The CEO's Painted Skin 434 Spirit & Riddles

"If your wife was meant to live longer then she will return to you one of these days, if she was meant to be dead then she can no longer return to your side. But since my friend told us that Catherine is alive, she is probably well," said Aling Pacing.

John was in deep silence. His eyes were staring at the creepy 'eye' carved in the piece of wood surrounded by the stones. The eyes seem to be staring at him. Jesus!

"W-where is my wife's photo?" John asked he noticed that it went missing along with the blood.

"The spirit took it with him back into his world. He likes your wife's photo. Before he was gone, he told me that if you would like to choose, which one you would like to return alive, the baby or the mother? Because he wants to take one with him. He wants you to choose," said the healer.

"I want them back alive!" he said over and over again feeling the fear and desperation creeping upon his body as the chill on his spine were returning, the cold wind embracing him that gives him the creeps.

All of a sudden Catherine's photo appeared above the ceiling out of nowhere and slowly floating downward and landed on John's feet.

"I see, he returns it," smiled Aling Pacing.

John immediately picked up the photo and put it back in his wallet.

Aling Pacing rose to her feet and exited the ritual room followed by the visibly shaken John. In the tiny living room, John sat on the chair and began typing the riddles on his phone so that he won't forget it.

'Catherine is alive! Her stomach is growing! But there's an unforeseen tragedy in the future. Someone will fade away! The captive will be freed and the alive will fade! Three versus two! Two doves and three black lilies. Two come out, three will come inside. Good news, bad news! Good news, bad news!'

Done with typing and saving, he took out the envelope from his backpack that contains money as a gift in returns for the healer's services. He placed the envelope that contained PHP 20k amount of money in the old woman's hands. "Thank you so much for helping me Aling Pacing. I will come back and give you more rewards if my wife will finally be located. I will go home now."

The healer didn't say anything.

John stood up and walked towards the door and opened it, then he exited the main door of the house and walked towards the nipa hut where Sandra, Romeo, and Ramon were sitting with the discarded buko in the table in front of them.

"How's it's going, bro? You've been gone for nearly two hours," Romeo said examining his best friends countenance.

John looked at his friend's face debating whether to tell them about the riddle and the strange happenings inside that ritual room or not anymore. "Catherine is alive!" that's all he can say to them.

"Where can we find her, boss?" asked Ramon eagerly.

"There were no exact details given, but she was alive and her stomach was growing!" his face beamed with excitement.

"That's good news, John!" Sandra said smiling.

Mang Kanor went to their side and interrupted their conversation. "Kids, let's go home now while we still have more or less 4 hours daylight left, it's dangerous to stay in darkness in the middle of the forest. A lot of bad things can happen in the dark," he said.

Within fifteen minutes, they were already retracing their steps, going back to the same path they had taken earlier. This time their steps were faster since they already know the area. They were glad to discover that the two-deep notorious area of the river we're already calm and shallow when they cross it.

They no longer rest even for a few minutes, they just walked faster nonstop huddled together.

At exactly 6:00 in the evening when the darkness was starting to cover the whole surroundings they were already out of the woods.

They released a deep sigh of relief when they finally saw the flickering lights of the houses scattered nearby. When they arrived in Sandra's cousin's house, John handed a good amount of money to Mang Kanor for his excellent service rendered a total of PHP 7k. He also gave some monetary gift to the cousin who watches over the two vehicles.

They immediately left the Barrio Magdalena and travel back to the city where they stopover for refueling of gasoline and then eat their dinner on the same restaurant which they had taken their lunch yesterday.

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They began traveling non stop back to Metro Manila, only stopping when there was a call of nature.

By 2:00 in the morning they arrived in Makati City.

Romeo and Sandra went their separate way, going to their home. John and Ramon proceed to the Infinity Jade Tower for a much-needed sleep and rest.

When John entered his dwelling, everyone was already sleeping soundly. He went inside the master's bedroom and lay down on the bed without even changing clothes, he was so sleepy!

Ten minutes later he was already sleeping peacefully in the bed.