The Town of Anathema

Chapter Five

I looked around my room. I still couldn't hear anything. I decided to open my window. I finally heard the faint sound of the melody of what sounded like a piano. I looked back at my room one last time before I climbed out of the window.

"Whoa..."

I hear this upbeat tempo playing high notes. The sound of the piano was soft and gentle. It was too pleasing to listen to. It screamed hope and inspiration. Just by hearing the music alone, it felt dreamy and magical. The melody around me was almost visible like it was shining. My heart felt like it was going to burst out with joy. My feet, as if they had minds of their own, followed where the music was coming from.

I reached a part of the forest wherein there was a huge empty space. There was what seemed like golden dust floating around which lighted the place. Yellow butterflies flew around. I smiled in admiration as I came closer.

The golden dust moved and shaped into a gorgeous lady with long shiny hair. I think it's Maria Santisima, the powerful diwata that Penny was talking about. I saw her speaking to the man I saw earlier but I think I got the attention of the gold butterflies because they flew in my direction. This made the diwata turn to me too.

"Mukhang mayroon tayong banyagang lahi ngayong gabi," her voice echoed to the whole forest. "What brings you here, young man? Curiosity?"

I shook my head.

"Is it true that you can take my pain away?" I asked.

"Well, of course." She smiled. "May I know what caused you this pain?"

"My parents died."

"Oh, you poor thing. Let's not waste more time and lift that heavy weight from your chest, shall we?"

I nodded as I smiled in excitement. I felt like a little boy who was going to get candy from a stranger.

She swung her arm forward and did a hand movement which made the gold dust fly around me. My feet lifted from the ground and I felt myself slowly spin. Euphoria flooded me as I breathed in. I could feel the pain being sucked away from me. It felt good for a while but I slowly felt something suffocating. I held my chest as I tried to breathe evenly but to no avail.

What is happening?

I heard the diwata's laugh echoing around me but that was the least of my worries now. I couldn't breathe! I couldn't put myself down either. The golden dust, along with the yellow butterflies, just kept on flying around me.

As my pain got sucked away, it felt like my life was being squeezed out of me too.

"Stop," I tried to shout but even my voice felt weak. I didn't know what to do! How do I make it stop?

"Did you think it was that easy to get what you want? Nothing is done for free in this world anymore, young man. Everything comes with a price."

I coughed as I struggled to gasp for air. Suddenly, I dropped hard to the ground. All I felt was weakness and... emptiness. Like there's this huge hole inside of me.

"You see... Your pain gives me more strength. However, not only will I take away your pain, but also your ability to be happy will be gone too."

"W-what? What are you saying?" I asked, almost in a whisper.

"Weaklings like you do not deserve the right to be happy. It is as simple as that."

It's odd how I feel no pain but I feel too weak to move or do anything. I feel dead but my heart is still beating.

"Now, if you want to continue living like a corpse, you shouldn't tell a soul about this. You are forbidden to go back to the town of Anathema. If you break these rules, I will take your life away too."