Chapter 03

“Krexaine!” Humahangos si Ate Jeny paakyat. Nakita niya akong nakatulala sa pinto ng masungit na Blind Master. “Okay ka lang ba? Umakyat si Knoxx, nakita ka ba?” tanong niya kaya natinag na ang pagkatulala ko at tinignan siya.

“Ang bait nga po,” simple kong sagot.

Her reaction says the truth, so totoo nga na hindi gusto ni Knoxx ang mga strangers pero sa akin napaka friendly?

“Talaga?” gulat na tanong niya, tumango lang ako at naglakad na pababa. Sinundan niya naman ako, “Paano?” dagdag niya. Natawa na lang ako.

“Ate, golden retriever is a gentle giant po,” sagot ko pero umiling lang siya.

“Alam mo ba iyong sinasabi nila na namamana ng mga alagang animals ang attitude ng amo nila?” sambit niya kaya napatango ako.

Hmm, may point pero... “Mahilig lang po siguro talaga ako sa aso,” sagot ko na lang para tumigil na siya.

I starts humming as we walked down, sapat lang ang lakas para pakalmahin ang sarili ko. “Ikaw ba yon?” Ate Jeny asked, napatingin ako sa kaniya.

“Huwag mo yan gagawin sa harap ni Master Caius, magagalit ‘yon,” paalala niya kaya napakunot ang noo ko.

“Bakit po?” puno ng kuryosidad ko na tanong.

Umiwas siya ng tingin at mabilis na bumaba ng hagdan. Halagang iniiwasan ang tanong ko. Nagkibit-balikat na lang ako at sumunod sa kaniya.

That night, I couldn't sleep.

Hindi ko alam kung namamahay ako o dahil sa kakaibang meron ang mansyon na ito. I lay on the narrow bed in the maid's quarters, staring at the ceiling, replying the encounter with the blind master over and over. Kung paano ang boses niya ay hindi soft, pero hindi rin hard. Ang kakaibang katahimikan na meron dito, na siguradong siya ang dahilan. The way he seemed to trust sounded more than sight ever could.

I found myself humming again unconsciously, stopping only when I remembered his words.

“Don't ever hum or sing in the halls.”

Mahina akong kumanta, halos pabulong nga lang upang makatulog ako.

Nagisng na lang ako dahil sa walang pagtigil napagdila sa akin. Napagdilat ako at halos mapaupo ng makita si Knoxx. His tail wags again, as if he is excited to see me awake.

Napatingin ako sa bintana at orasan, mag-aalas kwatro pa lang ng umaga pero kita kong gising na ang iba kong kasamang maid dito.

“Paano ka nakapasok dito?” tanong ko sa aso na para bang sasagutin ako nito. Tumahol lang ito kaya nakuha ang atensyon ng iba. Gulat silang napatingin kay Knoxx at sa akin.

Nakita kong sumilip si Senior Maria sa pinto ng maid quarters, at tulad ng iba ay gulat din siya dahil sa pagiging malapit sa akin ni Knoxx.

Nilaro ko lang siya saglit bago tumayo at magpalit ng uniform namin.

Ano naman kaya ang magaganap ngayon? Pangalawang araw ko pa lang pero kakaiba na agad ang naging unang araw ko.

Nang lumabas akong cr wala na si Knoxx sa higaan ko kaya mabilis akong nag-ayos ng sarili at lumabas.

Sa kusina agad ako pumunta, nakita ko ang mga chef na nagluluto na nang agahan kaya mabilis pero maingat akong kumilos sa dining. Hinanda ang mga plato, baso, at mga kutsara. Tinuro na sa akin ang tamang pwesto ng mga plato.

Dalawa ang ang madalas mag agahan, si Mrs. at Mr. Vellaro. Samantalang dinadala naman sa kwarto niya ang agahan ng Blind Master.

At sino pa ba ang maswerteng bunot? Syempre ako.

Pigil hininga akong umakyat hawak ang tray na may lamang breakfast. Maingat ako dahil may mainit na kape na kasama. Mahina akong kumatok at binuksan ang pinto ng dahan dahan.

“Who told you to come in?” His voice cut through the room. Nanigas ako sa kinatatayuan ko habang hawak pa rin ang tray. Paenter pa lang ang isa kong paa sa doorway ng pinto niya.

“I—I was instructed to bring your breakfast, master.” Paused. Isang mahabang katahimikan na naman.

“And did you knock?” Tumango ako kahit di niya nakikita. “Did I let you come in?” he asked again.

Bang. A mistake.

I felt it instantly, cold, sharper, as if I stepped on thin ice. “Leave,” his voice is full of authority.

Napalunok ako. Kahapon naman hindi siya ganito, bakit ngayon sobrang sungit niya?

“I'm just going to drop this breakfast, master.” I swallowed hard.

“I said leave,” he snapped. My fingers tightened around the tray.

I nodded and stepped back, heart pounding. I bumped my arms to the doorway, creating a small sound. But for him, it was thunder.

“What was that?” he demanded.

“Nothing master, I'm sorry,” mas lalo akong kinabahan. Krixaine, I said be careful and mindful. Ilang beses ka ba dapat paalalahanan?

“I'm asking what was that.” His jaw tightened, as he turned his head. “I didn't ask for apologies,” he added. His eyes—blank, unfocused, pale—i know he never met mine yet I felt seen.

“I just bumped my arms, master. Nothing serious.”

Silence. And suddenly he took a step toward me. One, two, three. Each step falls deliberately..

“You think because I can't see, that I can't hear your clumsiness?” he said slowly.

My throat dried, my hands trembled. “No, master.”

“Then stopped treating this place like a public hall.” He stopped as he felt Knoxx bumping into my legs.

“Knoxx,” he called it. Mabilis na lumapit sa kaniya si Knoxx na kakarating lang mula sa kung saan. The dog glance one more time at me before running towards his master.

It's like whenever he is with Knoxx, the wind feels softer.

“Go, put that on my table,” he authorized me to enter. “You might spill it.”

Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga. “I—”

“You're clumsy and unsure,” he continued. “You're breathing stutters when you're unsure, and right now, you're terrified.” He kneeled, playing with Knoxx, but then he looked at me, “To me?”

That broke something inside me.

“I'm sorry, master. I'm just doing my job,” sagot ko habang ramdam ko ang rinig ng boses ko. “I didn't mean to disturb you in anyway,” dagdag ko.

“Bring it in,” utos niya at tumayo.

My hands trembled as I walked to the table. Bawat hakbang ay parang test na hindi ko napag-aralan. Nilapag ko ang tray ng maayos at perfect.

“Good, now go,” he said flatly.

Tumalikod na ako at balak lumabas, relief flooding my chest—

Then—

A sound escaped me.

A hum.

Not intentional. Hindi rin malakas, para lang siyang buntong hininga, pero may melody. Something old and instinctive, born from my nerves and my habits.

His reaction was immediate.

“What was that this time?”

The room changed again. Knoxx's tail wagged again, and he barked and barked and barked.

“That sound,” he said sharply. “Do it again.”

I shook my head. “Hindi ko po sinasad—”

“Again,” madiin na sambit niya. “Now.”