The Peculiars’ Tale

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by who_says_25

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"Stop following me." Morris shouted at me. We both stopped walking then the others surrounding us began whispering to each other about us. Great. A little more and my patience will all run out. There is definitely something wrong with him and it all started since he came back to cla.s.s yesterday after skipping the morning cla.s.s. I wanted to confront him but Lily greeted him before me. That time, he looked well...except from his eyes.

"I would not have followed you if only you are not leaving before I even talk to you. What"s the problem huh?" I"m controlling the volume of my voice because there are many spectators around. We actually reached the cafeteria because of this guy"s stubbornness. I approached him a while ago but he"s still trying to avoid me.

What the h.e.l.l.

"I don"t have any problem. How about you? What"s your problem huh!? His way of returning my question annoyed me. I closed my eyes for the meantime and heaved a deep breath. My patience is yet to cease but it will be soon. I no longer speak. I grabbed him by the arm and dragged him away the cafeteria because I only became more annoyed the more people surround us.

"Hey, they used to be lovers, right?"

"Yeah, that was two years ago. However, they immediately broke up."

"Do you know that after their break up, that"s when that Jill Morie became a cold heart breaker."

"So what"s the issue with them now? If I"m not mistaken, the guy has a new girlfriend."

"What"s new? That heart breaker is a natural flirt. Remember how she broke Mathew"s and Errol"s heart?"

"Get off!" He"s stronger so he managed to free himself and starts to leave again when I obstructed him.

"You know what"s our current issue, right? What the heck is happening to you?!" I shook him by the shoulders but he only swatted my hands off. I"m already shouting at him due to frustration. It"s just a relief that I pulled him here outside the building where no one else is loitering so n.o.body else heard my irritated shouts. I sighed once again and tried to calm myself. I know, hotheadedness will not help me this time. "It"s about Caleb Perez, Morris. I know that you know how different he is. He"s the same with us, right? I really need your help with that." I begged while he only stared at me for a while. His face showed no emotion and he even avoided my gaze.

"Jill, you"re being paranoid." He tapped my shoulder and tried to leave me again but I held his hand. He"s letting me face his back. I suddenly thought... If... If only Ireneo didn"t get that letter before... will there be still an us? If those things didn"t occur back then... will I still be holding his hand? Right, I"m holding his hand right now but he"s not holding me back. "Please, stop bothering me."

Because of what he said, I let go of him and stared at his eyes. Nothing. I saw nothing. I didn"t see any of our shared pasts. Where is it? Where did all his promises he uttered to me back then go to?

Morris. You. Stupid.

I"m on my way back to the homeroom since the break time is almost over. No students are in the hallway. I pa.s.sed by the comfort room and saw five of my female cla.s.smate exited the ladies room. Their eyes are like that of Morris, blank... But they are grinning.

"Wait, Trinie---" I was startled when a wet hand grabbed my shoulder from behind. When I looked back, I saw her dripping with water. Then my mind quickly jumped to conclusions. "Miss Karen, what happened to you?" I asked her though I know my cla.s.smates did this. She"s soaked to the skin, for heaven"s sake! Are they bullying her no? Wait. No. "Is Caleb Perez behind this?" I want her to answer me, but suppose she did... what can I do?

"You and Morris are still hiding a secret from me. How can I trust if I don"t know who you really are."

She faced me. "You"re not obliged to trust me, Jillianne." Then she left me, forever astounded.

Yeah. This is so frustrating.

The next morning is really weird. Even when I get nearer and nearer the homeroom, there"s no noise that could be heard. This is odd, I muttered to myself. Maybe I came late and the cla.s.s is already starting...

Before I managed to open the sliding door, I noticed a small white note taped there.

"Act normally. Don"t smell the paper." The weird person who posted the note didn"t leave his name. I only pocketed it and opened the door. I"m correct when I guessed that the cla.s.s has started. But when I entered, none of my cla.s.smates minded me.

"Sorry, I"m late." I said.

"Please, sit down." Caleb Perez is wearing his wide smile when he motioned me to my seat. I silently walked to where I should sit but I"m confused on why my cla.s.smates looked unusual. They are sitting straight without even blinking and are just staring ahead. When I sat down, I turned to face Aya and secretly tried to call her but she acted as if she heard nothing. She looks serious. Then I saw a paper was placed atop my desk. I suddenly remembered the note.

"Act normally. Don"t smell the paper." I touched the paper, looked around and hoped that someone will explain to me what"s happening. But no one meet my gaze. Not even Baldo and Tadeo. Neither did Ireneo, nor Morris.

Wait. Don"t tell me something is with this paper that when inhaled...the person will lose control of himself?

"Okay cla.s.s. I"m sorry but I need to go early. Mr. Melencio is summoning me to his office so for now, Miss Italia will continue the lesson." He informed us before leaving our sight. I now knew that I"m not the only conscious one here. For sure, Miss is the one who left the note. She looked at me and mouthed "don"t" which hinted that I would really be under the influence of whatever drug from this paper.

"Please, open your book on page---"

"Why should we follow you?"

"We will not obey a person like you."

"You"re useless."

"You should not be here."

"Leave this place."

They simultaneously opened their mouths and like robots, they threw mean words at her. I couldn"t believe what"s taking place. What are they saying? Are they under control...?"

"Get out of here."

"You"re useless."

"Scram."

"Scram."

"Scram."

"Scram."

"Scram."

"Scram."

"Scram."

Those words were repeated and accompanied by claps. It"s deafening. I felt like my surrounding itself is revolving around me. Everything that happened yesterday has the same purpose as what"s happening now. Does it mean that Caleb Perez is targeting Miss? Why?

I couldn"t stand it anymore so I stood up to stop them. "What do you think you guys are doing!?"

I stared at Miss who is still devoid of any reactions and is only looking at them who are being controlled through an unknown oration. I shook Aya but she still continued doing what she"s doing. Insane. They"re all completely under Caleb Perez" spell.

Left with no other choice, I peered what"s inside Aya"s eyes... But... Everything is... distorted! I can"t see the future in her eyes. What the h.e.l.l is with this stupid power! Now how could I help them?! I glanced at Miss Karen but she shook her head as if saying I can do nothing. Later on, she exited the room and then my cla.s.smates stopped running their mouths. And I... I want to flip my desk.

"Act normally. Don"t smell the paper."

I could do nothing but sit down and wait for this day to end.

Eleven hours pa.s.sed since I was with those brain dead buddies. For eleven hours I endured the deadly and deafening silence. They were like living corpses and I"m completely sick of them. What should I do?! It"s already dismissal time but I still could not think what should be done. I"ve already cussed out repeatedly due to frustration. All of them are still sitting still and even though the sun is already setting, they are yet to blink even once. I don"t even know how long they will be like this. I must do something to save them. But how?

I stood up and went out. I searched for other people but there"s no student outside. Even the staffs are missing. The silence outside is actually worse, I could hear nothing on this corridor aside from my own footsteps. I will soon reach the princ.i.p.al"s office but then, I suddenly notice some noises approaching me and when I glanced over my shoulder, Mr. Melencio is suddenly behind me, together with the other school staffs and teachers. I stepped back after seeing their eyes... they are ominous. Even they have been attacked and dominated by the mysterious power.

"Miss Morie, what are you doing outside?" Mr. Melencio mouthed the words in a slow, deep and frightening manner while they are all approaching me. Like how Tadeo described it, they are like zombies controlled in brain. Mr. Melencio took out a flower which alarmed me so I hurriedly covered my nose, afraid of inhaling something from it. I"m afraid to be controlled. I ran away from them but when I ran down the lobby, the other students are waiting there and it"s obvious that they are also not sane. I planned to tun upstairs but the other zombie-like people obstructed me. I"m being surrounded. My heart beats have gone wild. They"re nearing me. Gosh, this is just a dream. Let it be a dream.

Someone suddenly covered my eyes. Familiar. The scent he exudes is familiar.

"Ssshhh..."

I hear nothing but the loud drumming of my heart. Then slowly... everything vanished... it went dark... I lose consciousness.