DECIPIO

We stayed at the hospital for a couple of hours before coming back to the lecture hall. The last period class already ended before Luke and I even got inside but I did not worry since we already asked permission to go out since it was an emergency. Since we have nothing else to do, Luke asked me to go grab something to eat on Dapitan Street. My tummy's really growling so I joined him.

As we were walking down the campus, I can't stop thinking about what happened earlier. It just seems supernatural as if it was just like in a movie. Luke glances towards me and noticed how bothered I am.

"Hey, you okay? Don't sweat it too much," Luke told me with a cheering tone. He pats my head as if I was his dog.

"Really? Dude how can you stay so chill and sane after knowing all that weird stuffs?", I asked him while smacking his hand off my hair. I really call him dude since childhood. People often mistakes me for being a les but I don't care. I'm a woman by heart and I don't care what other says.

"Well, I guess it's because I know someone here in the university who's into supernatural stuffs. Aliens, ghosts, monsters, you name it. He's really weird," he told me whilst laughing. "Poor kid, people don't go near him since he's into those stuffs" he added.

"Wait, maybe he knows something about Professor Juno? Maybe he can help us figure something out", I asked him with a joyful face as if an idea bulb appeared above my head.

"Uhhhhh no. He's really weird plus we barely even talk". He even held his hands to show his disagreement towards my suggestion.

"Please. Please. Pleaaaaaseeeee", I pleaded using my puppy eyes. I know he can't resist me when I'm like this. I guess he's used to being dragged by me into these sorts of stuffs since childhood.

"Why do you have to do that face? Fine. I'll contact him and see if he can meet us at Wendy's," he said with a sigh. He reached for his phone on his pocket and dialed a number. I guess he will really call that weird person he's talking about.

"Hey, you'll trea-," I stopped halfway after seeing someone walking the opposite direction as us. I felt cold, afraid, as if I was sinking into the bottom of the ocean. Seeing her get closer makes my heart pound so much as if it's going to come out of my chest. It's Professor Juno.

"Good afternoon kids. Where are you heading at? It's getting pretty late. Both of you should go home", she said with a smile on her face. I find it really creepy and I can't stop thinking thoughts. What if she eats me right here? I have to keep my composure and act normally.

"We're going at Wendy's and maybe grab something to eat. We're meeting someone too," I told her with a stuttering voice. My hands are really shaking out of fear.

"We really need to go Professor. I think my friend's already there and we're kind of a bit late. It's really nice talking to you but we gotta go," Luke butted in the conversation. I guess he grasped the current situation I'm in and knew he needed to take action.

"Okay. Stay safe kiddos and go home early!", Professor Juno told us as she gets in her car near us. She lowered her car's window and glanced at me one last time while giving me a pretty yet deceiving smile before driving away.

"Johnny Crackers! I almost lost it while talking to her. So nice of you to step in," I told Luke while holding my chest. Johnny Crackers is just my way of expressing shock. I don't like affiliating religious names into my daily life.

"You owe me one, now you have to treat me," Luke told me while bumping his shoulders into mine. He's really mocking me. "Oh yea, we have to hurry. He's already at Wendy's," he added.

After walking for some time, we eventually arrived to Wendy's. Luke signaled me that the person we're meeting is upstairs.

"Aren't we going to order first? I'm really really hungry here you know," I told him with a frown in my forehead. I'm really hungry since I didn't get to eat lunch because of what happened.

"He already ordered some for us. Come on hurry!" he answered.

"That better be bacon and egg or else I won't eat it!" I shouted while running upstairs.

As we reach the second floor, we looked around to find the guy Luke's talking about.

"There he is. In the corner near the window," he told me while walking towards him. He already noticed us from afar and waved at us.

"Hey Luke! Over here," he shouted.

"Hey Gelo! Haha long time no see my man. Sorry I called you out of nowhere. My friend really wants to meet you," Luke said. "Gelo, Ria, Ria, Gelo," he added.

I stepped in a bit closer and look at him. I don't know what's gotten into me but I can't just stop looking at every part of him. He has fair skin tone, chubby, curly hair, wearing a pair of nerd glasses, and a jacket. Your typical nerd friend who knows everything that's happening around you.

"Angelo Soleil Alvior. It's a pleasure to meet you," Gelo said as he offers me a handshake.

"Ria Cassandra de la Fuente. It's nice to meet you," I said while accepting his handshake. I glanced at the table and saw bacon and egg sandwich. I immediately grab it and took a bite. I guess I have no shame when I'm hungry.

Gelo and Luke laughs at me for a moment. "Okay let's get straight down to business. Why did you want to meet me?", he asked with his fingers locked into one another.

Luke and I glanced at each other and nod. We both agreed that if we're going to ask for Gelo's help, he needs to know the situation first.

"It's about those who suck emotions out of our body. By those, I meant emotion-eaters", I told him seriously.

"Shhhhhh. Not so loud! They could hear us," Gelo muttered with his finger in his mouth in a form of keep silence.

"They? Who are talking about?" Luke asked. Gelo reached for his bag beside him and looked for something. He pulls out an old black notebook with torn pages and cover. It's like it's from ages ago and endured every possible torture it could handle. He flipped the pages looking for something.

"Decipios. She's not the only one. There are many more and they live in the same society with us, unrecognized. Some might be around here with us at Wendy's," he said while handing the notebook to us. The notebook shows an illustration of a zombie called Decipio. There are illustrations and descriptions about them.

I slowly read the description and absorb each and every word. While reading, I guess I'm not crazy at all since the description matches what I saw. I'm also pretty amazed how detailed the illustration and description is.

As described, the Ancient Greek are the first civilization to believe that there are undead. Evidences showed that ancient graves contained skeletons pinned down by rocks and other heavy objects to prevent the bodies from reanimating. After thousands of years, they eventually evolved from flesh-eating zombies to modern zombies, or what we call Decipio.

Decipio – are modern-day zombies which takes the form of a normal human and feeds on the emotion and soul of a human rather than flesh. They suck every last ounce of emotion and soul of the human body until it becomes an empty vessel, leaving the body and brain disabled, unable to move.

Decipio's Kiss (named after Dementor's Kiss on Harry Potter) – the act of drawing out one's soul and emotion out of the human body.

The Mist – the white smoke or mist that comes out from the human body. It is the soul and emotion of a person.

The Fallen – those whose soul and emotion have been sucked out by a Decipio. The Fallen loses their ability to speak, feel, and move. They are just soul-less human body incapable of doing anything than staring.

The Horde – the overall body which governs the whole society of Decipio which is led by the Queen.

After Luke and I finished reading, I came to a realization that our society is not what it's used to be. The society has fallen and we did not know. It's currently overran by Decipios and we don't have any idea on what's going on.

Luna became one of The Fallen and....

Professor Juno is one of them.

We can't let our guard down.