My grandma once told me about mystical stories, that they are living creatures who lives in between the shadows. I didn't believe it, who would believe such magical stories? But I realized that magical isn't the point of my grandma when I met him. He was bathing in blood, holding a long thick flanged mace on his left hand while licking the blood dripping on his right hand. That's how I met him, the creature I fell in love with.
View More"I will kill everyone you love."
A smile appeared on my lips as I reached his face, memorizing all his features from his eyes down to his lips.
"I love you."
He didn't hesitate when he pointed the knife on his neck. "Any last word?"
"Please marry me."
"Yes, that's how I met your father."
Tumayo ako at marahang kinarga si Calliope upang dalhin sa kama nito. Nakatulog ito habang nakikinig sa kwentong gustong-gusto niyang marinig.
The memories I treasured.
Nang maihiga sa kama ay marahan kong inilagay ang kumot sakanyang katawan at binigyan ng halik ang kanyang noo.
"Good night baby."
Iniligpit ko ang mga laruang nakakalat sa sahig habang pinapakinggan ang kantang 'In my life' ng The beatles.
"And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new~"I was about to clean the bathroom when I heard a doorbell coming from the outside. When I opened the door, I saw a lady holding a digital camera and a bouquet of unfamiliar flowers.
"Are you Miss Alessandra Lozano?"
Naibaba ko ang hawak kong walis at inayos ang damit ko saka nakangiting hinarap ito. "Yes, it's me."
Lumabas ang ngiti mula sakanyang labi at pinagpagpag ang kamay saka inilahad sa 'kin.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Alessandra! I am a journalist from the agency of crimes and mysteries."
Nalilitong nakipagkamay ako sakanya. "I haven't heard of that agency but it's a pleasure to meet you too."
Nang magbitaw ang kamay namin ay inaya ko siyang pumasok. She was hesitant at first but I told her that it's fine.
"Your house is elegant as you are Miss Alessandra," ani nito sa namamanghang tono.
"This is just a second hand, I bought it after I gave birth to my daughter. Sa una ay hinuhulogan ko lang, nakatyempo ng magandang trabaho ay nabayaran ko ng buo."
Nang makaupo siya sa sofa ay naghanda ako ng kape at isang slice ng cake.
"Yung pagpipinta ba ang sinasabi mong magandang trabaho?"
Napangiti ako at inilagay sa lamesa ang hinanda kong meryenda. "It's not just a painting but a mystical memories."
"It feels like you've been waiting for my presence Miss Alessandra, I haven't said my reason of meeting you but you're already telling me everything I wanted to know."
Napatawa ako sa sinabi niya at napailing na lamang dahil sa katunayan ay wala talaga akong inaasahan na kahit isang bisita.
I already lost everyone, even him.
"So, what do you want to know?"
Binuksan niya ang dala niyang bag at inilabas ang isang notebook at panulat. Ipinwesto niya rin ang digital camera na dala niya sa gilid namin kung saan makikita kaming magkaharap.
"Miss Alessandra, sino ang estrangherong lalake ang naging modelo sa mga ipininta mo?"
Alalang-alala ko pa ang mukha niya, ang lalakeng unang nagpatibok sa puso ko. "He was my husband."
"was? Did you get divorced?"
No, we didn't. We were happy, dreaming of becoming a family together with our daughter.
After an hour of questions and answers, nagpaalam na ito at ibinigay sa'kin ang bouquet na dala niya kanina lamang.
"It's for you Miss Alessandra, Jeremiah flowers signifies memories and reminiscence. Thank you for giving me your time, it was such a nostalgic story."
Hawak ang bouquet ay isinara ko ang pinto matapos niyang magpaalam.
it was such a nostalgic story.
Napaupo ako sa sofa at mahigpit na hinawakan ang bulaklak.
Memories and reminiscence.
I let out a deep sigh as I rest my head and closed my eyes. I saw it again, the memories from the past.
It was a cold snowy night when I ran into the dark forest trying to save my life from the unknown man who was planning to rape me.
I was breathing heavily, gripping the heavy coat I am wearing to fight the dizziness because of the cold while running.
Binilisan ko pa ang pagtakbo ngunit dahil sa pagkahilo at panlalabo ng mata ay hindi ko namalayang nadulas ang mga paa ko kaya gumulong ako pababa sa malamig na bangin.
"H-help me," bulong ko sa kalagitnaan nang panginginig ng katawan ko.
Nakarinig ako ng yapak ng mga paa habang nagbibigay ingay ang isang kadenang tila hinihila.
Inangat ko ang ulo ko at tumambad sa'kin ang nakadilat na mga mata ng lalakeng humahabol sa'kin kanina habang ang bibig nito ay duguan.
Bumuka ang bibig ko nang bigla nalang humilaway ang ulo nito mula sakanyang katawan.
That... What happened?
Dahan-dahan kong inangat ang tingin sa lalakeng nakatagilid sa direksyon ko.
He was bathing in blood holding a long thick flanged mace on his left hand while licking the blood dripping on his right hand.
When he stopped licking his hand, he darted his gaze on me and grinned.
"Kill, kill you."
That's how I first heard his voice. His voice wasn't that scary, it was deep and was actually a husky one.
When he was about 3 meters away from me, huminto ito at tinitigan ako habang hila hila ang mahabang bakal na sariwa pa ang dugong nakadikit.
Marahan akong bumangon at napaupong tinitigan ito pabalik. "Your eyes, it's beautiful."
It came out from my mouth when I saw his eyes, glittering like an ocean and creating it's own galaxy when it's being reflected by the moon.
He pointed the long thick flanged mace on my neck while grinning. "Kill."
He doesn't look like a monster or a beast but his nails are long and looks strong enough to kill me in just one snap.
"I will kill you."
Dapat ba ay sumigaw ako? He's already planning to kill me in any seconds but still, why do I feel like if ever I scream he will disappear.
Tumayo ako at lumapit sakanya. Nanginginig ang mga kamay na inabot ko ang magkabilang pisngi niya at mariing siniil ng halik ang kanyang labi.
That's how it started...
His hair was longer than the last time I've seen him. His eyes were on the burning furnace and intertwining his fingers while sitting on the floor. I saw how his eyes blinked while staring at the fire reflecting on his eyes. He didn't move nor did he speak. Nanatili lamang siya sa kanyang posisyon na animo'y nasa isang malalim na pag-iisip. Hindi ako nagsalita, bagkus ay lumapit ako sa kinaroroonan niya at umupo sa sahig na hindi kalayuan sa kanya. I know that this is just a dream, that this situation might just one of my expectations and that this is just one of my imaginations. But still, I wanted to burst a cry and just encircle my arms on his. "If only I wasn't weak," I said sorrowfully. "If only I didn't get sick, then you wouldn't disappear from my sight." I chuckled upon remembering how I pathetically got sick. If only it didn't happen, then I would've been feeding the goats while still living with him.
Nakapikit ang mga matang naka-angkala ako sa katawan ni Kareem habang marahan kaming naglalakad sa malamig na gubat. After the dryad suddenly turned into ashes, I couldn't open my eyes. Patuloy pa rin bumabalik sa isipan ko ang mga pangyayari na hindi ko inaakalang mangyayari sa 'kin. "Can you still walk? Do you want to ride on me?" Kareem asked. I shook my head to disagree. "It's fine, I can still walk. You're badly wounded so I won't ride on you," I answered. He growled. "It's not like I'm a weak human like you," he arrogantly said. "I never said that you're weak, Kareem. What I'm telling is that you're wounded and it would be very hard for you to move quickly if ever I ride on your back." "I ain't dryad for nothing. You can't even open your eyes so you should at least consider riding on my back."I let out a deep sigh. "Enough with that ride and riding whatsoever you're talking about. I'm fine, I'll be able to open my eyes later.""How s
Mabilis ang naging takbo ni Gallard habang ako nama'y hindi inaalis ang tingin sa likuran namin. I need to make sure that the dryads aren't following us. The whole forest was dark and cold. The heavy pour of snowflakes is making us hard to run easily. "Malayo pa ba tayo?" tanong ko sakanya. "I'm not really sure, but we will arrive there before the sun sets up, you need to watch your back and yourself."Was it really that far? Thinking how we went there, naglakad lang kami ni Kareem, it doesn't look far to me. Rinig ko ang mabigat na paghinga ni Gallard habang patuloy kami sa pagtakbo. "Are you okay?" I asked worriedly. "Worry about yourself, human.""You seems to be having a hard time breathing..."Bumagal ang pagtakbo niya hanggang sa huminto kami. Nagtatakang bumaba ako mula sa likuran niya at akmang ihahakbang ko na ang paa ko ay humarang siya sa 'kin. "Be careful, it's a cliff."A cliff?Hindi ko gaanong makita ang nasa hara
Nakita ko kung paano kinain ng apoy ang buong sasakyan habang unti-unting natatakpan ng usok ang tatlong pigura ng mga nilalang. "Stop looking at them," he whispered. Hindi ko magawang alisin ang mga mata sa direksyon nila kahit pa hindi ko na sila makita. The image of them seems like a replica of disaster to me. Their eyes were vividly showing me that I am their prey, that they've found me. "Sir, you need to leave the place. It seems like someone just put a bomb on your car." Lumapit sa amin ang dalawang police officer. "What do you mean? It's impossible," my dad unbelievably reacted. Hinaplos ni mom ang magkabilang braso ko kaya napatingin ako sakanya. I don't know why but when my eyes met her eyes, the cold I felt just disappeared. It was soothing to see her worried expression as if comforting me. It's my first time seeing that expression from her. "Are you worried?" I asked. Hindi siya suma
"Would you like to witness what a dryad can do for you?"Nakapanglumbaba ako habang pinagmamasdan ang pagbagsak ng snow mula sa langit. Makikita na ang mga isinabit nila dad na christmas lights sa labas na tingin ko'y magkakaroon na ng kulay mamayang gabi. Christmas is already coming. Kung dati ay hinihintay ko ang pasko dahil sa mga regalo kong natatanggap, ngayon ay gusto ko nalang matulog at hintaying matapos ang celebrasyon. Three days before christmas but I feel like the whole Lake District isn't celebrating christmas but preparing for the next crime that is yet to come. A real disaster that no one will ever know how it started and when will end. "I missed him," I whispered. Gusto ko na siyang makita, mahawakan at mayakap ulit. Are you thinking of me too? "Paano ko siya makikita?" tanong ko sa sarili. "I told you, j
The clock has been ticking repeatedly, round... and unbothered. The letters were like an open door for me to reach the end. There were lots of things I discovered, things that I didn't expect would happen to someone like my... grandma. Love, memories, love... it's all about that. There was nothing to it but a memories that has been kept inside the box for too long, memories of love that I never saw but witnessed through these letters. Ngunit hindi nagtagal ang matamis na memoryang aking nabasa. After the 16th letter, words became shallow and painful. "Why did you leave me?" "If loving you means killing everyone, then I would've done the same thing all over again.""My lady, I can't paint anymore.""I'll stay here on our home, I'll wait and wait and wait and wait... and wait. Until I can hold you again."
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