Waited for two weeks for my auntie’s update and current whereabouts. No signs of her. I called and texted her multiple times until an unknown person picked up.
“Is this Shamikha?” the other line questioned without even hearing my voice yet. By her voice, this isn’t my auntie.
“Yes. Sorry, Ma’am. Who is this?”
“Her daughter, my gosh.” She mumbled under her breath, which I heard clearly.
“Ma’am?”
“Ah, are you aware of it?”
I became aware of this because of the picture my Aunt, my mother, gave me.
“…Yes. Why?”
“I’m so sorry to say this to you. Amilah passed away yesterday. We contacted you using her phone… I am her friend that she met at work.”
“Huh…”
"It must have been such a shock for you. It all happened so suddenly, none of us was prepared for it. Do you know any relatives who could help with your mother's funeral? She didn't have any insurance, and now the loan sharks are coming after her. You're the only relative of hers that I know of. Why don't you come visit me here in the province? The funeral parlor already gave me the breakdown of the costs. I went ahead and covered it using my own money for the time being. Just pay me back whenever you're able to. No pressure. I want to make sure your mother is laid to rest properly."
Her talking made my brain fizz. There’s a static in my brain that wouldn't shut off. Every word she said seemed to drill a little deeper into my skull, and I could feel my patience wearing thin, thread by thread. Her voice was so annoying.
“Where’s her partner?”
“Her boyfriend, you mean? Cardo? He suddenly went missing after he heard Amilah had passed. We contacted him, but he cannot be reached. Have you heard anything about him?”
“No, I don’t know either.”
“Oh no. How do we deal with this?”
“How did she die?”
“Well… Someone smelled something foul… It was a dead body near an abandoned factory.”
“Then?”
“Then she called for help from the neighborhood. They retrieved the foul-smelling wrapped in a sack. "I-I can't tell you about the rest in detail. It was gruesome. Too much for me to even put into words. Please… come here instead. I can't explain it over the phone.”
“The police didn’t investigate her death?”
"They did. They said it was obviously murder." She paused, her voice trembling slightly. "It's been so stressful. Too much for me to handle, honestly. To make myself busy, I focused on making your mother's funeral meaningful. She deserved that much. She was a close friend."
My knees weakened. I am floating. Every part of my body is as light as a piece of dried leaves.
“Hello?”
This can’t be happening…
“Are you there?”
My eyes twitched, and it stopped after seeing Ravael by the gate.
“Where have you been?” He looks tired.
“A workmate insisted on having a drink with him.”
“When did you start drinking?”
“Ah, no, I didn’t. I accompanied them and had a light dinner. Have you cooked something?”
“I did. Is it just me, or do you look weary tonight?”
Interrogating him like what I’m doing is like me being his wife.
“He squinted his eyes, looking at me. “You noticed?”
“Yes. What have you been doing aside from working and hanging out with your friends?”
“That’s it. I always let you know of my whereabouts every day, especially when there’s something new to my routine.”
“What did you do to my Auntie?” I interrogated him.
He halted, froze, staring at the floor.
“W-What?”
“I know you killed her, that’s why you went home late and weary.”
“Your aunt? Why would you say that?”
“You don’t have to keep anything from me, Ravael. I know from the start.”
“What else do you know about me?”
That caught me. I thought he’d ask how I knew, but he didn’t.
“I heard you, and Jesse talked once. You committed a felony when you were a kid. I thought Jesse was mocking you, but I’ve read an article about it. It was true.”
“But why did you ditch your best friend over me? I’ve been a criminal since ten. Your best friend wasn’t wrong about that.”
“Pestering you about it isn’t right. You’ve committed something unacceptable, but you were a child.”
“You weren’t scared of me?”
“Why would I be?”
“I killed four people up to now. It can grow more if I want.”
“No, it grows if I want to.”
“He’s surprised.”
“You’re always peeking your ears at my bedroom door and watching the CCTV you installed. You can clearly hear me mumble curses under my breath.”
He scoffed. “I got busted. And worst, it was you.”
“You’d rather have other people find out about your serial killing?”
“Yes. I’ve been trying to hide it all from you, but I failed.”
“At least you succeeded in killing them.”
He laughed. “I did, I did. It’s all thanks to you.”
“The bad news is”
“Ravael, she’s my mother.”
He spaced out. “What was your aunt’s full name?”
“Amilah Junayo.”
I stared at Ravael. Oh, Ravael. I owe you a ton. You've done so many favors for me without ever asking for anything in return. Part of me always thinks you've got a huge crush on me. You just never knew how or when to confess your feelings or maybe you never planned to at all. You just act on your own, quietly, without ever saying your romantic feelings out loud. I wonder what's stopping you when we're clearly living together like a married couple… with two separate bedrooms.
Oh, wait. You did confess to me once. But it was so subtle I just shrugged it off. The complete opposite of Wenzo, who is bold, blunt, unruly, with rich and cunning parents. Out of all the boys who've courted me and confessed, Ravael has the highest chance. If only he were a bit taller. I usually get flustered when someone likes me, even if I don't feel the same way. But with Ravael… my heart never skipped a beat. Not once. Isn't that strange?
“Why did you do it to my mother?”
“Your aunt? She pretended to be your aunt, but she was your mother? Isn’t that enough reason to kill her?” The tone projects he’s innocent, and what he did was heroic.
I walked towards the door.
He blocked my way. “You are not to leave this house. Do you understand?”
“Let go of me!” I screamed.
“Enough, Shamikha. What you’re doing is pointless. Have you forgotten she abandoned you? She left you and your beloved grandma.”
“I read everything that was in the news article online. It all happened 12 years ago.”
It was horrifying. I-I’m living with a killer! The thought hit me like a cold wave, sinking deep into my chest. I looked around the house, the one we'd shared meals in, watched TV in, folded laundry in, laughed and told stories in. Now it all felt wrong and eerie.
He turned his gaze to his left. "My parents… They've been working overseas for as long as I can remember. But they didn't just leave for work. They abandoned me. I was only ten years old when it happened. Right after I committed a crime." He paused, staring at the floor. "They still send money. I'm supported but not emotionally. Nothing. They hired a caretaker to watch over me so they wouldn't have to come back. Then they had another kid, my younger brother, born overseas. They rarely come here to visit me either. They couldn't bring me to the country where they work. The controversy back then was too loud and shameful. So, they flew away from it and from me. They left me here to deal with the mess on my own. Until now, I’ve been dealing with all my mess alone." He let out a quiet, bitter sigh.
He tossed his wet and muddy backpack on the floor.
Am I supposed to pity a serial killer’s sad backstory?
“I didn’t file a report, not to be involved with the police once again. Having a rehab and staying in the detention center traumatized me.”
Come to think of it, I didn’t know much about Ravael. I have been living with him for months, but it seems he’s more than just the Ravael I’ve known.
He stared at me… with yearning eyes.
“When I was ten, there was this big bully at school. He kept slapping my cheeks until I ended up on the floor, crying, begging him to stop. That’s when a sweet-looking girl stepped in, but ferocious. She pushed the big bully off the stairs. He didn’t fall far. He managed to catch himself on the handrail with one hand. He cursed at her and gave her a nasty look.
But that wasn’t what stunned me the most. The sweet girl just bent her knees and sat down on the stairs two steps below him. He was still lying there and pushed him with both her strong legs. He rolled down the stairs. Hit his head against the wall at the landing. I stared at her and asked why she did it. She laughed briefly and smiled at me sweetly.”
That memory felt familiar somehow, like a scene I’d pictured before when Ravael told me about being bullied as a kid. I don’t know why it feels so familiar.
“He kept going with the story. “She put a finger to her lips and said, ‘Shhh. I’m Shamikha. Don’t tell a single soul, not even the teachers, okay?’ I nodded. I watched her walk away and go into her classroom. And I kept my word. Still have, all these years. From that moment on, I never forgot that angelic face or that name. It didn’t even sound like it was from this world.”
My eyes widened. No…
“Good thing the school we attended was a public one. They had no CCTV installed, and there were no witnesses except me.”
“Y-You… You took the blame for it?”
“Yes. It was all worth it. If I am given a chance to redo what I did before, I won’t change a thing.”
“How about now? Did you not regret killing your current victims?”
“If killing them would bring you peace, yes.”
He is preposterous ! He needs help.
He smiled lightly. “After everything with my bully’s death case was over, I tried to follow you into high school. I really wanted to get into the same one as you. But that was around when our financial troubles started; my little brother was always sick. I never made it there. Still, I’d check your online profiles from time to time without getting noticed.”
He was stalking me after he had taken an interest in me when we were kids!
"Then college came around. I juggled a few part-time jobs so I could finally join you at that private college. It was a lot harder to support myself there, but at least I got a chance to be near you naturally because of Jesse. Yeah, she blackmailed me. But weirdly, thanks to her, she ended up being the reason we got together," he chortled, and his cheeks were red.
“W-What did you do to Jesse?!”
With his revelations, it is not impossible that he did something bad to her. And that would explain why no one can reach her anymore, why she just disappeared, like a bubble.
“No need to be pretentious, Shamikha. I accept even if everyone thinks you’re unacceptable.”
My eyebrows met. “Huh?!”
He walked closely to me. “This is a safe space. You can tell me everything. All parts of you, including your dark side.”
“What the?”
"I met Jesse accidentally. She avoided me after I said hi to her. I had no grudges against her after you had forgotten about her being your best friend. We had a brief chat. She revealed to me your grave attitude and behavior, which she had been aware of for a long time and had never told a single soul except me."
“What did she say?”
"You cursed people to death when they angered you. Jesse heard you do it three times. She said you usually murmur it when you're alone and when you're about to burst. That's why you have your medications with you."
When my grandma was alive, she kept me grounded. I already had tiny horns back then. But when she died… that's when they really started to grow faster, longer. They'd been waiting for permission to spread out. My grandma was the one who delayed it all. Ravael? He awakened and fed my horns. I didn't pull the trigger myself, but I pointed him in the right direction. Indirectly, I commanded him to kill whoever I want dead.
“Tell me.” He crossed his arms. “Why did you let me kill those people you asked for?”
I scoffed. It’s no use pretending now. He already knew. “I never said I don’t want someone murdered. I don’t want to do it myself.”
“You truly are interesting. You’re not exactly as I thought. Women are usually easy to read, but you’re different. Your mystery baffles me.” He smirked. I don’t understand what he’s saying. “Birds of a feather flock together.”
I laughed hysterically. I’m almost out of breath. “This isn’t so bad. I get fed and taken care of all for free. And the most interesting? You get to kill whoever I want to be dead. You’re serving a demon!”
“Is it that funny for you?”
I locked my eyes with him. “Ravael, your secret is fine with me.”
cellphone vibrates
Sir Lorenzo Stanislao’s 11 missed calls
I went straight to my bedroom and called Sir Lorenzo back. It seems urgent to think he attempted to call me 11 times.
“Good evening, Sir. What is it?” I answered the moment he accepted my call.
“The police have solved the murder case of Elana.”
“What do you mean, S-Sir?”
“Ravael Angeles is behind it.”
“Ahhh!”
“Sh-Shamikha?” someone knocked on my door. “Are you alright? Shamikha?!”
“You could… stand?”
I plucked every hair strand I could get my fingers on. Can’t even feel the pain anymore. My scalp was stinging, little strands floating down around me, but I couldn't stop.
Ravael rushed over. I didn't even hear him coming. He clutched my arms with his firm hands, but not enough to hurt. He hugged me tightly from behind, pressing his chest against my back, pinning my arms gently to my sides so I couldn't reach my hair anymore.
“Stop it, Shamikha. What are you doing to yourself?!
I calmed down. “They found out…”
“Found out what?”
“The police will come here soon and arrest you.”
“W-Wha-”
“Sir Lorenzo and Ma’am Rowena found out that you killed their son! They’ve been working on it for months, and that single killing led to three more. All the clues led to you.”
“I got busted, huh?” he mumbled, facing down.
“What should we do?! This is bad!”
“We should…”
“We should what?!”
“You should calm down, Shamikha. They are arresting me, not you.”
“What? Exactly why I’m panicking right now! We can’t have them barge in here and get you! Are you even aware you’re going to jail for years?”
“I always am.”
“Why-”
tok tok tok tok tok
“Mr. Rafael Angeles? Are you there? This is the police, please open your gate.”
They’re here! They got here so fast. Ravael wasn’t able to flee yet! Now, we cannot run away from them!
Ravael walked towards the door. I stopped him, holding the back of his collared shirt.
He turned to me and put his right index finger to his lips. “Shhh, I got this. Don’t tell a single soul, not even your boyfriend, okay?’”
He pulled his shirt and opened the gate. “Good evening, officers. What seems to be the problem?”
The police talked to him about complicated criminal case stuff. My head was spinning in all directions, but my body stayed completely still. How did that happen? I touched my forehead while sitting on the floor in the living area.
“Are you with Ms. Shamikha Junayo?” The voice of one of the police officers deafened me.
“How could you do it to those people? What have they done wrong to you to deserve this?” I cried hysterically with a hoarse voice. “I don’t have an idea, I’ve been living with a serial killer! Help! I don’t want to get killed by someone I trusted the most.” My hands and knees trembled. My eyes twitched. “You’ve disappointed me!”
I stood without my crutches. I took a few steps until I fell on the floor. “You have to atone for your sins. Repent and rot in jail, you murderer!”
A tear fell on his cheek. He sobbed.
“You deserve to pay for your sins with your life.”
“I’d rather live to kill for you,” he whispered, which I heard clearly.
“You’re the worst, Rafael. Die! Die, Rafael!”
“Shamikha…” his voice went soft, calling my name. “That’s not my name,” his eyebrows furrowing, looking confused.
“You shall face retribution. God is justice! Face the earthly and Godly law for what you’ve done.”
Sir Lorenzo held my arms. “Enough. He’ll be in prison soon. We won’t let go of him until he has paid for our son’s death.”
“He’ll rot in hell.” Ma’am Rowena added. “Who would have thought Wenzo’s killer was his classmate all this time? He also invited him to our house many times and hung out as friends. What an ungrateful bastard.”
“Calm down, hon. Maybe Wenzo did something bad to him. Knowing our son, he’s a handful. He messes with many girls, too. But we managed to get by, until now.”
So, Sir Lorenzo is aware that his son committed harassment against girls. He’s not aware I was one of his victims, or they were acting like I was not one of the victims; that’s why they shower me with their financial support.
“That’s what happens when a kid gets neglected in early childhood. Raising himself on his own is like raising himself as a criminal.”
You raised Wenzo to be a criminal, too. The only difference between him and Ravael is that you had money, enough to cover up every crime Wenzo committed, to sweep things under the rug before anyone could ask questions.
Ravael wasn't so lucky. He was unfortunate enough to be born into neglect. His parents were never there for him. He had no safety net, no one to protect him from the consequences of his actions. All he had was himself, his own hands, his own will to survive. There goes Shamikha, who came into his life. I thought I was helping him. Maybe in some twisted way, I was. Looking back now… I only made things worse for him. I added fuel to a fire that was already burning out of control.
“Thank goodness he’s not a minor, so he’ll face the charges rightfully.” Sir Lorenzo let go of me and offered his hand for me to stand.
“Again, the odds are in our favor. But why are you crying?” Ma’am Rowena asked his husband.
“Nothing,” he wiped his tears. “We did it, hon! We captured the murderer of our son. Our sweet boy was so pitiful to experience such at a young age. I missed him so much!”
Ah, their sweet Wenzo… He can be sweet and sour at the same time. There are two sides to his personality, and they both know it.
Ma’am Rowen tilted her head to one of the police. “We’ll meet at the station.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” the police answered politely as if the Stanislaos were the authority and not them.
“What’s happening there?!” The neighbor’s shouting voices caught me.
They gathered in front of our house. This is not a kind of free show, neighbors and strangers. All of them standing there, whispering behind their hands, eyes wide as they watched the live arrest of Ravael. They witnessed the handcuffs click and watched him get shoved into the back of the patrol car. I wanted to scream and curse at all of them to go home, to mind their own business.
“Don’t scare the kids. They are just kids. It might be an accident nobody wanted to happen.”
“There’s solid proof right there.”
“I understand, but accidents are real as well. Stop frightening these poor souls.”
“Kids nowadays are unpredictable; they are already fit to be killers. Remember the movie we watched about an 8-year-old who killed babies using both strangulation and blunt force trauma. What’s more disturbing is his absence of any remorse.”
“That was a movie.”
“A documentary one. “Not because they look cute and smile innocently automatically proves they’re saints. Angels can turn into a devil, too!”
These random critiques from the gossiping neighbors made my eyes roll. Maria and Nathan were staring at us.
So, he’s still alive.
I walked towards them when Maria took three steps back, and Nathan hid behind her, holding her long, worn-out plaid skirt.
I gazed at the kid. “He spared you.”
“Shamikha dear, let’s go.” Sir Lorenzo called me.
***
Ravael is currently seeing a psychiatrist as part of his therapy while he's in jail. It's become more than just treatment. It's his outlet, the way he finally asked for help from the experts and the people he should run into. He's the one who decided to turn himself in, to stop the killings before anyone else got hurt.
The thing is, he never told the authorities that I motivated him to do those killings. He kept my name completely out of it. Not because I threatened him or asked him to lie, but because he insists I was never really part of it. According to him, he did everything on his own free will. He says he acted with pride, with a kind of twisted self-fulfillment. I used to think I was the one pulling the strings, but Ravael made me see it differently. He believes it's always up to him, whether he lets me manipulate him or not. He's facing full accountability for everything.
That's something Wenzo would never do.