Icy Embrace

After realizing what Maribeth had been doing to her, Juliana packed her things and hurried back to the city. She didn't resent her sister, though. She tried to understand the reason for her actions and convinced Nana to come with her to the city, but she wouldn't go.

Maribeth apologized several times,  and every time she said sorry, Juliana just smiled and brushed it off. They still communicate through video calls for her to talk to Nana.

Since her ex-boyfriend and girlfriend had been gruesomely unalived, her life went back to normal as if those two never existed. It was something she had to thank Maribeth for; that was why she couldn't stay mad at her for trying to yanggaw or impurify her by trying to make her an aswang, too.

She was back to writing, and her recent experience in the province inspired her to write a new mystery thriller. But her readers want more. She just finished a bestselling novel, and her fans wouldn't stop bugging her editor to tell her to publish more.

"It's too much! I don't have an unlimited amount of creative juice," she protested when her editor read her fans' emails.

"It can't be helped. They liked your newly found voice in writing."

"Tell them I need a break. I'm not an AI tool  that can create a story in seconds."

"Fine. I'll let them know, but don't keep them waiting. Other fans might look for another author to support."

"Don't be greedy. Other authors need a fanbase, too."

"Sure, sure. Oh, and one more thing... they're asking when you will show up for a book signing."

"What for? The books are already signed in every fair we participated in, right?" she asked. She didn't really like the idea of being surrounded by people; interacting with a crowd wasn't her cup of tea.

"They want to see you, as simple as that."

"Not now. Not in the situation I'm in."

                                                                                           *

'What situation are you talking about?'

Her editor's question lingered in her head long after she had stepped out of the apartment. Deep, long sighs filled the room; she left her editor baffled with her statement.

"I'm sorry, Ellie. I can't tell you that Ate Maribeth tried to make me like their kind. I can't be around people. I can smell incoming death like it's the strongest, earthy coffee; I can't help but drool. I can't be around pregnant women; their fetuses smell like ripe mangoes or jackfruit to me."

She glanced at the wall clock. It was only 10:00 AM, but her eyelids were heavy. She stared at the emptied coffee mug on her table. "You're the culprit, right?" she said, pointing at the mug like a drunkard talking to her drinking buddy. "You always make me sleepy."

She had no idea how long she dozed off when a loud knock awoke her.

"Ellie? You're back too soon," she said in between yawns and stretchings. She walked to the door and opened it only to be surprised by the sight. She wasn't looking at the corridors of her apartment building; she was staring at a familiar loch!

She rubbed her eyes to check if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but they weren't. The lake looked exactly like the one they had in their province. She took several steps to have a close look at it.

At first, the lake was teeming with life. Jumping fish from the water created ripples on the surface. She also saw some people swimming in the lake. However, the longer she stared at it, the more she noticed that the water was slowly draining to the bottom.

Her heartbeat synched with every swoop of the water until only puddles of it were left.

"Ahh!!!!"

She screamed at the top of her lungs when the lifeless body of a boy came into view. His gaze was as cold as the icy atmosphere embracing Juliana.