.”

 

 

“Forget about her. You’ll just get hurt.”

 

 

One of his eyebrows arched. “I didn’t say anything.”

 

 

“That’s where it’s gonna be,” she insisted.

 

 

He sighed in dismay. He knew it wasn’t possible. He didn’t say he liked the girl. He was just saying he was amused. Was that so hard to understand? And why was he explaining anyway?

 

 

Lourine placed a newspaper on the table.

 

 

“They’re attacking again.”

 

 

[Family attacked by a BEAST]

 

 

That’s what was written on the page.

 

 

“I’ve read it,” he replied while busy with what he was doing. The attack happened somewhere in central Europe.

 

 

“Your birthday is coming up soon.”

 

 

He stopped what he was doing and looked at his older sister again.

 

 

“Lourine, can’t we live a normal life?” he snarled, unable to hide the annoyance in his voice. “Can we just forget the other CANIS and even that old hag for good?” After saying that, he angrily put down the knife he was holding. “Can’t believe you ruined my day.”

 

 

He completely stopped what he was doing and left Lourine alone in the kitchen. He walked back to his room, feeling irritated.

 

 

He wasn’t happy with how he was.

 

 

And for HEAVEN’s sake, he wanted to curse his origin!