Chain Letter

Back when we were kids, I remember our barkada getting into a big fight because of a chain letter. One of our friends delivered a neatly wrapped letter containing commands and curses to each of our doorsteps. No one found the idea cute.

In college, I remember my 1st ex receiving a chain letter. I also remember my ex's mom making copies of that chain letter for my ex.

Late this afternoon, I finished reading "Chain Letter" by one of my favorite authors, Christopher Pike.

I first learned of Christopher Pike back when I was 17, when Delia, Desiree and I were at National Bookstore Quezon Avenue, buying some art materials for a project. I came upon his books and was very intrigued by the creepy artwork and the brief summaries written behind the books. I asked Del, a big book reader like me, if she knew of Pike. She told me to try him out, as she was a big Pike fan. Like a kid in a big candy store, with so many selections but not enough money, I had to limit my purchase and settle for just one book. After reading all the back cover summaries one after the other, I chose "Chain Letter 2: The Ancient Evil."

Funny, as there wasn't a copy of the first "Chain Letter." The hunt for the elusive prequel to "The Ancient Evil" would prove to be fruitless until many years later, when I would chance upon a copy of "Chain Letter" in Book Sale, of all places. Many years later, I would stumble upon a second copy of the first "Chain Letter" and buy it as well, to give to whoever has a copy of 2 but not 1. This was last weekend.

Another irony was the realization that the 1st time I saw the first "Chain Letter" was in a bookstore, while I was looking for a good story to base my book report on. I was in High School then. If I bought Pike's book, I would've been introduced to his concepts at a time when I wouldn't be ready for them. But then again, who knows?

So going back to the 17-year old Al, I remember reading it in my older sister's room. I don't remember what I was doing there, only that it was raining, it was cold, and that I couldn't put down the book. Even if I felt like I was entering the last act of a play, having missed the prequel, I enjoyed it. Every bit of it. The whole damn book.

Alison's pulling of the trigger was an act of selflessness, one that I could only aspire to doing if placed in the same situation. And that's what drew me to Pike. His characters were flawed, human like the rest of us. Despite all their faults, they were heroes and heroines. They still tried to do the right thing. Each character would have a trait that I could relate to. Each adventure would be a trip to a strange new world, shared with new friends and hidden enemies. Each betrayal would be painful and all-too-real. What would creep me out later on was the introduction of Dusty in "The Wicked Heart," with the revelation that the lead character of the book was also the villain. Some friends called me by my nickname "Dusty" back when I was younger, and this book was released at a time when I felt empty and lost. Just like Dusty Shame. Talk about timing.

Through the years, Pike's books kept me company growing up. Mark's feeling of not belonging in "See You Later." Julia's tour of vengeance in "Witch." Shary's rebirth as she walks the Earth again in "Remember Me." Herb's tragic discovery in "Die Softly." Ilonka's bout with reincarnation in "The Midnight Club." Angela's final fate in "Monster." Teresa's long suicide in "Road to Nowhere." Rela and Christopher's doomed future in "The Eternal Enemy," a personal favorite. And all the rest, there's just too many to mention.

Pike even paved the way for my friendship with my best friend. One of the things that Cathy and I first talked about on the phone? Christopher Pike's books.

Pike has influenced much of my short stories, and has made an impact on the way I write. Which is why I'm not surprised, that even with the passage of so many years, I still enjoy reading his works. This afternoon with the rain and the cold, I read "Chain Letter" for the very 1st time.

I wasn't disappointed.