XI. PAST’S HOLE

Chapter 11

TYPICALLY NOT minding other businesses, cars beeping, vehicle noises and people waiting for the signal from the traffic light to go on. Sometimes it turns red, then it will change into the color of green and blinks yellow.

Lacey sighs after glancing at her watch. It’s nearly eleven in the evening and she isn’t sleepy at all.

“Perks of working in evenings and dawns.” She thought and stood up.

She goes in the window of her room where she’s staying. Her new house, she guessed.

Looking down, calculating how high her room’s window to the land so she won’t use the main door. She doesn’t want anyone to know what she’s been doing this time. Oftentimes, when she lived here, she usually stays in her room, staring in her ceiling until the morning came. She seldom slept.

After deciding to just jump, she went to the only table in her room—beside her bed and left a note and took her wallet.

I need this, she thought.

She sprung from the land of small green grasses that seized amongst the warmth of her covered feet. The thuds of her stepping feet made a tune that the remaining tall grasses are gracefully swaying.

Long red hair with black tips flow with the breeze of evening wind, she wore her blue cap with her sleeping clothe that was underneath her dark blue blazer.

Wearing a pair of pajama and t-shirt, a cap and blazer is not bad after all, right?

She hopes one thing. And that is her house partners are sleeping—Tyron, Ryo, Red and Aoi.

Heaving a sigh, she slowly, gently and quietly opened the gate. She stopped upon the gate made noises. Tss! This gate might be her end game.

Lacey put her ass up and hurry her doings. Like a thief who steals, she doesn’t want to get caught.

Walking at the sidewalk, not minding the cars passing by her, she ran along with her long hair that was not clipped flow flawlessly at the wind in the night sky above her.

Such a nice view to hold.

Making it to the entrance of the subdivision, Lacey was greeted by the guard that is on duty. She smiled and greeted him too.

She said she will buy something outside so the guard emitted her permission.

She waited for a taxi to came but before the sight of taxi take over her gaze, she is sure about what she has sawn.

It was a very familiar girl who enter a car... a familiar car...

Red woke up early and an odd feeling penetrated his emotion. He shook his head before heading to the bathroom.

Wiping his wet hair, he went to his window and opened it. The yellow stardust of sunrise welcomed him as he closed his eyes. Upon opening it, his forehead creased as he sees another window of one of the rooms of their house unclose.

Whose room is that—ah! It’s Lacey. She perhaps open her window. Such a weirdo lady, he thought to his mind before closing his window and open his door. He will approach his home buddy—the kitchen.

A small smile crept on his lips as he reminisces Ryo, Aoi and even Tyron calling him mommy. It should be daddy, right? And whatever that is, who is the daddy, then?

His smile faded as the girl’s name, Lacey, popped at his head. His eyes twinkle so he shook his head over and over again. He even hit his head using the spatula he is holding.

After preparing the breakfast, he then prepared the liquids. He made coffee for Ryo, milk for Lacey and Aoi, and tea for Tyron and him.

He really knows his children likes and dislikes. Lacey don’t like sugar in her milk, kabaligtaran iyon ni Aoi. Ryo, who wanted his coffee strong yet not that bitter and Tyron, who likes his tea not full of water.

He grimaced. Everyday this is his routine in the house. Mom things he is doing. The reason why his two high school friend plus one calls him mommy. Only one didn’t call him mommy yet. And he was happy for that.

A noisy ram penetrated the entrance of the kitchen, making him smirk. He knew who is this.

The aroma of a hot coffee made Ryo open his eyes. He immediately fix his self and hurriedly went to the kitchen. Tyron, on the other hand, was looking through his window, peeking at the other room unseal window.

Lacey, he thought.

“What is that old hag witch doing this time?” he asked himself and closed his eyes as the fragrance of newly cooked rice wandered over his nose.

He then decided to go downstairs. Tyron knocked in his witch’s room but no one answered.

“This witch... she’s sleeping yet she did not close her window,” he whispered. “Sleepyhead,” he continued. He wagged his head after a tiny triumph smile shaped in his lips.

Tyron then took his way down. A sweet scent of his favorite tea make his body awake even more.

“Good morning.” He greeted to the two boys in the kitchen. The two dude greeted him too and Red offered him a sit. So he did.

They’re still waiting for the two girls to go down and eat breakfast with them but it has been a couple of minutes but no one came.

“Good morning!” A joyful voice broke the silence occurring at the three. And they know whose voice is that.

They greeted her too. She smiled at them and roam around her eyes. “Where’s Lace?” she asked but the three shrugged.

“I’ll check her up,” Aoi suggested. “I’ll go with you.” Tyron stated and stood up.

Those two were left in the kitchen and the other two go upstairs.

After knocking many times, Tyron lost his cool. “Lacey! Open this damn door!” he yelled but still, no one responded from the room.

His yell reached the two who is silently waiting for their comrades to go down and after digesting that shout, they instantly stand up.

“What happened?” Ryo questioned upon going to the scene. Tyron is furiously mad and Aoi is worried.

What if... something happened to her? What if... she suicide or someone killed her? Aoi thought making her eyes widen but a harsh hand that is jerking her arm got her back in reality.

“Hey!” Ryo said and stop jogging Aoi’s hand.

“Ha?” she snapped out her thoughts.

“I said, what happened?” he repeat his words.

“Ah... as you see... I suggested to check Lace and Tyron go with me. We knocked many times but no one is replying. I... don’t even hear any noises in her room so...” she heaves heavy breathing, not like to continue what is she saying but is enough for the two boys to understand why their friends reactions are like that.

Full of horror.

“Calm down, I have a key here.” Ryo said before going closely to the door. He tapped his pocket and there it goes, five keys. He tried it all and after a while, the screeching sound of the door invaded their ears. At last, the door is open.

A steamy temperature stuck in their skin, making them shivered. Of course, the window is open. Obviously, the cold of the aircon go out.

“Lay... Lace’s missing?” Aoi stuttered after strolling Lacey’s room.

No one is in the room.

The three are roaming their eyes, finding a clue where Lacey might be. It took a while for Tyron to glimpse the little paper beside Lacey’s bed. The toy who is holding a paper.

It says...

silly. hshshshshs. hi. orlo wants to say that lacey isn’t missing. like a moon, i wanted to be with myself too. dawn, is when will i came back, if i can make it. man, you know where i am.

Orlo is the toy’s name.

Lowercasing is indeed in their blood.

The three followed him and read the paper too. Ryo’s find it weird because it built words.

“Strange. The whole words built another words,” he blurted out, making Aoi’s forehead creased.

“What?” she inquired. She really don’t like codes, ciphers and riddles. She is not like Ryo who is a fan of those. She is not like Red who like cooking. She is not like Tyron and Lacey who excel in everything like Red and Ryo does. She is just a normal woman with a middle IQ.

“Look, after a dots, the letters. It says, shh, oldm? Tsk! I’m too OA,” he replied in an unsure voice. Annoyance is visible in his tone.

Red, who is busy looking at the room window, his question finally got answers.

She left using her window. She left with her window open.

“I hope you’re doing fine,” he muttered in the wind, as if it was a bird who will rely his message to Lacey.

“Look at this! Dawn, is when will I came back. But why is she still not around? And what?! Who is she mentioning where should she be? Is she... abducted?!” Aoi hysterically shouted.

“Possibly,” Red interfere, gaining Aoi and Ryo’s worried become higher. Red too. He felt the same way. All they need to do is to hope that their Lacey is alright and doing fine right now.

But after all...

Tyron sighed because it wasn’t the real message behind Lacey’s message. Now, he needs to lie to his comrade to seal his Lacey’s business. He believes she had the valid reason why she left. And he is looking forward to hear that.

Because the real message is not in the first letters of the text. The true message is in his mind. He do know it. It’s their sos to each other.

It means...

Lacey wants to wander and if she didn’t make it home until dawn, old man abducted her.

“Take care,” he whispered and close his eyes, hoping his beloved Lacey will be okay. He does not wanna another close people in his heart to die. He hopes she won’t be in ruckus or worst... be a cold corpse.

A busy road that is full of honking vehicles, chattering noise in every corner of the route—every busy person with their phones, rushing footsteps to their destination. Mayhap going home. Everyone is in their own world, they are indeed busy yet behind all those sounds, there is someone who is rush to spy someone.

She doesn’t know what gotten to her system and decided to follow the car where she saw her entered.

Besides in staring at her ceiling every night, it’s better to do some shits, right?

“Do follow the car no matter what. I’m gonna pay for the ruckus and for my fees,” Lacey firmly said to the driver. The driver was about to protest when she glared at him, making him shut up.

“Can you open the window of your car,” it’s not an inquiry, it was a command. Out of choice, the driver opened it.

By the looks of his passenger, mayaman. Will surely paid her taxes.

Thereupon, Lacey lay her head on the window, feeling the soft breeze of the wind that touches her face and swaying her hair. It is like a whispering lullaby, an alluring flurry touching delicately her skin.

The earsplitting sound couldn’t real the relaxing soul who watches the peaceful serene view. Ah... like a masterpiece that taken the rich peoples eyes.

“I could sleep right now,” she murmured. Blinking, she fixed herself after she sensed the car stopped.

“They stopped already...” the driver said in a low voice. She took her wallet out and gave the driver a three blue bills. “That’s for your service and being such a good little kitten,” she said and opened the door.

She looked out in every corner and there, she saw her with someone she knew very well too.

Her eyebrow formed a v-line as the two she is watching walked through the grave site. What are they doing here? This is where their meet place?

Cheap.

Lacey never thought the girl she knew as a decent girl is meeting up with an old jerk. Why on all people, she is meeting with him? Is they dating? Thinking of that, Lacey’s fur stood up. Gross!

It seems like... she recycled an unrecyclable trash. Tss! Ridiculous mind. If she knew who is she meeting at, she wouldn’t try to meet up with him again. Never! Gosh, how Lacey wanted to warn her dear acquaintance.

And what’s most unacceptable is, she never thought that after a while, he found somebody younger than him.

Groomer.

She hissed as she secretly view the two. And after a long minute, they went outside after viewing a grave.

She waited for a minute and questions invaded her system upon seeing the grave’s pasted name.

It has the same surname with her.

Alofie Tadeo.

But after that, her visions suddenly became blurry as someone hit her head and injected something on her.

As her eyes closed, a questions popped up in her mind.

What are they talking about? Who is this Alofie? And lastly, why Aoi is with old man?

**