Hunter 3: Her Mother’s Letter

Hunter 3: Her Mother’s Letter

I felt a pang of pain on my chest when Lolo mentioned my parents. Damn. I miss them so much. Napakagat ako ng pang-ibabang labi at napayakap sa sobre na galing sa Mama ko. Bigla na lang akong napaiyak habang yakap ito dahil sa emosyong nararamdaman ko ngayon.

Mabilis namang lumapit sa akin si Lolo at niyakap ako. He let me cry on his shoulder until my heart’s content. Nang wala na akong maiyak ay humiwalay ako sa yakap ni Lolo at pinunasan ang luha.

“Sssh… apo, tahan na. Bilin ng tatay mo sa akin na ‘wag kang paiiyakin,” tumango ako at ngumiti ng bahagya at pinigilang umiyak.

I just… miss them so badly.

Sabi ni Lolo, ng mamatay daw ang mga magulang ko at ang Papa ni Raine sa aksidente ay may nahanap daw silang liham sa mga gamit nila. Para bang alam na nilang mawawala sila sa mundo at ‘yon ang hindi ko maintindihan. But then, Lolo said that it is completely a car accident at baka sumulat lang talaga sila dahil pupunta sila no’ng ibang bansa at medyo magtatagal bago makauwi.

Natanggap ko ang sulat ni Papa ngunit nakagugulat at nakapagtataka na mayroon pa palang sulat na galing sa Mama ko. Hindi ko lang maintindihan kung bakit ngayon lang ito ibinigay ni Lolo. Kung hindi pa niya nalaman ang panaginip ko—wait, what’s with my dream anyway? Pero ang sabi ni Lolo, that’s the sign… sign of what?

“Go, apo. Read what’s your Mama’s letter for you at kapag nabasa mo na, you are free to ask me anything and I will answer it honestly,” napatango na lang ako bilang sagot bago yumakap sa kaniya.

Hindi ko alam pero parang gusto ko siyang yakapin ng mahigpit kaya ginawa ko.  “Thanks, Lo,” saad ko bago umalis sa office niya.

I wanted to ask him about a lot of things but I decided to ask him later after I read the letter from my Mama. Pumunta ako kaagad sa kwarto ko at binasa ang nilalaman ng envelope. Binuksan ko ito at nakita ang mas maliit na puting envelope dito.

I am nervous but I have to read this.

I suddenly felt nervous when I saw my mother’s penmanship on the back of the envelope. Kinakabahan din ako sa mga malalaman ko at handa man ako o hindi, babasahin ko ito.

To my dearest daughter… our Princess.

Nanginginig ang kamay kong binuksan ang envelope at kinuha ang na sa loob nito. I opened it and read my mother’s letter to me. But before that, I took a deep breath first.

To my beautiful baby,

     First, I want to say sorry for leaving on your side at your young age. We couldn’t do anything about it because it’s our fate. We need to leave you as soon as possible before you are the one who will leave us behind. We can’t afford that to happen to our only Princess. But always remember, baby, we are maybe not on your side right now but we are always on your heart.

     I wrote this letter for also some important reasons. Read this carefully, baby, and forgive your Mama for not telling you this when I am still with you… If you dream about werewolves, please, your Mama is begging. Begging to learn about them. Ask your Lolo about the books that contains about supernatural beings and believe in them. I know it’s crazy but you need to try to believe them and accept them wholeheartedly.

     Also, go to Primrose City and find the person named ‘Joyce Delevigne’ because she has something important to tell you. Don’t worry because she is my closest friend and she’s harmless. So as the City that I mentioned. Just be careful on your way there because it’s quite far and you do not know if you’ll encounter one of them—one of the rogues or maybe night vampires. But you need to more careful when you encounter the black witches.

     Baby, whatever you’ll know, please accept it and understand it. Always remember that I didn’t tell you this because your father and I are just thinking about your safety and we want you to have a peaceful and normal life even though we know that your life is far from being normal. You are not just an ordinary person, baby, because you are more than ordinary. Don’t worry, after this, your fate will lead you into the life that you never expected but you’ll wish not to end. Just do not give up and keep going.

     As much as I wanted to tell you everything using this letter, I just couldn’t. I have no enough time. We have no enough time. I know time will come and you will know the truth. The truth about yourself, and your family. Your father and I are very sorry because we are not by your side while knowing everything and I am hoping that you will accept it. Everything is ready, the truth is only waiting for you.

     I love you, baby. Your Mama and Papa love you so much. We know that you will grow a beautiful, kind, sweet, and nice woman and will be a great leader someday. We love you always.

Love,

Mama & Papa

Tumulo na lang bigla ang luha ko dahil sa nabasa at pilit na iniintindi ang sulat ng aking ina. I’m 18 years old back then when they died from that car accident. Hanggang ngayon, naaalala ko pa ang huli naming pagsasama no’n bago sila mawala.

Nahiga ako sa kama ko at iyak lang ng iyak habang yakap-yakap ang liham na galing sa mga magulang ko. I know, it’s an accident but I think, they already know that it’s already their time. I still can’t understand this letter right now because of my emotion. Hindi ko akalaing iiyak akong muli ng ganito dahil sa mga magulang ko.

Dahil nakabukas ang bintana ko ay dahilan upang maramdaman ko ang malamig na simoy ng hangin na pumasok sa kwarto ko. I don’t know but, instead of cold air, it’s warm and it was like it embraced me that made me cry again and again.

Dahil siguro sa kaiiyak ay nakatulog ako. But before I surrender to sleep, nakarinig pa ako ng boses na napaka-pamilyar sa akin. Ang boses na nasa panaginip ko at sa tingin ko, kilala ko na kung sino ito.

“Sleep, my child.”

Mama…

***

Supernatural… vampires, werewolves, witches…

“Mama… my mind right now is in chaos…” bulong ko habang iniisip pa rin ang nabasa ko sa sulat ni Mama.

Nakatitig ako sa locket necklace ko kung saan ang picture namin nina Mama at Papa. I was 18 years old back then and this locket was a gift from my Papa. Gold locket necklace, circle pendant and it has the curved of flower on it. May nakapatong naman na paru-paro dito na mas lalo nitong kinaganda.

Hindi naman siya gano’n kalaki at ang haba nito ay hanggang sa gitna lamang ng dibdib ko. Nando’n ang picture naming tatlo na magkakasama at nakangiti sa camera. Sa kabila naman ay ang solo picture ko na kuha rin no’ng mismong birthday ko.

“I am not a normal person… what do you mean about that, Mama?” Muli kong tanong habang nakatingin sa litrato ni Mama habang siya ay nakangiti ng malawak.

I remembered when she used to tell me a story about them. Ang akala ko gawa-gawa niya lang ngunit sa nangyayari ngayon… imposibleng imbento niya lang ang mga kwento niya no’n.

Bumuntong-hininga ako at napagdesisyonan kong pumunta na lang sa office ni Lolo para itanong ang tinotukoy ni Mama sa liham niya. Isang araw na ang nakalilipas at hanggang ngayon ay napapaisip pa rin ako. I just can’t believe, actually, and because of this letter, may hinala na ako kung ano ang hina-hunting ng pamilya ko.

This letter, made me realized that the world that I am in is not normal. This is far from being normal. My family is not normal and I am too. Do’n ko lang rin naalala ang mga pangyayari sa buhay ko na pilit kong kinalilimutan ngunit hindi ako nagtatagumpay and I guess, hindi ko na talaga makalilimutan ang bagay na ‘yon.

I am not ordinary… I will never have the normal life I wanted.

Kumatok muna ako bago ko narinig ang boses ni Lolo. I smiled when I saw him and went towards him to kiss his cheeks. Sa isang araw na nagdaan, ako lang din mag-isa sa bahay kasama ang mga katulong. Wala ang ibang mga pinsan ko at mga tiyahin at tiyuhin ko habang may mga pasok naman ang ilang mga pinsan ko kaya naman nalunod ako sa kaiisip. Wala rin naman si Lolo at ngayon lang siya umuwi.

“So, you already read it?” Napatango lang ako sa tanong ni Lolo bago bumuntong-hininga. “Apo, as long as I wanted to tell you everything, alam kong may taong ipaliliwanag sa ‘yo ang lahat ng kailangan mong malaman,” wika niya. “I also have something important to tell you but you have to ask the closest friend of your mother first, hmm?” Malumanay na wika ni Lolo.

“My parents didn’t tell me the truth but I understand them. Masaya na po akong namuhay ng normal ngunit kailangang harapin ko na kung sino po ba talaga ako…” saad ko bago napabuntong-hininga muli.

Hindi kapani-paniwala ngunit kailangan kong magtiwala. Magtiwala kay Mama at kay Lolo. Alam kong oras na mag-umpisa na akong alamin ang totoo ay ang ibig sabihin lang no’n ay maaari rin akong mapahamak. I’m just thankful because I was raised how to defend myself—perks of having a hunter family.

Napangiti naman si Lolo bago napatango. Siguro, mayroon ngang nalalaman si Lolo ngunit hindi lahat ng ‘yon ay masasagot ang mga katanungan ko kaya kailangan ko talagang umalis. I wanted to know everything about me too.

“I am glad, apo. Just always remember that Lolo is always on your back,” nakangiti pa ring wika ni Lolo kaya napangiti na rin ako.

Sa totoo lang ay hindi namin alam na magpipinsan kung na saan ang Lola namin. Sa tuwing tinatanong naman namin si Lolo ay tila nalulungkot siya kaya hindi na kami nagtatanong pa. Even my uncles and aunts. They can’t tell us where’s our grandmother and we are wondering about it since then.

“Lo, do you have some books about werewolves?” Tanong ko at napansin ko ang pagkakangiti niya ng malawak. Sa totoo lang ay nag-aalinlangan talaga ako. But then, I have this feeling that I should obey what my mother wants me to do.

I will just go with the flow but I should make sure that it is calculated. Tutal gusto ko rin namang malaman ang lahat kaya kailangan kong gawin ito. Now that I read my mother’s letter, I started to think if my family is one of those supernatural beings. Pero, pwede namang hunter lang sila ng mga kagaya nila—rogues and night vampires, o baka kasama na rin ang mga black witches.

“Yes, of course, apo. Madami tayo no’n sa library nitong mansion pero hindi ka naman pumupunta do’n para magbasa ng tungkol sa kanila. Masyado ka kasing busy sa pagga-gala mo, eh. Tsk, tsk!” Mahina naman akong napatawa dahil sa sinabi ni Lolo.

Seeing him makes me feel light a bit. I know he won’t let me get hurt once I already decided to look for the answers. Tumayo na ako bago lumapit sa kaniya at niyakap siya.

I am lucky to have a grandfather like him and I love him so much.

“You know that I love joy riding, Lo,” sagot ko pagkayakap ko sa kaniya at niyakap naman niya ako pabalik. Dahil dito ay pakiramdam ko ay mami-miss ko siya kaya mas lalo kong hinigpitan ang yakap sa kaniya.

“Lolo is always here, apo. I will always protect you and your cousins…” wika niya habang magkayakap pa rin kami.

“Lolo… thank you,” saad ko bago bumitaw sa kaniya at nakita siyang nakangiti kaya nahawa na rin ako.

“You are always welcome…”

Pagkatapos niyang sabihin ‘yon ay nagpaalam na ako sa kaniya at naglakad na papalabas. Pero bago pa ako tuluyang makalabas ay lumingon muna ako sa kaniya. “Bye, grandpa! Love you!” Saad ko at nag-flying kiss pa na ikinatawa niya lang.

“Love you more!” Pahabol niya bago ko isinara ng tuluyan ang pinto at pumunta ng library to search about the supernatural beings.

Like what my mother’s said.

***