ZODIAC GATES-Beware of the 13th Sign

2'AT THE TOWN

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“Racchina,” I heard Madame Ruth’s voice calling my name so I stopped what I was doing and hurried straight to the main door.

     “Yes, Madame.”

     She went silent for a while, just assured that she could stare my face for a few seconds.

     I did not break the silence for I knew it’s just her way of saying that she wanted to see my eyes.

     “As always,” she started it again. “Your brown eyes are beautiful than your parents’.” Then she made a bitter smile. And after a few seconds staring at my eyes she said, “Anyway,” cutting the gloomy atmosphere. “Want to buy us some ingredients for our lunch and dinner?” she opened it lively as if she did not remember being unhappy a moment ago. But I knew it for sure that somehow she remembered my parents.

     Madame Ruth told me that she was an acquaintance of my mother. Madame happened to meet her at the Great Circle but never once talked with each other since it’s unusual―prohibited. That’s why when she had to protect me, she gave me to Madame Ruth for my mother barely knew anyone in Capricorn Region except Madame. She entrusted me to her before she was executed with my father. Wala na siyang iba pang sinabi kundi ‘yon lang. Kaya nga wala akong mas’yadong alam tungkol sa mga magulang ko. The only memory I had with them was the dream I always had during my sleeps.

     Their voices kept on telling me that they loved me. And at the end of the same dream, they seemed to be running away from me―their facial features were unclear.

     I stopped my thoughts and tried to enliven myself. “H’m!” I concurred, then grabbed the basket which Madame had around her wrist. Kinuha ko rin ang listahanan ng mga ingredient na pinabibili niya. “Aalis na po ako,” I reminded with a happy face.

     “Be careful,” I heard from her for the last time, then I already moved my feet toward the town which was actually two kilometers away from our house. It may be considered as a long way for me to go but I’m already used to it. And I didn’t even complain for reasons. Gusto ko kasi’ng maglakad papalayo sa bahay so that at least the distance from where I am standing to the castle would be lessened. Sa ganitong paraan ay mas lalo kong nakikita ang palasyo nang malapitan. But still, it’s like it’s really so far away that no matter how I walked toward it, I wouldn’t be able to reach it.

     I drew a breath and let it out slowly, and then realized that I stopped walking just to make those thoughts. I didn’t even realize I was already next to our region’s Capricorn Ruin.

     Every after buying foods in town I always stopped at the Ruin and took a nap. The Ruin looked like just a one-storey facade built with old bricks but when you enter inside, it’s actually bigger than you would think. I should know. I often trespassed and explored but not to the extent.

     Well . . . I’m sure, after I get to buy all of these ingredients in the list, I will stop for a while in there.

     Agad ko nang kinuha ang tingin ko mula sa Ruin at ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad. And after sometime, I was already out of the Capricorn Forest.

     The noise coming from the people in town greeted me as usual. But I was surprised to see less vendors today. Well, I already expected that there would be less for there is a great event that’s actually happening at this moment in the Great Circle. Pero hindi ko inakalang mas kukunti pa ang bilang ng mga nagtitinda ngayon kaysa noong unang taon.

     “Racchina,” an old lady called my name as I approached to her stand.

     “Madame Coring!” I was astonished. I thought she’d be attending the event in the Great Circle but not.