Mirakov
603... 604... 605... I was busily counting the trees that we passed by when the car suddenly came to a stop. I guess we've reached the end of the road. The ride was bumpy, anyone that has a brain could tell the road was neither cemented nor asphalted. Anong klaseng lugar ba 'to? I thought to myself as I prepared to get out of the car. Bahagya kong hinawi ang aking mahabang buhok na tumatabing sa mukha ko.
Straightened my curled up sweat shirt and my shoulders and ever so slowly opened the door of the car and went out, and as my shoes came in contact with the rocky uncemented road and the wind ever so softly graced my skin, a chill ran down my spine as I dive in the view.
"Welcome to your new school, ija." Napalingon ako sa may ari ng boses na iyon. Si Miss Miranda, ang aming Guidance Counselor, personal niya akong inihatid sa school kuno na ito.
"Eto na 'yun?" I said questioningly, my tone laced with obvious disappointment. It was nothing but a huge gothic gate with leaves and vines creeping up those rusty metal bars.
"Yes... Mirakov, it's the place that suits you best, ija." Suits me best? Ang tila abandonadong lugar na ito? Best? This wasn't what I was expecting from a 'prestigious' school. Kung tutuusin ang inaasahan ko ay manliliit ako pero ngayon kakaibang kilabot ang nararamdaman ko.
"P–pero Ma'am baka nagkakamali lang kayo?" taka ko pa ding saad. Pero isang kakaibang ngiti lang ang iginawad niya sa akin habang ibinababa ang mga gamit ko mula sa trunk ng kotse niya. Ang drama pa ng goodbyes namin nila Sister at ng mga bata sa Tahanan tapos ganito lang pala ang pupuntahan ko? Pinagtitripan ba ako nito?
At isa pa mukha bang Academy tong lugar na to? Ha!? Ha!?
"I'm sorry but this is for the best," I roamed my eyes around. It feels like I'm in the middle of nowhere. I'm starting to think that Miss Miranda is a serial killer and she brought me here to kill me instead and bury my body. I was about to protest to her, however, in a blink of an eye I saw her already behind the wheels, starting the engine and leaving me here. What the hell?
"T–teka, ma'am! No, 'wag mo akong iwan dito! Ma'am naman walang biruan ng ganito! Balikan mo ko dito!" I shouted trying to catch up to the car speeding away but it was futile. Tinungo ko ang bag at maleta kong nasa isang gilid at hinanap ang keypad na cellphone ko. Sinubukan kong tawagan sina Sister pero, 'Sorry. You do not have enough balance to make a call please...' –the heck.
"Where on fucking earth am I?" I uttered ever so helplessly as I sat on my luggage bag. Gigil na gigil akong pumindot sa cellphone. Anong klaseng pakulo ba ito?! Sabi niya sa isang prestigious kunong paaralan ako magpupunta hindi sa isang mala-gubat na lugar at may ilang daang taon na atang gate na bigla na lang bumukas.
With screeching sounds the gate opened halfway. Kunot noo ko itong tinignan, contemplating kung dapat ba akong pumasok? Despite being opened, I couldn't see what was beyond those metal bars. Okay? Baka 'yung gate nila ay luma na at kailangan nang ipa-renovate, maybe the school buildings will not be so bad. Afterall, most 'prestigious' schools are old ones, right? Like La Salle, Ateneo, UP, or the oldest university which was Sto. Tomas? Baka kaya kinakalawang ang gate sa sobrang tagal nang itinatag ng school na 'to? Wala naman sigurong serial killer dito 'di ba? I was a little bit convinced by my own rationale about the weirdness of this supposed school. Akmang tatayo na sana ako nang biglang gumalaw muli ang gate subalit sa pagkakataong ito ay pasara naman.
"T–teka wait lang naman! Nag-dedecide pa 'yung tao kung papasok o hindi, eh!" I suddenly uttered to no one in particular. Wala sa sariling dali-dali kong hinigit ang maleta't iba ko pang mga gamit upang agad na makapasok.
"Muntik na," hingal kong saad, saktong pagka-pasok ko ay sumara ang gate kaya naman nakahinga ako ng maluwag at napa-sandal sa gate ngunit imbes na malamig na bakal ang masandalan ko ay dumiretso ako papahiga dahil biglang naglaho ang gate?!
Agad akong tumayo, palinga-linga sa paligid pero nawala talaga?! Wala yung gate na pinasukan ko?! Tanging mga hilera ng mga naglalakihang puno tila ito bukana ng isang gubat. I blinked thrice, rubbed my eyes, closed it and opened it again pero wala talaga. Tila isang bulang naglaho yung gate. No! It was as if there was never a gate there in the first place.
"Oh my god... What kind of sick joke is this?!" I shouted on top of my lungs.
"Ang ingay mo," nagulat ako sa boses na iyon. Kung ganon may tao bukod sa akin? Nakahinga ako ng maluwag sa isiping iyon.
"H–huh? Sino ka? Sinong nandiyan?! M–magpakita ka!" I said as I roamed my gaze around.
"Boo."
"Ahhh!"
"Holy lightning! Ang ingay mo talaga," saad ng boses na iyon. Habang nakahawak sa tenga at naka-lambitin patiwarik sa malaking puno, "Ang sakit sa tenga ng tili mo," reklamo ng kung sino mang ito.
"Siraulo ka ba?! Sinong hindi mapapatili kung bigla ka nalang magpapakita ng ganyan?" saad ko nang nakabawi mula sa pagkagulat.
"That's called element of surprise," natatawang saad niya at saka pa-luhod na bumagsak sa harap ko. He expertly landed in front of me, at may pa-hawi pa ng buhok na nalalaman. The hell? I don't know what's weirder, this place or this man.
"Ikaw ba yung transfer?" Tanong niya habang pinapagpag ang suot.
"Obvious ba?" Sarkastiko kong sagot.
"Davizar, a knight." A what? I incredulously looked at his serious face and his hand that he held out for a shake. Pero natatakot akong tanggapin iyon dahil baka bigla niya akong hilain tapos hampasin sa batok or something. O baka nag-ooverthink lang ako, pero sino bang hindi mapapa-overthink sa ganitong school na may wirdong gate na bigla-bigla na lang naglalaho at wirdong estudyanteng tila unggoy na naka-lambitin sa puno?
"Mirakov." I reached for his held out hands with hesitation.
"Sorry nga pala dito, utos lang," bigla niyang sabi at taka ko naman siyang tinignan,"Huh? What do you mean?"
"This," he uttered and suddenly I felt an electrifying sensation run down from his hand towards mine as if I accidentally touched an open circuit.
"Arrrgh!" The pain from the electric current caused me to lose my consciousness, "W–what..."
"G–gaige." Gaige is walking painfully slow towards me with a demonic expression and blank eyes.
"She is gonna kill me..." Sandaling napadako ang tingin ko sa langit at nakita ko ang buwan na unti-unting natatabunan... An eclipse.
Slowly, the little light from the moon that serves as the only source of light for me to see the surrounding disappears. At nang tuluyan nang nilamon ng mundo ang buwan ay saka naman umatake ang kakaibang nilalang na iyon. She lunged at me, a hand enveloped my neck and I could feel her sharp nails digging into my skin. I could only feel pain but couldn't see it, for darkness swallowed the whole place. The lamp post died and the lunar eclipse blocked the only source of light left.
I couldn't see anything, could do nothing, I felt so powerless and weak and terrified at the same time that things don't even make sense anymore. Her grip on my neck tightened and I could no longer breathe.
"Gai–," I choked as I struggled under her tight grip.
"You? Will kill me?" she said to me, faking a hurt tone.
"Pl–ease s–stop," I whispered as tears rolled down my cheek.
"Yess! That's right, Beg!" she ridiculously said with an evil laugh, as if my suffering brings her entertainment, "Beg controller, beg!" Slowly, I could feel my feet detaching from the ground. She lifted me up and like a piece of weightless rag doll she threw me forcefully. I landed on cold water, which must've been the pool. And slowly, the water enveloped me as I drowned.
One moment I was drowning and then the second I saw myself running... Away madly from something. Finally I could see the road. Paika-ika akong tumawid, ngunit nasa kalagitnaan ako nang matamaan ako ng nakasisilaw na ilaw at isang malakas na busina ang umalingawngaw.
"AAAAHHH!" napabangon ako. Isang masamang panaginip... na naman. Napasapo sa aking dibdib. Hinihingal at pawisan ako... It was the same nightmare over and over again since her death. For weeks, it's been hunting me. I don't understand if it was a memory that I've lost or just my weird fucked up brain creating some sort of coping mechanism for the guilt over her death and my memory loss.
Huminga ako ng malalim at muling humiga subalit kumunot ang aking noo dahil... Wala ako sa aking kwarto, doon ko napagtantong, "Shit! Where the heck am I?" hindi ko alam kung nasaan ako. The last thing I remember was the electrocuting pain from that stupid Davizar.
Agad akong napabangon sa kama. I scanned the whole room. It's like a hotel room, decent but empty. Agad akong tumayo at kinapa ang aking sarili. I seem fine and not a speck misplaced, the only thing that doesn't fit is where I am right now.
Suddenly, I heard footsteps, agad akong napalingon sa pintuan at nang makita kong unti-unting umiikot ang door knob ay dali dali akong kumilos upang salubungin ito ng patalim. Yes, I came prepared, it's just a small knife anyway. Sister Therese said this was with me the day she found me outside of the orphanage. I wasn't able to use this earlier because that stupid guy whom I thought was a good guy will be my tour guide as a new transferee, but now, I'm never letting my guard down in this weird place ever again.
"Sino ka?! At nasaan ako!?" Nanlalaki ang kanyang mga mata.
"Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait, Miss!" saad niya at unti-unting humahakbang papa-likod.
"Sumagot ka!" At diniin pa ang maliit na kutsilyo sa kanyang leeg, sapat lang para hindi pa siya masugat.
"Teka nga lang kasi! Will you calm down!" sagot niya muli kaya mas lalo ko itong idiniin. This time nasugat na siya, hindi malalim but enough to sting, "Sagot!"
"Will you just calm down? I'm just following orders to have you be guided to the headmaster's office!" habang nagra-rap siya ay tinignan ko ang kanyang kabuuan.
She looks fine and decent. Her short hair is perfectly straight. Her eyes are a bit chunky and her nose upright. Her lips are a bit thick and her eyebrows well-shaped, and her physical appearance kind of speaks that she's Chinese or atleast she looks like one. Ibinaba ko ang hawak na patalim at napansin ko ang pag-hinga niya ng malalim.
"Wala akong naintindihan, ulitin mo." I demanded. Oo na bossy na kung bossy but really how would you expect me to react kung bigla ka nalang nagigising sa isang 'di pamilyar na kwarto matapos kang kuryentehin ng isang di kilalang lalaki?! What if I was taken advantage of while unconcious? "Sabi ko ulitin mo."
"Oh, really? You're not the boss of me, Lady!" She gave me facepalm, "Pagkatapos mo kong sugatan? Sumunod ka na lang sakin! The headmaster will be the one to talk to you, inutusan lang akong ihatid ka doon, okay?" saad niya sa galit na tono.
"Hey, wait lang! Saan ka?" habol ko sa babaeng yun nang bigla siyang lumabas ng kwarto.
"Malayo sayo abnormal," mahina lang 'yon pero nadinig ko.
Was it Victorian? Edwardian? Gothic? Hindi ko mapunto pero sigurado akong makaluma ang disenyo ng corridor na tinatahak namin. Mas iisipin ko pang nasa isang lumang palasyo ako imbes na prestihiyosong paaralan.
"N–nandito na tayo," basag ng babaeng sumundo sa akin sa katahimikang namagitan sa aming dalawa habang tinatahak ang daan ng aming patutunguhan. Mula sa sahig ay unti-unting kong ini-angat ang aking paningin.
It's a huge mahogany door with a weird intricate pattern of lines and curves. Pakiramdam ko ay nakita ko na ito, tila ito isang araw na may walong sinag at sa gitna ay tila mata... That weird crest! Sa letter!
Kung gayon nasa harap na kami ng, "This is headmaster's office. Be our guest," saad ni ateng Chinese. Well, I decided to call her that dahil hindi ko alam ang pangalan niya.
Marahang bumukas ang double doors at sinalubong ako ng napaka-liwanag na ilaw. Dahil dito ay hinarang ko ang aking braso upang hindi masilaw. Dahil naka-harang ang braso ko ay hindi ko namalayan ang pag-sara ng pinto sa aking likuran pati na din ang biglaang pag-galaw ni Ateng Chinese na tila may iniwasang kung anong bagay dahilan para iyon ay tumama sa direksyon ko.
Dug! Halos lumuwa ang aking mata nang napagtanto ko ang bagay na tumama sa aking direksyon.
"The hell?" Utas ko nang makita ang isang dagger na halos ga-hibla na lang ang layo sa aking lalamunan, nakabaon ito sa pintuan na 'di ko namalayang nasandalan ko na pala. Isang maling galaw ko ay tiyak na bubulwak ang dugo sa aking leeg. I was able to regain myself from shock at dali-daling lumayo sa dagger na iyon. Wala pa akong isang araw sa lugar na 'to pero ilang beses na akong muntik mamatay.
Isang malakas na tawa ang umalingawngaw dahilan para mapa-palingon ako sa harapan.
"Welcome to our Academy, Miss Alvarez," nangunot ang aking noo sa tinuran ng boses na iyon. That voice was owned by a man around his late 30's, he wore a weird white suit with bronze linings and patterns. He's got a creepy smile on his face and most of all, he holds a dagger similar to the one thrown at me that almost killed me.
Kung ganun siya ba ang nag-bato ng dagger?!
"Headmaster," my mouth went agape at what this Chinese looking girl said.
"Thank you for your services, Miss Elisha," saad ng lalaki na ito sa kaniya. She finally has a name.
"Ikaw ang headmaster?" 'di makapaniwalang bulalas ko dahilan para titigan ako ng babaeng nagngangalang Elisha raw ng masama. What? Bawal bang magtaka? Anong klaseng bati 'yung hahagisan ka ng patalim?! Una, sa wirdong gate ako inihatid ng Guidance namin tapos kinuryente ako ng isang baliw na lalaki tapos hahagisan ako ng patalim ng headmaster?
At speaking of baliw na lalaki, "Headmaster, these are the files you were asking for," bigla na lang siyang lumitaw sa tabi ng headmaster. Kabute ba 'to?
"Oh, narito na pala ang iyong admission files, come... Maupo ka Miss Alvarez and... Miss Elisha pwede ka munang maghintay sa labas," utos nito sa aming lahat. Hanggang sa makalabas na si Ateng Chinese ay tulala lang ako... Still not able to digest what's happening.
"Miss Alvarez," tawag sa akin ng Headmaster. He gestured his hand for me to sit down. Saka ko lamang napansin na nakaupo na pala siya sa tapat ng isang engrandeng mahogany table sa gitna ng buong silid.
May ilang bagay na nakapatong dito tulad ng sand time, ink at feather? Scrolls at tila isang lumang picture frame na nakatalikod sa akin kaya hindi ko kita kung ano ang larawang naka-lakip dito. Sa tapat ng lamesa ay may dalawang upuan na tulad din nito ang disenyo. Umupo ako sa gawing kaliwa.
"First, I would like to welcome you to Academía Mírkovía, and congratulations for passing the requirements in order to be admitted to the most Prestigious school in this Kingdom," at ang tanging sagot ko lang ay isang, "Huh?" Dahil wala akong maintindihan sa mga pinag-sasasabi niya.
"Oh, right. Miss Mercy didn't tell you anything?" Tanong niya na tila ba nagtataka sa aking reaksyon.
"Tell me what?" Walang kaalam-alam kong tanong.
"She really had to bring you here cluelessly?" He whispered something that I wasn't able to comprehend at all.
"Mawalang galang na ho Sir, Headmaster o kung ano man ang tawag sa inyo, pero ayaw ko na po dito," I told him straightforwardly, "Nagbago na ang isip ko tungkol sa pag-transfer," especially because of my recent encounters earlier.
"My dear," he said and leaned on his cushioned chair, "Honestly, what you want and do not want, doesn't matter," he told me matter-of-factly.
"What do you mean, sir?"
"This," said he and handed me the so-called contract, which reminded me that I signed it already in Ma'am Miranda's office.
"You have already signed this, and it clearly states in the third part of this contract that since this is a program they signed up for, once the student is admitted to our school he or she cannot back out, hence the school nor the student themselves pays for the cancellation of the slot and contract," mahabang paliwanag niya sa akin.
"At magkano naman ang babayaran namin kung sakali?" tanong ko na sana pala ay hindi ko na lang ginawa.
"Well, a good Four Hundred and Fifty golden coins I suppose," Nahulog ang panga ko, "Golden what?"
"Oh, right. You're not familiar with our currency. That's okay. I guess you have all the time in the world to adjust yourself here. Anyways, why don't you give the place a chance, this school is the best of the best, Miss Alvarez and based on Mercedes' recommendation," tukoy niya kay Ma'am Miranda, close ba sila para tawagin niya ito sa first name basis? "Your skill definitely belongs here, so why decline such a grand opportunity?" saad pa niya with that familiar playful tune and sly smile.
"Pero–" bumalik sa isip ko ang sinabi niya, Ang school ang nagpasa ng application para sa inyo ni Gaige pero ikaw lang ang pumasa.
This wasn't our plan, Gaige and I. Balak naming magtapos ng kolehiyo at bumalik sa ampunan para magpatayo ng isang foundation na tutulong sa mga naulilang katulad ko at mga pamilyang nawasak dahil sa karahasan. I guess with her gone, that will never happen anymore.
"No more hesitations, Miss Alvarez. You definitely belong here, I am sure of that." Hindi ko natuloy ang sasabihin ko dahil pinutol niya iyon. Belongingness seemed like a far fetched dream for someone like me who has been abandoned a long time ago.
"I guess I have no other choice, sir." And that made a smile creep up his thin chapped lips. Matapos kong sumang ayon ay tumayo siya at lumakad siya patungo sa akin harapan. Akala ay para makipag-kamay ngunit nagulat ako nang bigyan niya ako ng isang mainit na yakap.
"Welcome to Academía Mírkovía... welcome back rather," he whispered against my lobes and I pushed him away in surprise, feeling close naman 'tong headmaster na 'to.
"Where will I stay po? Is there a dormitory here?" Tanong ko at bahagyang umiwas ng tingin.
"Lady Elisha is just right outside she will know what to do," saka naman ako napalingon sa pintong pinasukan namin at nandun pa din ang dagger na ibinato niya kanina. May isang bagay akong napansin. 'Yung lalaking baliw na kabute na nangkuryente sa akin bigla na lang siyang lumitaw at bigla ring nawala kanina.
"Uhm..." Elisha who's walking just a few steps behind me said as a conversation starter, "Can I know your name?" tanong niya, "Where are you from? Erzurum?" Hindi ko siya sinagot. Dahil una sa lahat hindi ko alam ang isasagot, pwede bang napulot lang ako sa basurahan ng mga madre sa ampunan? Tulad ng sinabi ni Aling Delia, "or maybe Eastern region because of your red hair. So, you're probably from the land of pyro wielders? Maybe around Yerevan?" Hindi ko mawari kung saang lupalop sa earth 'yung mga binabanggit niyang lugar, "Right, nice talking to you," she whispered to herself exasperatedly after her questions to me remained unanswered. It's not that I want to give her a silent treatment though. I simply am not familiar sa mga binabanggit niya. I let out a huff, upang pigilan ang tawa ko sa kaniya. Cute.
"Tsk. Hoy hangin, dito na yung quarters mo," saad niya sa masungit na tono. Sa wakas, Akala ko next year pa kami makakarating. My body can still feel the ache from that stupid electrocution earlier.