A Night to Remember
1940s, Sawyer Mansion, Valentia City Philippines
The Sawyer family resides in the city of Valentia, a place where they are highly respected. Their grand mansion stands as a testament to their success. The family is known for their thriving businesses and medical expertise, not just in Valentia but globally. But a dark secret lurks behind their achievements. The Sawyers seem untouchable, but the truth about their success might be more sinister than anyone suspects.
Inside the biggest Mansion the grand ballroom pulsed with laughter and music, the sounds of jazz and Filipino folk tunes mingling in the air. The guests, dressed in their finest attire, danced and chatted, their faces aglow with joy and champagne-fueled euphoria.
Amidst the revelry, a middle-aged man standing at the edge of staircase with a charming smile, Logan Sawyer watched over his family with pride. His wife, Isabel, sparkled in a red gown, her beauty captivating the attention of the other guests. Their daughters, Charlie and Zoey, giggled and spun around the dance floor, their youthful energy infectious.
But Logan's mind wasn't on the festivities. His thoughts were consumed by his work, the secret experiments he conducted in the mansion's hidden laboratories with the help of Tabitha Vergara, a brilliant and ambitious Mayor and business woman from one of the most influential families in the Philippines. Logan sought to create a potion that would slow down the aging process. They envisioned a world where people could live longer, healthier lives, free from the ravages of time.
Years of trial and error had yielded nothing but failure. Test subject after test subject had succumbed to the potion's unpredictable side effects or shown no response at all. Yet, Logan remained undeterred, convinced that the key to success lay just beyond the next experiment. Tabitha's expertise and his own obsessive drive fueled their quest.
"Sir, Madam Tabitha is there" A man whispered catching Logan's attention
Logan simply looked at his family before looking back at the man and nodded his head.
"Stay here, and watched them" He said before leaving
As Logan ascended the stairs, the laughter from the party below grew fainter. The dim hallways seemed to stretch on forever, the shadows cast by the flickering lights dancing like specters on the walls. He walked with purpose, his footsteps echoing through the silence. The laboratory was a secret place that no one from his family knew, not even his own wife. He couldn't tell anybody about his work or the laboratory. The doctor title and his persona as a businessman were enough to maintain his public image.
The familiar white walls and sterile smell of the laboratory enveloped him as he entered, rows of stainless steel workbenches lined the room, cluttered with an array of equipment: microscopes, centrifuges, and various contraptions that whirred and beeped softly. The air was thick with the scent of disinfectant and something else, something acrid and chemical. Fluorescent lights overhead cast an unforgiving glare, illuminating the rows of glass vials and test tubes filled with strange, glowing liquids.
Tabitha was already there, wearing a white coat, her eyes fixed intently on the various contraptions and equipment scattered across the workbenches.
"Logan," she said, her voice low and husky. "I've made some adjustments to the formula. I think we're close to a breakthrough."
Logan's eyes lit up with interest as he approached her.
"Show me." he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
They pored over the data and samples, their minds consumed by the possibilities. The air was thick with tension, the weight of their obsession hanging heavy over them. As they worked, the sound of footsteps echoed outside the laboratory door. Logan's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing.
"Who is it?" he called out, his voice firm.
The door creaked open, and one of his assistants slipped inside. "Sir, it's one of the test subjects. They're experiencing... unusual side effects."
Logan's expression darkened. "Bring them to the observation room. I'll take a look."
The assistant nodded and scurried off, leaving Logan and Tabitha to exchange a weighted glance.
"I take care here." Tabitha said
"We're run out of subjects. I need more Tabitha." Logan said, his voice dark
"The delivery is ready." Tabitha said
Logan just nodded and walked into the observation room. As Logan entered the observation room he was met with the sight of the test subject, writhing in agony on the medical table. The monitors surrounding the subject beeped erratically, and the air was thick with the smell of disinfectant and sweat.
"What's the status?" Logan asked his assistant, his voice firm.
"It's...it's not looking good, sir," the assistant replied, his voice trembling. "The subject's vitals are crashing, and we're seeing some...unusual reactions to the treatment."
Logan's expression darkened as he approached the subject. He examined the monitors, his eyes scanning the data with a mixture of fascination and concern.
"We need to stabilize the subject," Logan said, his voice low and urgent. "Evelyn, can you adjust the dosage?" He called one of the doctor standing to monitor the subjects
The woman nodded, her eyes fixed intently on the subject. "I'll try. But sir we need to be careful.... His vital is not stable yet"
"Be careful?" Logan Scoffed "Do it." Logan voice was cold, his expression dark
"Y..yes sir..." The woman immediately move
As they worked to stabilize the subject, Logan couldn't shake the feeling that they were running out of time. The risks were growing, and the stakes were higher than ever.
_I will make sure this time I'm not going to fail._ Logan thought
"We can't afford to fail now, Tabitha." Logan said as he walked, joining Tabitha on her work
Tabitha's eyes met his, a glimmer of understanding in their depths. "We will succeed this time, Logan. You know that." she said, her voice low. "But we need to be careful. The risks are growing, and we can't afford to get caught."
Logan's expression turned calculating. "We'll take the risk. We need to push forward, no matter what."
The tension in the room was palpable, the weight of their obsession hanging heavy over them.
"What about the subject A?" Tabitha asked
Logan's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with an unsettling intensity. "You know A is valuable. We can't touch anything until everything is stable." He said, his voice dripping with an unspoken menace.
Tabitha nodded curtly. "Alright."
The shadows in the room seemed to deepen, as if the very darkness itself was closing in around them. The air was heavy with the weight of their secrets, the whispers of the test subjects echoing through the corridors like the damned.
"We need to keep pushing forward," Logan said, his voice low and unyielding. "No matter the cost."
The darkness seemed to pulse around them, as if it too was alive and waiting. The silence was oppressive, the only sound the soft hum of the equipment and the quiet whispers of the test subjects.
—
The noises, the laugher faded as the night wore on. The party ended with the smiled on everyone's face. Isabel and her daughters was sitting at the chair, resting.
"Tired?" Logan voice broke the silent in the living room
"Papa!" Charlie and Zoey run toward to their dad
"Saan po kayo nanggaling ang saya po ang pagsasalo-salo namin." Charlie said, smiling
"Oo nga po. Hinahanap ko oh kayo kanina upang sumayaw." Zoey pouted as she speak
Logan smiled looking at them. "I'm sorry, you know father need to work. My duty is always calling." He said
Logan's smile faltered for a moment, his kind drafting back to the laboratory. But he pushed the thoughts aside, focusing on his daughters' bright faces.
"I'm sorry, babies." He said "But Papa has to make sure everything runs smoothly. You know, for our family's future."
Charlie and Zoey forced a smiled. They know that no matter what happened their father always choose his work, he just always make an excuse when it comes to everything.
"Okay lang po." Charlie said.
"Magpapahinga na po kami." Zoey said
Logan nodded. "Alright. Goodnight, mga anak."
The two girls smiled before saying goodnight to their mother, and then headed to their room. As the girls disappeared into their room, the tension in the air became palpable. Logan turned to Isabel, expecting a warm smile, but instead, he was met with a cold gaze.
"You always do this, Logan," Isabel said, her voice low and even. "You always prioritize your work over us. Can't you just be present for once?"
Logan's expression turned defensive. "I'm doing this for our family, Isabel. For our future."
Isabel's eyes flashed with anger. "Our future?! You mean your research?! Your obsession?! When was the last time you truly spent quality time with us? With me?!"
The silence between them was oppressive, heavy with unspoken words. Logan shifted uncomfortably, feeling the weight of Isabel's gaze.
"I'll make it up to you, Isabel. I promise," he said, trying to placate her.
But Isabel's expression remained unyielding. "You always say that, Logan. But you never follow through. I'm starting to wonder if you're even capable of putting us first."
The air was thick with tension, the unspoken words hanging precariously in the balance. Logan's eyes locked onto Isabel's, but he couldn't meet her gaze.
He sighed. "let's talked about it tomorrow, Isabel." Logan said and turned his back
Isabel's tears fell silently as she watched Logan walk away. She felt a deep sadness wash over her, a sense of loneliness that seemed to grow with each passing day. She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself, but the pain lingered.
As she entered their bedroom, she closed the door behind her and let the tears flow freely. She felt like she was losing herself in this marriage, like she was just a spectator in Logan's life.
She changed into her nightgown, her mind replaying the conversation with Logan. She couldn't help but wonder if things would ever change, if Logan would ever prioritize their family over his work.
—
The night was peaceful in every corner of the mansion. The soft glow of the moon cast an eerie silence over the grand halls and rooms, the shadows cast by the furniture seeming to stretch and twist in the dim light. But despite the tranquility of the scene, there was a sense of unease, a feeling that something was watching and waiting.
In the walls, behind the ornate tapestries and polished wood paneling, a different story was unfolding. The darkness seemed to pulse with a life of its own, as if the shadows themselves were alive and stirring.
In the hidden passages and secret rooms, unseen eyes watched and waited, their presence felt but unseen. The air was thick with anticipation, the silence heavy with the weight of secrets and lies.
"Siguraduhin niyong wala kayong ititira na kahit isang Sawyer." The husky voice said as they looked at the peaceful mansion
"Wag oh kayong mag-alala malinis magtrabaho ang mga tao ko" The man said
"Whatever. Kailangan kong makasiguro na walang kahit isang Sawyer ang magmamana ng kahit anong meron sila, kahit ang mansion na ito." The voice turned dark as if they can't wait to take their plan.
"Ako na ang bahala ka'y Logan, hanapin niyo ang asawa't anak niya." The voice added
The shadowy figures nodded in unison, their movements eerily synchronized as they dispersed into the darkness, their footsteps silent on the cold stone floor. The husky voice lingered, its owner seemingly savoring the plan's intricacies.
"Ensure no one escapes," the voice reiterated, its tone dripping with malice. "I want every last Sawyer eradicated. This mansion, their wealth, their legacy – it all going to fall downdown, tonight."
The shadows vanished into the night, their presence felt but unseen as they began to weave a web of darkness and deceit around the unsuspecting Sawyers. The mansion's peaceful facade belied the horror that was to come, its walls soon to bear witness to unspeakable tragedy.
—
"Who's there?"
Logan's voice echoed through the library, but there was no response. He furrowed his brow, wondering if he had just imagined the sound. Shrugging it off, he turned back to his book.
But then, he heard it again – a faint creaking sound, like the soft opening of a door. Logan's instincts kicked in, and he set his book aside, his eyes scanning the room before he rose from his chair.
He walked to the door, his hand reaching for the handle, and slowly turned it. The hallway outside was dimly lit, the shadows cast by the moonlight outside twisting and turning like living things. Logan's gaze swept the corridor, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary.
"Hello?" he called out, his voice a little louder this time. Still, there was no answer.
Logan's unease grew, and he stepped out into the hallway, his eyes scanning the darkness. Suddenly, he felt a chill run down his spine, as if he was being watched. He spun around, but there was no one there. The silence was ooppressive. Logan sighed and turned his back, was about to enter the library but he froze as a cold things pressed deep into his stomach.
"You..." Logan cough as the cold things deepen.
"See you in another life." The figure said before pulling the shape blade into Logan's stomach, and pressed it again on the other part.
Logan's vision began to blur, and he felt his strength fading. He looked down at the blade, now slick with his own blood, and saw the figure's hand grasping the hilt. The figure's face was shrouded in darkness, making it impossible for Logan to discern any features. But the smell, he knows the smell of the figure on the dark.
As the blade was pulled out and thrust in again, Logan's body jerked involuntarily. He felt a wave of coldness wash over him, and his legs gave way. The figure watched dispassionately as Logan slowly crumpled to the floor, his life force ebbing away.
The sound of Logan's labored breathing filled the hallway, accompanied by the soft gurgling of blood in his throat. The figure stood over him, motionless, as the life drained from Logan's eyes. The only sound was the soft dripping of blood onto the floor, forming a crimson pool around Logan's lifeless body.
The figure's gaze lingered on Logan's face, a fleeting moment of satisfaction crossing their features before they turned to disappear into the shadows, leaving behind a trail of death and destruction.
—
"Mother!"
The two voices of young women shouted as the figures in the darkness moved. But before they can even leave the room when the figures grab them without any words the figures pressed the blade deepen into the young women bodies.
"Charlie! Zoey!" Isabel voice echoed through the room
She tried to run to save her daughters, but before she could even moved when a shadow behind her grab her hair. The next things happened, Isabel was lying at the floor with her own blood, looking at her daughter lifeless.
"Killed her. We need to leave now!" Another figure said
"Patawad, Isabel." The shadow whispered as they pressed a sharp blade into Isabel body
As the figures departed, the mansion's grand halls and rooms fell silent once more. The only sound was the soft dripping of blood, a haunting reminder of the tragedy that had unfolded. The bodies of Logan, Charlie, Zoey, and Isabel lay lifeless, their lives brutally cut short.
The night, once peaceful, had turned into a scene of unimaginable horror. The shadows that had crept into the mansion had brought with them darkness and death, leaving behind a trail of destruction.
The figures vanished into the night, their motives and identities unknown. The mansion, once a symbol of luxury and prosperity, had become a crime scene, a place where a family had been mercilessly slaughtered.
The night of the massacre would go down in history as the night of "Codex Juventa", a mysterious and sinister event that would leave many questions unanswered. The mansion's walls, once witnesses to laughter and joy, now stood as silent sentinels, guarding the secrets of the dead.
The darkness that had consumed the Sawyer family would remain a dark chapter, a reminder of the horrors that could unfold in the shadows. The peaceful night had turned into a night of terror, and the mansion would never be the same again.