Adamantine Myers: Chapter 5

Cinco

Fragments

“Anyone here?” We called out but there was no caretaker.

Surprisingly, the gates were open. It was heavy and screeching when I tried to open it. Then…

“HALT! WHO GOES THERE?” An elderly voice cried out.

“Don’t show any fear” Ryan comforted.

“It’s ok…we’re just from the camp…they sent us here for a mission”

“Is that so?”

The wind blew stronger and WOOOOSH! An old thin man with messed up grey hair flickered in front of us.

“Campers  eh? No I.D, No Entry…that’s the rule boys.”

“Show him our I.Ds” I asked Ryan. He handed them out to the caretaker.

“Welcome to St. Marcellin’s School of Arts…or what’s left of it…and please keep your mouth shut, classes are going on…” He said that with an eerie grin at the end of his statement, or what seemed more like a warning.

That gave us chills, and I don’t know what we were thinking, but suddenly, we held hands. As if our hands were automatically attracted to each other. He had this simple frightened reaction on his face…he looked scared, but he still seemed princely. I could imagine my reaction, I’m sure I looked hilarious.

So we continued walking along the corridors. It seemed quiet…that is when a hint of light from our torch lightened a part of a classroom…that’s when scary figures started to appear. Ghosts of Teachers at the blackboard, talking and students…some listening, but most of them doing pointless things. I know we were supposed to be scared, and we were actually, at first, but to think that these innocent children died in a gruesome manner, that kind of made me and Ryan more sad than scared.

BOOOOM! There was a loud explosion…the subtle images we saw just turned into an uproar, the teachers and students rushed outside as some rebels rallied down some people pushing them and ultimately killing them.

“This happens every night…souls going over and over on the last day they ever lived…you know when you’re dead, everything turns around, night becomes day, and sometimes, because of anger, wrong becomes right. But Don’t worry about them, they’re just fragments, they’ve all really moved on, fragments just stay and repeat the pattern on that awful day because of the negativity that remained…what you should really be scared about is the spirit that haunts this school, the librarian”

The caretaker showed us the way to the library as spirits pass by our warm bodies.

“Why do you think the librarian continues to haunt this school?” I asked the caretaker.

“You see, the librarian was believed to be pregnant, with father Mercius’ child. Only the three of us knew that…and oh she’s an angry ghost alright. She was the one who forbade any monks to enter her hell. She believed Father Mercius abandoned her. You can’t blame the monk though, if you were a spiritual guy like him, impregnating an innocent lady is a huge offense, and well, he did kind of lied low from the school. Everyone looked at him as the school’s fortress. And he just stayed at his monastery while his school was under attack.”

“You’re wrong, he tried to comeback, but the other monks would have prevented him. He tried to come back many times after the attack, but the souls prohibited him and the other monks. His dead now…and he wanted us to give this to the librarian.” I explained.

“Tell that to her”

“Adam, look” Ryan asked.

We were on the Fifth Floor of the school, and we were already standing right outside the library.

We opened the door and looked up at nobly decorated walls of the room. Books were scattered everywhere. 

“Imogen?”

“Imogen show yourself! It’s me Renden West…your old friend!” The caretaker called her.

CrAAANK!! Books from the shelves started to fall…

“Who’s with you?” A woman’s voice cried out and echoed in the room.

“Just campers…from the other side of the river…Mercius sent them…”

“MeeeeeEEEEERCIUSSS?????? DON’T YOU EVER SAY THAT NAME AGAIN!”

Then a scary Woman Rushed toward the caretaker.

She was wearing a maroon maternity, her belly was already big, and her hair was dark and long. Though she was fierce, she looked beautiful. No wonder the monk fell for her.

“He promised to take care of my baby…and what did he do…he left us, and hid in his precious shell”

“That’s not true…he tried to come back…and in fact, he told us to give this to you, and tell you that he treasured this dearly, I believe this rosary belongs to you” I couldn’t believe Ryan said that as he handed the rosary to the librarian.

“God first” she sighed.

“Whuuuut was that?” I frightfully asked.

“God first”, I gave this to him, and told him to put God first, as long as he would take care of my baby. Too bad he didn’t get a chance.

“He would love to see you in heaven now…all he asks is forgiveness” I supposed.

“Heaven? You mean he’s….”

“Yes maam, and he’d like to see his baby there with you”

There was a moment of silence as she comes into a phase of enlightenment. Her anger seemed to lower down…

“After all these years Imogen, you were mad ‘coz of your own advice to him…I know you loved him, but sometimes love means you have to let go for him to find his own destiny, and his destiny is to be with God, and yours too, if you only learn to let go. “ The caretaker actually made a good point.

“I am ready now…where should I go?”

“Well you usually follow the light, that’s how they do it in the movies…” I said.

“Thank you…and may your love for each other last forever…”

“What?? Huh? No, we’re not ummm…”

“I See him…Mercius…together, at last”

“ummmmm…okay…thanks!” I exclaimed.

“I suppose I’m next…well, I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone…you know the way out”

“What? You’re a ghost too?”

“Yeah I am, I was the first one to be killed by those menaces…I used to be the security guard, and the reason I couldn’t move on was because I was the one who foolishly opened the gates for them…I didn’t know…and now that the anger’s been relieved, we can finally say goodnight.”

“What about the fragments?” Ryan asked.

“Well, forgiveness has uplifted the impression on this place, so I guess you won’t be seeing any flashbacks anymore. Thank you lovebirds, watch each other’s backs okay?”

“Were not…together” I said.

“Well, you look nice together.”

And so they disappeared. And like what the caretaker said, there were no more flashbacks, just empty, dark and a lighter atmosphere.

Questions and Assumptions:

Sometimes letting go is the only way to save yourself from drowning…

Love hurts, if it’s too heavy let it go…

I think I lost myself when we were still together…

What’s the point of holding on, if the load’s just for me to carry?

But who’s to blame for every hurt and tears that don’t seem to disappear?

But why cry out for the last heartbeat which you could no longer hear?

-          Excerpt from the Emo Book

ADAMANTINE MYERS Chapter 4

QUATRO

The Other Side

I was shivering when we reached the other side. I stood up straight and looked at Ryan, “You ok?”, he responded with a very delicate stare while clenching my shirt as he was getting himself out of the large ice box. Ryan, as strong and bold as he appeared, was staring at me, like he was about to cry…I saw no traces of his trade mark killer smile at that moment, he moved closer to me, I stepped my one foot back, startled of what he was about to do…he caught my arms and hugged me like a little kid missing his Dad. I was surprised, but didn’t think of objecting his deed, I was shivering and cold, and he was warm and soft, Ryan always had that effect on me, his presence, even without him saying a single word, comforts me… until I woke up to reality…

“Ryan! You’ve got some serious issues man…” I pushed his body away from me and retrieved my dry shirt. And we moved on to find the chapel. It wasn’t hard to find it at all, as candlelight flicker its surroundings; it was in the middle of the woods, not far from the river bank.

“dominiiiiiiiii….. patri….benedictum………” we heard the monks singing gibberish hymns and praises, then I realized that the camp masters weren’t joking at all, we’re really in for some supernatural circumstances that night, and I was with an almost useless giant. But I guess I shouldn’t be afraid, they were monks, what’s to fear? And there really was a wake…”remember, we shouldn’t get caught, let’s go around the chapel” Ryan said. He took my cold hands, blew it with his warm breath first, and dragged me. I couldn’t say a word, I was just staring at him entirely until we arrived at the backdoor of the chapel. “Wait, look at that” he said, “It’s a whole monastery at the back…”Go figure, where do you think the monks would sleep at night?” I sarcastically responded.  He smiled. We sneaked ourselves in the candle lit corridors of a small yet brick-old chapel. Religious statues and artefacts filled the entire chapel, which really freaked the both of us. But what could go wrong, we’re Catholics.

“Hey Ry, maybe I should be the one to get the rosary from the dead monk…I’m smaller”

“Alright, but isn’t it bad luck to take something from a dead person?”

“Maybe, but it is our first task…”

“Alright, I’ll watch out for you, be careful.”

It wasn’t really challenging to enter the altar, I assumed the monks were praying with closed eyes so I was able to crouch towards the back of the coffin. I slowly stood up to see the rosary in his chest, when I turned back and saw Ryan signalling…”eh” I didn’t quite understood him, so I looked at the corpse again with my body almost upright. When I looked up, I saw two big eyes in front of me, so I startled and stumbled on my buttocks.

“Another camper I guess” the bearded man approached me, Ryan came running to help me stand up. “What are you up to now? Don’t you know the other side of the river is forbidden?”

“We are sorry sir, ummmmm father, but we were tasked to do something” I clarified.

“Give me that boy” He noticed Ryan holding the map, grasped it and started reading it. “Hmmmm…brave souls are you…the abandoned school, there are entities there we are trying to avoid boys” he said. “Come with me”…he lead us at the back of the altar. “Did you know that this forest was once the town centre? Everyone used to come here…until…” he paused…”yes father?” I asked…”Until the rebels invaded…they killed anyone they come across with, and even attacked the school killing hundreds innocent children…it forced all of the remaining town folks to move down the valley, leaving us monks isolated in this now dark forest.” “I see, tragic” I nodded pitifully.

“I also see that you’re here for Father Mercius’ rosary…”

“Yes father, we need to give it to the school librarian” I told him.

“Hahahahahahaha, the school librarian eh?” He laughed.

“Boy, you’re going to see things you haven’t seen before once you enter that ruins, and you’re right, you badly need a dead monks’ rosary”

“What’s the reason behind that?” Ryan asked.

“ You see, father Mercius used to run that school, and after that tragedy he usually tried to go back there, but he couldn’t…none of us could, the gates wouldn’t open…and our noses and ears would bleed, that is, unfortunately, what happened to Father Mercius.” The monk explained tearfully.

“Why is that father?” I asked.

“Some souls hated us for leaving them behind, we were praying when that happened, we are deeply sorry, we didn’t do anything”

“But the possibility of you going in is huge…because they do not recognize you…they might just let you in. But please bring his rosary, blessed and used by him, it might enable holiness and forgiveness to enter their dark realm, and finally showing them the light.”

“But would it be ok to you father” I asked him.

“Please, do it…”

                So the monk told us to wait for him outside the chapel, and he’ll be the one to get the rosary from Father Mercius’ chest.

                We did what the monk has said…we were relieved by the unexpected and eerie events that happened. Outside, the wind became thick and frosty, and the night creatures became louder. We were crossing our hands around our chests, we were trying to warm ourselves when the monk arrived at the entrance aisle, he called us, and we approached him. “Please, give this to her, and tell her Father Mercius treasured this dearly” the monk said and gave us a comforting smile and blessing before he turned around.

“Wait father, we forgot to ask your name!” I called him back…

“It’s Mercius”

                GOOSEBUMPS! . “What a night” Ryan said, “Oooooh, I think it’s just beginning, look!” I pointed at an old grey cat approaching us, if anything could get any weirder.  I noticed it has different colours on each eye, the left eye’s yellow, the right was blue. Peculiar.

                The cat passed right through us to the darker side of the woods. “The instruction is to follow him…should we?” Ryan asked, I nodded and agreed to follow the cat. So we walked again towards our next task, to give the rosary to the librarian. Ryan was always silent, I know it was quite normal, since we weren’t really that close, but I always feel awkward walking with him, specially alone in the dark, just like the times we walked together after a session with Mrs. Strum along the unlit paths toward the school’s exit gate…

”Another awkward moment” I whispered.

“What was that?” He responded.

“Nothing, I was just saying…”

“Hey Ryan…can I ask you something?”

“Yeah what is it?”

“Do you feel awkward whenever the two of us walk in the dark…alone?”

I tactlessly asked him, since I thought it was about time to “bond” with my “classmate” and camp partner, and besides, we’ve known each other for some time already, and we never had this kind of talk.

He just replied with another one of his chilling grin and giggled a bit. “What’s wrong with this child” I thought.  Both my hands were locked in my jacket’s pocket, so was Ryan. Somehow I felt secure and needed at the same time. With his well-built body, I know I’ll be safe, with his reserved attitude, I know he needs me.

We were already walking along a muddy path, when…

 I slipped.

“Careful” Ryan was fast enough to grab me, and again he drew me close to his caressing chest. Then suddenly…the winds grew heavier and turned colder, as Ryan helped me get up, flashes of  dark figures passed by the sinister sky. “What was that?” I asked…”crows?” Ryan said…I remembered the task, it said “don’t show any fear, they can smell it, however I couldn’t help but to stumble with fear, after all it was an eerie ambiance to be in the middle of the abandoned woods, and the slip made me more nervous. We stood there for awhile, until I could get my balance, but he didn’t let go, I was safe…in his arms…under the moonlight.

It was about a half an hour walk when we reached the massive gates covered in thick vines of the abandoned school. The grey cat stopped walking.

“We’re here” Ryan said…

“Should we go inside?” I whispered.

I followed him to call out for someone. We were expecting for the caretaker.

“I wasn’t going anywhere, but rather I was pushing myself back to you.

If it was a dream, then I don’t want to see the sun rise, because I know I’m going to wake up alone”

-Excerpt from the Emo Book

My First Business Card :)

                                                                FOR SPONSORSHIPS:

Kindly write a sponsorship letter containing a background of your event and your request and please address it to:

MR. JOEREMIE FRESNIDO

Marketing Supervisor

RDL Pharmaceutical Laboratory, Inc.

Davao City

You can either request for the following:

1.       RDL Buntings

2.       Sample soaps to be given away to your audience

3.       Request the Marketing Coordinator to judge or host a contest (Pageants, singing contest, etc…)

Ex- deals:

1)      Product Sampling

2)      Audio Visual Presentation of Company Products

3)      Marketing Segment-            10- minute product presentation during the event

Audience will answer the 5 Trivia Questions about RDL.

ü  5 Lucky Winners will receive gift packs.

For Pageants:

Awards from our company:

MS. RDL SUREWHITE                                                                                                        MR. RDL SUREWHITE

MS. RDL BABYFACE                                                                                                           MR. RDL FRESHMEN

MS. RDL BABYSKIN

ü  Winners will receive sash and gift packs from RDL.

For Inquiries please don’t hesitate to contact:

LEO VINCENT A. VILLANUEVA

Marketing Coordinator – Iloilo

Contact Number: 09087676438 or 09437064104

Email: leovillanueva.rdlpharma@gmail.com

Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rdlpharmaceuticalOFFICIAL

Adamantine Myers Chapter 3

       TRES

The Camp

I found myself in the most unexpected place…though I lost myself in the battle of my academics; I won the hearts of those who looked up to me, and for the first time in my life, I felt special…just imagine how you’d feel when charming boys volunteer to carry your bags and treat you like a helpless damsel, although I wasn’t completely helpless. Oh yes…we just called ourselves “the soda clan”, the idea came out during that afternoon at the field, we were drinking soda drinks, and decided to name our new found brotherhood.

Days passed…we spent more solemn moments together under that dead tree, it was too far away from all the hustle and bustles of the school, and sometimes, we’d lay on each others’ laps, as if we were sweet boyfriends. I made sure I had time for them despite my predetermined schedule with Mrs. Strum…we’d even spend some extra time together after swimming practice…it was almost I had given them half of my senior life already. But I’ve completely paid no attention to Ryan Allaster…maybe it was because I was too preoccupied with having such nonsense feelings towards another boy, or maybe because he had always been too distant, too quiet, so I didn’t bother him, “he’s nothing”.

December…

It was already cold, I had my jacket on layered on top of my uniform when the principal announced during the morning assembly that there will be a three day camp for any interested students at the mountains for the Christmas break, my classmates thought it was odd, “why would they hold a camp at the middle of this freezing season?”…”why can’t they?” I smothered…I asked them if they wanted to go, they answered, “we’d be preparing for the qualifying exams on January”…Boring…so I thought, it was our last year in high school, and they’d lock themselves in for Christmas break…

So I asked my brothers if they wanted to go, turned out, they were already planning on asking me. Of course I was excited, three days away from school? With them? I started packing that night.

I arrived early at the rendezvous, the buses were already there, and I noticed Ryan getting in with his classmates, I presumed JB, Joey, Skandar and David already got in. I was startled by the riot I thought I created when I climbed the bus, my boys were yelling “Adam! Seat here!” “here Adam! Seat with me”…I passed by Ryan, he was again smiling eerily at me, so I gave him a sweet smile back, “This is going to be an interesting ride”…David was more enthusiastic when he called for me, so I sat beside him. He caught my attention.

It took about an hour ‘till we were able to reach the campsite. It was in the middle of a forest, wet grounds, cold climate and all, then I noticed the extravagant preparations the organizers had mad, colourful flags welcomed us, and there were guides who directed us towards our tents, I was a senior I had to sleep where the seniors are, though I felt disappointed as I expected to be with my clan.

It was a good thing though that I still got to sleep with two of my co-swimmers so I didn’t worry about introducing myself. We were asked to proceed at the activity hall for the program proper. We were given a card that carried our name, and at the back, was a chart of the fifteen tasks we have to accomplish before the end of the camp.

I had lunch with my brothers, including some of their classmates, and Ryan, but I paid more attention with my extended family, and thanks to them, I got acquainted with more students, thanks to their zealousness. Afterwards, we began doing the tasks together, again I became their coach, and it seemed like their entire class followed too.

My brothers and I talked about me moving to their quarters, I was convinced no one would notice, and besides, there were no camp rules that determined a specific quarters to sleep in, so technically, I wasn’t violating any rules. Then I transferred my things to their quarters, I saw Ryan resting, next to him was another one of his classmates, they were about a few distance away from their classmates.

I decided to go out of their room as it seemed like I was barging in to what was I assumed an “intimate moment”.

The day ended, and we were about to have dinner around the bonfire. I spent the whole day with my “clan” and we’ve already accomplished 5 tasks together. Ryan and his special friend, Clyde were still distant from all of us. They seemed to enjoy their own world.

Barbecue for dinner, under the stars, around a bonfire, and with my boys, nothing could’ve been more perfect. We sang and stomped our feet to the beat of the drums around the fire. It was already ten PM, and we were asked to accomplish two tasks before bedtime. And we have to do it by pair, and to find a partner, we’d have to be blindfolded and find the first person who’d catch us first, and shout “HO HEY!!!”

And so the camp leaders blindfolded us, and we waited for the camp master’s signal. “Alright campers, listen, before starting your tasks, I want you to know, that your partner for tonight we’ll be the same partner you’ll have for the tasks tonight until tomorrow evening, they will also serve as your guardian, so if anything happens to you, your partner will be held accountable for. So whoever you may fall into, watch their backs, ‘coz you’ll be dealing with dark forces and grave consequences the entire camp. And please remember, teamwork encompasses any obstacle, but the love for your teammate overcomes any failure. First team to finish first gets free chocolates!! On three! Turn around then find your partner!!! ONE…TWO…THREE!!!

I could only see the light coming from the bonfire, but everything was dark…I could hear their feet, stomping the rocky grounds. My hands were stretched, so I could easily find my partner. It took a while for me to find one, until…I felt hands, smooth and cold fingers were reaching for mine, I touched the arms and realized it was a boy, he did the same, but it seemed as if he was caressing my arms, till he touched my shoulders, my neck, then he fondled over my face, and sensed my lips. Suddenly he pulled me towards his chest.

“Okay, hold your partners and take off your blindfolds!” the camp master ordered. I moved away from the boy’s warm caress, and took my blindfold off, “YOU???” we both said with great surprise. It was Ryan…the reincarnation of Adonis, the demi god.

“Well you look disappointed…were you vying for someone else? A girl maybe?” I said, though I had a feeling he was looking out for his Buddy Clyde, who’s now with JB. “No” he said with an intense expression of denial on his face.

“Ok, you only need to finish two tasks tonight, each task is different from the other groups, so don’t expect to be seeing your friends tonight, it’s only you and your partner. Now get your maps from your leaders and run as fast as you can!! I hurriedly reached out for a map, but I was caught up on a stampede. Ryan didn’t even help me. When I finally got close to the camp leader, everyone was already running away, so I got the last map that I found on the ground, it was partially torn and withered. “Hope you could read this one” , I gave it to Ryan, he seemed relaxed, while I was panting.

“To accomplish the first task, you need to cross the river to find a chapel, in the chapel, there will be a wake watched over by mourning monks. At the altar, there will be a Dead friar holding a rosary on his chest. Get that rosary without being caught by the mourning monks.” “WhaaaAAAt??? A dead monk’s wake and stealing a rosary? Are they insane?? “ I exclaimed, “That’s what’s written here, look” Ryan replied…

That’s the first task. “NOTE: In the event of being caught, please blow whistle to call out for a camp marshal, if not, proceed to the next task.” “The next task is to go to an abandoned school and look for the librarian, give her the rosary so she would stamp your task chart to validate your accomplishment. An old grey cat will lead you to the abandoned school. Note: Don’t show your fear, they can smell it” “They? Who are they?? What is this? A horror movie?” I cried. Ryan continued reading…”At the school’s gate, give the cat a treat to show your gratitude. Do not call out for anybody except the school’s caretaker, he may be sleeping at the guard’s house beside the gate. Ask him where to find the librarian. NOTE: NO I.D, NO ENTRY, and KEEP QUIET, CLASSES ARE GOING ON. Follow the moonlight to get back to camp.”

“These tasks are unbelievable”

But then I remembered the camp master warning us that we’d be facing dark forces and grave consequences for tonight’s tasks. Yeah right…suddenly, the wind blew cold, that’s when I started to have a bad feeling.

“A solemn cry, deep inside my heart,

The greatest fear you could ever have imagined,

Lingered in me for a while…”

Excerpt from the Emo Book

It was about half past nine, it was already cold, and the trees looked as if they were thin giants swaying with the winter wind. We ran fast ‘till we reached the river bank. The river was wide and calm, and I always knew that calm waters run deep. We only had two problems…there were no boats; and Ryan couldn’t swim. There was only one empty ice box tied on a rope that some campers may have left, and that gave me a silly but effective idea: Let Ryan ride on the box, and me pulling it with the rope.

At first Ryan hesitated, he knows he’s a lot heavier, but among the two of us, I was the varsity swimmer, he had no choice. He still doesn’t like the idea, he didn’t seem to trust how good a swimmer I was. So I took my shirt, plunged the box in the water, and said “C’mon, if something happens to you, I’d be the one to blame, besides, we might be behind the others…I’ll get you through  this time.” So he agreed. He looked kind of funny as he was struggling to fit his long legs bent in the ice box, but I thought he could manage.”

The river was not at all that deep as expected, the deepest part was only shoulder level, although a non -swimmer could have already drowned by slipping. I glanced at Ryan, I saw fear in his eyes, he looked at me and asked “are you ok there?” “Yeah, are you?” I asked him back, we looked at each other for some time as I dragged the box across the middle of the river, then…”Adam!!!” Ryan yelled, I scared the brains out of him by pretending to be drowned, He was worried sick which gave me a little sense of importance.

“Don’t you ever do that again Adam, I didn’t like that at all”, he was really pissed off by my humour and I didn’t expect he was that scared. I swam across that cold murky river, trying to pull the my heavy baggage and fighting the heavy flow of water.

“The moonlight in shadows, like what my heart feels without feelings,

Asking why all tears shed, at the time you said we’re through, how I wish I was dead,

I know that’s what you wanted too…”

-          Excerpt from the Emo Book.