INCUBUS

CHAPTER XV

CHAPTER XV

Sabado at pinili ni Ara na huwag lumabas nang kaniyang silid. Nagmukmok lamang siya kahit na ilang beses siyang tinawag ng kaniyang Lola para kumain ng agahan at tanghalian. Sa hindi hindi malamang dahilan, ni hindi siya makaramdam ng gutom. Ang tanging gusto niya lamang ay mapag-isa.

Nakaupo siya sa kaniyang bay window nang mahagip ng kaniyang mga mata ang lumang libro na binigay sa kaniya ni Professor Evangelista. Nakatago ito sa ilalim ng kama niya at halos makalimutan niya ito.

Tumayo siya at agad na kinuha ang libro. Naupo siya sa kama at binuksan ito kung saan niya ito huling nabasa.

There were scriptures which she can read. She's not even sure of it's latin letters or words. She flips another page and was relieved that there's an English words which she can read.

Before mankind was born, there were angels. God created heaven for them to live. They were happy, contented, and holy. The nine orders of angels are in sync...made with perfection, without flaw, and beautiful in their own unique way.

Then God created earth. He called it Garden of Eden. It was perfect, it was paradise. Angels thought it was their new home. Until God created Adam and Eve. The paradise was not for His angels, but for his new creation...a man and woman.

God asks his angels to serve mankind. Love them as they love Him. Protect them as they protect Him. Every angel embraced their new tasks as they worshiped Him. Everyone...except the 'Light Bringer'. His favorite...Lucifer.

One special gift God has given to His angels is free will. And that gift was used against Him.

Concealed with hatred and envy, Lucifer made a pact with darkness as he lured Adam and Eve to disobey God. The fall of man.

Lucifer, who was expecting God to destroy man and woman, was furious as He forgive them and give them their freedom to multiply.

Raging with anger, he declared war between him and God. But God sent his archangels to banish him and other fallen angels who sided with him.

"Wow." Halos pabulong na wika ni Ara. "Fiction book ba 'to?" wala sa sariling tanong niya at muling sinara ang libro upang tingnan ang pabalat ng aklat.

Ang naaalala niyang sabi ni Professor Evangelista ay itong libro na 'to ang makakasagot sa katanungan niya. Maybe the professor was bluffing. Maaring gusto lamang nitong mawala sa bookshelves niya ang lumang aklat kaya ibinigay nito iyon sa kaniya.

Regardless, the book was interesting. At kung hindi lamang ito kasing kapal ng encyclopedia ay baka tinapos na niya ito. Nakaka-dalawang pahina pa lamang siya pero pakiramdam niya ba ay inubos nito ang lakas niya. Bigla ay nagutom siya kaya naisipan niyang lumabas ng silid at dumeretso sa kusina.

Lihim siyang natuwa na makitang pork adobo ang ulam nila kanina. Kumuha siya ng plato at nagsalin ng maraming kanin sa plato. Ang nagmamantikang sabaw ng adobo ay halos ibuhos niya sa kanin niya. Pinili niya ring mag-kamay lamang para mas lalo siyang ganahang kumain habang nakataas pa ang kaliwang paa sa upuan.

Nasa ganoong posisyon siya nang biglang pumasok si Mason at may dalang purified water para sa water dispenser nila.

"Aba, aba. Nagutom din ang ermitanya!" pang-aasar nito pero hindi niya lamang ito pinansin. Sobrang sarap ng kinakain niya para makaramdam ng inis.

"Tara, kain tayo," sabi niya habang ngumunguya. Ramdam niyang puno ng mantika ang paligid ng bibig niya. At sermon ang aabutin niya kapag nakita siya ng kaniyang Ama na ganito kumain.