When I woke up this time. All I heard was the buzzing of the crickets. And the unusual growling of something I couldn't point out or name.
And then again... When my eyes fully opened, the same open wound greeted me.
Oh well.... I fainted again.
Sharon just sighed from the other's playfulness.
"That was boring. He fainted again. How long do we have to wait this time?"
"Serves you right. When he wakes up, it'll be morning. That's better than having him see unwanted guests." Sharon's voice was firmer this time.
While glaring at the creatures surrounding us.
They kept their distance because Sharon was there.
And old ghost who's been in the woods far more longer than the new ones.
She's holding the authority, if that's how close I can call it.
And true to Sharon's guess. Me fainting, ended up into a deep sleep.
The first light of dawn has risen...
I stirred awake, still half asleep when I stood up and walked towards the nearest tree. And did number 1.
Every man's morning routine. Blessing the ground, wishing it with rich and nutritious soil.
"Anthony."
I froze. I was deep into doing my thing when I Sharon called out to me. Then i remembered why I fainted. Twice in a row.
I tucked myself in after making sure I let out everything. And zipped up. Not even turning yet, afraid I might see it again.
"Sharon...that one. Is she still here?" I closed my eyes just to be sure.
"Wow. Don't be so rude. It was a prank. But anyways, steel yourself. My face remains the same. Maybe even more terrifying now that the sun's up."
I swear her voice was totally different from Sharon's.
And I did what she warned me. I saw her face twice. But seeing it in daytime would be different. So I prepared myself.
I turned towards her, not slowly. Didn't even plan to do so. It'll only make it more heart stopping.
I opened my eyes and took every detail in. And puked.
"There it is. The signature puke." Sharon said, and she's giggling.
"How rude." The other one looked offended.
I wiped it off immediately and looked paler and paler by the minute. I grabbed my bag and took out my water, drinking it.
"I'm sorry. I'm really not good with such visuals." I took deep breaths.
Trying to shrug the fear and disgust away from myself.
"Who would be. I admit, we don't look pleasing. Anyone would faint. I'm Paula by the way."
Unlike Sharon, she was walking. Not floating. Still in her clothes. The one she might have died on. Or was....
I didn't finish it since it was...kind of inappropriate to mention it.
[DING]
[SUBTASK HAS ARRIVED. CHAIN TASK FROM THE MAIN TASK.]
[THERE'S ONE SUSPECT. BRING JUSTICE AND EVERY VICTIM WILL BE GIVEN JUSTICE.]
My eyes widened reading the system. Same suspect? Every victim? Not just them two!
Both Sharon and Paula saw the sudden change in my expression.
This was no longer about me being a coward or scared. The stakes just went higher. It's because their murderer was freely walking around.
Buried victims who never received justice, and the possibility of....add more.
This won't do.
"Paula... Sharon... How many of you are really the victims of such brutal deaths?" I asked directly.
Sharon was looking at me, like warning me. The more I'm tangled to this, the more dangerous it'll be.
But Paula's? It was a look at says, finally. I've got balls to face it head on.
"I'll call them."
I didn't hear her call or speak but four more ghosts appeared. All in the most gruesome visuals one could imagine.
But I wasn't puking. I steeled myself and justice was more important than my own feelings.
One was beheaded. Carrying her own head. Her face might be the fully intact among them, but not her neck.
And the rest? It's too hard to describe.
I could feel my vision blurring but I didn't let myself faint this time.
[HOST, MAIN TASK HAS BEEN UPDATED.]
[MAIN TASK: FREE THEIR SOULS.]
Free them. Right. I'm doing that, even before the system told me. I was determined to do it.
"Everyone. Show me where you're all buried."
Starting with Sharon's, I offered my prayers. In a sincerely silent one.
[SKILL UNLOCKED: PRAYER FOR THE DEPARTED]
[SKILL DESCRIPTION: EVERYTIME THE HOST GIVES HIS PRAYERS, THE SOUL WILL BE UPLIFTED.]
I unlocked a skill without purchasing it. That's another point noted for details about the system.
I gave my prayers to each on of them. And after the last one.
[DING]
[UPLIFTING SOUL. HOST WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THEIR ORIGINAL FACES. WHILE OTHERS WILL SEE THEIR CURRENT STATE.]
Just like that...
They're all back to their original forms, before their deaths.
"Tang ina. You all look amazingly beautiful." I blurted it out without thinking.
"Says the one, who fainted twice looking at my face." Paula flipped her hair.
And she was stunning. Among all six, she was the most beautiful one.
And the most recently murdered.
One thing's for sure. That suspect is drawn to beauty. And I already have a gist in what happened.
They're all.... forcefully claimed, without a chance to resist.
And one more thing they share was.... they're all disfigured. Brutally at that.
Like the culprit made sure, nobody's able to see their beauty even after their own deaths.
And something inside me boiled. And hoping it's not what I thought it was.
"Are... You all ... disfigured before .. or after .."
They all looked at me.
On how I pieced up everything on my own.
"Anthony, you're still young. Too much detail would...force your innocent mind to the evilest form of humanity." Sharon said, with such worry on her face.
Her face was calm and gentle. Mature than everyone else. Like a mother, trying to keep her child innocent.
But not me.