Kabanata 4

Kabanata 4

LIHIM na napangisi si Bjourne habang pinakikinggan sa malayo ang mga sinasabi Marifer habang nasa banyo ito at tinutulungan ang kaklaseng malinis ang dumi nito sa mukha. Nakaupo sila ni Levi sa isang bench sa school ground at tahimik na kumakain ng binili nitong sitsirya.

He chuckled softly when he heard her say "cheap" for the twentieth time. Mukhang may kota itong isandaan sa isang araw dahil kalahati pa lamang ng araw ay lalampas na ito ng bente.

He shook his head and pursed his lips together to stop himself from bursting into laugh. Oh, Nafas. You're getting meaner every year...

"King?"

"Hmm?" Bumaling siya kay Levi nang marinig itong tinawag siya.

"Siya ba ang lagi mong pinupuntahan kapag wala ka sa Remorse?" tanong nito.

He nodded and fixed his cap, his biceps flexed when he leaned to rest his elbows on his thighs. "Besides my personal hunts, yeah."

Halatang nagtaka ito sa naging tugon niya. "Personal hunts?"

"Yeah. The special hunt I told yoh guys before that I should only do with a few people?"

Tumango ito. "I understand now, but why don't you just, you know, show yourself to her? Bakit kailangan palihim mo siya palaging bantayan?"

Bjourne forced a smile at Levi, hoping he could explain everything in a better way. Kaya lang ay hindi pa nito maiintindihan. None of them are ready for that conversation anyway. 

"I just wanna make sure she's safe while it's not yet the right time."

"Why? Kailan ba ang tamang panahon?"

He breathed in and looked at the classroom where Marifer is headed along with her new friend. "Once I'm ready to make her happy."

"Kailan pa 'yon?"

Ngumisi siya. "Once my arms can finally be her home again."

"Is that why you're holding on from a distance for now?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"What if siya ang bumitaw pagdating ng araw?"

Isang matipid na ngiti ang gumuhit sa mga labi ni Bjourne kasabay ng pagtitig niya sa bagong pasok at galit na si Marifer.

"Simple. I'll chase her until she becomes mine again..."

HATAK si Irene ay galit na nagmartsa pabalik ng classroom si Marifer. Ang bawat yapak ng mamahalin niyang sapatos ay lumilikha ng ingay ngunit nang malakas niyang binuksan ang pinto, biglang nahinto ang kanilang teacher sa pagtuturo.

She didn't let go of Irene's arm as she narrowed her eyes at their classmates. Her jaw locked, her lips pursed hardly together as she cocked her brow at Ms. Cheap popular.

Lalong tumalim ang kanyang tingin. "Did you do this?"

The girl laughed nervously. "N-No." Tumingin ito kay Irene. "Hindi ba?"

Tumaas muli ang kilay ni Marifer saka siya humugot ng malalim na hininga. Unti-unti niyang binitiwan si Irene saka niya inilagay ang kanyang mga kamay sa kanyang likod. Everyone was looking at her, observing every movement she makes. 

She walked slowly towards her own desk and reached for its small drawer where she kept her favorite weapon.

Everyone gasped when they saw the bar of gold she's holding. Kinatok niya pa ito, tila pinakikita kung matigas ba bago siya tumingin muli sa babaeng napag-alamanan niyang Antonette pala ang pangalan.

"Ah, good thing I brought this." Her insulting smile flashed at Antonette. "Kapag sinampal ko kaya sayo 'to, alin ang masisira? Ito, o 'yang mukha mong kung walang make up hindi ka makikilala?"

"Miss Thompson-"

She immediately raised her index finger, sushing the teacher. Nang ibaling niya rito ang tingin ay nahagip ng kanyang mga mata ang larawang naka-flash sa screen. Tila biglang nawala ang focus niya sa nadaramang galit at ang kanyang atensyon, natutok nang husto sa larawan.

An image of two heavenly beings, both holding on an apple while staring coldly at each other.

Lucifer and Archangel Michael...

Marifer can't explain the sudden burst of emotions that clawed her heart. Masyadong malakas. Nakakasakal at... Napakainit sa pakiramdam.

She didn't even realize how her expression shifted from furious to confused. 

She didn't notice the beads of sweat that formed on her forehead.

And she didn't feel the tear that trailed down her face as memories in an unfamiliar place flashed inside her head in a fast motion, like a tape playing in rewind.

"M-Marifer?" Irene's soft and worried voice brought her back to reality. Halos manlambot siya at nang mabitiwan ang hawak ay nasabunutan niya ang kanyang buhok habang hinahabol ang kanyang hininga.

Napatingin siya sa paligid. Lahat ay nakatutok sa kanya, ang iba ay nagbubulungan habang tila nawi-weird-uhan sa kanya.

"Miss Thompson, are you alright?" tanong ng guro. 

She swallowed hard and cleared her throat before she composed herself again. Muli ay taas noo niyang tinignan ang teacher saka niya pinakawalan ang hangin sa kanyang dibdib. "Lady." She hid her trembling hands behind her. "It's Lady Marifer, not just Miss Thompson."

She walked towards Antonette and with a cold expression, gave the girl a warning. "Do that to her again, I'll let the filthiest hands slap you hard on my behalf..."

Tinalikuran niya ito at muling hinatak si Irene upang paupuin sa orihinal nitong pwesto. She even threw Antonette's stuff on the floor before she cocked her brow, silently telling her to start moving before she picks up the gold bar and smash it on Antonette's face. 

Napabuntong hininga na lamang ang guro nang tuluyang kumilos si Antonette upang umupo sa dati nitong pwesto. Nahihiya namang naupo si Irene sa silya bago siya nilingon at matipid na nginitian.

"Thank you..." she said in a shy way.

Marifer just jerked her head up in response. Ngunit nang humarap na ito sa kanilang guro, ilang imahe ang muling nakita ni Marifer sa kanyang isip.

She immediately shut her eyes and clenched her fists under her desk while she's pursing her lips together.

She heard the teacher clear his throat before he resumed on his lesson. "Going back, this image was painted back in the sixteen hundreds. An anonymous artist called it, The Betrayal. On an article written after the painting gained so much attention because of its controversial message, sinasabing ang rebelyong tinutukoy sa old Jewish texts ay altered version ng tunay na nangyari sa nakaraan. They said that Lucifer, God's most beautiful creation, wasn't thrown in hell for punishment. He was assigned to rule it on the Lord's behalf... Until a betrayal between him and his brother in heaven, Archangel Michael who descended on Earth, happened."

Napamulat si Marifer at napatitig muli sa imaheng nasa screen. Mayamaya'y mayroong nagtaas ng kamay upang magtanong. "What do you mean Archangel Michael descended, Sir?"

"What I mean is, the most terrifying archangel was called by God to become the father of humanity. Can anyone tell me who he was as a man?"

Muling may nagtaas ng kamay na agad ding tinuro ng guro. "Yes, Tamarra?"

"Adam, Sir?"

"Good. Now who can tell me why the painter painted the image of Archangel Michael and Lucifer this way. What's the meaning behind this metaphor?"

No one raised their hands until someone caught her attention. Napatingin si Marifer kay Irene nang makita niyang dahan-dahan itong nagtaas ng kamay na halatang maging ng guro ay kinagulat. "Yes, Miss Lyncher. Care to share your thoughts?"

Irene swallowed hard. "The... The apple represented the woman they both had a special co...connection with. The apple may a... appear ordinary but..." Bigla itong tumayo at lumapit sa laptop upang i-zoom ang larawan.

Halatang nagulat ang teacher ngunit hindi naman nito sinita ang estudyante. She even edited the photo. Maninita na sana ang guro ngunit nang matapos gawing negative ni Irene ang imahe at pinakita ang hati sa gitna ng mansanas, bahagyang nalukot ang noo nito.

Irene gulped and pointed at the image flashing on the screen. "This... This side represents Lilith, and this... Represents Eve. If you won't take a deeper look, you will never see that the apple was actually two different apples in half that's just put together." Humugot ito ng malalim na hininga. "Just... Just like how Lucifer failed to recognize that Eve wasn't Lilith when he seduced her to sleep with him..."

Tuluyang nalukot ang noo ng guro. "H-How did you know that? That's a controversial topic the churches do not allow to be taught, not even on the internet."

Irene looked away and immediately shook her head. Bago pa man makapagtanong ang guro ay tuluyang naglakad pabalik sa kanyang upuan si Irene.

Marifer was dumbfounded. Her lips were parted when she looked at Irene who can't even gaze on her direction. Nang hindi siya nakatiis, kumuha siya ng piraso ng papel at sumulat doon bago binigay kay Irene.

Irene carefully opened it under her desk. Halatang nag-iisip pa ito kung sasagutin ang kanyang tanong kung paano nito nalaman ang bagay na iyon, ngunit sa huli ay tuluyang sumulat ng sagot bago binalik sa kanya ang papel.

Marifer breathed in deeply before she slowly opened the crumpled paper. Ngunit nang mabasa niya ang nakasulat ay halos manlamig ang katawan niya.

'Because I was the one who painted it...'