Parallel Universe B
25th Century: Renascence Age
“The painter has the universe in his mind and hands.”
I lifted my face, letting the light and shadow dance across my skin. Wind is whistling around trunks—disturbing the leaves, and a melodic chant of birds kept from giving a soothing ambience beyond the woods. It's a place which is painted with peace and contentment.
"Hey, I thought you're about to be back after several weeks? Napabilis ka naman yata?" I glanced backward, and realized it was my friend, Lionardo. Carrying a trunk full of paint, brushes and canvas.
"I cancelled some of my commission portrait requests earlier that's why I returned here quick," I answered showing a hint of smile.
Naisipan ko kasing mag-focus muna sa isang piyesa because I just met my girlfriend "Liza" habang nasa Louvre ako, isang art museum na matatagpuan sa Gallia.
***
"V-Vincent?"
I'm staring at "The Coronation of Napoleon" painting by Jacques Louis-David when someone familiar called me from behind.
"Hey, I'm here." Nagpalinga-linga pa ako sa paligid hanggang sa mahagip na siya ng mga mata ko, kung saan ilang dangkal lang ang layo niya sa'kin. I smiled in an instant.
"Sinusundan mo ba 'ko?" biro ko at akmang yayakapin si Liza nang bigla niya 'kong pinigilan. "Vincent, nandiyan sina Daddy, baka kasi... alam mo na..." kakamot-kamot niyang sabi kaya napabuntong-hininga na lang ako.
Tumingin-tingin pa siya sa paligid upang masigurong hindi kami makikita ng kaniyang ama.
We're having a secret relationship for almost two years. Strikto ang mga magulang niya sa lahat ng bagay. Wala rin siyang gaanong naging kaibigan dahil lagi lang siyang nakakulong sa bahay, kaya naman madalas sa video call at chats na lang rin kami nakakapag-usap.
Nasanay na rin ako, pero hanggang kailan ba kami magtatago?
"These paintings scream ominous perfections. Aren't they?" she said all of a sudden.
I peered through the paintings again perfectly hanging on the wall. They are so surreal, a lot of messages seemed to be hidden, a puzzle that will pull you out of extreme curiosity.
"May technique kaya kung paano makagawa ng mga ganito? What do you think? I'm rooting for your paintings to be posted here someday." Hanggang sa naramdaman ko na lang na pinagsalikop niya ang mga kamay namin.
I wanna hug her so bad, I'm just controlling myself for the consequences not to happen because she's the art that I wanna keep for a lifetime.
"Every artist dips his brush in his own soul, and paints his own nature into his pictures. Someone may find it difficult to understand..."
"Because it is the missing link, not the links which exist. It is not what you see that is art: art is the gap." I added as I remembered my Lolo's perspectives about it.
"Ang lalim naman, gustong-gusto ko nga ring mag-try kaso ayaw makisama ng mga kamay ko," natatawa pa niyang sabi.
"Bakit gusto mong subukan?"
"Para makulayan ko rin mundo mo." Napangiwi tuloy ako nang wala sa oras sa isinagot niya. No'ng sumabog ng ka-corny-han sinaid niya na lahat.
"Nakita ko yung drafts mo no'ng nakaraan. Hindi sa pag-a-assume pero ako ba yung subject mo do'n sa painting?" pag-iiba niya ng usapan. Malapad ang ngiting iginawad niya sa'kin.
Dumaan pa ang ilang mga araw at napagpasyahan ko na ring umuwi na muna. Nakatanggap ako ng ilang request mula sa ilang mga kakilala ngunit tinanggihan ko na muna ito.
Sa dami ng naipinta ko dati, ni minsa'y hindi ko pa nasusubukang gawin ang portrait ni Liza. I just felt the urge to do it now, with no excuses.
Kaso naalala kong paubos na pala yung mga gamit ko.
"Who's that lucky girl you're going to paint then?" Abala si Lionardo sa pag-aayos ng kaniyang mga materyales na gagamitin habang ako'y nag-iisip pa kung anong magandang tanawin ang babagay sa portrait ng girlfriend ko.
I heard him cleared his throat, eyes tantalized at me, "Are you falling in love with someone else?" Sa tagal na siguro naming magkaibigan, alam na alam niya kung anong tumatakbo sa isipan ko.
I don't know if he's a mind reader too or anything else? Lionardo's smart, he's talented too. Alam niya kung paanong basahin ang emosyon ng isang tao base sa mga panghihinuha nito.
"You're in a relationship." Walang ano-ano'y awtomatiko akong napatingin sa gawi niya. "I knew it for years. I'm just being silent. You, surprised?" Nakangiti niyang tanong na para bang tinutukso pa 'ko.
Hindi naman ako nakasagot kaya lalo siyang natawa. "Huli ka na. Huwag ka nang tumanggi. Are you planning to paint her kaya tumanggi ka sa mga customers? Kilalang-kilala kita, kahit kailan hindi mo 'yan ginawa. Ngayon lang," mahaba niyang sabi habang abala sa paghahagod ng pintura.
He's constructing a self-portrait.
"Magsisimula ka na ba? Here, you can use these," alok niya pa sa sandamakmak na paintbrush at oil paints na hindi mo basta-basta mabibili kung saan.
"Nakakahiya naman, huwag muna. Bibi-" Humalakhak siya kalaunan. "Mahihiya ka pa, e hawak-hawak mo na."
Ilang beses pa muna akong nag-blend ng iilang madidilim na kulay, tinitimbang kung gaano kalabnaw o kalapot. Halos limang minuto ang itinatagal ko sa ganito dahil kung hindi maayos ang paghahalo'y mabilis na mag-fe-fade ang mga pigments nito.
"Dumidilim na naman..." Nasa kalagitnaan ako ng pagko-korte ng katawan ni Liza nang mapansin rin ang pagkapal ng mga ulap sa kalangitan.
We decided to pack up our things immediately bago pa mabasa at mapunta sa wala lahat ng mga nasimulan namin.
The trees started to lash and crash against each other like drum sticks in the hands of a giant so we ran as fast as we can outside the forest.
Raindrops were dripping upon my face, the cold blow of wind wrenched my skin but it seems not enough from what I'm feeling right now.
Sunsets have been passed, Liza keeps on meddling around her portrait. I finished it, with an energetic smile plastered upon her face, making a positive aura and gracious body angle throughout the painting.
Handa ko nang maipakita sa kaniya iyon nang bigla na lamang itong naglaho na parang bula. Halos mawala ako sa katinuan nang hindi ko ito mahanap.
Ilang gabi akong hindi makatulog sa pag-iisip kung paano iyon nangyari hanggang sa isang gabi'y nakatanggap ako ng isang larawan mula kay Lionardo.
Nilalamon ng apoy at nagliliparang hibla ng inaabong papel ang laman niyon na may pirma ko sa isang bahagi. Tinitigan ko iyong mabuti hanggang sa mapagtanto kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin.
No'ng una'y naguluhan pa 'ko sa nais niyang iparating hanggang sa mamuo ang aking galit.
He just turned my painting into ashes.
Halos masuntok ko ang pader, nagtataka kung anong dahilan niya para gawin 'yon. Hindi kami nagkaalitan kahit isang beses, kung may problema naman, nagsasabi na agad siya sa'kin kaya gano'n na lang ang naging reaksyon ko hanggang sa dalhin ako ng aking mga paa sa museo ng Louvre.
Someone told me that he's here in Gallia, and I know that if he gonna put his shoes at this land, Louvre would be his number one priority.
People were enjoying different forms of art displayed at every corners, until I noticed something at the gallery.
Ilang beses pa 'kong kumurap sa isiping baka namamalik-mata lang ako, pero hindi ako pwedeng magkamali.
Liza...
She's in the painting wherein a different patch of landscape took place from behind.
The painter used a foreshortening technique to handle perspective known as compression to depict a vast area in a small space.
That bridge shown here has since been destroyed and the lake has been filled by landslides.
Sensuous curves of her hair and clothing are echoed in the shapes of the valleys and rivers behind her.
While the hills shown by Liza's left shoulder are Sassi Simone and Sassi Simoncello, the mountains on the top left are the Monte Canale and Alpe della Luna, and the mountain portrayed on the right of her head is Monte Aquilone.
I'm was taken aback with the details related to mine!
It can't be.
Her mysterious smile emerged from a—perhaps unconscious—memory of someone I met before.
Tagaktak ang pawis sa aking noo't buong katawan. Dahan-dahan kong ibinaba ang aking paningin hanggang sa dumapo ang mga mata ko sa pirmang naka-imprenta sa ibaba ng larawan.
"Lionardo Da Vinci"
Naikuyumos ko ang aking mga kamao sa pagkamuhi. He plagiarized my work! This painting didn't deserve to be acknowledged for him!
Nagpalipas ako ng buong maghapon sa loob ng Louvre. Mabuti na lang ay may kakilala akong empleyado rito na alam kong makakatulong sa'kin.
"S-Sigurado ka ba sa gagawin mo Vincent? Malaking tao 'yang kaba-banggain mo." Wala na akong pakialam, ang mahalaga sa'kin ay mabawi ko ito.
Halos hindi ako makapaniwala. Na kahit mismong matalik na kaibigan ko pa'y kaya akong saksakin patalikod.
"Mag-iingat ka... Paalis na ang mga bantay, alam mo naman na ang daan palabas. Nakakapanghinayang ang kinahinatnan niyong dalawa," sabi pa ni Paulo na tumulong sa aking maisagawa ang plano.
Halos yabag ko na lamang ang aking naririnig sa madilim na pasilyo ng museo, kinakabahan ma'y nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad hanggang sa makitang muli sa aking harapan ang piyesang minsan ko nang pinaghirapan.
I gently touched the glass frame and lifted it up carefully. Hindi pa ganoong katatag ang seguridad dito kaya't madaling natatanggal ang mga painting mula sa dingding.
Hindi kalakihan ang frame kaya't madali ko na lamang itong naisild sa gilid ng aking jacket saka dahan-dahang lumabas sa daang itinuro sa'kin ni Paulo.
***
"60 DETECTIVES SEEK STOLEN 'MONA LISA'
But No Clue Has Yet Been Discovered to Whereabouts of Lionardo's Masterpiece."
I'm scanning the 'A New York Times' headline from August 24th into the disappearance of the painting.
After the Louvre announced the theft, newspapers all over the world ran headlines about the missing masterpiece.
The heist had become something of a national scandal.
I'm spending couple of months here in jail. The theft which I was involved was still fresh to me, Lionardo became more than famous as ever when the painting was in my position for about two years.
Two heartbreaking years and counting.
Then Liza seemed to be ashamed of me when we saw each other again after I returned the painting to the Louvre.
Nalaman ko na lang na may namamagitan na sa kanilang dalawa ni Lionardo nang sunud-sunod na pumutok ang balitang siya ang nasa painting na iyon.
She became known too.
Hindi ko lang matanggap na sa ginawa ko'y tuluyan na siyang lumayo sa'kin...
"You're aware that I'm going to create a portrait of you when we're in a relationship! That man plagiarized my work!" Hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili kong maiyak sa galit.
Mariin akong pumikit. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko pa patutunayan ang sarili ko sa kaniya lalo na't alam kong hawak na siya ng iba.
Sa lahat ng pwede niyang maipalit sa'kin bakit yung traydor pa?
"He didn't plagiarized your work..." Dahan-dahan kong ibinalik ang tingin sa kaniya nang bitiwan niya ang mga salitang 'yon.
"Why can't you under-"
"I told him to do it..." putol niya sa sasabihin ko na nagpagulo sa'king isipan. Nasubunutan ko ang sarili.
"What do you mean?" pabulong ngunit matigas kong sabi. And then suddenly, tears started to flow down on her cheeks.
"I-I'm s-sorry Vincent... L-Lionardo and I..."
"Say it!" nadidismaya kong sabi. Kahit alam ko na kung saan mapupunta 'tong usapan, kahit alam kong mas masasaktan ako sa dapat kong malaman, ay hinayaan kong manggaling 'yon sa kaniya.
"W-We're in a relationship... " I sighed can't understand what she's going to say. "I'm sorry for being a c-cheater Vincent. Pinagsa-"
"Pinagsabay mo kami..." I said, a low-tone statement.
I wanna punch the jail bars so bad when she confirmed it.
My heart had been knocked sideways. There's a lump in my throat, can't believe what she just said.
"I asked him to create a portrait of mine too. I didn't expect the consequences. I'm sorry." She left me hanging there, dumbfounded.
I can't accept the fact that she did this to me in return of my pure intentions.
And now she had chosen that man over me who is Leonardo Da Vinci, known as one of the greatest painters of all-time.
We're both played by love that brought him to his remarkable victory.
By the woman whom I loved more than myself.
The woman who bare spotlight with him around this era.
No other than else but Liza...
"Mona Lisa"
PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME.
@jay.destro
Photo credits to the real owner.