Mt. Enigma

Chapter 9

The man looked at her and saw that she was staring. He simply lowered his arms that were blocking his chest then left. 

Her suspicion grew stronger that the man who died earlier was an accomplice of that man. She decided to quietly leave Colthen's side and follow him. 

She walk normal, followed the man. She immediately went out the door and even ran into the girl she met, which is why she suddenly spilled the drink she was holding.

"Sorry," she said and patted the girl's shoulder but her eyes were on the man walking to the left—toward the stern of the ship. 

She immediately left in front of the little girl and followed him. They reached the end and there were only a few people there. 

Most of the ones she notices are lovers. Some are holding hands and others are the man hugging the woman's back—watching the sea water that the ship is passing through.

The man turned left, and she followed. When she turned around, there was no one there, but she saw that there was only one more to turn and it was still to the left aisle. 

She's sure that the man also turned that way and was heading back towards the front of the ship. 

She continued her steps but she suddenly heard someone speak behind her.

"Don't follow him, he will hurt you." 

It was a woman's voice. Her forehead furrowed because of the tone of her voice as if the voice knew something.

She decided to face her back and that's how her chest pounded because she didn't see anyone in there. 

She looked around and she's the only one there. Her mind wondered who spoke. It is clear to her hearing and she still remembers the voice.

She was currently standing full of wonder when Bax suddenly appeared. 

"Chaleigh..." She looked at his face. "What are you doing here?" he asked and she looked him up and down for a while. 

There she noticed his white skin due to the sun shining on it. The caramel color of his T-shirt that matches the shape of his body and his pair of jeans pants is added. 

She will not wonder why girls likes this man on social media. Especially when it comes to their vlog, his name floods in the comment section.

She looked around again. "I was looking for the woman who spoke, she suddenly disappeared," she answered.

Bax looked around too as his forehead furrowed. "Woman? Where?" he asked and looked at her.

"Ahm...here! Earlier!" she answered emphatically. "But it's only for a moment, so it's impossible for her to disappear right away."

"What did you say?" he asked in astonishment and because of that she looked at him in serious way. 

"I shouldn't follow that man because I'm going to get hurt," she answered, causing his eyes narrowed into slit. He stared at her for a moment and then laughed.

"You are following, what?"  

"The..." She slightly looked back at the direction where she's sure the person she was following earlier had turned. "The man," she answered.

Bax looked that way too. "Who is the man?"

She sighed and stood straight in front of him. "Bax," she began to speak to say what she noticed. "The dead man, tattooed—"

"Tattoo?" he asked without finishing her speech.

"Yes, the tattoo." Unconsciously, she raised her index finger to remember that thing. "It's a green triangle, not only is the tattoo uneven, but there's also a rosary drawing, right at the base of the triangle and it's red in color," she described.

Bax thought for a moment. "Wait, I seem to have noticed that too," he murmured.

"On his arm, Bax," she reminded and poked his arm. "That's what I noticed earlier when he pointed a knife at Vynx. I know exactly what he looks like."

"Ahh..." He scratched the back of his neck, not surprised, but confused by what he was saying. "What does that have to do with the girl you heard about?"

"It's not that Bax!" She hit him on the arm but only lightly. "Not to the woman, but to the man I was following," she answered.

"Eyh? Why are you following the man?" he asked, feeling like he still didn't get what she meant.

"Because he also has a tattoo like the one on the man who died," she clarified and now Bax was stunned. 

"And I followed him, because I saw that he's watching Vynx and Vyze hugging moment. When he saw me looking at him, he left." After she said that, the reaction on Bax face change. "Then that woman I'm talking about, while I was following the man, I heard her voice behind me. That's what she told me, if I follow the man I will be hurt."

"Because it's true!" Bax spoke quickly but firmly. "Why did you follow him?" He said in shock. "There are things you've already noticed, you didn't even tell us. What if you've been harmed? If you hadn't heard anyone speak, would you still follow him?" he kept scolding at her.

She averted her gaze. Bax has a point. "Sorry—"

"My godness, Chaleigh." He wipe his face and looked at her again. "Aren't you thinking? What are you up against?" He pointed at the way where the man go through. "You're only little, 5'2 in height. You're nothing to him." He looked at her up and down. 

She frowned because he criticized her smallness again. She felt even smaller when she was called a little girl. "Let's go!" He immediately grabbed her by the arm. "Don't look for the woman because I don't think she exists," he said while pulling her out of that place.

She pulled her hand from his grip and stopped. Bax also stopped and looked at her. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"That...just imagine that. If you believe that everyone has an angel, you probably heard that earlier, that's your angel," he answered and held her hand again. He led her away from that place.

Her mind wished that Bax was right. She wish it was her angel who spoke. Because she had a different hunch when she heard it earlier. It was so clear to her ears. 

When they reached their spot, she chose to remain silent. Mamo even reprimanded her for leaving alone especially when something bad happened.

Their manager has left a legacy that no one leaves alone. If they want to go to CR, they must have someone with them. Take better care so that no one else gets hurt. 

It's getting late in the afternoon and the sky is turning orange. Gradually the light of two moons appeared, one in the sky and the other in the ocean—the reflection. The wall of the room they were in was only made of crystal, so from where she sitting, she could see outside of it.

If she looked around, there were different passengers. Most of them went back to the province. There are children with others and those are the ones playing hide and seek. 

When she looked at the couch in front of her, it's Vyze lying on Yvaine's lap. Zaliyah was not there because she was with Nivo who was eating at the other table. 

When she turned around behind her, there was a canteen. The narrow path on its side leads to the comfort room. Her eyes lingered here when she caught sight of the three men; Wynce, Colthen, and Vynx came out of it. 

They even passed inside the canteen where she could also see Bax and Mamo.

She sat up and looked at Yvaine and Vyze. Yvaine is busy using her cell phone, If her thinking is not wrong, she's just playing a game. 

It is not hidden from her knowledge that the ship is currently passing has no signal or internet connection. Vyze, on the other hand, was lying quietly on Yvaine's thigh, who seemed to be still thinking and she understood her. Maybe if she was in her shoe, she would complain too like she does.

She looked at her wristwatch; It was already six o'clock in the afternoon, that's why the sky was so red. She looked back at the way of the canteen and the boy companions were currently walking out. 

She immediately averted her gaze when her eyes met with Vynx. She just adjusted her seat and waited for them to come closer.

"Is it dinner yet?" Yvaine immediately asked when she looked at them.

"You can have dinner twice, if you want," Colthen philosophized her.

Yvaine just glared and didn't say anything. Colthen just laid out the food on the small table. She immediately felt Vynx's presence next to her opening a styro-wrapped food and placing it in front of Vyze. 

He accompanied by soft drinks and so was his twin sister's automatic get up.

"I don't want that, just sprite for me," said the twin sister grumpily and Vynx gave her and pointed to the soft drinks on the table. Vynx's submissiveness to his sister was noticeable but that was not bad in her eyes but her heart grateful about it.

"Let's eat!" Mamo said and Vynx sat next to her as well. 

She did not expect that he would be sit by her side. Bax and Wynce moved to their seats next to the two girls because their seats were crowded. .

Because the couch they are sitting on only fits four people. Bax just turned around and sided with Yvaine, Wynce sided with Vyze.

She also felt Vynx move beside her. Mamo is big gay that the four of them were cramped on the couch. Colthen also sitting with them, so the smell of Vynx had already reached her nose. 

But she didn't expect what he did. Like Vyze, he also opened food for her. He placed the styro with only rice and longganisa in front of her.

"Let's save now because food is really expensive here on the ship. We will run out of budget, we haven't reached our destination if we spend a lot here," said Mamo while opening the food. 

They were almost at the same time as the rest of them. But what Vynx was doing took more attention from him so he just looked at it. "Let's just go back, after we get off the ship," Mamo continued but her eyes were still on Vynx.

"That's no problem for us, Mamo. It's still food," replied Wynce—the most positive thinker in their group. "It's work we're doing, so it's normal to be patient," he added, but her eyes were still fixed on Vynx.

"Why?" Vynx immediately asked her when he noticed her staring. She didn't look away because it was too late for her to do that.

She just shook her head in response and spoke again, "N-Nothing, I'm just not used to what's happening now," she answered with a grimace and then faced the food. 

She knew he still staring at her because she didn't feel his actions but she chose to ignore it even though her chest was heaving with nervousness.

"When this Mt. Enigma content of ours goes on sale, we're sure to have a sudden profit," Bax interjected and turned her attention to him as well. She also felt Vynx looked at him.

"That's will gained income, just trust," Colthen replied then took a bite. "It's just history, it's interesting, what else can we do if it's already in our vlog, right?"

"Right!" Zaliyah spoke at the other table. Because the distance between them is not too far. "And this is the advantage here. If we have done the vlog and uploaded it to YouTube, we will be the first blogger to discover it. The number of our subscribers will increase because it will be recommended. Of course! It's Mt. Enigma, guys!" 

She even poked the top of the table. "Remember that this is not in the history of the Philippines. And its advantages is..." She drank the juice first then spoke again, "Maybe we will be the way to include it in the book of mountains in the Philippines."

"I hope so," said Mamo so they all looked at him. "Then it really should be," he added. "Because look at what we went through..." He pointed to Vynx and Vyze. "Those two almost perished! My God! I was scared earlier, to be honest. I suddenly floated to the thought of what if what is the rest of us doomed? My God, guys! I'm your gaurdian here," he said seems to cry and then took a bite. 

"Your families might even imprison me, just because of that Mt. Enigma. So that mountain should just give me lots of money!" he said jokingly but she could feel the hardship he was carrying. "It's really necessary, that'll satisfy me!" The rest of them laughed chuckled.

"That's the disadvantage of going there," Zaliyah said then swallowed the food. "Because guys, we're taking a risk. Look..." She adjusted her seat. "Today is Holy week. Then, we will travel for about two days and one night and maybe we will arrive on Wednesday. We just decided which day we will climb the mountain. Holly Thursday? Or Good Friday?"

"Vynx said it was a cursed mountain," Wynce reminded.

"Let's try, Good Friday," suggested Bax. "It's Friday the 13th. Let's see if it's really cursed."