Ghosted Novels & Stories

times, repeatedly checking the sender's name, thinking it was a mistake. But it was indeed Luke. Maria was shocked; she knew Luke lived in the U.S. twenty years ago. Why did the "ghost" from her past reappear? She hesitated but decided to respond, "Luke, what are you doing? I thought you were in the U.S." Luke replied, "I came back for you, Maria. I couldn't forget our memories." Maria was perplexed. What did he mean? She asked, "What do you mean?" Luke didn't respond. Maria less sleep that night. Luke's message haunted her I don't have any debt for him. Kailangan ko silang reply-an ni Dylan para hindi na sila mangugulo pa "Huwag mo akong tatawagan at tetextan pa," sabi ko kina Luke at Dyla

Gray lang. Minuto ang lumipas, walang pagbabago. Nag-open ako ng I*******m — para lang sana mag-comment sa last post niya. Pero pag-type ko ng pangalan niya sa search bar, wala. As in wala. “No users found.” Nanlamig ang batok ko. Tumayo ako agad mula sa kama, hinagilap ang isa ko pang phone — ‘yung hindi ko ginagamit, dati kong number. Doon ko rin siya chinat. Blank din. Hindi rin nag-send.

“Tanggalin n’yo muna sa main network. I’ll check it myself.” Nang i-transfer niya ang file sa isolated terminal, may lumabas na folder name: “Echo_Protocol.” Sa loob, isang string ng message, puro numbers, halos walang kahulugan. Ngunit sa dulo, may isang linya ng text: “Hello again, Billie. Did you really think I was gone?” Nanlamig siya. Hindi ito ordinaryong code. Ito ay parang digital ghost — isang bahagi ni Vicky, naiwan sa core ng Lazarus network.

Gusto niyang tawagan si Zephyr pero may nakita siyang unread message nang ilabas niya ang phone niya. Walang nakasaad na numero o pangalan, at isang linya lang ng text nang i-swipe niya ito. [Natatandaan mo pa ba ako?] Natigilan si Cordelia. Marahil ang isang biglaang mensahe na tulad nito ay isang maling naipadala.

Kinagat ko ang kuko ko sa hinlalaki habang nakatingin sa selpon ko. Wala naman kaming problemang dalawa nang huli kaming magkausap pero bakit hindi niya sinasagot ang mga tawag ko ngayon? Lumipas ang mga araw na wala pa ring paramdam si Nero, dumating na ang pasko at bagong taon pero wala pa rin. Hindi man lang siya nag-text man lang kahit batiin ako. Did he ghosted me? Bakit bigla na lang siyang hindi nagparamdam sa akin? May nagawa ba akong mali?

Mag-ooverthink pa sana ako nang sunod tumunog ulit ang messenger. Skyler unsent a messege. Skyler: Wrong send. Ang cold naman ng reply. You: Haha ayos lang no Skyler liked your message. Naghintay pa ako ng ilang minuto kasi typing siya. Pero nagulat na lang ako nang makitang 'active 4 minutes ago' na ang loko! First time kong ma-ghosted ah?

I tried to calling him but he was not answering. I was starting to feel nervous about it. Why is he not replying to my texts? Why is he not answering my calls? Is he ghosting me? With that thought on my head, I went to the Medical department and tried to search for his face in the crowd. But to no luck, I haven't seen him. Mukha akong tanga doon na hinahanap siya, naghihintay kahit na hindi alam kung sisipot ba ang hinihintay.

Weird. "Tsk.. Tsk.. I just disappeared for a while then you were now like that. I might think differently of that." He suddenly said. "What is that again?" He frowned when I asked him but he just shrugged his shoulder. "We're going somewhere." I was blown away by the juice I was drinking because of what he said. "Where else are we going?" "Well, it's a secret." I close my eyes tightly, I thought Janna and Devie were more annoying—But no! The man in front of me is even more annoying! His name is Theo Zenick Ares! A man answered no if it was not a secret.

Kung weird si Grey sa kaniya, mas nawi-weirduhan siya kay Rem ngayon. Napabuntong hininga nalang siya nang maalala na pati si Trooper at boss niya ay weird din ngayong araw. Ibababa na sana niya ang phone niya nang bigla itong umilaw ulit and an unknown number message her. "Stop entertaining someone, baby. I missed you." Napakurap-kurap si Wommie sa text message na iyon at alam niyang galing iyon kay Mr. Whore.

Inabot niya ang telepono at pumasok sa glass balcony ng silid upang hindi magising si Celeste. Kumuha siya ng malalim na hininga at binuksan ang pumasok na text message mula sa isang hindi rehistradong numero. Tumambad sa screen ng phone ni Greg ang dalawang message na natanggap niya ay tuluyang nagpagising sa diwa niya. "Make sure to enjoy every single second, every single day with Celeste while you still can, Gregory Lazarus..." " Because the phantom of her past is already breathing right behind your neck."