WE ARRIVED at the parking space safely. I went out immediately and I saw Lash nodded at the white car parked in front of the gate. It beeped and left.
"I'll go to my room now. Thank you for taking me with you," smiling, I said.
His eyes glistened a bit. "Are you feeling okay?"
I got confused. "Yeah. Why?"
"You looked really bothered earlier. You feeling anxious?"
I looked around us to make sure that no one hears us.
"I kinda feel... uncomfortable with the CEO. I find him scary," I said absent-mindedly.
Lash sighed heavily. "Really?" He took a step and he slid his right hand in his pocket. "Think less, Artemis. You've been stress for days now, you'll get sick if you continue overthinking everything," he trailed off.
"You're right..." My voice weakened. "I'm sorry."
"Hmm?" He smiled a bit. His scent enveloped my nose. He smelled like the combination of musk and mint. His hair is kind of disheveled now. But still, he looks as dashing as ever. "You don't say sorry for not doing anything wrong."
"I felt weird towards an innocent man, Lash. I don't think that's right. So, I'm sorry for thinking about him as a bad... guy," I insisted.
He shook his head. I looked at his eyes, trying to be brave but when I saw how deep they were, I just looked at his chin. I pursed my lips.
His hands flew on the back of my neck. Before I could react, a cold thing was already on my neck.
"I was about to give you this that night. Supposed to be, exactly twelve o'clock midnight, but then, you got mad, and I made you mad, so..."
I looked at the necklace he wore on me. It was a thin silver necklace with a moon pendant. My lips parted in shock.
"A bit late but I hope you'll like it." He chuckled. "Moon... The symbol for the name Artemis," he said gently.
"L-Lash..." This is my first time receiving a gift from a man. And I can't believe it was from the most unexpected person.
My eyes heated, tears trying to fall but I looked up so that they would stop.
"If everything turns into a chaos, I promise that you will be safe," he added, something in his eyes is telling me that he is sincere, and that he meant his words.
But what does he mean?
"Is something bad going to happen?" I asked, worried about his words, worried about our lives.
He caressed the pendant. "I hope I'm wrong. But I feel like this isn't just a simple warning from someone. This is deep-rooted."
What is he saying? I can not get into his point.
"Don't worry... I'll try my best-"
"But, they're armed! And there's plenty of them! You can not fight them alone!"
I stumped my feet. Emotions filled my body and now I felt really bothered.
"Fine... Let's not dig into this deeper. For sure the organization won't let this slide. The CEO will take action to this."
I nodded and calmed down a bit. "Are you going to be out a lot from now on?" I asked since that's what I heard from their conversation earlier during the dinner.
"I will. But I'll be back by lunch. Don't worry," he assured me.
I nodded again and we decided to go to our rooms since the night has started to get deeper, and the breeze felt cold outside.
My body was so tired from the sudden long drive that I woke up so late!
After taking a shower, I hurriedly fixed myself and bun up my hair to start the chore for today. Every Monday, my chore is to clean the dishes, but most of the time, it's always to water the plants.
"Anya!" Crystal called with an annoyed expression on her face. "Where's Damien! I did all the heavy works in the library 'cause he's nowhere to be found the whole morning!" she ranted.
Anya, who was mopping the floor frowned. "I haven't seen him, too. I thought he went straight to the library that's why I didn't see him around earlier."
I tried to not listen to their conversation and just do my work but the worried voice of my friend can't stop me from listening.
"Are you sure you haven't seen him?" Now Crystal got worried as well.
I stopped and washed my hands to remove the bubbles. I walked near them.
"What's happening?"
"Oh, Artemis!" Anya, shocked but a bit relieved to see me. "Have you seen Lash?"
I shook my head. "He's maybe out early. He's going somewhere real quick. How about Damien?"
Anya rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh. "Crystal, he's probably out with Lash. They're inseparable. Just confront him later about your concern."
Crystal grunted. "Fine! My God!" Then she walked away.
"You scared me..." I told her.
"Girl, I got scared, too! Tell me if you see Damien around," she said and moved away so that she could mop the other area.
I stood there for a bit. Why do I feel like something's not right?
Oh, God! I'm overthinking again!
We were all busy when suddenly I saw in my peripheral vision of a man who just entered the kitchen.
I turned my head to him and I saw Lash. Wearing a baby blue button down long sleeves polo, sleeves folded up to his elbows and a white pants.
Surprised at his sudden appearance, I can't stop myself but feel excited. I ran to him and I held on to the hem of his polo. "How was it?!" I asked enthusiastically.
He patted my head. "Went very well. I saw some good jobs that I could apply, President also suggested some and he gave me a week to decide."
"That's nice..."
His eyes were smiling as he talked. "How 'bout you?" he asked back.
I nodded. "I'm done with my chores."
His eyes squinted as he looked all over my body. My cheeks heated at his sudden move.
"W-Why?"
"Where's the necklace?"
I jumped a little. Oh, right! I forgot to wear them!
"It's in my room... I woke up really late so I was in a rush or else Miss Claudia will scold me."
His tongue played on his left cheek, as if suspecting me for something. "Hmm..."
"And Damien?" I almost forgot that!
"Damien?" he probed. "What about him?" He sounded confused now.
"This morning, I heard Crystal looking for him since he missed his chores and Crystal did all the heavy works," I started, recalling the scene earlier this morning. "She approached Anya and asked her about Damien and she said she haven't seen him the whole morning, as well. He's with you, right?"
I expected Lash to nod or agree with my question but his reaction was opposite. His eyebrows shot, eyes dimmed and lips parted in confusion.
"I was alone the whole time, Artemis," he said, almost a whisper.
"H-Huh?"
"Stay here," he said and he ran upstairs. I froze.
What's happening?
"Art? Was that Lash? Where's Damien?" Anya suddenly popped out from the kitchen's entrance.
My mouth shivered. I couldn't process any word, and I honestly don't know what to say to her! For sure, she'll panic and I don't want to cause any more chaos at this moment!
"Art? Hey?" She got worried at my reaction. She held both my shoulders and shook me a bit, to wake me up from my deep thoughts.
"Damien?" I heard Miss Donna's voice.
"Damien..." Anya whispered and ran to see what's the chaos happening on the living area.
I pinched my arm hard so that my body could function. I don't have time to panic or feel scared! I should help them find Damien!
"But, Miss Donna, Miss Claudia, Damien always tell me about his plans! Last night, we last seen each other in the kitchen during dinner! After that... He told me to meet him in the staircase at seven o'clock but he didn't show up! He was asleep by that time... I g-guess..." Anya's voice shook.
I approached them. They're in the living area and other people and our friends panicked as well.
"Dear Lord, he was not in his room the entire morning, Anya. Crystal reported his chore absence and I checked their room, his bed was well-arranged," said Miss Claudia.
"Father!" Anya cried when he saw Father Erick nearing us.
"Dear, calm down... Everything's gonna be fine," he hushed and hugged her. "Everyone, let us all calm down."
"Artemis, go and follow Lash. He's upstairs," Miss Leonarda told me and my frozen feet slowly followed her request.
I ran upstairs and looked for Lash. I was panting, nervous and panicking at the same time but I managed to find him. He's in the lecture room, checking every corner and I didn't understand why he's looking in the cabinet when he's looking for Damien.
"Lash, why here?" I asked as he opened the huge cabinet where obviously Damien won't be hiding in.
He looked at me with bloodshot eyes. I backed off a bit, shock at his sorrowful eyes.
"Damien won't do this. I feel like this is something suspicious."
"What do you mean?"
Lash shook his head. "Damien is in danger. I know him for years. He always share about his plans to people close to him. And if Anya has no idea, then one thing's for sure. Damien is in bad hands."
My tears fell.
"Fuck!"
I closed my eyes when Lash punched the cabinet. I heard his knuckles crack. "L-Lash..."
"Is there any abandoned rooms here in the orphanage?" he asked calmly, but anger is obvious in his voice.
I thought. Is there any?
Third floor... Rooms, gym... The non-functional toilet and bath!
"There i-is!"
His eyes settled on me. "There's an abandoned non-functional toilet and bath on the third floor!" I ran first to the stairs and Anya was already on her way to the lecture room when she saw us.
"Guys? G-Guys, what's happening?"
Lash reached the third floor first. He was sweating a lot.
"This way..." I pointed the left hallway.
"Art! Why are you guys acting like this? Is everything okay?" Anya held my hands. I felt how cold it was and I faced her.
"Are you sure he didn't mention anything to you last night? Was he acting weird?"
Anya shook her head. "I swear. I promise! It was a normal day to us... It's just that... He didn't show up and I thought he fell asleep, so..."
"Anya..."
"Please, tell me that nothing wrong is going on?"
"Anya, please, calm down-"
"Artemis!" she shouted and it made me more nervous. "We should call the adults! We should report this!"
I licked my lips. "Anya, if we panic, it would only stir everything! I want you to calm down, and we should think about the other possibilities-"
"Fuck!" I heard Lash's voice.
My heart throbbed. Anya ran to follow Lash's voice. It led us to the abandoned toilet and bath.
Lash was on the floor, cursing and tears were running down his face.
Anya stopped midway when she saw Lash's position. I slowly continued walking and stopped near Lash.
He screamed with so much anger and pain.
I looked at the opened door, just in front where Lash was sitting and crying his heart out.
My soul left my body and fear consumed my entire being.
My mouth dropped, and all I could do was to cover it.
Lash reached for me, I was feeling so weak that I fell on my knees.
His trembling hands covered my eyes, as if stopping me from seeing the brutal madness in front of us.
I heard Anya's scream, followed by her uncontrollable cries.
"Let's get out of here..." Lash whispered weakly behind my head.
Because what I have witnessed was not just horror. It was hell, that corrupted my young fifteen-year-old mind.
The first time ever, I saw a brutally killed body.
Damien was hang in the bathroom with electric wire. Blood coated his whole body, upper body naked, and with uncountable wounds all over his body, he's almost unrecognizable.
And there were numbers written on the bathroom mirror, written by a red ink that I suspected was blood.
"16 3 19 19 8 12 16 3 4"
What does those numbers mean? Who would do this to the innocent Damien?