A few minutes into their walk, the old woman stopped in her tracks and looked at her companion. "What is your name?" she asked.
"My name is Terros," he answered. He's here to find Veronica, he's not here for chitchat that is why he didn't bother to ask her name, he just wants her to resume walking again so that they can reach the grave quickly!
"Terros, just follow me and stay close behind me. You can only step on the ground that I walked upon. If you venture far away, you might get yourself caught in my trap and it will pose a bigger problem for me and you. Got it?" she warned him.
"Alright, I understand completely! Can we proceed now?" he asked impatiently.
"Ok, let's go!" the old woman said and walked briskly.
Terros sighed and followed the woman's trail. He was beginning to doubt if the woman was just exaggerating or making up stories when it comes to the trap. He was about to step outside the safety zone to test those hidden traps but he goes against it at the last minute.
He scanned the surrounding area. He only saw towering trees, lush green plants, and wild bushes, he can't see any deadly traps hidden from view. Although he can't see anything, it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist!
If there are indeed traps scattered around this place then it will only delay him from reaching the grave! So why bother to make the delay in the first? He followed the woman obediently like a good boy.
pαпdα`noνɐ1`сoМ After walking for a while, they finally reached a clearing.
The old woman looked at him. "We're finally here!" she announced.
Terros saw a shallow grave in the middle of the clearing. "Is that where the dead body of the unidentified woman was buried?" he asked nervously.
"Yeah... you can start digging now to see if she's the missing person that you're looking for," the woman said.
Terros rushed to the grave.
"Wait... hold on! Stop right there!" the woman ordered.
Terros froze in his tracks and looked at the woman. "What now?" he asked calmly.
"Don't dig the whole body, just dig up the area where her head was located. That's enough for you to know if your missing friend is indeed the one who is buried in that shallow grave. The corpse head was pointing north. Then after you're done identifying her, cover her head back with the soil to prevent the animals from feasting on her flesh," the old woman instructed.
"Okay," Terros said and went to the shallow ground and start digging the earth using a piece of stick he found nearby.
The old woman stood on the sideline.
While digging, Terros's hands were trembling, his heart was beating rapidly inside his ribcage. He was scared to see if Veronica was the one that was buried underneath the grave.
A few minutes later, the face of the corpse finally emerged and Terros stopped digging due to shock.
His heart sunk after seeing the dead woman's face. It's no other than Veronica! He can't be mistaken! She's the one buried in this shallow grave!
Tears emerged in his eyes, he cried silently.
He stared at Veronica's decomposing face for a long time, frozen in time.
The old woman watched the expression of sadness and agony on the stranger's face.
A few minutes later.
"Terros, cover her face with the soil now! The flies would soon swarm around this area after they smelled the rotting flesh!" she ordered.
Terros obeyed and began putting back the soil on Veronica's face.
The woman picked up some wild purple flowers growing nearby and handed them to Terros. "Take this flower and put this above her head as your offering. Then say your prayers and goodbyes..." she said gently.
"Thank you." Terros accepted the flowers and placed them on the grave.
He stared at the flower for a long time, yet all he can see is Veronica's face buried underneath the ground. He felt so saddened about Veronica's tragic death. The next question is... who killed Veronica? He would love to avenge her death and find the killer!
Damn, he got a lot on his plate right now!
Finding Veronica's killer and trying to help Graven and his men to find the cure for the black liquid lurking inside their bodies.
He was confused more than ever about what to do first!
His dilemma raged on inside him.
"Pssst... Terros! Are you done? Can we go back now to the stream? I need to get back my clothes and return to my house," the old woman said.
Terros looked at the woman. He owed her one. He might as well accompany her back to the stream. He can always come back here to visit the grave. He plans to retrieve Veronica's body and gave her a proper burial in the forest near his place, once he can secure a wooden coffin for Veronica's journey home. That way, it will be convenient for him to visit her grave anytime he wishes.
Then after giving Veronica a proper burial, he will launch an investigation on who killed Veronica. He might as well start asking the old woman if she saw the person who dumped the dead body in this place.
Terros looked at the grave for a few seconds and turned around. "I'm ready now to go back to the stream..." he said.
"Okay, let's go!" the old woman said.
Terros cleared his throat. "Madam, did you see the person who dumped the body in that clearing?" he asked.
The old woman fell silent for a few seconds, then she spoke, "Now that you have seen your missing friend and discovered what happened to her, I think you need to leave this place quickly or else your life will be in danger," she said.
Terros brows furrowed. The way the woman talked right now, he can sense that she knows something - but she's reluctant to reveal anything to him. "Madam, please tell me... have you seen the person who killed my friend?" he asked again. "Please tell me so that I can avenge her death!" he pleaded.
The old woman sighed. "Stop thinking about avenging your friend. You're an old man who has no skill, you can't defeat your friend's killer! So... I advise you to go home and make yourself safe!" she said.
"But I can't do that! Veronica is a good friend of mine, she is a good person. My conscience can't accept that she died just like that! Unable to protect herself! I must avenge her!" he insisted.
"Why are you so adamant about finding her killer? Do you have a special power, skill, or anything to kill a powerful witch who is responsible for killing your friend?" she blurted out, then quickly covered her mouth with her hands. "Damn! I should have kept my mouth shut!" she said and walked faster going in the direction of the stream.
Terros heard the woman's revelation. She mentioned a powerful witch who is responsible for Veronica's sudden death. He hurried after the old woman who scurried away. "Madam, wait for me! I need more answers to my questions!" he shouted.
But the woman walked faster towards the stream.
After they arrived in the stream, the old woman hurriedly removed her clothes from the branches of the tree and put them on the plastic basin.
Terros went to her side. "Madam, can you please answer some of my questions?" he begged.
The old woman looked at him and seized him up. "You look like an old man to me. Why are you so brave in pursuing the killer of your friend? You're no match with her! You will only get yourself killed!" she insisted.
Terros released a deep sigh. "Madam, I'm grateful that you showed concern for my welfare but my heart won't rest if I can't avenge my friend's tragic death! I hope you understand my situation. Just tell me where I can find that witch and I'll deal with her my way. Don't worry about me I'm old enough to protect myself from danger," he assured her calmly.
The old woman looked at him closely. "You are so brave, old man! Can you show me how capable you are? If I see that you are powerful enough in defeating the witch then I will tell you her location. But if you can't prove to me anything - then you might as well go home now because meeting the old witch is like suicide!" she warned her.
Terros groaned. "Madam, no need to demonstrate to you what I'm capable at. Just please tell me where can I find this witch? I'll deal with her myself!" he insisted.
The old woman stared at him. "Terros, I don't like to see your dead body dumped by that old witch in my place again! She's been dumping dead bodies in my backyard many times already! I'm fed up burying dead bodies after she's done with her ritual!" she said.
Terros eyes winded. "W-what do you mean? She's killing people habitually?" he asked, shocked.
"Yeah, she needs new blood to feed the exotic flowers that she kept hidden in her secret cave! She likes to kidnap young ladies and feed their blood and heart to those carnivorous plants and flowers!" the old woman revealed.
"But why is she feeding those flowers with human blood and heart?" Terros asked in bewilderment.
"Because those exotic plants and flowers are the true source of her power! She has no choice but to keep feeding those plants with blood or else she will die!" the old woman replied.
"That's it! That is enough reason to show me the witch's location so that I can stop her from killing innocent people again!" he insisted.
The old woman was shaking her head. "Oh, my, you're so stubborn! Go home!" she said and picked up the plastic basin and walked towards her home.
Terros has no choice but to follow the old woman back to her house to continue convincing her to reveal the murderer's location.
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