DAYMARE 13: Two Cases with One Truth

Man, I really should’ve been absent today. My ears feel like they’ve been bruised from all the yelling—three people screaming at once, like craters in my head.

“Lewin, you’ve been in school for over a month now. Why are you absent today?” My mother is currently reprimanding me.

“Yeah, if you were stubborn at your old school, now’s the time to make up for every headache you caused!” Vea commented, rolling her eyes.

“Winwin is pathetic. All you do is play video games,” my little sister added.

When will I ever get my Independence Day from these people? A day when the great Lewin Truvel can live without these ear-shattering voices from these three?

No choice, though. I wouldn’t have woken up if it weren’t for their noise this morning. I planned to skip school since Mr. Sergio Ohina said he’d visit me later at school so we could talk.

Mom, Janey, and I rode the car to school. I sat quietly in the back seat, staring out the window.

I saw Lorean walking and followed her with my eyes as the car passed, but she didn’t see me.

Wasn’t she supposed to be with Vance?

Things have been slightly awkward with us since then.

Janey got out of the car first because Mama started dropping her first. She waved goodbye at us, and so did we.

Mom kept driving as we got closer to my school.

Minutes after, my eyebrows furrowed. My mother wasn’t stopping where I usually get off which is right across from school.

“Ma, you’re supposed to drop me here.” I reminded her, but she just kept driving. “Where are we heading?”

“Ma, stop the car!”

I leaned forward so she could hear me, but she didn’t even turn her head toward me.

When did my mother become deaf?

I was about to reach for her when I caught her reflection in the rearview mirror. My heart skipped a beat, and my eyes went wide.

M-Mama… has no eyeballs…

“Mama!”

I rubbed my eyes. Must be my wild imagination again.

I shook her shoulders and looked at her. I was even more shocked when Mom started driving aggressively. She’s not being herself, leaning on the steering wheel while her foot stomped on full gas.

The car zigzagged down the road, and then we were headed straight for a ravine with just a low barrier.

“Ma!” I shouted out of panic.

I’m trying to wake her up. Her eyes are open but with no eyeballs, and she’s not blinking at all.

I scrambled forward in the car, slamming on the brakes using my left foot so hard my head hit the steering wheel.

“Ah!” I screamed in pain.

The impact was so harsh that Mama’s head hit my left arm.

“Ugh,” I groaned. That hurts.

I looked back at Mama. She was stunned for a moment, but her eyes went back to normal. She now has her eyeballs back. She blinked multiple times and looked worriedly at me.

I grabbed her shoulders. “Ma! Please wake up! Ma!”

I breathed a sigh of relief when she sneezed. “Lewin?”

I hugged her. “Mama!”

We checked with each other if we’re okay. There were no serious wounds, just some scratches on both of us.

“Lewin, what happened?!” she panicked “Why are we here? We almost fell. Help!”

I helped Mom out of the car.

We called the police and an ambulance right away.

A few inches more, and if I hadn’t stepped on the car brakes, we would’ve fallen on the steep slope.

“You okay, son?” she asked, checking me over again.

I nodded.

“My, my! Your forehead’s bleeding!” she exclaimed, touching my forehead.

I rubbed my wound.

The airbag came late. My belly was sore from hitting the steering wheel.

A few minutes later, the police arrived and gave us first aid.

That was a horrifying experience.

I proceeded to go to school since I wasn’t badly hurt and needed to talk with Lorean and Vance. However, Mama told me to stay home for the day.

The medical team gave us the care we needed. They also cleaned and wrapped my bleeding forehead. The police are now interrogating my mother about the strange accident that happened to us.

“I’m sorry, but honestly, I don’t remember much. I was shocked to see Lewin in front of me. His forehead was bleeding. And then we were at the edge of the ravine,” Mom reported, still shaken.

So, Mom didn’t remember anything during the accident. How did this even happen?

They interrogated me too.

“I don’t know either…” I hesitated to tell them what I saw earlier. Should I tell them that I saw my mother with no eyeballs? And she just went off the edge of the slope aggressively driving unconsciously?

The officers gazed at each other and said that my mother was probably hallucinating from exhaustion, which is why we almost fell to our deaths. They were about to leave when I blurted out:

“Wait…”

They turned back and walked towards me.

“What is it, Lewin?” they asked.

I froze my feet.

Should I really tell them about it?

I smiled. “Um, never mind, officers. We’re all good.”

They nodded and left.

Man, what was I thinking? Who’d believe me if I told them Mama’s face was all messed up? They’d think I’m crazy. Because of what happened today, I'm starting to think maybe I am indeed crazy.

Here I go again—seeing gruesome paranormal stuff like crawling hands, bloody man, hearing devilish laugh and inexplicable ghosts, weird stuff. And now with Mama, too? What’s going on?!

“Lewin, go and rest today. You’ll go back to school tomorrow,” Mom said.

I nodded and followed her request.

We are now in our house. She headed to her room. Janey’s still in her class. Vea is at her work. She recently got accepted and works 9-6, so it’s just Mama and me right now

I changed my uniform into casual clothes and went to bed.

I took a power nap to relieve myself from the trauma that had caused me.

I woke up at 2:30 PM. I slept well despite the bump on my forehead and some bruises. I got up feeling a bit sore and went to Mama’s room, but she was still asleep. I went downstairs to eat. On the table, I saw she’d prepared food for me. After eating, I went back upstairs.

I grabbed my phone to text Rico. I just needed someone to talk to about today, about all the weird stuff going on. We hadn’t talked in a while.

Me: Hey! How are you?

Rico: Wow, you bothered texting, hahaha

So dumb.

Me: Mama and I almost had an accident today, but we’re okay.

Rico: What? How did that happen?

Me: I don’t know. Weird stuff is happening, and that’s one reason Mom and I almost crashed.

I sent the message, but didn’t get a reply. I tried again, typing and sending the same text again, still nothing.

I checked my phone credit. 20 pesos left. I tried texting again. Nothing. I even tried texting Mama. Miraculously, it sent!

What the heck? Should I stop texting Rico?

I snuck into Mama’s room, grabbed her phone from under her pillow, and sent a text. It might be a signal problem, but hers went through.

I tried calling Rico, but no answer. I even called the landline at Vea’s office, and it connected.

What’s wrong with Rico? Why can’t I talk to him?

Frustrated, I dropped the phone. I’m losing it. Everything’s going crazy.

First, Lorean and Vance keep secrets from me.

Then, there’s all this weird paranormal stuff happening.

And now, I’m obsessed with Hestral’s case. Big thanks, Mr. Sergio and Sir Johace!

Before I could leave the living area, the phone rang. I answered it.

“Hello?”

“Mr. Lewin Truvel? It’s me, Sergio Ohina.”

Finally!

“Ah, Sir! Aren’t we meeting today?”

“Yes. I went to your school, but I heard you didn’t go to your classes.”

“Yes, I’m at home now.”

“Alright, we’re on our way. Wait for us.”

“Okay.”

We ended the call.

I rushed upstairs to shower, get dressed, and freshen up. As I came out, Mama was waking up.

“Where are you going?” she asked when she noticed I was grooming myself.

“I’ll go out for a while, Ma. I’ll be back around 5 PM.”

I was about to head down when I remembered something I should ask my mother about.

“Mom, why didn’t you tell us that the daughter of our landlord died last year?” I asked.

“Ah, that?? She lowered her head. “That incident might scare you, especially Janey. But it’s been a year. How did you find out?”

She didn’t even know who Mr. Sergio and Sir Johace were.

“I’ll explain when I get back.” I hurried down.

“Don’t stay out late!” she reminded me.

“Okay”

Mr. Sergio and Sir Johace arrived just then in a gray car that seemed a bit old.

“Good afternoon, Sirs!” I greeted them with a warm smile.

“Hop on,” Mr. Sergio invited me into their car.

Mr. Sergio is in the driver’s seat, and Sir Johace is sitting beside him.

I hopped in the back seat.

“We’ll talk at a nearby restaurant place,” Sir Johace said.

I nodded.

Mr. Sergio was wearing a white polo, dark blue tie, black slacks, and black leather shoes. While Sir Johace is in his usual casual clothes of a gray t-shirt, dark brown pants, and gray sneakers.

We rode in silence until we got to the restaurant. They were seated facing me.

I ordered a burger and iced tea. Mr. Sergio got himself a coffee and pasta while Sir Johace is having his rice meal and a watermelon shake

“Why did you call me, Sir? Did you find anything on Hestral’s netbook?” I asked them nervously.

This seems to be something serious. What could it be?

We paused talking for a second when a waiter put some plates and utensils on our table after he got our order.

Mr. Sergio heaved a sigh and said, “We give you permission to read the contents of the victim’s document.”

After Mr. Sergio announced that, I don’t know if I should be happy or doomed.

I am glad to be part of this investigation and to help them trace Hestral’s case. But at the same time, I feel doomed because her case doesn’t sound like I’ll be able to handle it.