Jamaica Villanueva
"Uncontrollable, this power could kill. It's so dark, it's so dangerous." I heard the man's laugh, he was wearing a cloak and a very intimidating and creepy presence. And that voice... is familiar! Narinig ko na 'yan! But I can't remember who owns that voice.
Nasaan ako..?
I tried speaking, but I can't. I tried to move, but I can't.
"The day you were born, was the day the mystery started.." Then the same man faced me. He then removed his cloak, and I saw his face.
Isang segundo ko lang iyon nakita at agad akong napapikit ng mata. He has the face of a clock, clock filled with blood, thorns and.. many familiar faces.
"What now, Ms. Jamaica Villanueva?" His hands touched my cheeks, it felt cold. It was lifeless.
"Ah, no. You're not Jamaica Villanueva." Narinig ko ang mapakla niyang tawa. Di ko pinansin ang kaniyang sinabi.
"Look at me." Mahina niyang bulong, but I didn't obliged. Narinig ko ang malakas niyang paghampas sa lamesa.
"I said look at me!" Sigaw niya. Takot akong tumingin sa kaniya. I'm scared, I dont want this..
Naramdaman ko ang malakas niyang sampal. Agad kong nalasahan ang dugo na dumaloy mula sa pisngi pababa sa labi ko.
"I'm... the first generation lord. Kailangan mong lumuhod sa akin." Walang emosyon ang kaniyang boses.
Napangisi ako at nagtaas ng tingin. "W-who are you?" I whispered, namamaos man ang boses.
"I'm the..." Ngumisi ito at nagkibit- balikat. Inilahad niya ang kamay, senyales na lumuhod ako.
"Lumuhod ka, mababang uri na nilalang." He said.
"Jerk." Mahina kong bulong at lumuhod. Then I said,
"Kahit ilang beses mo pa akong paluhudin, the fact won't change. Hindi kita tinuturing na hari or panginoon. You're as low... as what am I."
"You got me there, honey. You're trapped in the time of magic and you won't be able to recognize yourself."
NAPASIGAW ako nang mahulog sa kama. I'm taken back to reality and fortunately, I'm alive.
"Hey, are you okay?" Tinulungan niya akong umupo sa kama. The boy I heard.. he wasn't the fire prince.
Agad akong nakaramdam ng disappointment. I'm feeling sorry for Keith, my classmate, I can't see his worth.
Ngumiti ako nang pilit. "Yea. I'm fine." Maikli kong sagot at nagiwas ng tingin. It's awkward.
"Jamaica."
"Hmm?"
"I-i brought food." Lumingon ako sa Tupperware na dala niya.
"Is that for me?"
"Yes, ofcourse." Agad niyang nilapag ang Tupperware sa table malapit sa kama.
I am busy eating when I remembered something. "Keith, Nasaan ako?"
"My room. Nahimatay ka kasi kanina nung nilapitan kita." Nakamasid ito sa akin. Tumango nalang ako. I don't want to hear his voice. It makes me disappointed.
"Pasensya na sa abala. Babalik din ako sa bahay pagkatapos kung kumain. Thankyou." Tumingin ako nang diretso sa mata nito.
He was so close, but so far away.
He looked like him, but wasn't really him.
I touched his cheeks. "A-ang payat-payat mo na bakla. Kumain ka kasi ng marami." Pabulong kong biro.
His reaction was weird. Hindi siya sumimangot o umangal man lang. But instead, namula ang tainga niya.
I chuckled and distanced myself from him. I looked at him with an apologizing look as I continue eating.
"Jamaica, ihahatid na kita." Sabi niya habang sumasabay sa paglalakad.
Umiling ako. "Nope. Masyado na akong nakakaabala. I can handle myself naman."
"I insist."
"Well. Bahala ka. Pake ko sa'yo." Nagkibit-balikat ako. Walking distance lang din naman mula sa bahay ni Keith Keith sa bahay ko.
Tahimik kaming naglakad at nang makarating sa bahay ay humarap ako kay Keith.
"Salamat nga pala sa paghatid sa akin, at sa pagkain. Hayaan mo, babawi ako." Tumango lang siya.
Pumasok na ako at sinara ang gate. "Lola! Nandito na ako!" Sigaw ko pero nadatnan ko ang tatlong katawan, duguan sa sahig ng sala.
I didn't want to beleive it was my family lying on the ground lifeless. Agad akong nanlamig at lumapit. It was lola, lolo and mama.
Kinusot ko ang mata. Nagbabakasakaling mali lang ang nakita. Bakit lumalabo ang paningin ko?
Agad kong tinignan kung may pulso pa ba sila pero nabigo ako. Nanghihina akong napaupo at yumakap sa bangkay ni lola. Hinawakan ko naman ang kamay ni mama.
They are... lifeless.
As my vision became blurry, I understand. It was the tears forming as it is streaming down my cheeks uncontrollably.
"Sinong gumawa nito sainyo?! Sino ang walang awa na pumatay sainyo nang ganito?!"
My voice cracked and I know right at that moment, I was facing a ultimate heartbreak.
"AAAHHHH!!! SINONG MAY GAWA NITO SAINYO?!?!!" I shouted. Didn't mind the pain I felt in my throat.
"Sorry... sorry.. I was useless.. I didn't save you.. sorry.. lola... sorry... mama... lolo... pasensya.."
I kept shouting and saying the same thing all over again while hugging lola and holding the cold hands of lolo and mama. Until I fell asleep due to exhaustion.
GABI na nang maalimpungatan akong magising. My eyes are swollen and I can barely open my eyes due to too much crying.
"Ito na ang halimaw!!" I heard a familiar voice shouting in the entrance of the house. Lumingon ako and I was right...
"M-Mrs. T-Tarranza?" Confusion was coated in my system when I saw her smirking at me. She was our history teacher na nagpadetention kay Keith noon.
Flashback
"Good Morning Class!" Maarteng sabi ng teacher habang patapon na inilagay ang mga libro sa teacher's desk.
"Good Morning Ma'am!" Bati namin pabalik subalit tinaasan niya lang kami ng kilay. Terror.
"I am Mrs. Tarranza, your History Teacher" nakangisi niyang sabi at inisa-isa kami ng tingin. Nakasuot ito ng eyeglasses, and I think her red lipstick slay!
End of flashback
"Sunugin na ang bahay!!" She shouted and snapped her fingers as she came closer to me.
It took me a few seconds before I finally realized what's happening. But I didn't move. My life is not worth living. My family... Is dead. My only reason to live is dead so why bother to live pa di'ba?
Nakatitig lang ako sa papalapit na guro. She was smirking like a crazy madman and it was creepy but I didn't care.
"Hindi ka ba natatakot mamatay, Jamaica?" She asked, almost whispering and it gave me the chills. It was frightening.
I stared at the lifeless body of my family. And it was breaking me pieces by pieces. And then as I think of the same thing over and over again, It breaks me over and over.
And I saw myself again hugging lola so tightly, asking why she didn't hug back only to make myself remember she was already dead.
Imagine yourself going home but instead of seeing your family's happy faces and receiving plenty of kisses, you'll see them lifeless.
Then a scene suddenly flashed.
"Anak, kung mamatay man kaming lahat at ikaw nalang ang matira, continue living and pursue your dreams okay? In that way, magiging proud kami sa'yo."
أنت تقرأ
Destined Fate
الخيال (فانتازيا)"She deserve to live, but fate killed her." She said as she closed the book ending the magic.
