WMS7: Chapter 4

"Can you elaborate on what are you talking about. . .Grandpa?" nang-uuyam na tanong ko kay lolo. Pagkalabas ko ng banyo ay agad niya akong kinausap. Ni hindi ako inayang kumain man lang muna sa halip ay alak ang inihanda para sa akin kaya lalong uminit ang ulo ko sa mga sinasabi niyang hindi ko maintindihan. Ni damit ay wala akong pagpilian dahil nakahanda na agad ito sa aking paglabas. Ayon dito ay ipinahanda niya ito sa kanyang mga tauhan. Napaismid ako.

"Look! This room is creepy. I can't live in this dark room with giant candles lit up, draperies that are dancing with the breeze-

"Atlas-

"Daxon!" putol ko sa kanyang pagsasalita, "my friends and people in the Philippines are calling me Daxon or Dax whatever, just don't call me Atlas. I'm not a book!" inis ko pang wika.

Grandpa scoffs. "Mana ka talaga sa akin."

Tumungga ito ng alak mula sa kanyang kopita at saka muli akong tiningnan nang matiim.

"I'm not! Hindi ako magiging lider nitong kulto mo!" mariin kong wika.

Halos mabasag ang eardrum ko nang malakas itong halakhak. Lalo ko pang ikinainis ay tila nagbunyi pa ang mga apoy na nagmumula sa mga kandilang halos kasinglaki na ng mga braso ko. Tila nagsasayawan ito sa saliw ng halakhak ni lolo. Napahaplos ako sa aking balat dahil pakiramdam ko nagsitayuan ang mga balahibo ko sa mga nakikita at nararamdaman.

'Shit! Totoo yatang may kulto. Tang-ina!'

"I am the one who gave you that name, Atlas. Ikaw ang unang apo kong lalaki kaya naisip ko na balang-araw magiging tagasunod kita. Ikaw ang magiging tagapagmana kung anong meron ako," wika ni lolo habang Palakkad-lakad ito sa harapan ko bitbit ang kanyang kopita.

"Just give me your wealth or everything that you wanted me to have but not as a leader of your cult," I answered him. My voice amplified the room and echoed.

"Wait!" He raises his right hand to stop me. He then walked toward the table and put his wine glass on it before he turned to face me. "Why do you keep saying about a cult? Where'd you get that stupid idea, Atlas?"

My brows knitted. Nagtataka ako sa mga tanong niya like he didn't know what I am talking about which in fact, pagpasok ko pa lang amino'y may pagtitipon sila and that guy, whoever that is ay isang alay.

"Come on, Grandpa. Stop pretending! You're a leader of a cult. And the gift that you presented to me earlier proves that you-

"No!"

His voice stopped me from talking nonchalantly about him and his group.

"I think, you misunderstood everything. Listen, Atlas. You are wrong with your perceptions. I. . .am NOT a leader of a cult," mariin niyang wika.

My mind is in chaos after I heard what my grandpa said. If he is not a cult leader then why he has this huge group? Why does his house look like this? Inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa paligid at muling sinuyod ang ayos ng kanyang silid.

"I think you're tired kid. Take a rest and we'll talk again."

Hindi na ako muling nagsalita pa. I followed him quietly out of his room and told his men to send me to the room they prepared for me.

"Are you sure this is my room?" naitanong ko sa tauhan niyang sumama sa akin sa loob mismo ng silid.

"Yes, it is! This room was maintained for many years as this is intended for you," tugon ng tauhan. "Since you were young, Master Louis prepared this for you."

My mouth went ajar after hearing what the man has told me. I can't believe it. Grandpa prepared the room since I was young? That means, he really planned all these?

The room is a lot different from his room though. Mas marangya lang 'to kumpara sa silid ko sa bahay ko sa Pilipinas. It seems like a Prince room that I saw from movies.

The man walked toward the draperies and pulled it on the side and brightness flooded the room that infiltrated through that glass panels which are divided my room from the balcony.

I walked towards the glass panels and opened one which I thought a sliding door to have access to the balcony. A warm breeze touches my skin as soon as I opened it. I was amazed with the cascading view of the ocean.

Tunog ng isinarang pintuan ang nagpatinag sa akin sa aking kinatatayuan. Nagpasya akong bumalik sa loob ng silid at doon, natagpuan ko ang nag-iisang dala kong maleta. To avoid myself getting bored, I took my clothes out of my luggage and opened the wardrobe to put them in but I was surprised as it is full of clothes. Suits, casual shirts and pants, even underwears, kompleto lahat pati medyas. Pinaghandaan talaga ng lolo ko ang pagdating ko. I am about to continue putting my clothes inside the wardrobe when my phone started ringing. Dinampot ko ito when I saw my twin's caller ID on the screen.

"Yes, Dev?"

"How's your trip? How is grandpa?" sunod-sunod na tanong ng kakambal ko. Bago ko siya tinugon ay naglakad ako palapit sa kama at naupo doon.

"Well, I had a circuitous journey as my flight was redirected to a different airport." tugon ko kay Devon. "Anyway, grandpa is doing good."

Sinabi ko na lang iyon para umiwas sa marami pang katanungan mula kay Devon.

"Is it true?" muli nitong tanong. Napahugot ako ng hininga at sumandal sa headboard ng kama. Hindi na lingid sa kanya ang tungkol sa sinasabi kong kulto ng lolo namin.

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" balik kong tanong sa kanya. Kunwari ay hindi ko alam ang ibig niyang sabihin.

"About the kulto—"

"Devon, I'm sorry but I haven't spoken to grandpa, yet," pagputol ko sa mga nais pa niyang sabihin. Wala rin naman kaso akong masasabi sa kanya dahil palaisipan pa rin sa akin anh mga sinabi ni lolo kani-kanina lamang. Hindi sapat ang nakita ko pagpasok ko kanina para ikumpirma ang kanilang grupo na isa ngang kulto.

Sa iniisip ay muli kong naramdaman na nagsitayuan ang aking mga balahibo kaya nagpaalam na ako kay Devon.

"Just keep me updated, Dax. Ingat ka!" bilin nito bago namin kapwa tuluyang pinutol ang aming pag-uusap.

Balak ko sanang umidlip pero hindi pa man nakalapat ang aking likod sa kama ay tumunog ang intercom. Dumukwang ako at inabot ang button para i-receive ang tawag.

"Monsieur Atlas, someone will be there to accompany you to have an early dinner with Master Louis," wika ng nasa kabilang linya hindi pa man ako nakapagsalita.

"Okay!" maikling tugon ko at kinansela na ang tawag.  Mabuti naman at naalala akong pakainin ng abuelo ko.

Ilang minuto ang nakalipas ay tumunog ang doorbell ng kuwarto ko. Ito na siguro ang sinabi ng tumawag ngayon-ngayon lang na susundo sa akin para samahan ako papunta sa kainan kung saan man 'yon.

I checked on the peephole to see who is outside though I have already an idea. Mas mabuti na ang mag-double check para sigurado. Agad kong pinagbuksan nang makita ko kung sino ang nasa labas. Ito rin ang taong naghatid sa akin dito kanina sa silid na ito. He immediately bowed his head when he saw me before he spoke.

"Master Louis sent me to accompany you to have lunch with him," he said.

"Yes, someone told me a while ago," tugon ko. "Is there any protocols, or dress code that I need to follow before going with you?"

Napatanong ako kasi ito ang napapansin ko simula pumasok ako, lahat yata ay may kanya-kanyang uri ng kasuotan depende sa kung anong trabaho mo sa grupo o organisasyon na meron sila.

"No, Sir! For now. You will be having a meal with Master Louis alone so you can wear whatever comfortable for you," sagot nito na nakayuko pa rin.

"Will you stop bowing your head? I'm not your master, I am just a guest here."

"We have a protocol to follow, Sir. Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable but we have to do it as part of our duty," he answered defensively.

I scoffed and smirked as I think of my grandpa. I know he is all behind these and I wanted to know everything at this moment. Ito lang talaga ang pakay ko sa mapunta rito; ang maliwanagan sa uri ng grupong mayroon siya at tungkol sa sinabi ni dad na tuparin ang kahilingan ng lolo ko and he will be proud of me. Ito raw ang paraan para malaman ko kung sino ang responsable sa pagkawala ni mommy sa amin.

"Sir?"