At the police station, something unforeseen happened. Instead of the police to take our protest differently, they arrested us and quickly pushed us in one cell to silence us. They didn't question us or inform our parents. They behaved as if nothing had happened. The day passed, and nothing was different except the hunger, which was growling our stomachs and the darkness that was slowly engulfing us in the cell. The darkness was with the cold, which seeped into our bones. The screams we made during the day vanished. Only we could hear the sounds of our breaths piercing through the heavy air and our teeth grinding each. As the cell became darker, we knew the sun was set, and it became more cold. We thought the police were going to show sympathy, but we were wrong. They wanted us to suffer. That night, we slept in prison.
When I opened my eyes, I realised it was already in the morning, and the SPD Officer K was standing in front of us, sipping his coffee. He looked at us with a smile on his face. I woke up Jeff, and he didn't believe that we spent the entire night in the cell. He didn't hesitate to stand up from the corner that had us crowded and went closer to Officer K, shouting at him to set us free. Jeff's noise woke up our other friends, who also couldn't believe that they made it throughout the cold, dark night.
"Yes, it's a morning. How did you enjoy my hospitality? Spoiled brats like you should be treated just as I did," he boasted and said he was going to phone our parents. Thereafter, he left.
Before Officer K could inform our parents, the journalists were already a step ahead. They had the news of our arrest published, and the citizens were in disbelief. Mr. Thiego, the mayor, lost his breath when he imagined his daughter in prison. It was harsh for him, and it was image tarnishing. If he was in the city, he was quickly going to come for his daughter's rescue. However, it was impossible because he was out of the city for his businesses. For sure, Officer K didn't consider his actions before arresting the mayor's daughter.
When the news reached Mr. Mann, in the hospital, he told Splendor to rush to prison and make sure the police didn't lock us in the same cell. Mr. Mann was unaware that we had spent the entire night crowded in the same cell. He believed in the devil's mysteries and was sure that the devil killed his son. To him, one of us had a devil's blood and harbored a cursed, contagious evil spirit.
Splendor seemed to share the same beliefs with Mr. Mann, although he disagreed to convince himself that one of us had the devil's blood. He grew up believing about the cursed blood's existence after his mother told him the devils were the ones who killed his father. All his life, he wanted to avenge his father's death, and there was a simple way of finding the cursed blood by testing the blood signature. Thus, he was a doctor. Mr. Mann pressured him to rush to the prison and, if possible, he was supposed to take our blood samples and do his tests.
It didn't take time for Splendor to appear in the prison and the police gave him a clear pass to us after he told the police he wanted to conduct his tests after finding Marcos' body with a rare infection. At that moment, I lost my mind when I heard the doctor speaking of the rare infection because I was the only one who touched Marcos' body. My friends distanced themselves from me.
Officer K opened the cell for Splendor to enter. However, instead of Splendor to enter, he remained standing in front of us, holding a medic briefcase to his chest. He slowly nodded his head and instantly put the briefcase on the floor. He put his hands inside his lab coat pockets and told us he wanted our blood samples.
After his words, I remembered my dad forbid me to allow anyone taking my blood sample without his knowledge since I was young. I moved a step forward to tell Splendor about my dad's concerns. Before I could speak, Splendor said he saw no physical symptoms of the infection in us. Thereafter, he picked up his briefcase and left.
Officer K then locked us again and commanded his subordinate to bring us food. He then walked away, calling the doctor. Splendor thought we were too simple to be the devil's blood carriers. He expected something different. He was right because no one knew what the devils were. It was only a mystery.
When we were eating, Jeff's father showed up, shouting at everyone. The police tried to silence him but he was ears closed. He only wanted his son freed. At that instant, as if they came together, the mother of the two sisters appeared. She was calm, everything looking alright to her. Officer K failed to explain to Jeff's father the reason for our arrest, besides saying he wanted us to confess everything we knew about Marcos. Jeff's father spoke on our behalf, saying we knew nothing. Officer K tried to reason with him before he informed us that they found a bullet in the rivers that matched with the one in Chris' pistol. It was an unbelievable turn because Chris wasn't walking out with us.
Before Officer K and Jeff's father could finish talking, my dad and Veronica's mother walked in. It took them a long time to come to our rescue. I believed my dad didn't know I was in prison because from what I knew, he was coming for Chris unless if he heard while he was along the way. But, I wondered what took him so long. If he was coming for Chris, he was supposed to have reached prison before Officer K locked us the day before. Anyway, I became happy about seeing him because I knew he was going to free Chris.
When he spoke, Officer K ignored him until he raised his voice. However, Officer K screamed back, saying Chris was the killer. In disappointment, my dad walked to a wall and leaned onto it. He loved Chris equal to the way he loved me, even though he forbade us from growing up together. Sometimes, when we were young, I used to get jealous of Chris. My dad was chattier with him than with me. So, seeing Chris behind bars and not being able to help him out pained him. My friend's parents kept quiet and watched my dad breaking down.
When Veronica's mother tried to talk to him, he stopped her. With a high-pitched commanding voice, he made Officer K lead him to Chris' cell. Officer K didn't think twice but to do what my dad wanted. My dad's voice made me tremble as his voice thundered, creating continuous echoes in my eyes. Everyone noticed something different from my dad's voice. Thus, Officer K didn't hesitate to do what my dad wanted. We followed Officer K as he headed to Chris' cell along with our parents. When Chris saw us coming, he allowed a faint smile to appear on his face and stood up. He strolled to the screen door and held hands with my dad. He didn't let his eyes on me. That was a sign—he was still angry at me.
"Son, I will do whatever it will take to free you," my dad promised Chris.
Suddenly, our parents connected eyes, making it clear to us there was something serious we didn't know about. At that moment, silence filled the atmosphere surrounding us until Veronica's mother said the words that made our parents freeze at once. "The devil is back!" were the words. They gazed at her, their tongues not moving in their mouths.
After a few seconds, Jeff's father finally breathed heavily and tugged his ears with his hands. My dad was sweating, his face still in shock. Everyone was out of words. My friends and I realised there was something only known by our parents and it was dangerous.
Officer K, in confusion, ousted us from the prison. Our parents complied, so we left, leaving Chris in his cell. None of our parents wished each other a safe journey. Every parent took their children and walked to their cars without saying a word except we as friends hugged and promised each other to support Chris no matter what. The police continued to check on Marcos' belongings for more evidence. Officer K wanted to fully arrest Chris Daniel at once.
After Veronica's mother mentioned the devils, Officer K changed and wanted to close the case. He pushed harder for more evidence. His team found an unknown drug in Marcos' belongings. It was a powder filled inside the small plastic straws. Officer K took one straw and sent it to Splendor's lab for identification. He instructed his men to lay low and tell no one about the unknown drug. The drug they discovered was already pouring in the streets, and we knew it by the name Angel Dust. Those who consumed it said within a second it can take you to heaven if consumed in high quantities.
At college, the dean forbade our return. However, it didn't take time before the college was closed. The news of the unknown drug made Officer K drive by the night to Splendor's lab. The drug was phencyclidine. Splendor cautioned that it was the most dangerous drug. If consumed, it cooked the brain to its way and caused hallucinations, distorting perceptions, and mostly, it was lethal. Officer K realized the possibilities of the drug being misused in the societies was high, and he was right because there was an attempt on Mr. Cruz's life by some college students, which made him flee the city. Those college students tested positive for the drug and were arrested.