The Merchant's Heavenly Contract

6

Thank the heavens, it was Jairo who was shot.

Instead of focusing on him, I looked at the panting woman, hands shaking. From her to her hand.

A pistol. An NV-34, nice. Not that pricey, but still good. Nang matapos kong suriin ang baril niya, muling bumalik ang tingin ko sa kaniya.

Maghawak ang dalawang kamay niya sa baril, dalawang hintuturo ang nasa gatilyo. She's not a shooter for sure, but she can shoot. I mean, she just shot Jairo between his eyes. I guess she's practicing for this moment.

Wearing a white sando that shows her almond skin filled with tattoos, with brown knee-up pants and slippers. Standing in front of the door, the sunlight is hitting her brown hair that's in a tie and her golden hoop earrings. She's tiny, she looks like a kid.

Mula sa pagiging balisa, nagawa pang lumiwanag ng ekspresyon niya. "I-I did it," she mumbled that I could hear. "I DID IT! I shot Huitzilopochtli's son!" she proudly said.

I nodded in approval. Many people wanted to kill Jairo, and I think that's a goal.

From having a proud look to being emotional, to the point of tears. Her change of emotion got my attention.

"I-I avenged you . . ."

Napaangat ang dalawang kilay ko sa narinig. Doon ako napaayos ng tayo.

"My, we have a devoter here," pagbungad ko sa kaniya na nakakuha ng atensyon niya. She was immediately alerted, her eyebrows met.

She didn't mind my greeting, instead, she owned up to what she did. "Take me! I don't care! I don't regret killing that bastard!"

Napataas ang dalawang kamay ko na sinabayan ng pagsipol. "No need to defensive, I'm just greeting you."

"Tapos huhulihin mo 'ko! You can't trick me anymore! Your kind won't trick me anymore!" Tumaas ang tono niya ng pananalita. It made her get the other's attention too.

"No, really. Bakit kita huhulihin? Wala ka namang ginawang masama."

"Are you blind?! I just shot-" She stopped midway when she saw my expression, telling her that I knew what I saw.

Nahinto siya sa reaksyon ko. Despite her tan skin, I still witnessed how she became pale. She instantly looked back at the man she shot, who at the same time, slowly rising.

Crinkling his nose, scratching his forehead that had a hole just seconds ago, now completely healed. Jairo has an irritated expression. "Oi, what's that fucking for?"

As if seeing a literal ghost, the woman in front of us was frozen in her place with her eyes widened. Nabitawan niya ang hawak-hawak niyang baril. Naglakad na 'ko papalapit sa kaniya.

"Nice try, really. But unfortunately, you can't kill Jairo with a pistola, niña. As a devoter, you should know why he's called the undead of the battlefield." I winked, walking closer to her. "You should've bought some weapons from me, I have some that are effective." I chuckled.

Hindi pa rin siya nakagalaw sa pwesto niya, natauhan na lang nang mapansin ang higanteng pigura sa gilid niya. Doon niya 'ko napansin, napaangat ang kaniyang tingin. She squeaked, scared and intimidated.

"Now, why won't you tell me why you're trying to kill him?" I maintained my tone, trying to be not intimidating nor scary. However, it didn't do anything. She's still shaking, biting her lower lip. But she's brave, I can give her that. Most mortals wouldn't last this long in front of me.

It took seconds before she suddenly burst out. "To avenge my family! That man is the son of the god who killed them!" She shouted as tears were starting to form in her eyes.

All of us were taken aback, dumbfounded. Huitzilopocht? A god did this?

Nakarinig ako ng pagsipol. "Oh, case solved, then?" Izel said with a cheery voice, sounding sincere but just mocking Jairo.

"Huh?!" Napatayo na si Jairo at napalapit din sa amin, napaatras at lumapit sa akin ang babae. "What are you talking about?!" 

"Hey, you're scaring her," I calmly said. Even though Jairo's tone is scary, I know for sure that he's not mad at all, just curious like us after hearing the accusation about his father.

"Don't be scared, that's his normal face. He won't hurt you." I reassured her. Nalipat sa 'kin ang masamang tingin ni Jairo. "How about, starting with your name?" I asked.

Nagdadalawang isip man, bumaba ang tingin ng babae at sumagot. Nanatili siyang nakatago sa gilid ko. "I-I'm Atzi. A devoter of the Aztecs God . . ." Napahawak siya nang mahigpit sa dulo ng damit ko na katabi niya lang.

Still crying, she looked up again. This time, at Jairo, eyes blazing. "My family was a faithful devotee of God Huitzilopochtli . . ." She gritted her teeth. "But when my older sister fell in love, she wanted to live her life outside of the village and stop worshipping. Because of that, Huitzilopochtli punished us and took her!"

Muli siyang naiyak, pero lakas loob pa ring nakatingin nang masama kay Jairo. "Your father took everything from me! He cursed my family! Took my sister, and will take my younger brother too!" She weep.

Everyone was quiet, both Izel and I watched her cry. Celi sympathized with her. And Jairo looked at her . . . in disbelief.

"Huh?" I heard a nonchalant reaction from him. He winced. "My father wouldn't give a fuck if I die right now, he wouldn't if his children died. And you're telling me that he'll have resentment when a mortal—your sister stops worshipping him?"

His words shot senses to Atzi's head, making her stop weeping and look at him.

Jairo continued. "He doesn't give a fuck. No, I don't mean to offend you or your beliefs but for real, he won't give a fuck if you stop worshipping him. He WON'T curse your family just for that."

Atzi stared back at him, they stared at each other. I felt the imaginary wind passing by with the deafening silence.

"Ha." A short reaction came from her mouth. "Then . . . who did?"

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