Disclaimer: Mentions of demon names, angel names, spirituality, religion, and other related topics regarding beliefs are mentioned in this work. The Author is not against any religions or beliefs. The work is purely fiction and for entertainment purposes only; not attacking any religions or beliefs. If such topics are sensitive for you, please do leave now. This work is not for you. Thank you.
Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
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How far can a person go to achieve their selfish desires? Betray their loved one? Give up what they care for the most? Sell their soul? That’s what the woman has in mind as she watches the rain through the window. It’s been raining all day and it doesn’t seem like it’s going to stop anytime soon. She would like to come out and stand in the middle of the field but she’s got something else to do. Maybe next time. She thought.
On the other hand, while the students are busy watching the water hit the ground, the teachers are busy discussing a serious matter in the meeting room. The woman returned her attention to them.
“I told you this isn’t the right time for that.” One teacher argued. He fixed his necktie as if it wasn’t already so tight around his neck.
“But we are not doing anything to make anything better, Sir John.” A female teacher argued back. She fixed her eyeglasses to fix it on the bridge of her nose and stared back at the other teacher.
“It’s the middle of the school year, Miss Par. Let’s discuss this in the summer before the school year starts.” The principal said.
“We’re going to wait that long? Kids have been missing.”
“Two kids. Just two kids.”
“And it’s making all the parents of these kids worry. Five students in my class didn’t come to school today and their parents called me the night before saying that they are not letting their kids come to school until this is fixed.”
Sir John laughed, “Call them hysterical. As if we have control over that. We’re not the one kidnapping the kids–”
“Yes, but they are still our responsibility. They went missing after attending school so it’s possible that the kidnapper is just within the perimeter of our school.” Miss Par was trying to control her voice but the situation is making her angry. It’s as if she’s the only one who actually cares about these kids and she hates the idea that these people around her right now call themselves teachers and not even care about the well-being of the kids under their care. The woman felt sorry for her.
The woman freely walked around the room as she was invisible to the eyes of the mortals. She watches as the teachers argue about stupid things.
“Miss Par, please. We’ve got other things to worry about like the upcoming examination of the elementary department.” The principal reminded everyone in the room.
“Are we really worried about that now?”
“I hope you are done with your module, Miss Par. I’ll be expecting them on my table tomorrow morning.” The principal stood up and left the room followed by other teachers.
Miss Par remained seated on her chair gripping her whole hand on the armrests. She’s exhausted and disappointed at the same time. How is she going to convince her co-teachers?
The woman smiled with pity at Miss Par. “A dedicated teacher but not everyone shares the same passion, huh?”
Miss Par turned to see the woman wearing leather boots with chains on them, a long black coat, a black turtleneck, and a chain on both of her hands clinging to each finger. She looked up to see the face. Sleek black hair combed back, thin lips, sharp nose, and sharp eyes. She’d never seen this woman in her life before. She looks like she is in her early twenties so the possibility of having a child studying here is quite impossible. Unless she was young when she gave birth? Little sibling, maybe?
“Ma’am, you’re not supposed to be in here. How did you even get in here?” She looked back at the door. Was she zoning out that she didn’t realize this strange person was entering?
“That’s not what matters, Miss Par.” The woman said.
“How do you know my name?”
“I heard it.”
“Whoever you are, you need to leave the room. Only staff is allowed in here.”
“Miss Par, do you want people to actually listen to you? Understand you?” Her voice remained monotone. She couldn’t read her eyes. They’re empty.
“What?”
“To actually care and be as passionate as you are with these children?” The woman in black crossed her arms together.
“That’s...well, I wished for once that they would set their priorities straight. I mean, maybe suspend classes for even just a week, you know? Work with the police to surround the area and watch the kids as they walk home.”
The woman nodded, “I agree with you, Miss Par. But those people aren’t going to listen to you unless…”
“Unless?”
The woman stared back at her as if she were studying her movements. “I’ll grant you one wish.” She raised her index finger with a skull ring on it.
Miss Par smiled as if the woman in front of her just made a joke.
“But I need a payment for that.” Still, her face remained stoic.
“What are you even talking about?”
“Just one wish.” The woman repeated.
Miss Par studied the woman standing in front of her. She doesn’t look like she's joking. “You’re serious, aren’t you? What are you?”
“The clock is ticking, Miss Par. I don’t have all day.”
Miss Par swallowed nervously. “Well, I...uhh...I wish that my co-teachers would listen to what I say. Even for just one day.”
The woman raised a brow. “Is that it? Sure of your wish?”
Miss Par nodded.
“I need payment for that wish.”
“What should I pay you with?”
“What are you willing to lose?” What are these people willing to lose to achieve their selfish desires?
Miss Par frowned.
“Ten years of your life? Your life? What?”
“I don’t really understand…”
“Fine. I’ll take care of the payment.” She snapped her fingers and smiled. “Enjoy.”
In a blink, the woman disappeared in front of her in thin black smoke. Miss Par blinks multiple times wondering if she was imagining things but just shrugged it away and went out of the room. On her way out, she saw Sir John walking down the hallway.
“Hi, Sir John,” Miss Par greeted.
“Miss Par,” Sir John greeted back.
“Look, can we discuss this again? Even for just a short while.”
Sir John smiled, “Yes, sure.”
“I...uhmm...I just thought that focusing on the upcoming examination is really not the priority right now and instead of the safety of the children.”
“Yes, yes. Of course. What do you think we should do about that?”
Miss Par was surprised. He wasn’t this easy to talk to earlier in the meeting room. He was almost thinking that the whole idea is a joke and now suddenly he’s agreeing with her?
“I...think that we should call the police and have them assist us?”
Sir John nodded.
“But the principal won’t take the idea seriously so I thought maybe you could talk about this with him? He listens to you better than to me.”
“Yeah...yeah...definitely. I will do that.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem, Miss Par. See you tomorrow.”
“Yes…”
Tomorrow came and everyone’s been called to the auditorium to have a serious discussion with the kids’ parents before the end of the day. Miss Par was surprised by the commotion. She didn’t expect that it would happen immediately. There are also a lot of people who attended despite the continuous heavy rain.
“As we all know,” the Principal started. “Two kids have disappeared in one week along the perimeter of our school. So we’ve decided that starting today, there will be police monitoring our school. They will be protecting the kids 24/7. We assure you that.”
After an hour, the meeting finally ended. Miss Par finally had a short meeting with her other co-teachers along with the principal in the meeting room.
“We’ve received good responses with the idea.” The principal said. “Thanks to Miss Par for the idea. We should’ve listened to her from the start.”
The people inside the room clapped at her.
“Yes, yes great job, Miss Par,” The Principal said. “But…”
Miss Par frowned, “but?”
“According to your co-teachers, you are not really focusing on your job as a teacher. Rather should you be a guard instead?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Where's the module that I’ve been asking, Miss Par?”
“Sir, I left it on your table this morning as you told me yesterday.”
The principal shook his head in disagreement. “I saw my table earlier this morning, Miss Par. It’s not there.”
“No, sir. I swear I put it in there.”
“This is not the first time it happened. Last time you came in late too and of course, your module is late.”
“Sir, I explained that I had to bring my son to the doctor’s that morning because he was sick. I still came in here in the afternoon just to submit my module.”
He shook his head, “there were lots of revisions. You did your job half-heartedly.”
“No, you need to listen to me–” Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared behind the principal. It’s the woman wearing all black clothing from yesterday. This time, she is wearing thigh-high boots, a leather jacket and cropped top with the AC/DC band design on it, and black skinny jeans. Half of her hair is tied behind her head while the other half is just laid down on her chest. In her right hand, she’s holding a brown envelope. She’s waving that envelope to her.
“Miss Par?” Sir John called.
“That’s my module. You’re not supposed to have that.” Miss Par’s voice is trembling in anger.
“Payment received.” the woman in black said. The envelope she’s holding has burnt into ashes and fallen on the ground.
“No!” Miss Par ran towards her to save her module.
“Miss Par, who are you talking to?” The Principal was terrified that he did the sign of the cross and mentally recited the Lord’s prayer. “M-Miss Par, get ahold of yourself!” He got pushed away by Miss Par who is busy talking to a blank wall.
“Miss Par?” Another teacher called for her name.
“Listen to me. This…this girl, she burnt my module!” Miss Par pointed at the empty space beside her.
“Miss Par, get a hold of yourself.” The Principal was already panicking.
“Time’s up. It’s been twenty-four hours. You said just ‘one day’, right?” The woman smiled sheepishly. She held a small clear bottle with a cork to cover it. She removed the cork and black smoke started coming out of everyone’s ear. “From this day on, no one will ever listen to whatever you say. That’s your payment. Thank you for your transaction. I hope to not hear from you ever again.” She then closed the bottle full of black smoke and disappeared into thin air.
“I-what...no, come back!” Miss Par shouted.
“Miss Par, listen to us!” Sir John tried to pull her back because she was punching the wall.
“Listen. There was a woman wearing a strange outfit standing right here. She...then she disappeared and…”
“Fired, Miss Par. You are fired.” The principal said.
“No, listen to me!”
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