“Why are you doing this, man?! I don’t even know you!” the man desperately shouted while struggling to get loose from the ropes binding him to the old wooden chair. His left eye was swollen shut and blood was trickling from his busted lips due to being heavily beaten up. “Who the fuck are you?!”

The hooded man standing in front of him didn’t even answer. A chill ran down his spine when a scornful smile curved on the lips of his captor. Brandishing a knife, the hooded man started walking towards him and stopped right in front of him.

The man flinched when his captor leaned towards his left ear.

“You don’t need to know.” The hooded man whispered. And before he could even react, his eyes opened wide when he felt a jab in his stomach. One, two, three times.

When the hooded man finally pulled away from him, he realized he was not punched. Because on the hooded man’s hand was the knife now covered with thick, red liquid. Blood!

Panicked, he looked down at his stomach and was mortified at what he found. Blood was now gushing down from his middle and had already created a pool on the dirty, cemented floor below him. He started screaming hysterically.

But the hooded man showed no remorse, not even fear. If anything, he looked bored and annoyed.

“You are noisy.” And in one swift movement, the hooded man slit the screaming man’s throat, blood spurting in every direction.

Unaffected by the blood now covering almost half of his face, the hooded man smirked while looking at the now completely silent victim.

“That’s better.”

***

She frowned when she heard someone calling her name. And as if that was not enough, she felt something warm touching her cheek. Annoyed that someone obviously wants to disturb her much needed sleep, she opened her eyes.

She blinked once, then twice. But the image of the man lying beside her didn’t disappear. Instead, the man smiled at her. And as if waking up beside each other was just normal, she found herself answering his smile.

She was supposed to be panicking, instead, she felt warmth creeping through her heart. And was that… joy?

She became aware of his hand on her cheek again when he started caressing it. But instead of pushing it away, she reached out to it, keeping it in place and savoring the heat that comes from it.

His smile grew wider. And her heart skipped a beat.

She held her breath when he started leaning towards her. Was he going to kiss her? Anticipating what was yet to come, she closed her eyes…

***

“Kayla!”

Kayla’s eyes shot open when she heard her mother shouting her name. And true enough, she was greeted by the frowning face of her slightly leaning down at her.

“Ma!” she distractedly blurted out.

“It’s past 9. You’re gonna be late if you won’t start moving now!”

“What?!” she immediately reached out to her alarm clock sitting on top of her bedside table. She grunted when she confirmed she was indeed late. Did she forget to set it last night?

Well, whatever! She told herself as she jumped out of her bed and walked past her mother who was now shaking her head.

Kayla knows she does not have the luxury to dilly dally in the shower, however, the memory of the dream just kept creeping back into her head.

It was the first time she ever dreamt of a man. Especially a man who was lying next to her and almost kisses her.

And his face… What does he even look like? No matter how hard she tried to remember his face, she just can’t seem to find it anywhere in her chaotic brain. All she can pull out of her head at the moment was a freaking headache!

Giving up, she finished washing up and got dressed. She was greeted by the booming television the moment she stepped into their living room. Seated on the couch was her father who was busy watching the morning news.

“Bye Ma!” her Mom peeped from the kitchen door upon hearing her.

“Aren’t you going to have breakfast first?” Her Mom asked, her forehead knotted.

“Can’t. Running super late!” Kayla answered. She shifted her attention back to her father. “Bye, Pa!”

“Okay, take care!” her father answered without even pulling his eyes away from the television.

She was about to step out of the house when she overheard the announcer from the television.

“The residents of Brgy. Socorro were alarmed when a body of a man was found on a ditch this early morning.”

“Did she say Socorro?” Kayla asked, whirling back and stood right in front of the television to check. She was literally ignoring the fact that she was about to be extremely late.

“The man reportedly had multiple stab wounds, and a laceration on the neck, resulting in his death. The police claimed that the valuables of the victim are still with him when found, clearing out robbery as a motive. The authorities are still conducting an in-depth investigation to determine the motive behind the killing and to look for a possible lead…” continued the announcer.

“Isn’t that close to where your office is?” asked her father, now looking at her.

“It is. I actually walk on that same road when I go home.” She suddenly remembered her scary episode the previous night, which she almost forgotten due to the equally disturbing dream she had.

Was it a coincidence that the crime happened the same night she experienced the most terrifying experience she’d ever had in her life? Why can’t she take it off her mind that if she was not lucky to have met the guy who had helped her last night, she could have been the one found on that same ditch, dead?

Chills ran down her spine at the thought. Could it be possible? Was she supposed to be the victim? Then what could have happened to the man who helped her? Was he the now dead man? Was it her fault that he might have ended up the victim because he helped her?

“Hey! Shouldn’t you be going?” She almost jumped at her mother’s voice, nudging her. Shaking her head, she looked down at her mom.

Kayla decided against telling her parents about what happened the previous night as she knows it would make them worry. It would be best if she keeps it to herself. She was not even sure that the events of last night and the gruesome news were connected.

She drew a deep breath.

“Yeah. I should be going.” She finally answered.

As she walked out of their front door, she heard her father call out to her.

“Don’t go home late!” he shouted, to which she answered with a nod.

Connected or not, there was no way she would be going home late. Not after hearing that grisly news…