You Can't Hide from Me

A few days after Joed’s encounter with Morgan, he is back to his teenager’s life. School days and he is early again. All fourth years are now present. The siblings Joy and Andoy who were absent on the first day of school are also early.

Ken Michael Capapas has also arrived from Singapore. He is a tall guy with dark brown complexion and with straight hair. This year, he gains muscles and becomes taller than he used to be when he was in third year. This is the reason why his pants look small for him and he looks like wearing a slim fit pants for a big guy. But he does not care about it.

Ken also knows Joed but not very well. He practices and trains with the basketball varsities but he is not a varsity player. He is known by his classmates as a kind but sometimes moody person. He can easily get along with other people. Since he is a tall guy, he chooses to sit nearly to the last row.

After a few minutes, the bell rings. It is time for the flag ceremony. He only joins the line but he does not recite because of his religion and beliefs. After the flag ceremony, they return to their classrooms together with their adviser.

There is a homeroom period before the first subject. In this span of time, the students have time to mingle with each other. The assigned cleaners are cleaning the class room, and the others are quietly reading and reviewing.

Ken mingles with his classmates and friends like Mateo, Santiago, Glenn, a boy who most of the time very serious, Lui, Dolly, small girl with a height like a grade four pupil but has a voice of a big and loud speaker, and Melboy.

While they are mingling, their adviser calls Ken. “Ken, I think you are one of the cleaners today. Please help the other cleaners. They have low patience. They will bombard you if you don’t help them. Haha…” Their adviser’s joked to Ken as he checks the attendance. Ken stands and replies. “Yes sir!” Just like the many of the fourth year students, Ken is also known by his adviser since elementary but they are not very close, unlike the others.

After the first three subjects, they take their recess. Joed, Mateo, Melboy and Santiago go together with Ken at the canteen. Since most of them have been classmates since elementary, they have no problems about making jokes with each other.

Here, Joed is introduced to Ken formally. “Wazzup Joed?!” said Ken as he pointed his fist towards Joed, sign of friendship like handshake. Joed replies to Ken as he raises his fist too and bump it on Ken’s fist. “I’m fine, you?”

The two get along in a short time. They talk about their basic interests. Here, Ken learned that Joed is addicted to DOTA and he likes to do pickup lines. So, Ken jokes with Joed. “Hey Joed, are you a stick?” Joed replies “Why?” Ken answers. “Because you look like it…”

Everybody laughs. They get the meaning easily because Joed is a tall and thin boy. Joed smiles and he did not take that as offensive because he likes to joke too.

Suddenly someone touches Ken at the back and speaks. “Bai!” They look to the owner of the voice. It is Tiyow, one of the basketball varsities together with Orly. Bai is the term to insult Ken because according to Tiyow, Ken looks like a Bombay.

Ken is pissed a little. He replies to Tiyow. “What are you fighting for?” These words are to return insult indirectly. Tiyow stops teasing because he knew that he does not want to mess up with Ken. Ken is bigger and much stronger than Tiyow. Orly chooses not to tease Ken. Instead, he asks him. “Are you going to practice basketball again later Ken?” Ken replies “I’m not sure. I am needed in the house later.” Then the bell rings. It marks the end of recess and the start of the fourth subject.

Meanwhile, at the base of Macreo, the four creatures appear. Macreo speaks. “While Morgan is still hibernating, someone must continue his job of creating chaos above. We need more negative energies coming from these humans.”

One of the three creatures walks forward and speaks. “I will do it my lord.” Macreo thinks for a few seconds and then he replies. “Go Macabro! Collect more negative energies from humans by creating chaos to them. The boy that Morgan encountered, the Novel Blue Soul Blood, is weak. His is still adjusting with his powers. While in his weaker power, you must find and kill him before the other Novel Blue Soul Blood find him.” Macabro bows and replies. “Yes, my lord! I will not fail you.” Then he steps back. A black smoke engulfs him and then, he disappears.

After school, Joed and Ken leave the room together. They are talking about the assignment in science. While going down the stairs, Joed asks Ken about the assignment. “Hey Ken, do you have paper plates? I need it for our assignment for tomorrow.” Ken replies “Yes at our home. We have plenty of those because my parents’ business is about utensils.”

Joed smiles and asks Ken again. “Can I have some? I don’t have money to buy for them right now.” Ken replies “Sure! Come with me to our house. It is a little far from here but I just walk to get there.” Joed agrees. “Okay! I’ll walk with you.” Then the two leave the school to go to Ken’s house.

Meanwhile, somewhere in the street of Peñafrancia, a black smoke appears like a whirlwind. When the smoke disappears, it reveals Macabro. He is a very tall creature with yellow cat’s eyes, long yellow straight hair, white complexion, and has hands of a lizard with sharp claws.

The place is very quiet and only few people are passing by because it is nearly 5 in the afternoon. He walks through an empty house. A man saw him. The man is shocked by the physical appearance of Macabro. He is about to shout but Macabro looks into the man’s eyes and hypnotizes him. The man becomes a key controlled robot. Then they walk inside the empty house.

Inside, the house is a dark place with little furniture. Macabro waves his hand and the door closes. Macabro’s eyes spark and the room becomes bright. He chanted in gibberish and after that, a caliginous gateway appears.

From the caliginous gateway, a dark shadow-like demon spirit comes out. It looks like a very huge lizard with sharp claws. It is incorporeal. It looks at the man who has been hypnotized. Then, it possesses the man.

The possessed man grins and waves his two hands upward. From the ground, small demons arise. They look like a ball of tennis with two eyes, sharp teeth and wings like pigeons. About 30 small demons have risen. Macabro smiles as a black smoke engulf him. And then he disappears.

On their way to Ken’s house, Ken brings out a ballpen from his bag and shows it to Joed. Joed asks “What is this for?” Ken replies “Just look at it.”

Joed inspects the ball pen. Then, he speaks. “Nothing unusual… Just an ordinary Panda-like ballpen.”

Ken takes back the ballpen and raises it in front of Joed. He pushes its tip and the ballpen emits a very bright light, brighter than a spotlight. Joed is amazed. He covers his eyes because the light is very bright. Joed cannot see when looks directly to the pen. He speaks. “That is fascinating Ken. Could you turn it off?”

Ken turns light off and laugh. ”Hahaha…” Then he speaks to Joed. “Tinapa! Are you afraid of bright light?” The term tinapa is an expression of Ken. It means, in Filipino, a preserved fish by smoking.

Joed replies. “Of course not. It is just very bright and it hurts my eyes. But honestly, that is one good thing I’ve ever seen.”

Ken continues to walk and Joed follows. Ken speaks while they are walking. “It is one of my inventions. Other kinds of light can also be emitted by this pen.”

Ken presses its tip again and an ultraviolet light emits from it. Joed is amazed as he sees it. Ken presses its tip again and a red laser light emits from the other tip of the pen.

Joed cannot believe what he just saw. He speaks. “Wow Ken! I’ve seen these kinds of pens before but not as bright as that pen. In fact, it can brighten an entire room like three big fluorescent lights combined.” Ken smiles because of Joed’s compliment while still walking.

As they continue walking, they pass through the house where Macabro summoned the caliginous gateway. Joed cannot sense its presence. Three people enter the house. Joed did not see it. But Ken notices them. He is shocked when he sees the three people entering the house. He does not show to Joed his reaction.

Ken tells Joed to walk faster. “Let’s hurry up!”

Joed notices Ken’s sudden change of walk speed. It seems that he is running from something. When they get to Ken’s house, Ken rushes to the kitchen and opens the refrigerator. He takes cold water and a glass, and he drinks. He offers Joed a glass too. “Joed, here, drink some water.”

Joed also drinks water while staring at Ken’s face. He sees Ken like very worried and a little scared. He asks Ken. “Ken, is everything alright?” Ken sits on a chair and replies. “Yes. I’m just feeling tired, that’s all.” But Joed does not believe him. He thinks that Ken is hiding something. But he does not ask Ken again.

Ken goes upstairs for a while. Joed waits downstairs. Then Ken returns with the paper plates that Joed was asking. Joed surprised for a while because Ken has brought a pack of paper plates with 50 pieces of them. He speaks. “Yow Ken! This is too much.” Ken replies. “It’s okay. Just bring all of them. I have plenty more upstairs.”

Joed does not argue with Ken and he takes the paper plates as he speaks. “Thank you, Ken!” Ken raises his fist towards Joed and replies. “You’re welcome bro!” Joed raises his fist too to reply to Ken’s.

Joed goes out and bids good bye to Ken. “Bye Ken! Thanks again!” Ken replies. “Okay! Be careful on your way home. I suggest you take the other road going back.” Joed goes and follows what Ken told him to take the other road going back.

On his way back, he keeps on thinking of Ken’s behavior. He really wants to know what has happened to Ken that moment in time. Suddenly, a hand touches his shoulder from the back. He suddenly feels afraid and he is startled. He looks back and finds out who touches him.

“TATANG!? You’ve startled me.” Joed catches his breath and he feels at ease. Tatang smiles and speaks. “How are you?” Joed replies. “I’m quite fine because I don’t sense any troubles. Morgan must have been very injured right now. Hahaha…”

Tatang shakes his head and then he speaks. “Don’t be over confident boy. They are on the move.” Joed suddenly gets serious. He looks around as he speaks. “What? Where? So, Morgan opened another gateway?” Tatang replies. “Maybe, but I don’t think Morgan could do that right now after the injuries he got from you. But I sense its power. However, I don’t know where it was casted. I don’t have the power to detect its location.”

Joed suddenly feels worried and pissed. He speaks. “What? Are you expecting me to find that gateway? I don’t know where to look.” Tatang replies to Joed. “The possessed person will lead you to the caliginous gateway.”

Joed is more pissed as he replies. “How am I supposed to know who is being possessed? Everyone who is under the control of the possessed person looks the same as him. If I follow one of them, how can I be sure that that is the possessed one and not the being controlled person.”

Tatang thinks deeply. Then, he replies. “I don’t know. Nevertheless, you must find the caliginous gateway and close it, or chaos will spread in this place.” Joed angrily speaks again. “Errrr… Me? What about you? Are you not going to help?” Tatang answers. “Sorry boy. I need to go somewhere else. It is very important that I should go there.”

Joed grins at Tatang. Then, he speaks to tease Tatang. “Where, to your wedding?” Tatang is pissed off. He hits Joed with his cane. Joed yells. “Awwwww… Why did you do that? I may burn like Morgan too.” Tatang replies. “Luckily you are not a demon. But I guess that it still hurts.” Joed replies as he rubs the part of his head where he was hit. “Of course it is. Ahhh…”

Suddenly, the two hear noises and breaking bottles from behind them. They look back and they see people having a riot. Tatang commands Joed. “Go boy! Run away! Remember, it is imperative that you find the caliginous gateway.” Joed runs as fast as he can to avoid the riot. Then he reaches the main road going to their house. He looks back and he catches his breath. “Whoah…“ Joed goes home. After dinner, he does his assignment.

In the meantime, Ken is thinking of what he saw when Joed and he passed through that house. What he really saw were three men with creatures that has been summoned by the possessed man, flying over the head of each of the three men. He is thinking while doing his assignment. “Am I having a fever? Are those things true or I was just imagining things?”

Ken is confused as he thinks. “Why did Joed not see those? Maybe I was imagining things.”

Ken finishes his work and after. Then, he eats dinner together with his family. After dinner he goes to his room to prepare himself for sleeping. Suddenly, from outside of their house, he hears noises. He looks from the window and he sees people fighting. They are having riot outside. Different riots that Joed and Tatang saw.

Ken gets scared when he sees the people in one of the groups. The creatures that he saw flying over the head of those three men, are flying over the head of those in one of the groups of rioters, and some are in the other group. He quickly closes the window and gets to bed.

On his bed, he is thinking. “I know I’m not imagining things this time. It is true. There are demons on their head. And it seems that they are controlling those people.”

Ken cannot sleep. After a while the sound of the police siren is heard. Then the riot is dispatched. After an hour, because he is tired, Ken falls asleep.

The next day, at the school, in the classroom, Ken decided not to tell anyone what he saw last night. He thinks. “They might think I’m crazy, and no one will ever believe me.” These are the thoughts of Ken.

It is homeroom time and their adviser says an announcement. “Those who have not complied with the requirements regarding the school records like form 137, please, as soon as possible, I need it or you won’t be qualified for graduation.”

Then, the adviser’s face becomes serious as he announces the news. “Last night there were reports that there were riots here within the Paco area. I suggest you stay cautious. Don’t stay late at night outside. And more important, don’t get involved in these riots.”

As Ken heard it, he recalls of what he saw last night. In his mind, he wants to see those again. He wants to know something about them. He becomes interested of those little demons.

After school, Melboy asked Joed and Ken to eat at Mc Donalds. Since the two are hungry too, they go together. It is almost 4:30 in the afternoon. While they are eating in, a sudden noise is heard from outside. “Ahhhhhhhhhhh…”

A woman is screaming because there are rioters again. Two groups of rioters are involved. Ken, Melboy and Joed see the rioters from inside but only Ken can see the little demons over the heads of the rioters.

Ken is staring at the little demons. Then, the police arrive and capture the rioters. However, many of them escape. Ken grabs the hands of Melboy and Joed. “Come! Let’s go!”

Joed and Melboy follow Ken thinking that they will be going home or returning to school. But to their surprise, they notice that Ken is following a man. Joed and Melboy ask Ken. “Hey Ken! Where are we going? I thought we are going home.” said Melboy as he tries to stop Ken. Ken answers quietly. “Shhhh… Stop making noise, he may hear us.”

Joed gets what Ken is talking about. He looks at the man that they are following. The man looks like weak. Suddenly, the man looks back. But Ken, Joed and Melboy manage to hide. Joed notices the sharp red eyes of the man. He knows quickly that the man is possessed or being controlled, but he does not know which of the two.

The man continues to walk and reaches the house where the caliginous gateway was summoned. Then, he enters. Joed grabs the shoulder of Ken and Melboy and speaks. “Let’s go back. It is not safe there.”

But Ken disagrees. He continues to follow the man as he speaks. “Listen to me Joed. Last night I saw these people and the riot. There are demons flying over their heads. These demons might be controlling those people.”

Even though Ken is not sure if the two will believe him, he said it anyway. Joed remembers the reaction of Ken last night. Then he realizes that that was the thing that made Ken changed his behavior.

Ken continues to speak. “But this time, that man that we are following is different. He is engulfed with dark smoke. He seems to be the leader of those little demons.”

Joed is surprised to what Ken just said while Melboy does not understand what Ken is saying. In Joed’s mind “Ken can see the demon inside the person.”

When they reach the house, the door is closed. They carefully and quietly roam around the house. Melboy sees an open window in the second floor and Ken sees a ladder. Melboy points to the open window for the two to see. When Joed and Ken see it, Ken gets the ladder and leans it to the window. Then the three go up inside through the ladder.

When the three get inside, they quietly hide by the pillars. Melboy is afraid as he talks to the two. “What are we doing here?”

Joed saw in the first floor the man they were following, and there are other people too. Then, he sees that the people are guarding the caliginous gateway. He cannot turn invisible because he does not want Ken and Melboy to see him do that.

Ken is looking at the caliginous gateway. Then, Ken asks. “What is that glowing red ball that they seem to be guarding?” He points to the man that they followed and speaks. “That man… The one we were following is getting dark something from it. It’s like he is feeding on it.”

Joed is surprised to what Ken just said. Joed replies. “You can see it too?” Ken says yes by raising his two eyebrows. But Melboy is confused and afraid. He asks. “What glowing ball? I don’t see anything but the people.”

Melboy said that to the Joed and Ken while making a step towards them. But the floor that Melboy is stepping is weak. It breaks and his foot gets trapped. The people hear the noise and see them.

“They see us.” Ken said while helping Melboy to get his feet out of being trapped.

When Melboy is freed, they run back to the window. But, the ladder is no longer there and there are people already waiting for them outside. Joed sees a stair, then, he grabs the hands of Ken and Melboy. They run down stairs and make it to the first floor. They see a door and they quickly run to it. But before they could reach the door, the controlled people blocks their way. They go back to where they came from but it was too late. They are already surrounded by the controlled people.

The man being possessed walks towards them and laughs. “Ahahaha…” Then, he speaks. “You are too brave to come here, and too foolish.” But Ken does not get scared this time and replies. “I can see through your disguise. You are controlling that man. You can’t hide from me.”

The possessed man and Melboy are surprised to what Ken just said. Melboy speaks spontaneously. “Hey Ken, what do you mean by disguise? That man is not a man? Have you seen his bra? Is he a…”

Ken ignores what Melboy just said and he continues speaking. “I know that you are feeding on that glowing ball. And I think that is where these little demons came from.”

Melboy becomes more afraid as he talks to Ken. “Hey Ken, stop it. They may get mad at us.”

Joed confirms that Ken can really see the caliginous gateway. It only means one thing. He speaks. “Ken, since you can see the caliginous gateway, I think I should tell you this now. You are a Novel Blue Soul Blood.”

Ken gets confused as he asks Joed. “Novel what?” Joed continues. “You are just like me.” Ken replies to Joed. “A stick?”

Joed gets annoyed as he replies. “Ahhh… No. You are a Novel Blue Soul Blood. I’ll explain later but for now, we must close that glowing ball. We are the only two can do that.”

Suddenly, the possessed man interrupts their conversation and speaks. “Are you done with your filthy conversation?” Ken shouts at the possessed man. “Will you shut up? We are trying to think on how to defeat you.”

The possessed man gets angry and commands the controlled people. “Get them.”

Ken brings out his pen. He presses it and then it emits a very bright light. The people are staggered. Joed grabs the opportunity and turns invisible. When Melboy saw it, he just passed out and falls to the ground.

Ken is surprised of what Joed just did. But Ken can still see Joed but only like white outlines.

The possessed man is surprised. “Where is he gone?”

Afraid, he summoned the little demons that are controlling the people and send them to protect the caliginous gateway. The controlled people passed out and fall to the ground. One of the little demons attacked Ken’s pen. The pen breaks and the light is gone.

Joed in his invisible states rushes to the caliginous gateway. When he is near the ball, the little demons swarm the surrounding of the ball. The possessed man laughs. “Hahaha…” Then, he speaks. “We may not see you but I know you will be getting near the caliginous gateway.”

The little demons fly and spread. Then one of them hits Joed on his face. Joed loses concentration and returns to his normal state. The possessed man sees Joed and rushes to him. He grabs Joed’s neck and tries to suffocate him. But something hits the face of the man. “Ahhh…” He throws Joed away.

Joed hits the wall and falls down. The thing that hits the possessed man is the fists of Ken. When Ken sees Joed’s being thrown, he gets angry and attacks the man with his fists again. The man falls down on the ground. The flying little demons position themselves to attack Ken.

But before the little demons could attack, Joed shouts to Ken. “Ken! Grab the glowing ball now.” Ken runs to the caliginous gateway and grabs it. The ball becomes a bright light and hits the man. The possession demon comes out of the man and becomes corporeal. But unlike the previous possession demon, it is not stunned.

The little demons die and disappear. The possession demon jumps and attacks Ken. Ken dodges the attack. Joed shouts again because he cannot stand due to injury that he gets from hitting the wall. “Destroy the stone on its forehead.” The possession demon turns to Joed when it did not hit Ken. But before it can make another move, Ken grabs its tail and swings the creature around. After a few swings he releases the demon and it goes straight to the wall. The forehead of the demon hits the wall. The stone breaks. Then, the creature dies.

Ken rushes to Joed and help him to stand. Ken suddenly sneezed. He forgets to cover his nose. The saliva and some mucus are thrown and hit Joed’s shirt. Joed muttered. “Ahhh… Ken, tinapa.” Ken laughs while apologizing. “Hahaha… Sorry Joed.” But some of Ken’s saliva and mucus went to his hand. He wipes it in Joed’s shirt. Joed shouts again. “Ahhhhh… HORY SH*T. That is disgusting, Ken.” Hory sh*t is his expression that means ‘holy sh*t.’

The people who were controlled are beginning to get conscious including Melboy. When Melboy awakes, he asks Ken and Joed. “What happened?” Joed and Ken look at each other. They knew that they have to make everything a secret. Ken tells Melboy “You fell from second floor remember? And you get unconscious.”

The people around do not remember what happened to them. Joed and Ken just get Melboy and leave the house. While they are leaving, Macabro is staring at them from the second floor. He decided not to attack the two. He grins as he thinks. “They are very powerful. Morgan is fool to under estimate them.”