His Girl Friday 2

Chapter 3: Mrs. Arcangel

Chapter 3: Mrs. Arcangel

Ara: SOS

Ara: SOS SOS SOS

Ara: CALL ME NOW

Ara: ANSWER THE GROUP CALL

Ara: GIRLS!!!!!!!

***

Did I listen to Mary Ann when she told me not to go to Artemis Lake?

No, of course not. Sino ba siya?

Her boss needs to remember that I do not take it too well when people boss me around, especially when under false pretenses. I could smell her lies a mile away. Stay away from Artemis Lake? You should've just told me to go there right away. It's like waving a piece of meat in front of a hungry dog.

So after reapplying sunblock to my face and body, I roamed around Hacienda Arcangel with the golf cart I was riding earlier. Mabuti na lang at nakasukbit pa rin ang susi nito, hindi na ako nahirapang itakas pa ito at gamitin sa pag-gagala.

Everything was so green and lush. The air was so clean and fresh, I felt like I'm breathing premium air. I chuckled at my ridiculous thoughts.

Mukhang mas naging okay ang hacienda. Mas marami ang mga pananim, matataas ang mga tayo ng mga tubo, mais, at palay. Marami na rin ang mga kabayo sa nadaanan kong malaking parte ng hacienda na nakabakod. Marami na rin ang mga baka sa kabilang banda.

Mukhang maraming magagandang bagay ang naidulot sa mga Arcangel ang pagpapakasal kina Apollo at Maya.

kung ano ang ikinaganda at ikinalago ng Hacienda ay ang ikinalungkot at pagkasira nito. Iisipin mong abandonadong mansyon ito kung hindi mo makikita ang naglalabas-masok na mga trabahador dito. Someone probably saw me now and reported to Apollo.

Well, what's he gonna do? Make me leave? He's just going to make me leave faster. It's not like it's not going to happen.

May isang matandang lalaki ang ngumiti sa akin. Nginitian ko rin siya at kinawayan. "Good afternoon po," bati ko rito.

"Magandang hapon din po, ma'am," bati nito pabalik sa akin, nakangiti pa rin.

Bigla kong naalala 'yung masungit na assistant ni Apollo, pati na rin ang sinabi niya tungkol sa mga linta. I stepped on the brake and called the old man again. "Manong, marami po bang linta ngayon sa Artemis Lake po?"

Natawa ito sa tanong ko. "Wala pong linta dito, ma'am."

Hindi nawala ang ngiti sa mukha ko kahit na unti-unti kong nararamdaman ang pag init ng mukha at tenga ko sa pagkainis. "Sige po. Salamat!"

That little lying shit.

With that, my annoyance to Apollo's assistant fueled me and the golf cart I was riding to speed off to Artemis Lake. Within minutes I reached the boardwalk of Artemis Lake. I gasped when I saw the roof of the cabin, Apollo's cabin.

Our cabin.

And just like Casa Arcangel, the cabin is also in ruins now. The door was unhinged and from where I was seated on the golf cart, I could see the mattress was on the floor. I jumped out of the golf cart and walked towards the cabin without thinking.

My jaw dropped when I saw how destroyed it was from the inside. The mattress looked like it was thrown to the floor, same with the pillows and the comforter. Apollo's study table haphazardly lying on the ground, its chair broken. The floor was also covered with unspooled films, film canisters, and books and photography magazines, as well as dried leaves, dust, and dried mud. Wild plants were also growing in some parts of the room.