People older than me often love to say, 'experience is the best teacher.' Whoever said that shit probably had better experiences than mine. I'm still drenched with sweat after practice, and of all the people that I could've run through, it really has to be Ms. Sanchez! The gods of the universe must love me so much. After all that sneaking around, she still ended up seeing me. I swear this woman must have some bat-like senses to spot me. Her shriek must have bounced off the wall to echolocate me. Damn it.
"Yes, Ma'am Sanchez..."
"Ms. Marcelo, it's good thing that I see you." I swear she almost cracked my eardrums, "I just finished computing your section's grades." She paused, then walked closer to me, "Sadly, yours is not that good."
"Wait, what? Ma'am, I do submit my activities." I told her, and that's the truth. I mean, what else does she want? Should I clean her installment-plan motorcycle?
"Yes, you do," she answered, "but your activities show no effort at all. A lot of them are barely passable." Passable? Is that even a word? And so, what? At least I submitted my work. Others don't even bother and only show themselves during exam weeks. Seriously, this is quite annoying. Does she even have an ounce of consideration for student-athletes like me?
"Ahhh, ma'am... is there anything I can do to pass Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik?" Honestly, how does this subject even connect with me being a STEM student? Ms. Sanchez raised one of her drawn-on eyebrows as she glanced towards the school library on the second floor.
"Alright, this is what you can do. Since there's only one week before the sem-break." She points towards the library and said, "Go there and pick any book under the Filipino literature section... well, anything except El Fili, and Noli Me Tangere." She opens her fan and waves it in front of her. "Borrow the book to Sir Marc and do a deep analysis of it. I'll send you the additional details later."
Damn it. If I'd known I'd end up struggling alone anyway, maybe I shouldn't have left Angela's group. That was hard too, but at least I had company. Unlike now… Why can't you ever learn, Given Grace?!
"Ms. Marcelo!" Her shriek brought me back to reality.
"Yes, ma'am!" I said,
"Do you understand what I just said!?"
"Ye – yes ma'am..."
After that, she finally went away. Guess I have to say goodbye to going home early. It's already four in the afternoon, and everyone I passed by already looked and smelled like they were on their way home. I casually raised my arm and secretly took a sniff at my armpit. Hhhmmm… still bearable. But before you start thinking weird things—no, I don't stink, okay?! I'd been practicing a couple of poomsaes for my black belt recommendation since 1:30, and I'm still in my dobok. Of course, I'd be sweaty… and yeah, maybe a little smelly.
"Given, you're not going home yet?" said a familiar voice. Great, then there's this bitch.
I turned, and just as expected. It's Krizzy. Unlike when we're back in Junior high... well, she kinda got chubbier. "Yes, not yet." I said, "I have something to do for my grades."
"Aww, condolences beh. By the way, I'll be off. Bry is waiting outside." Tsss, Bry... this overweight bitch. Bry was my grade 10 crush. When Krizzy learned of it, she immediately flirted with him.
Anyways, I just smiled at her awkwardly as she proceeded. Meanwhile, I continue my walk towards the library. Despite the trees around the quadrangle, it still feels like I'm inside an oven, the curse of Metro Manila. The heat is so bad I can almost see mirages of water shimmering in the middle of the quadrangle. These sour-smelling Junior high schoolers run like it's not 39 degrees Celsius.
Upon arriving in front of the library, I felt a vein in my head popping out. WHY!? I mean, yes, I'm lazy, but girl... Why does this thing keep happening to me? As soon as I opened the door, I felt like a melted ice cream being shoved inside a fridge. The smell of the books, catingco, and salonpas caressed my nose. And here I am thinking that the days of books after AI entered the scene. I can even see college students here doing whatever college things they're doing. I immediately placed my bags on the counter and walked further down the tiled floor of the library. The crisp sound of various pages turning filled my ears.
"Ms. Marcelo...." Sir Marc greeted me with his grovel voice. "I didn't expect to see you here." I turned around to greet back at him. He's in his 50s. Has a few grey hairs, his arms are longer than usual, while his frame is quite slender, emphasizing the deep protrusion on his cheeks. His deep-set eyes gazed at me as if he were staring at my soul. He honestly gives me the creeps.
I just smiled and told him what I needed. A filipino novel or whatever. Just as long as it's not Noli or El Fili. Sir Marc paused for a while and placed his hands on his chin. He hums for a while, then as if a light bulb lights up on his head, her smiled and told me to follow him. On my left, I can see a collection of students busying themselves with reading. Some obviously just passing time. Some were couples, one of them even humming a song to her boyfriend. After passing by around ten large halls of bookshelves.
"Hhhhmmm, so you need a Filipino novel, right?" he whispered as he turned left. Then he pulled a step ladder and he took an old dusty book from the fourth level of the shelf. He stepped down and gave me the book.
It felt heavy, and yeah, it really was quite dusty. It has a bluish hard-bound cover. An embossed dragon is printed on its side and runs through the front. The dragon's mouth is open as if planning to eat an also embossed moon. The title of the book is "The Love Between the Moon and Sea." Wait, I told him that I need a filipino one.
As if sensing my thoughts, he smiled and said, "Don't worry, it's written in filipino." I nodded and returned my gaze to the book. "It's also a good one, I think you'll going to like it. You don't seem to be the romantic type." The hell does that supposed to mean? Is it because of my broad shoulders? Not to mention my... I stared down my chest... Never mind.
He turned around, his hands behind his back, and slowly walked away. I followed him to sign the borrower's form so I could also go home. Before I can get out of the library, Sir Marc said, "Hope you will like it Ms. Marcelo..." yeah, sure... I just nodded and got out of the library.
I reached the school parking lot and unlocked my mountain bike. Before getting on it, I realized that I haven't change my clothes yet. I'm still in my dobot, sweat and all. I can go for a quick change, but my stomach says 'nah, Given. What you need is go home. Mama has prepared pininyahan for us.'
"Whatever! No one's gonna smell me anyways." And so I hopped on my bike and peddaled my out of the school. I waved by at kuya Garry, our school guard as I went out. He waved back with his signature wide smile.
When I finally reached the road, I heard a loud honk on my left. THERE'S A HUGE FUCKING TRUCK RUNNING TOWARDS ME!!!
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…..
SON OF A BITCH!!! I ALMOST GOT FUCKING HIT OH MY GOD!!! I felt few of my years leaving my body holy shit!! Everyone's looking at me, even Kuya Garry seems like his knees turned to jelly. I patted myself to make sure my body parts were still intact. Damn that truck!
I didn't even have the energy nor the courage to ride my bike. I just will just push it till I reach home. To hell with my stomach. My five minutes ride home turned to fifteen. My dobok felt sticky on my skin, as I continue walking under the unforgiving sun of Makati.
After few more minutes, I finally reached home. Immediately upon opening the door, kuya was already waiting for me.
"Hoy, why are you late!?" my brother's tone was calmer than mom and dad, well... kampapangans will be kapampangans. "You, okay? You look pale..." he added. I mean, who wouldn'y be? I almost got turned into a pancake by a freaking truck!
"A truck almost ran me over, Kuya…" I said, clutching his shirt sleeve. I already knew what was coming next.
"WHAT?!" and there it is.
"Please, Kuya, don't tell Mama, please. She'll never let me ride my bike again."
"Grace, you almost died," he hissed, half-angry, half-whispering.
"I know, I know… I'll be careful next time, Kuya. Just please, let this one slide."
"What's that noise?!" Mama suddenly cut in, opening the door. She was wearing blue leggings and a headband clearly fresh from her Zumba session.
"This Grace, Ma—" Kuya stopped mid-sentence. Oh, dear Bathala of all good excuses, please don't let him snitch on me…
"Uh, look... she came home and didn't even change out of her karate uniform." I swear, it felt like a thorn was pulled out of my chest.
"Kuya, this is a dobok. And it's Taekwondo, not—" He shot me a sharp look.
"I mean—ah, hahaha, I just didn't notice I was already at the parking area earlier. It'd be such a hassle to change."
"Alright, alright. Go inside and get changed," Mama said.
I winked at Kuya and whispered, "Thank you," before heading to my room. I went straight to bed and flopped down, staring blankly at the ceiling.
"Given… you never learn…" I muttered, ruffling my hair in frustration. "Now you're chasing grades again… I thought you said you were going to change your life, huh?" I asked myself while staring at the ceiling of my room.
I closed my eyes and breathe deep...
"Given, come down, dinner's ready!" when I opened my eyes, reality hits me. It's already dark. Seems like I have fallen asleep. But hold up! I was about to get my phone charger when I noticed something glowing inside my bag. I opened my bag carefully only to see the that the book I borrowed from the library is the source of it all. I swallowed hard, instinct honed thru years of studying self defense told me to back up, and that's what I did. I slowly backed down near the door to get out. However, just like a scene from a fantasy or horror film. The book also started to hums and expelled itself from the bag.
"Between heaven and Earth..." a voice, no! a chant like a song came out from it.
"Through wind of night unending..." cold sweat came out from my forehead as the chanting continues.
"Here the cry of a secret call!" I stepped further away as I try to grab for the doorknob. Mama, help... I wanted to shout, to yell for help but seems like my voice is stuck on my throat. After the third line, I started to feel something weird down my feet. I stared down, and holy shit! It's turning into dust. MY FEET IS TURNING INTO DUST! MAMA, KUYA!! My breathing started to go faster than usuals, as if I'm drowning in air itself. I turned to my left where my poster of Frieren is taped on the wall. Her eyes staring back at me.
Slowly, it crawls up to my knees. I tried to scream, but then my throat starts to turn to dust to, as my whole body follows next. I managed to utter a word but..
"Ma –."
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.....
"Ouch!" I muttered as my butt fell on to something soft?? I touched the floor, and as I opened my eyes, I realized something. I'm no longer inside my room! Trees and tall grasses surround me. The sun is hung high on the sky, but the Makati heat is absent. I carried myself up, holy shit where am I!? I took a step back but was stop when the back of my feet stepped on something. I look down and my blood ran cold on what I saw. I clasped my hand on my mouth as I quickly back off. It's a severed arm! The blood from it still looks new as it's still flowing out.
That's where I heard it. A thunderous voice like it's coming from the grave itself. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! YOU ALL I KILL!!!" the loud voice said. My knees felt like it turned to jelly as soon as I heard it. My instinct immediately told me to run away which I did. Whatever that is, it obviously didn't come from a human! I ran fast as I can, maybe after a few minutes I heard an explosion. The shockwave blows me away as everything around me started to turn black.
I woke up and felt like I'm being carried on a shoulder of someone tall. My ears were still ringing and my back still feels sore. My eyes slowly opened and my head weakly turned around. The houses were made of stones but not bricks, and has huge wooden doors. I felt like being transported to the past. What the hell is happening!?