DAYMARE 19: Get Involved, You’re Shunned part 3

Jethro smirked. “Finally ready to tell the truth. Took you long enough to face us.”

I bit my lip, hoping Riegel won’t shut us.

“Ask what you want,” Riegel said, looking annoyed.

He walked, leading us somewhere. We followed him quietly. After a long walk, we reached a rundown, old hut on the edge of a paddy field. The sun was bright, but the breeze was cool and fresh.

The three of us sat on an old wooden bench with an old wooden table in the middle. This must be the spot where farmers can take a short rest during work.

I am beside Jethro, and we’re facing Riegel, sitting opposite us. The tension thickens in the air.

“We're not going to flake anymore.” I started the interrogation. “You and Hestral are classmates. What else is your relationship with each other?”

“That’s all there is to it. We’re usually together for group assignments and the student council because she’s our muse. Nothing more than that.”

“I heard you went to her place when you dropped off her homework at her house.”

“I went to her house to deliver her our assignment. I went inside her house with permission from her parents and caught her sweating and freaked out. She said she saw strange spirits trying to kill her.”

“Hmm,” I muttered.

“I don’t know if she’s got a third eye or whatever. It’s just that she’s always scared and spaced out, like she can see, hear, and feel things others can’t.”

“Okay, let’s say Hestral was experiencing supernatural phenomena. You’re saying a phantom killed her?” Jethro shot a sarcastic glance at Riegel.

“You don’t have to believe me,” Riegel replied. “Before she died, she was acting insane almost every day—like she’d lost it. Always absent and out of it. Her parents even took her to the hospital, but nothing helped. Everyone ostracized her except her parents, the teachers, and me. Since I was the president, I had to keep an eye on her, even though I didn’t want to. There weren’t many students, so she got a lot of attention. One day, I went to her house to talk about her situation.”

I held my breath, waiting for what happened next.

“She locked herself in her room and was scared to see me, but I forced her to face me and talk.”

August 13, 2015, 3:30 PM

“Hestral, please talk to me,” I begged, stepping into her messy, dirty room.

I was standing near the door, holding her backpack and school uniform. She was sitting on the edge of her huge bed. Her back turned to me.

“Hest-”

Suddenly, she jumped up and ran at me. I shut my eyes because she moved so fast, then I heard her crying as she hugged me tightly.

“Wait, why are you crying?”

I tried to pull away so I could see her face, but she gripped my arm even tighter.

She kept crying, then finally said, “Would you believe me if I told you someone’s trying to take my life?”

That question hit me hard, especially with her still holding on to me.

“If that’s why you’re scared, then let’s report it to the police.”

She laughed for a moment at my suggestion, which caught me off guard.

I could feel the warmth radiating from her body. Her hair smelled so nice, falling just to her shoulders. However, she looked slimmer than before.

“What if it’s not a human being who wants to kill me?” Her voice was soft.

She removed her arms from embracing me. Now, I could still see her face clearly. Even though her eyes were puffy and her hair was all messy, her natural beauty shone through.

“It’s not a human, Riegel! It’s like… an element, a ghost, a spirit, or something! I don’t know how to say this to you, but I can’t escape them. All I know is… my death is already set…”

I walked towards her.

“I believe you. We’ll find a way to save you. Did you tell your parents about this?”

“Haven’t you got it yet? Do you think I’d tell you this if my parents believed me? Out of everyone here in the province, they’re the only two I truly trust! And you? No, because I cannot trust anyone I just met.” She paused for a moment. “But, even my parents are starting to think I’m crazy,” she chuckled, but she sounded hopeless. “That’s why I’m now telling you all this.”

“All this time, you don’t trust me?”

“It’s not like that…”

“It hurts, Hestral, but I’ve trusted you ever since you became our muse.”

“You don’t understand.”

“What don’t I understand? I thought you trusted me because you told me you could see and feel the phantom. You’re the first classmate I’ve ever trusted.”

I couldn’t stop myself from raising my voice. I was surprised I got so worked up.

“You have no idea. I’m not just trying to fight the phantom trying to kill me. Nicole and Lloyd, too!”

“What do they have to do with this?” I asked, confused.

“They’re the ones the phantom will use to kill me.”

I froze at what she said. I could hardly believe what I was hearing.

I grabbed her shoulders, trying to calm her down.

“We can figure this out, Hestral. Come stay at my place for now. I’ll tell your parents. We’ve got lots of people living with us, so you won’t be alone. We’ll protect you.”

She suddenly turned away, scratching her head nervously. “Maybe I shouldn’t have told you. They’ll come after you, too.”

“I don’t care. Come with us so you’re safe.”

I tugged her arm, but she yanked it away fiercely.

“I-I’m so sorry, Riegel… forgive me. If they find out you’re here, they’ll hunt you down. Stay away from me. If you don’t, you’ll get hurt!”

I held onto her arm tightly because she was shaking with fear.

“I’m not leaving you. We’ll report Santia and Ronale to the police before they do anything bad to you.”

I pulled her again, but she shoved me out of her house.

“Get out! Stop me, or they’ll never stop!”

I was about to leave their yard while she’s pushing me out of their house, only three steps from the gate, when-

“Hestral! We can solve-”

Before I could finish, she punched me hard in the chest.

I gasped.

Her eyes show a lot of emotion. Anger, fear, doubt, bitterness. But underneath it all, there’s a hint of regret.

My vision blurred as my glasses flew off my face and smashed onto the concrete, scraping the lenses.

Before I could call out to her again, she slammed the gate shut and locked it. I shook the gate, but no one came to open it.

I hit the wall beside the gate, my fist bleeding from the impact.

I wanted to call Hestral’s parents, but for some reason, their phones didn’t connect. They’d gone back to Metro City for an important family event and to sort out their house rental. It was only their second day away, and they’d be back tomorrow morning.

I picked up my scratched glasses, now useless, and tucked them into my backpack. Slowly, I started walking home.

I tried not to think about Hestral, telling myself that her parents would be back soon and everything would be okay.

I was one of the few people left to look out for her. I couldn’t believe her at first, but seeing her in a miserable state is heart-wrenching. I believe her and I want to help her, but she won’t let me.

Just hang on, Hestral. Your parents will be home soon. You’ll be safe.