GOD 04

• Glimpse of Death•

Kakaunti nalang ang tao sa room, kanina pa natapos ang klase. May ibang naunang umalis at nagpaiwan para maglinis, katulad ko. Hindi ko hilig ang maglinis, yet I'm still here...guarding Charmeine.

I gaze at her smiling face. She's mopping the floor while talking to someone. Hindi maipagkakaila na friendly nga siya. Her personality is bubbly and easy to deal with me. Not like mine. Para akong pinagsaklooban parati ng itim na ulap at may kidlat na naka-paligid. My face ain't the angelic one, mukhang wala palagi sa mood kaya wala rin'g nag aatubili na lumapit, I could kick their asses. My facial expressions show it all, ayaw kong makipagkaibigan sa iba. I have the everyday poker and I don't care look.

Sometimes, your friend can be your greatest enemy. Distancing myself to other people is futile, for I am link with Charmeine. Kahit anong pilit ko lumayo, pilit akong hinihila pabalik. I don't consider her as a friend, but the way she treats me even just for today made me happy. At least, someone was able to showed me care.

I picked up some crumpled paper on the floor and throw it at the garbage can.

Hanggang ngayon nag aalinlangan parin ako. What will happen next? Will everything be okay after that? My mind is spacing again. I'm scared knowing the next thing that will happen later can either be a light or dark for me.

"Miss Morana, masyado ka naman atang lutang na hindi mo sa trashbin natatapon ang basura." a cold voice awaken me from spacing.

Heck! I looked at some crumpled papers. He's right! Sa sobrang lutang ko ay lampas na sa trash bin ang mga papel, some are even outside the room. What the hell! I should relaxe a bit, so I did.

I sighed. I should come up on my final decision. Hindi puwede na lito ang isip ko, I need a fix line to walk.

I ignored the guy and went on to picked the crampled paper again, this time marahan ko na iyong nilagay sa basurahan.

"Libi! I'm done mopping the floor" Charmeine's voice was energetic as she went to me but immediately stopped, her face turn into a ripe tomato again.

Nakatingin siya sa lalaking katabi ko. I never turn my head on the guy next to me, I can feel that his tall, mga lampas balikat lang ata niya ako. Sa tingin ko ay nasa 6 ang tangkad niya. Not the typical short nor really tall guy but enough for a woman with an average height like me to say, he's indeed tall.

His aura seems familiar, very but I can't recognize it.

"Ahihi friends na kayo?"

My forehead knotted. Friends? porket magkatabi kaibigan agad?

"No"

"Yes" we both answered in unison. Who the heck is this guy? Masyado naman atang friendly. As far as I know si Charmeine lang ang makapal ang mukha na nagdeklarang kaibigan ko, kasama rin pala siya.

"HA?"

"We're not friends. Let's go" I said with finality. I picked my bag at nauna nang lumabas. But I can still feel his gaze at me. Nakasunod, animo'y nagaantay na matapilok ako. You wish!

This dude! What is his problem? Does he like my bag? Props lang naman to, at wala talagang kalaman laman, maybe I should give this to him? Para tumigil na. Napapatawa nalang ako sa sariling naiisip, his eyes are obviously focused on me, not on my bag.

"Oh, I thought, kasi minsan lang lumapit si Yael sa mga babae, he's not that friendly" sumunod si Charmeine, may pagdududa sa kilos. No worries girl, I have no intention in being friend with your Yael guy. I know where I stand and my barracks keep my distance. I don't even like being close to other people, ikaw lang.

Charmaine's now beside me holding her bag, may hinahalungkat na bagay ata, nakakunot ang noo at di mapakali, siguro importante.

So that guy is Yael? The popular guy na binibigyan pa ng pagkain ng mga babae. Bini-baby pa siya damulag na nga. Unintentionally, I rolled my eyes.

I ignored her words, and directly faces the street. Few students walk around, some are holding books probably another bookworm who's now ready to go home. Others, carrying their girlfriend’s bags while being clingy. Seriously? I want to puke, for me that's so cheesy and cringe but I guess that's how they show love for their girl and boyfriends.

Hindi ako sanay na may nakikitang naglalampungan sa paligid ko. I remembered the last time, when two teenagers kissed at the back of the gymnasium, aksidente kung natitigan ang mata ng dalaga. She was screaming in pain by being tortured by her ex-boyfriend. Bob wires were wrapped in her neck as she struggles to find air.

Those were the exact scenario I've seen. Pero gaya ng nakaugalian, I never told it to anyone. I kept it to myself, kahit kinakain ng konsensya, and if would tell it to some police or investigators, they will ask some questions kung bakit ko alam, kung naroon ba'ko o kasabwat. Her family and boyfriend obcourse, graved for her. Sending riots and petition for justice. I puffed out.

They never claim justice for the victim. Hindi ko rin naman kilala ang ex-boyfriend niya, his face was a bit blurry in the woman's eyes, only death's aura and presence is clear, kahit nakatago ang mukha alam kong nakakapanindig balahibo ang itsura niya.

Naglakad kami patungong eskinita, kung saan nakaparada ang mga sasakyan.

"Ahm.. Mauna kana pala, may pinapakuha pa kasi sina mama sakin."

Mukhang nahanap na niya ang kanina pa niya hinahalungkat, her right hand is holding a paper. May nakalista roon, I can't see it clearly.

I stop and gulp my saliva. I silently bite my tongue.

Binasa ko ang aking labi at humarap sa kanya ng deretso, hindi pareho kanina na medyo nakatagilid at iniiwasan ang mata na makatagpo. I look straight. Again, the same scenario replayed many times.

"Where?" am I doing the right thing?

"Ah, diyan lang sa may isang kanto." I bit my lower lip and gathered some fresh air.

"I'll go with you" Be brave, Libitina. It's now or never.

"Sure ka? Pero malapit lang naman eh. Kahit hindi kana sumama para makauwi ka agad"

"Yes, and don't worry about me I can just call my driver later." My mind is in chaos, but I should stick to my decision.

Charmeine Erelah, why am I saving you? Who really are you?

Ano kaba sa buhay ko? I could easily ignore someone's death.

I am curious at the same time scared, wala akong masyadong alam, I have lots of questions pero pinilig ko nalang ang ulo ko.

Over the past years normal na sakin ang may namamatay but when I was drown in her eyes, memories came back and flushed my mind.

"Sige! Ang yaman mo pala pero bakit nag jeep kalang kanina?"

"To experience, I guess" kibit balikat kong sagot.

Sumabay ako sa lakad ni Charmeine, makipot ang kalsada at halos walang mga bahay ang madadaan. The sun sets earlier so it's dark now. Why would she even go to this kind of place in this time? Pwede namang hapon kung saan may araw pa.

"First time kong may makasabay, tapos ikaw pa! Alam mo bang marami ang gustong makipag kaibigan sayo? Matagal na kitang nakikita mag isa mula pa nung lower year. Pero napakailap mo" if only you all knew dear, hindi ka makikipagkaibigan sakin, and you will all despise and curse me.

This is just me, covered with fake porcelain paper to look beautiful. But when you look inside, I'm just a broken glass, shattered pieces to pieces, and thrown.

I stopped when i can feel a tension beside Charmeine. The over intimidating aura!

The one who I see everytime when I take a glimpse.

Dark smoke! He's here!

Death.

I gulped. My knees trembled.

This is the first time I'll encounter Death. Noo'y palagi ko lang siyang nakikita sa mata ng tao. Ngayon nasa gilid ko na siya.

"Ah Libitina, dito ka nalang mabilis lang ako, Ayan na ang bahay nila tito" my eyes sets at the house she pointed. Maliit ito at gawa sa kahoy.

I nodded. My forehead is sweating like bullets!

Hindi ko pinaalam kay Charmeine na nakasunod ako sa kanya. I tried my hardest to hide my presence.

He's holding his scythe. Blood is dripping on it. Malamang ay may pinatay nanaman siya. He's hood is still covering his face.

Am I really the one who can see him?

Death is only focusing on his target. Hindi niya ko nakita o napansin.

I picked up a large stone, mabigat

iyon pero kaya ko namang buhatin.

Being able to take a glimpse of death, made my senses heightened. My sense of sight, smelling, taste, hearing and touching is on another level. Like a human dragged with an elixers to boost their senses.

He was about to cut Charmeine's head, when i throw it with all my force.

Nasapol ang lalaking adik sa ulo at natumba. Pero agaran ring tumayo at nakatakbo. Blood was even flowing in his head pero isinawalang bahala lang niya iyon.

Charmeine's eyes was wide open and shocked. Dapat ay masasaksak sana siya.

The time our eyes met inside the jeepneh, I've seen her body lifeless on the ground. Nakatusok ang kutsilyo sa likod, sapol ang vital organ, the drug addict was behind her death, the one who I throw the stone at.

I was able to stop her death!

Right now, infront of me, is the woman I saved from death's scythe.

I look at the grim reaper behind her.

Nanindig ang balahibo ko. He's hood is no longer covering his face. Tumutulo ang dugo sa kanyang mata, making it bloody red.

I gulped, lumakas ang kabog ng dibdib ko. My body can feel tension, like an electricity flowing, ripping myself and electrified thousands of times, naka-papanghina.

Sobra pa sa kaba ang nararamdam ko, my knees is wobbling. Just a strong breeze and I'll surely be blown.

He's face is a skeleton, giving me goosebumps. Ngayon nakita ko na ang buo niyang mukha.

He looks angry, very, that It's making me lose all my strength.

Nasa akin na ang buong atensyon niya.

What did I do?

I stopped Death from reaping Charmeine's head, and I don't know if it's a good thing or an unfortunate one.

Note: Grim reaper is Death baka po malito kayo.