Chapter 2: Black in red

Early in the morning at H-H hospital, the sun was shining through the windows, brightening the hospital more.

Liliana walked down the hall with her hands buried in her coat pockets and her stethoscope perfectly placed around her neck as a responsible doctor or maybe as all doctors do.

After she checked on her patients, her friend came running towards her, walking beside her.

"Liliana," she breathed. Having her hands in her pockets too.

"So what do you think? Give the house out for rent?" Liliana asked.

"It's a good idea. I'm sure a female student would be interested in your house," Raquel assumed.

"If you say so," Liliana shrugged and then a pregnant woman in a wheelchair appeared in front of them. She was currently in labor, so Raquel left and attended to the patient.

The next day, Liliana left a board outside her house for the rent.

When she returned home at night, she was surprised to see a man standing by her house staring at the board.

Therefore, she parked her car and took her bag before approaching the man. "Good evening, how may I help you?" Liliana asked, curious to catch a glimpse of his face.

The man immediately turned his dark eyes her way, meeting her brown hazel eyes. He arched his brow as if telling himself that he had found the right place.

"Well, I saw this... " he paused and glanced at the board. "I'm here for the house, is it still available?" The unknown mister asked, his voice sounded toneless and unpleasant but adequate. Not only was his voice, and his expression was somber but also acceptable and with the way he acted, he acted more apathetic. Like he didn't care whether he got the house or not.

"Yes, it wouldn't be out here if it wasn't available." she murmured, "Please, do come in," Liliana turned around, leading him to her house. What a weird guy.

She never thought a man would be interested in such a house, it was painted pink and looked more for girls.

Now that it was a man, it meant she'd have to accommodate a man and become friends with him.

As a nun, staying away from the opposite gender was a duty and also a devotion to Christ, thus, Liliana had never been into a man because she was very keen to be a nun.

The man followed Liliana quietly into her house to behold darkness. However, Liliana switched the light on, proving to him how pure she was. The couches were super clean, and every part of her house was free from dirt.

"Please have your seat. I'll be right back." Liliana motioned for him to sit before leaving his sight.

The settees were surrounding a glass table and on the table was a flower in a vase. Her house was just too clean, with the lights and chandelier brightening her house.

Liliana, the Landlady eventually appeared from a corner he thought led to the kitchen, sat on the couch by his right, she offered him an apple juice. Tristan refused the drink.

"So, my name is Liliana and yours?" She asked, sitting formally.

"Tristan," he replied simply.

"Well, nice to meet you, Tristan. I'm the owner of the house, and I'm letting out the other part for rent" she told him.

"Why?" He asked and leaned forward as if he cared.

"The other part belonged to my parents, but they are gone now, so I'm letting it out…" Liliana didn't want to go deep and Tristan wasn't even interested.

"Let's move to the main point," she said and dropped the glass. "How are you willing to pay, monthly or annually?"

"Annually."

"Nice," she faked a smile. "You should fill in this form, and then you sign this," she handed him a document and showed him where he needed to fill and sign.

She was well-prepared for this but didn't go further in the investigation.

Although, she stated some rules in the document.

Pfft, as if he was going to follow the rules. Rules were meant to be broken!

When he was done going through and signing the documents, she checked the papers and saw that he didn't put down his surname. "Your surname?" She gestured to him.

"I don't have a surname. I don't have parents."

"Oh, sorry about that." Liliana stared at him sympathetically but she wanted to state that losing his parents didn't mean he shouldn't have a surname. She just accepted it because she knew how it felt to lose one's parents.

"Yeah," he sounded phlegmatic.

"So it is stated here that we aren't just neighbors but friends as well. Therefore, we can share our problems," she said. "So…" She stood up and he did too. They shook hands. "Friends?"

"Friends," Tristan nodded, with the corner of his lips lifting into a mysterious smile. Liliana knew it wasn't ordinary but she took it as his way of smiling.

"I'll send you a copy once you pay into this account."

Liliana gave him a card.

"So… Why are you renting a house?" She finally thought of asking.

"For my job, my workplace is far from where I live, so this place is a little close."

"Oh, what do you do for a living?"

"I'm a security guard," he replied. "I'll send the money to you and move in first thing tomorrow," he said.

"Sure… it's nice meeting you once again, Tristan. Welcome to my home," she shook hands with him again, his hand was just so big that it covered all of hers. She then led him out eventually. But the man knew she was pathetic to just let him in without further investigation.

The next evening, Liliana came back from work to see the lights in the other house on. Her parents were the last people in that house, she recalled the moments they spent in that house before taking her legs to her house.

Liliana made dinner for herself and also for her new neighbor. When she was done, she went to his doorstep and rang the doorbell.

Tristan knew she was out the door, so he didn't ask who it was and just went to open the door.

His gaze landed firstly on two people no one could see except him or anyone gifted to see ghosts.

They were a couple and were staring at Liliana, wanting to reach for her but couldn't because they were spirits.

He recognized who they were but ignored them and turned to Liliana when she greeted him. He was half-naked, and then he let her in. She aimed to drop the lunch bag and leave.

Getting in, she saw that his room was a big mess and she couldn't find a suitable place to position herself.

"How is the house?" She asked with a big lunch bag in her hand.

"It's okay."

"Thanks, I brought you dinner as a welcome gift."

Liliana handed the bag to him, trying not to stare at the tattoos all over his upper body, but they were just so strange.

It was the part that wasn't tattooed, which was his left chest.

And his tattoos made no sense to her. They were like scribbles around his body. Most people tattooed what and who they loved on their skin, not like his. She couldn't pinpoint any image from it.

Tristan took the bag and placed it on a table.

"You've got so many tattoos on you! What do they mean?" She asked, studying his body, and when he didn't reply she looked at his face and gasped.

His eyes color had changed to something scarier. They were blazing black in red and the pupils became slimmer like that of a snake.

"The tattoos on my body aren't drawn, they are pictures of my fulfilled mission and this part is the mission I'm about to fulfill," he touched his chest.

She was terrified, staring at him in horror. Mission? What mission?

He went closer, while she took steps backwards, stepping on things she shouldn't step on. Her heart thumped so fast.

Suddenly, his body lightened between the tattoos as if there were larvae inside him. From his neck down to his waist and his eyes, darker.

Liliana forgot how to breathe as she stared at him, she couldn't swallow and her stomach pained. Her head throbbed. Was she going to get killed? She was shaking in fear.

"Wh...wha…what are you?" She tried to swallow but couldn't. She felt that if he came closer or his body touched hers, she might burn into ashes because of what his body looked like.

"I'm human's enemy, the person humans hate but still comes running for help. I'm a..." He leaned closer to the afraid girl. "Demon," he whispered.

Liliana had been holding back but at that moment she couldn't.

She expressed her terror by screaming, causing hiccups.

Suddenly, she attempted to run out through the door, but he vanished from her sight. Wha…what!

Liliana screamed at the top of her lungs again and turned around to leave his room in haste. How she was still standing and breathing was unknown to her because she had never been this raffled before in her life.

All she wanted at that moment was to leave that place. But to her shock, he was already behind her. Ah! No! She lost it and began to tremble.