Chapter 4

Was that Kai? The new student?

Lisa stopped what she was eating and look outside the restaurant. The boy was leaning against the railings. That jet black hair, that lean body. Lisa was sure enough. It was Kai.

But what is he doing here? Did he follow her and her family?

No. Lisa must be imagining things. Maybe it's not what it looks like. Maybe it's just a coincidence.

Lisa look at the stranger again. This time, she could see his eye. It was Kai. That ocean blue eyes. And there it is again. That cold feeling she feels at the time that stranger appeared into her classroom. Lisa hugged herself to at least make herself warmer from the coldness of her skin. The more she look at those eyes, the more she was drawn into it. There is something about Kai that Lisa cannot understand. Lisa could feel the sweat building up her face and neck. The airconditioner of the entire mall cannot take away the sweat forming into her. Her skin was as cold as ice but inside her body was burning. She could hear a sound of ringing to her ears. What is happening?

"LISA!!!" Her father called into her.

Lisa breathed heavily and look at her dad.

"What happened?" Mina asked.

Lisa cannot open her mouth. She cannot describe what had happened earlier. She look at Mina, then to her food, then outside but Kai is already gone. Lisa breathe for air. At those moments, she feels that all the air was gone and she couldn't breathe.

"Are you ok?" Her dad asked in concern.

Lisa wiped her sweat away using her hands. "Yeah. I'm fine."

But she isn't fine. Lisa knew that to herself. She wasn't fine. She doesn't understand what happened. All those feelings of coldness and burning sensation altogether. What was that all about?

Lisa kept thinking about those that she didn't realize they were in the parking lot already.

"Lisa," Her dad said. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm sorry dad." Lisa said in reply. "I don't really feel well tonight."

The father touched Lisa's forehead. "Seems that you have a small fever."

"Come on Mina. Let's take your sister home." The father said.

Lisa, without much energy, climbed to the back of their vehicle and Mina followed. They all fastened their seatbelt as the father walked to the front of the car, opened the driver's seat, fastened his seatbelt and adjusted the rearview mirror.

Lisa noticed her father made a face while looking at the mirror but she was too weak to even move her head. Lisa feels her fever going up.

Her dad turn on the engine and they went on their way home.

They went home an hour later and Lisa and Mina went up to their own rooms to prepare for bed. Their father follows them and as he was about to enter the house, his phone rang.

Mina and Lisa looked at him.

"You go ahead, It will not take long." Their father smiled. "I'll follow you a bit later."

Lisa saw her father turn his phone and she could see her father's eyebrow wrinkled upon reading the call.

"Hello." Her father answered just as Lisa and Mina close the front door.

"Mr. Santos." Said the end of the line. "How was the case?"

Mr. Santos, Lisa and Mina's father, a lawyer by profession, a retired "The Core".

"Positive." Mr. Santos replied seriously. "They are already here."

"And Lisa?" asked the person on the other line.

"She's fine." Replied Mr. Santos. "She is still normal."

"We don't have much time." Said the person on the other line. "It's only a matter of days for those creatures to find its second victim. Soon, this news will spread."

Mr. Santos was silent

"Until then, we don't want to cause further casualties." Mr. Santos is still silent.

"We need Lisa now." And with that, the phone call ended.

Mr. Santos stood there for a moment. He knew this time will come. He knew Lisa will go to fulfil her duties. But can't they wait until Lisa will have her memories back? Are there any other option to stop this battle between humans and those creatures?

He was contemplating on what he should do next. How will Lisa understand all those things? How will she fulfill if she doesn't know what she will be facing. Will Lisa be ok with this?

Lisa is her daughter after all.

No.

Lisa was her adoptive daughter.

Lisa is different from them.

Lisa is not human like them.

No.

From what he has witnessed from the past year, Lisa is her daughter.

Lisa is becoming more and more human.

He cannot give up on Lisa.

Not just yet.

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Lisa's body is as hot as the sun. She could feel the burning sensation inside her organs. The outside world is cold in contrast with her pale skin. She shifted her blankets up to her chin to at least made herself feel warm and comfortable, but the coldness keeps getting inside her, forcing itself to enter her every pore.

It's so cold, yet it's burning.

"Lisa"

A voice called her name. Who is it? Who's calling at this time?

A woman?

Lisa know it's already midnight and the temperature of the room gets colder and colder.

"Lisa."

That voice again. Lisa tried to open her eyes.

But she can't!!!

What is happening?

Lisa tried to scream.

HELP!!!

"Lisa."

Who are you?

Why are you calling me?

"You think you're normal like them?"

What?

"You came from me."

What is she talking about?

"You belong to me."

Lisa can't understand what this voice is talking about.

Who is she?

Liza tried to move her body but she can't.

Sleep paralysis?

It feels like she is pinned against the bed.

"You are MINE!!!!"

Lisa bolted awake.

She quickly scan her surroundings

It was pitched black and her heart starts racing.

Moments later she could already faintly see her dresser, her windows, her side table.

She calmly breathe as Lisa realize she was still on her bed.

What a nightmare is that?

Lisa realize she is sweating very hard. She gulped a lot of air and try to calm her racing heart.

She looked at her cellphone and saw the time. It was 3AM.

Some says 3AM is where the devil controls the reality. Is it true?

If it is true, was her body being controlled by one?

Lisa closed her eyes, her breathing patterns is slowly taking a normal turn. Her heart is also going on a normal beat. She wiped her cold sweat using her palm and there, she experience a dryness in her throat, she was thirsty.

Without hesitation, she opened her bedroom door and made her way to the kitchen. The house was already silent as her dad and Mina are already sleeping in their rooms.

On the kitchen, she grabs a glass of water and drink. She was unaware that she's facing the window to the kitchen and sees the street outside their gate.

There was a pair of drunk men swaying and dancing carried away by their intoxication. Lisa just half smiled at their ways as they are singing and dancing while holding a bottle of beer.

The street was silent and only their noise can be heard in the place.

Lisa then put the glass of empty water on the sink and went back to her bedroom.

The drunk men is still merrily singing and dancing to their heart's content. The first man, wearing a blue tshirt from a construction site was doing his best to at least help her friend walk while being intoxicated.

It was a not a minute after that there was a pool of blood around where the two drunks used to be, the bodies of the men splattered, and a person sucking the blood of the two drunk men.