Work Text:
His Most Precious Possession
**PRELUDE**
"Pau! Are you about to go home now?" Avria asked me as I arranged my things on my work table and saved whatever file I'm working on my computer.
"Yes. I'm just finishing up. Sabay ka ba sa'kin palabas ng building?"
"Yup! Just tell me if you're done na ha."
So I hurried a bit since I have a companion waiting. It's around 5:30 in the afternoon and for sure catching a ride home will be hard. Guess I'll just have to walk home. It's a bit faster than taking a ride and being stuck in a traffic jam. My rented place is not even that far away from the office building. Just about a 30 minute walk. I can also stop over at a nearby convenience store to buy me dinner since I don't have enough energy remaining right now to cook.
"I'm done. Shall we go now?" I told my workmate/friend. She just smiled and we walked out of the room towards the elevator.
As I stepped out I couldn't help but get chilled as I sensed someone intently staring at our direction. Specifically looking at my own person. How I know it I can't explain, but I'm sure the intent gaze is addressed to me. Actually I've been experiencing this unknown gaze for a long time already. But somehow today I can't help but feel a sense of foreboding with it. Like it's just been observing me for a long time and whoever owns that gaze is just biding its time to pounce on me like a predator would to its prey.
I hurriedly walked inside the elevator once it ding open. And my sudden action was not missed by my companion.
"Was it that gaze again?" Avria asked me as the elevator closed and moved down towards the ground floor. I just nodded at her while suddenly feeling anxious.
"Well, I can't blame whoever they are. I've told you this again and again Paulo, but you really are attractive. And for sure that someone has been admiring you for a long while." Avria stated. "That good looks you have could easily catch the interest of any sexuality. I am a friend and am already in a relationship, so you are spared one admirer." She continued.
"You know what Avria, I'm not really grateful for that actually." I said. "I wish I were just born as plain as the others are. Because receiving such strange gazes is really uncomfortable. I can't help but always be alert and be ready to defend my chastity for whenever a mad man tries to jump on me." I finished.
Avria just showed me a sympathetic look and tapped my shoulder. "Oh well, let's just hope and pray that no person would be so insane as to do what you fear." She kept on talking as we walked out of the elevator. "You know that I'm just one call away if you need help right?" She asked me. I gave her a nod of confirmation. "My partner knows you and treats you as family. We'll come to you immediately if an emergency arises."
"Thank you Avria, for being more than just a colleague." I can't help but tell her of my gratitude as we exit the company building. She's one of the small circle of people I have that I trust and think of as family. She had helped me more than she would ever admit to doing. I guess that's one trait of hers that made us become friends & family. She is not one to accept praises or take credit even if it deserves her.
She just hugged me before we parted ways on the crossroad just a block away from our work place. There her partner awaits her on a motorbike. I stayed for a while until she got onto the motorbike with her partner and waved the both of them goodbye until I lost sight of them.
As I resumed walking I sensed that gaze again. It's a bit farther than before but it still made me fidgety. Thus I walked a bit faster and chose the more crowded route home just to get a sense of safety, hoping to lose that gaze.
As I walked the busy street I slowly forgot about the mysterious gaze and started to enjoy my walk home. It is now the start of the 'Ber' months and people are starting to decorate for the long Christmas season. I see little children playing around while parents are busy looking at shop displays. Some public workers are placing Christmas lights and decors along the road. There are groups of students who probably just got out from their late afternoon classes scattered anywhere I take my eyes onto. There are also fellow workers that walk the street buying things before going home and some that are fast walking or running trying to catch on a ride home. And as the twilight approaches, street lights start lighting up and the early evening air turns a little chilly.
I stopped by the convenience store to buy some things and food for dinner. By the time I walked out it's already dark. I just need to walk until the end of this street, take a turn left and walk another 500 meters, just another 5-6 minutes to reach the apartment complex where I'm currently residing in.
Once I'm out of the busy street, the people I encountered got fewer and fewer. To make my remaining walk not boring, I put on my wireless earphones and started to play music on my phone. But when I'm about halfway near the apartment complex, that predatory gaze returns and it's nearer than usual. By this time the part of the street I'm walking along has no people outside other than me and probably the owner of that gaze. With that realization I felt like I was suddenly drowned in ice-cold water. I felt chills down my spine and my heart is now thumping hard out of fright. I secretly roamed my eyes around me as I started to walk fast, almost running, but I didn't see even a shadow of the person sending predatory gazes at me.
I let out a sigh of relief when I saw the entrance gate of the apartment complex I'm residing in. As well as the security guard on duty at this time who's checking on a car about to go inside the complex. It's still a distance away but I thought I'm now safe. However I didn't anticipate the worst would happen when safety is almost within reach. When I got to the part of the road where there's little to no light, I suddenly felt a stinging pain on the back of my neck making me feel faint. I almost dropped on the ground when I felt an arm wrapped around my waist. As my consciousness slowly faded, with blurry sight I saw a man, and the last I remember was him smiling at me and my phone buzzing with a call from Avria. Then all became black.
..................
After the man had securely laid Paulo on the back of his car, he went back to pick up the latter's phone that was dropped. He opened it and played the voicemail message left.
"Hey Paulo. Are you home now? Just checking up on you. I can't help but be worried. I had this nagging feeling of fear when we parted ways a while ago. Send me a message or call me back to confirm, Ok?" - Avria