Darkeness engulfed the entire movie theater.

'Teka, parte pa ba 'to ng plano namin? O baka 'di pa nakakabayad ng Meralco ang sinehan na 'to?' Naythan was quick to assess the situation despite the soft gasps and whispers of confusion among the crowd. Kabado niyang tiningnan ang kanyang kasama, sinisiguradong nasa tabi pa niya si Tasha (or Agnes?). 

"Huy, white lady, okay ka lang?"

Inalalayan pa niya ito kahit na sa totoo lang, buong magdamag nang kinikulabutan si Naythan sa presensiya ng kanyang "date".

When he first heard Nem's plan, he literally wanted to quit the club and migrate to another country. Sino ba naman kasi ang matutuwa kung ikaw ang naka-assign magbantay ng white lady na sasanib sa katawan ng isang kilalang aktres?

"Tantan, Nemo does have a point," Rio told him while she put protective charms and spells on Tasha's sleeping body. Sa sandaling ito, gumana na ang gayuma kay Tasha kaya malaya na silang nakakalapit dito nang hindi pinagtatabuyan ng mga gwardiya at manager niya. Rio nodded, finally standing up from sitting near the edge of Tasha's fancy bed. "This is only a temporary possession, but who knows how strong Agnes is? Oh my, just remembering that specter's energy gives me the shivers! Kaya nga ikaw ang kailangang maging guardian niya. It's your job to-"

"Yeah, yeah," Naythan sighed in defeat. Ano na naman ba kasi itong pinasok niya? "It's my job to restrain Agnes in case something weird happens, I get it. Pero kasi! Bakit hindi na lang si Caelum?!"

"Nahihiya siya sa harap ng maraming tao."

"At ako hindi mahiyain?!"

"Hindi mo branding 'yon."

Okay. Good point.

"Eh, bakit hindi si Damien? Tutal mukha naman siyang artista. He'll blend in just fine!"

"Will anyone believe the 'Damien Alcott', Eastwood's youngest billionaire, has time for a relationship?"

'Kung sabagay. Baka magmukha lang siyang sugar daddy nang wala sa oras,' Naythan almost laughed at the thought. Sa huli, alam niyang wala na talaga siyang choice kung hindi maging babysitter ng isang white lady. Naythan stared at Tasha's sleeping form again, tucked the bedsheet around her and started following Rio out the actress' bedroom. Tasha gave him a duplicate of her keys. She trusted him too much, and it only added to the guilt gnawing in his chest.

'Hayst! Iisipin ko pa kung paano makikipag-break sa kanya pagkatapos nito.'

Napakamot na lang ng ulo si Naythan.

Nakakakonsensiya mang maging 'boyfriend' ni Tasha nang dahil lang sa gayuma, Naythan knew it's for the greater good. Kaysa naman dumami pa ang biktima ng isang galit white lady na hindi maka-move on, hindi ba?

Just then, Naythan suddenly remembered something.

"Hey, Rio? Sa tingin mo ba ermm... okay lang si Nem? Napapansin ko kasing parang nag-times ten ang stress niya mula noong nag-Ouija board tayo. Kung sabagay, trending naman ngayon ang silver hair kapag namuti buhok niya," Naythan laughed dryly, trying to downplay his inquiry even though they both know he's just too chicken to admit he's worried.

But what Rio said haunted him. After adjusting her thick-rimmed eyeglasses, the psychic responded, "You need to keep an eye on her, Tantan. Not just Tasha. Hindi ko alam pero mabigat ang nararamdaman ko kay Nemo ngayon... I noticed her energy shifted too. It's like she's carrying some kind of burden."

'A burden, huh?'

Napabalik sa kasalukuyan si Naythan nang marinig niya ang pamilyar na boses ng kanyang kababata.

But it was in a deeper tone, something that caught everyone off guard.

"Sa wakas. Akin ang katawang ito!"

Sinundan ito ng makapanindig-balahibong pagtawa na ikinayanig ng buong sinehan. Kumislap-kislap ang mga ilaw sa loob, at sa sandaling ito iba na ang kutob ni Naythan sa mga nangyayari. When he found Nemesis in the VIP section, Naythan's eyes widened when he saw her levitating in midair.

Holy...

"NEM!"

In the front row, Damien was already barking out orders to the crowd to leave as soon as possible. Beside Nemesis, Caelum stood frozen, shocked at what he was witnessing.

Dito na nagkagulo ang mga tao. Everyone were scrambling out of the theater at the scene, screaming and crying for help. Sa kanyang tabi, napansin niyang unti-unti nang bumabalik sa kanyang kamalayan si Tasha. The actress clutched her head, still dizzy and confused. "A-Anong nangyari?" She asked, the glint of her protective medallion underneath her silk dress.

"AGNES! PAKAWALAN MO SI NEMESIS!"

Sa kabilang bahagi ng sinehan, nakita ni Naythan na tumatakbo na sa kanilang direksyon si Rio. But the psychic's words fell on deaf ears. Nang mag-angat ng tingin si Nemesis, tila isang maligno na ang kanilang kaharap. Her eyes were sunken and dark around the edges, veins popping out of her forehead as a mischievous smile played on her pale lips. Her image shifted from that of Nemesis' face, to Agnes' ghastly image.

The void around her was dark and depressing, as if it were a blackhole sucking in all the energy.

'Hala, nasapian si Nem!' Naythan was already internally panicking upon realizing the situation.

Nagkatinginan ang natitirang miyembro ng EPIC, pare-parehong hindi inaasahang maiisahan sila ni Agnes. Si Nemesis ba ang target nito noong una pa lang?

"Oh no! Spirits are more drawn to negative energies," kabado at natatarantang sabi ni Rio. "It makes the host more susceptible to possession... Nemo! Kung naririnig mo ako dapat good vibes ka lang!"

Isang makapanindig-balahibong pagtawa ang isinagot nito. Sa isang iglap, nasa harapan na ni Rio si Agnes, pisil ang leeg nito.

"Hindi ka niya naririnig."

Rio struggled to breathe as the unfamiliar touch slowly crushed her windpipe with brute force. Naythan jumped from the stage and ran towards them, but he was too far! Bago pa man tuluyang mawalan nang malay ang psychic, umalunig sa buong sinehan ang isang orasyon.

"Crux sacra sit mihi lux! Non draco sit mihi dux. Vade retro Satana!"

Bumaling ang kanilang atensyon sa pinagmumulan nito.

Caelum held out a small book, chanting the incantation. His eyebrows furrowed in focus, sweat dribbling off his forehead. Sa mga sandaling ito, halatang nagkakaroon ng epekto kay Agnes ang mga salita. Binitiwan niya ang leeg ni Rio at mabilis na lumutang papalapit kay Caelum.

"Nunquam suade mihi vana! Sunt mala quae libas. Ipse venena bibas."

Naythan helped Rio up, just as confused. "Ano alien language ang sinasabi ni Caelum?"

Nanghihinang napaupo ang psychic at mahinang sumagot, "it's the Prayer of St. Benedict. Kalimitan siyang ginagamit ng The Society sa mga exorcism rituals nila... But I doubt that Burin can keep this up much longer... Tanging ang mga miyembro lang ng Eastwood Paranormal Experts Society ang kabisa ang prayer."

The lights flickered as Agnes' spirit rattled inside Nemesis' body. Habang papalapit nang papalapit ang specter sa kinaroroonan ni Caelum, ramdam nila ang biglaang paglamig ng buong sinehan. The spirit screamed, angered as Caelum continued the prayer.

"Crux sacra sit mihi lux!
Nunquam draco sit mihi dux!"

Caelum's vision blackened. Hindi na niya mabasa ang nakasulat sa kanyang libro. What would happen to Nemesis?

When he was about to face Agnes' wrath, another voice joined in.

"Vade retro Satana!
Nunquam suade mihi vana!
Sunt mala quae libas.
Ipse venena bibas!"

The voice joined along, holding a certain conviction that rattled Agnes' chain on Nemesis even more. Damien Alcott stood at the other end of the cinema, glaring coldly at the spirit as he recited the incantation as if daring Agnes to attack him. Sa mga sandaling iyon, nagpalitan ng tingin sina Caelum at Damien. Sa kabila ng pagkakaiba at hidwaan nila, sa huli ay naging alas pa ng EPIC ang kaalaman at koneksyon nilang dalawa sa Eastwood Paranormal Experts Society. And even though Damien probably hated being reminded of his origin, he was the only one who memorizes the incantation.

Two voices joint forces, trapping the spirit in an eternal damnation, pulling Agnes away from Nemesis' body.

"Crux sacra sit mihi lux! Non draco sit mihi dux. Vade retro Satana!"

Unti-unting lumabas ang isang itim na usok sa bibig ni Nemesis habang nasa ere ang dalaga.

"RIO, NOW!"

Damien ordered. Immediately, Rio nodded and took out a mirror from her satchel. Nang makita ni Agnes ang kanyang sarili sa repleksyon nito, the specter screeched one last time before it was slowly absorbed into the object. A cinematic display of a black veil slowly being sucked into the object that revealed both her past and her true self.

"Ha! Sino ka ngayon?!" Naythan took the mirror and smashed it into pieces on the tiled floor. "That's for possessing my bestie! Pangit na multo!"

Caelum, on the other hand, ran up to Nemesis' falling body and caught her just in time.

"Gotcha."

And with that, the primiere night of the Phantom of Eastwood ended with EPIC waiting for Nemesis to regain her consciousness and Agnes' soul finally banished from having a connection with the living.

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