Premiere night came.

Hindi alam ni Nemesis kung dala ba ito ng higpit ng corset o talagang nahihirapan lang siyang huminga nang makita ang dami ng mga taong nakaabang sa harap ng sinehan. There was a red carpet laid out front, a barricade of velvet cords keeping the paparazzi away, and several security dressed in black that reminded her of those Men in Black movies.

"Tasha and Naythan should be smiling for the cameras by now," mahinang kumento ni Damien na nakuha pang uminom ng Château Mouton Rothschild wine sa loob ng limo. His eyes never left hers, even when he offered his own glass. "You look nervous, Silverio. Have a drink."

Walang-ganang makipag-away, ginulat ng dalaga ang bilyunaryo nang kinuha nito ang kanyang wine glass at tinungga ang laman nito.

Damien let out a low whistle.

Ang akala ba niya ay hindi niya papatulan ang alok nito?

The taste of expensive liquor still burned her throat when Nemesis handed him back the glass.

"What matters is that Agnes' soul will finally be put at rest tonight. Alam kong matagal na niyang hinihintay ito," Nemesis stated, masking the hesitation in her voice. No. The visions the white lady showed her that evening when they connected through the Ouija board... This must mean that Agnes wants to relive the moment right? She was murdered before she ever got the chance to finish filming. This was her unfinished business.

But why does Nemesis still feel uneasy?

"Rio handled a possession before, right? Wala namang mangyayaring masama kay Tasha? Na-orient na ulit sila sa gagawin kung sakaling..."

She felt the need to ask validation from their self-proclaimed leader himself. Halatang pati si Damien ay nanibago sa mga ikinikilos niya. Hindi na niya matandaan ang huling beses na may matinong pag-uusap sa pagitan nilang dalawa. But right now, because they were the only ones in the limo, Nemesis feels like she needs the support.

Even if it's from the devil himself.

Damien stared at her for a moment, before leaning forward with a frown gracing his lips.

"A possession begins when a vessel becomes aware that it is hollow, allowing the spirit to fill the empty space," Damien explained. "I've witnessed these back in the days when..." He sighed, as if cursing the memory altogether, "when I was still part of the Society. Maraming nangyayaring kababalaghan sa Eastwood lingid sa kaalaman ninyong mga residente nito. Vengeful spirits are my least favorite cases to handle, especially since those things can get nasty over time."

"Nasty? What do you mean?"

"Imagine a tainted and expired soul refusing to leave just because it is still tied to an unfinished business," sumeryoso si Damien. "Nagiging mapahiganti sila. They trick people. Heck, they get so desperate and angry sometimes that it negatively affects the energy around them. Like a disease."

Nemesis nodded, unconsciously gripping the sleeves of the designer dress Damien provided them.

This didn't go unnoticed by the billionaire.

"Look, Silverio," he sighed. "Nemesis," Damien called her by her name this time, "Sigurado ka ba sa nakita mo? You need to fill us in with the details if we have any chance of putting Agnes at rest. Anong mga emosyon ang naramdaman mo noong ipinakita niya sa'yo ang mga alaala niya?"

Emotions.

What did Agnes feel? But the more she tries to recall the feeling, the harder it gets.

There was a barrier preventing her to unlock every closed door in her mental compartment.

Naagaw lang ang atensyon nila nang mag-ingay ang mga tao sa labas. Nakalabas na pala ng sasakyan sina Tasha at Naythan. From the car's window, Nemesis can see the subtle changes in Tasha's behavior. Namamalik-mata lang siguro siya, pero para bang nakita niya ang imahe ni Agnes sa dalaga. Sa isang kisap-mata, wala rin ito.

It was already happening.

The energy shifted once more.

"We should go."

Bago pa man siya pigilan ni Damien, Nemesis took in a deep breathe and opened the door of the limousine.

*
The flashing lights almost blinded her. Hindi siya makahinga sa dami ng mga taong nakapaligid. Hindi na niya maintindihan ang sinasabi ng ilang reporters. Her surroundings were a blend of colors and buzz of nonsensical assumptions about her connection with the lead actress, Tasha, and if she knew anything about Tasha's new boyfriend. 'I now regret not taking the other car,' Nemesis thought. Bakit nga ba kasi siya sumama sa lider nila sa sasakyan nito?

'Nababaliw ka na talaga sa dami ng iniisip mo, Nem,' she mentally chastised herself. 'Kung nakakatanda ang stress, baka may senior citizen discount na ako ngayon.'

The overstimulation almost made her trip on her own heels, if it weren't for someone blocking her from the reporters using a coat.

Nang mag-angat ng tingin si Nemesis, napangiti na lang siya sa pasasalamat. He looked dashing in his navy blue suit, Nemesis almost didn't recognize him.

"Caelum?"

The paranormal enthusiast smiled back, and gestured for them to quickly get inside the cinema.

"Nasa loob na sina Tasha at Naythan," mahinang sabi nito habang inilalagay sa dalaga ang kanyang coat. "It's colder inside, you might need it." He shyly stated, looking away as if suddenly embarrassed.

"Thanks." Nang makaupo na sila sa harapan, ilang upuan lang ang layo sa mga lead actors at financiers (kasama si Damien), she tried to spot their psychic friend in the crowd. "Nakita mo na ba si Rio?"

"She's nearby," sagot ni Caelum. "Kailangan niyang bantayan ang mga kilos ni Tasha-I mean, ni Agnes, hanggang sa matapos ang pelikula."

Tumango si Nemesis, her mind still preoccupied with the fact that this is actually happening.

Nang sumulyap siya sa kinaroroonan ni Tasha, nanindig ang kanyang balahibo nang mapansin niyang nakatitig ang aktres sa kanya. But her eyes were note the same rich and lively ones Naythan described to them over and over again in the past week... This time, they were several shades darker. Empty. Sa hindi maipaliwanag na dahilan, hindi siya makaiwas ng tingin.

'Agnes.'

Tama ba ang ginawa niya?

Nemesis suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe properly, realizing the gravity of her mistake and its dangers...

She allowed this.

She allowed Agnes to possess Tasha.

Pero ito ba talaga ang makakapagpatahimik ng kaluluwa ng white lady?

Panandaliang natigil ang koneksyon nang magpalakpakan ang mga tao sa loob ng sinehan. Isa-isa nang tinatawag ang mga aktor na gumanap sa pelikula. The poster of The Phantom of Eastwood, with Tasha's pretty face, flashed on the big screen as the host called her on stage.

'What else could Agnes want?'

Habang pinapanood niya ang paglapit ni Tasha sa entablado, hindi niya maiwasang balikan ang mga alaalang ipinakita ng white lady sa kanya. Hanggang ngayon, naaalala pa rin niya ang pinaghalong galit at panghihinayang ni Agnes sa kanyang pagkamatay. She was angry at the world for robbing her the chance to be a star, and she carried that anger even in the afterlife. Noong naging head over heels si Tasha kay Naythan (thanks to the love potion), they managed to bring her to Mahogany Street where Rio performed protective spells that allowed a partial possession.

Agnes will only temporarily inhibit Tasha's body until the end of the night.

'She wanted...'

Nemesis' eyes tracked Tasha who began her speech. Nagpapasalamat siya sa mga taong nagpunta para panoorin ang pelikula.

Pero nakatitig pa rin siya kay Nemesis.

It was a look of triumph.

A sinister smile on her lips.

"...she wanted to live again."

Upon realizing this, Nemesis felt like she was being sucked into the abyss again. She stared too long, now she will be paying the price. Kalaunan, hindi na niya maramdaman ang kanyang katawan. Her body felt the chill crawling under her skin. A scream escaped Nemesis' lips, but the voice sounded too foreign to be hers. Naririnig niya ang pag-aalala ni Caelum sa kanyang gilid pero huli na ang lahat. Nagkakagulo na ang buong sinehan. Hindi na niya kilala ang kaluluwang kumukontrol sa kanyang sariling katawan.

This time, Agnes fully possessed Nemesis Silverio.

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