Monday, 6:00 A.M.
Mrs. Maria Ocampo's P.O.V.
I quickly made my way out of the room to find Janice. I reached the living room, but not even a shadow of her was in sight.
"Janice!" I couldn't explain the frantic thumping in my chest.
I headed to the kitchen, but she wasn't there. To the bathroom, but she wasn't there either. To the terrace, still nothing. I returned to the living room with my knees turning to jelly. Where the hell is she? At that point, I couldn't stop myself from crying. Why? Why is this happening? Something weird is happening!
"Janice..." I began to sob. Where is my daughter?
After a few minutes, the bedroom door slowly opened. I slowly raised my head. Janice stepped out from inside. "Mom? Why are you crying?" She looked drowsy, clearly having just woken up.
I froze. How? I didn't see her inside that room when I woke up.
I sobbed even harder. She approached me and hugged me. "Mom, what's happening?" Her voice was trembling.
I returned the hug she gave me. "I'm sorry, sweetie... I'm sorry..." "Mom..." She started crying too. Just like what I had been feeling these past few days, I was still afraid. I was afraid for her. I was afraid of losing her. Now more than ever, it was proven to me just how much I love her.
After our dramatic encounter, we immediately moved to prepare for school. Before seven o'clock, we had left the apartment and were traveling to the prestigious and famous university where I worked and where Janice also studied.
Since she was my student, it wasn't hard for me to adjust the morning preparation time. I didn't find it difficult to look after her and my work at the same time. The school wasn't far from us anyway. It was just one jeepney ride away from our apartment.
Exactly at seven, I started my class. My students were all present except for one—Ara. I wasn't wrong in thinking she wouldn't show up again.
My class ended at one o'clock. I told Janice to wait for me before heading to the canteen. I wanted to talk to her about Ara because as far as I knew, she was the last one with her. According to the Santoses, Ara had left their house since Friday and up until now, she hadn't returned. They said she hadn't reached out and couldn't be contacted.
"Janice, I want to ask you something..." I began. She stood in front of me, looking at me. "You were the last one with Ara last Saturday, remember? When you were doing your Science group project?"
She nodded and smiled. "You mean, you believe me now?"
I held her by the shoulder. "I believe in you..." I looked her in the eyes. "But promise me, Janice. Promise me that you're going to tell me the truth," I pleaded earnestly.
She raised her right hand as if taking an oath. "I swear, Mom. I swear to God! Ara was with me last Saturday doing our group project."
I closed my eyes. How did that happen? How could Clarisse say that Ara hadn't come home since Friday when Janice was with her on Saturday? I was confused.
"Okay Janice, I believe you." She hugged me but let go immediately. "Janice... did you notice anything strange about her?"
Janice looked up at the ceiling as if thinking. Afterward, she faced me. "She was quiet that day, almost silent." I furrowed my brow. "I suspect she was sulking at her daddy because he wasn't there during her birthday party, right?"
I just nodded. Ara's father never had time for her. "Go ahead to the canteen, I'll follow you there. I just have to finish a lesson plan..." I instructed.
She just nodded, kissed me on the cheek, and quickly headed out of the classroom. I left the door open as I always do whenever I'm finishing work inside the classroom.
I focused on my lesson plan, but I still couldn't stop thinking about Ara's possible situation.
As her second mother, I couldn't help but worry about her. How could she do this? Didn't she think that her parents would be extremely worried about her? How could she abandon her class today?
Was whatever she was doing that night so important that she still hasn't come home? I sighed and continued writing. I needed to finish this; I didn't want to skip lunch either. Besides, Janice was waiting for me at the canteen.
I was about to finish my lesson plan when someone suddenly entered the classroom. I didn't bother to look because I could partially see them in my peripheral vision. They were wearing the same uniform as my students. I thought it was Janice. "I told you to wait for me at the canteen," I said without looking. I felt the person sit at a class desk in the middle section. "Anyway, I'm almost done. Just wait for me."
But the person remained silent. When I finally finished my lesson plan, I stood up quickly and packed my things. "Let's go!"
The terror I felt at that moment was beyond measure. I almost recoiled from where I stood. I covered my mouth. But despite that, after a few minutes, I managed to speak.
"A-Ara..?"
She still didn't speak. And as I said earlier, she was indeed in uniform. "A-Ara, why are you late?" I asked before steadying myself. She remained silent. She was just looking down, and I couldn't even make out her face because it was covered by her long hair.
"You're already absent, Ara. My class is over." I felt a twinge of irritation toward her. These past few days, I had noticed her neglecting her studies.
Moments later, I slowly stepped closer to her. "What happened to you, anyway? Nana and the others have been looking for you since Saturday."
But she remained silent. She was still looking down. When I got close to her, that's when I heard her sobbing. Because of this, I felt a sense of guilt for what I said. It was possible she was acting this way because she missed her father. I sat on the bench opposite where she was sitting. "Ara, what happened?"
She still didn't answer me and just continued sobbing. I couldn't even glimpse her face because it was shielded by her long hair.
"Ara..." I felt intense pity for her. I wanted to hug her. But some force seemed to stop me from doing so.
A moment later, my phone rang. When I took it out of my pocket, I saw who the call was from—it was Madge.
I turned back to Ara. "Ara, just a moment... I have to take this call." I stood up and walked slightly away from her. "Don't leave, we still need to talk..." I told her.
I went to the classroom window and turned my back to her. "Hello?" I answered the call.
"Maria!!!" Madge screamed from the other end.
"Hey Madge, is there a problem?" I asked worriedly. "Maria..." she said again in a hoarse voice. "Why? Hurry up, I'm busy! What is it?"
"A-Ara... is..." Even though I couldn't see her, I knew she was crying based on her voice.
"Oh. What about her? Actually, she's he—" "She's dead..."
I felt as if the world stopped spinning because of what I heard. "W-what!?" Maybe I just misheard.
"Ara is dead, Mrs. Ocampo..." "Huh? Impossib—" "Her body was found at the tapsihan (eatery) at 10:15 this morning..." Madge was already crying on the other end.
I swallowed hard. I couldn't speak. How? If so, then who is this person with me?
I was frozen where I stood. My body was shaking and tears were welling in my eyes.
"Maria? Are you still there?" Madge asked from the other side.
I wanted to answer her question but no voice came out. I didn't even realize I had dropped my phone.
I wanted to turn around. I wanted to look back at Ara, but I couldn't. I could still hear her sobbing, which made me even more terrified. Sh*t! Should I look back or not? If she isn't Ara, who is this behind me?
"Who are y—"
I was just about to turn toward her when someone suddenly touched my shoulder. I jumped and shrieked in shock. I immediately turned to see who had touched me.
A child beggar?
"Alms, please..." there was a plea in the voice.
My eyes widened. I immediately scanned my surroundings. Suddenly, I found myself sitting in a fast-food restaurant facing Madge.
Is this real? Why does it feel like this has already happened?
I couldn't be wrong. This already happened yesterday at the fast-food chain where we ate after going to church.
"Are you okay?" Madge asked while staring intently at me.
I couldn't speak. A moment later, a service crew member approached the child beggar and pulled them out. "You're not allowed here. Beg outside." "Are you okay?" Madge asked again. "Why do you look so terrified?" I looked at her while catching my breath. "W-What happened? W-Why does it feel like..." I couldn't find the words.
Madge scratched her head. But when she lowered her hand, she bumped the glass full of iced tea in front of her. "Shit!"
Total shit! I couldn't be wrong. This event had already happened.
We both stood up at the same time when it finally spilled. "Sorry, did it spill on you?" there was worry in her voice.
I was speechless. My throat felt tight and my lips were trembling. "Hey! What's wrong?" she nudged. I couldn't take it anymore so I leaned in close to her. "Madge... this already happened."
"Huh?" She just continued wiping her dress where the iced tea had spilled. "I don't understand you..."
"Madge, listen..." I moved even closer to her. I felt like I was going crazy. My whole body was shaking. "All of this already happened..." I said tearfully.
A moment later, Madge pulled me and made me sit down. "Are you really okay? You've been restless for a while..." When I was seated, she sat facing me. "What's going on? You're shaking..."
I glanced around the surroundings as if fearing something. "W-What day is it, Madge?"
She smiled. "Sunday! Did you forget? we just came from church a while ago, right?" I looked down. "Don't tell me you got that scared of the child beggar?" she said with a grin.
I looked at her. "Listen, Madge, a man wearing a black jacket is going to enter there." I pointed to the counter area.
Madge turned to look. "Okay..." she said laughingly. "And then..."
"That man will complain because they gave him the wrong take-out order." I could feel my muscles twitching.
I knew Madge wasn't convinced by what I was saying. I noticed she was just smiling at me. "All right," she said. She faced the counter area. "Let's see."
Just a few minutes later, a man wearing a black jacket suddenly entered and caused a scene at the counter. "This isn't what I ordered! Why did you give me this!?" He angrily threw the food he ordered at the cashier.
"Sorry, Sir. I'll just replace it," the cashier tried to soothe him.
"You'd better! It's not my fault!" the complaining man shouted. Madge was stunned by what she witnessed. She slowly looked at me. Her face was pale. "My God..." she whispered.
When the man got his replacement order, he stomped out of the fast-food chain and got into his parked car. A few moments later, he sped away.
Madge covered her mouth. I noticed tears forming in her eyes. At that point, I knew she was slowly starting to believe me.
I whispered to her again. "In a while, a pink Honda Jazz will park in front of us. Toni Gonzaga will be in that car and she will take out food from this fast-food chain." Madge just stared at me while I revealed my vision.
A few minutes passed and I wasn't wrong; my words came true. A pink Honda Jazz parked in front of our spot. Toni Gonzaga stepped out of that car, causing the service crew inside the fast-food chain to practically scream.
Madge could hardly believe what she saw. She couldn't even speak. Even I couldn't believe it. I knew she wanted to say something but as I expected, she couldn't find the words. After a few moments, Janice and Rene arrived from their walk at the mall.
After that incident, we decided to head home to the apartment with Madge. Until that time, she remained silent. I also noticed her body trembling in her movements. She was restless and didn't seem to know what to do or say.
When we arrived at the apartment, I immediately sent Janice to sleep after dinner. Once she was asleep, I stepped out of the room. I found Madge in the living room pacing back and forth as if she couldn't keep still.
"Madge..." I greeted her. I forced myself to hide the trembling of my body.
She approached me and held my hands. "What happened? Why? How—" She could barely get the question out.
"I told you... all of this already happened, except for this. In my vision, this event didn't exist—our conversation."
She looked at me. Tears were welling in her eyes. "Are there other strange things happening to you besides that?" "Yes. Many. I can't explain them." "When did it start?" she asked worriedly.
I slowly sat down near her. "Since... we came from Ara's birthday party."
"Shit!" She sat down beside me. "Why?!" I asked, shocked. "It's a premonition," she replied, but she couldn't look me straight in the eyes.
"What do you mean?" "Someone will die." That was when I finally realized and pieced things together—my vision and the strange events of the past few days. When she said that, Ara was the first person to enter my mind.
"Ara..." we whispered at the same time. "How—" I stood up from my seat. Her face turned serious. She swallowed. "Since the first time I saw her..." She stared at me, and I could see intense fear in her eyes. "I already knew... she would die."
"Huh?" I was chilled by what I heard.
She looked at me. At that point, she couldn't stop her tears from falling. "I never saw her face."
"W-What do you mean?" "S-She had no head..." I covered my mouth. "Since the very beginning... when you saw her?" She just nodded. That's why she was so evasive toward the child Ara. That's why... I held her hands; they were so cold. "Tell me everything, Madge, what else do you know?"
Madge looked at me. Her eyes were swollen. "Remember last Saturday after we went grocery shopping?" I swallowed. "I saw Ara... here on the third floor." She gripped my hands tightly. "She was here that day and I saw her clearly from where we were standing."
That's why I noticed her turning pale that day while staring at this third floor. That's why there was so much hair on our floor that I was always sweeping. That's why there was a succession of puzzling events since early Saturday morning. That's why... Everything was a premonition of Ara's death.
"What do I have to do with it?" I asked, confused. I looked at her. "Why me?" "H-How did you say... that all of this already happened?" I looked down. "Tomorrow..." "Huh?" "Tomorrow, Ara will be found dead at the tapsihan in town." When I said that, I began to cry.
Madge seemed to lose her strength at what she heard. After a few moments, she looked at me intently. "You..."
"W-What 'you'? W-What 'me'? Me?"
She started crying too. "You are the one she chose... to ask for help..."
"What do you mean? I wasn't even close to her, right?" I didn't want to believe it. I wanted a concrete explanation.
She closed her eyes. "I don't know either. What is your relationship to her? To her family? To Clarisse? To... Atty. Santos?"
To Atty. Roger Santos? I was speechless.
Suddenly her eyes widened. Then she suddenly raised her head as if remembering something. "My God!"
I recoiled. "Why?"
I saw tears streaming down her eyes again. "J-Janice..." "Oh please, don't tell me..." Suddenly our attention was drawn to the room when the door slowly opened. We both turned to look at the same time.
One.
The opening gradually widened. Two. "Janice..." I whispered. I could feel my whole body turning cold. Three. No!!! It's Ara.