Masked Glamour

Chapter Eleven

Ferula

I arrived in the river all sweaty. The baby started to wake up the moment we reach the ruined stone house. I sat on the flat rock and tried to hushed the baby.

Tuluyang nagising ang bata at unti-unting pumalahaw ng iyak. I blinked my eyes and tried my best to hushed her. She stopped, though her tears kept falling and her face was all wet from tears.

Her grey eyes were fixed on me while she suck on her thumb. I lift my hand and dried her face.

"Tahan na, dadating na si mama, hmmm?" I rocked her softly in my arms. She let out her thumb with a pop. She giggled and tried to reach for the curly strand of my hair that now slipped out of my hair clip.

I smiled at her and lean down. She wrapped her little fingers on the curls and tugged the hair softly. "Mam-ma?" she stuttered.

I smiled and rocked her softly. "Opo, dadating na si mama. Wag na iyak ang baby."

She let out a soft giggles. I lovingly stared at her when she started mumbling words I couldn't understand. I think she is more or less just a year old.

Ginugol ko ang paghihintay sa pakikipaglaro sa bata. Warm feeling spread in my chest everytime she will laugh and giggle. Though the uneasy feeling started to grew in me when the sky's slowing turning into the orange hue.

Muli ay unti-unting nakatulog ang bata sa aking mga bisig habang patuloy kami sa paghihintay sa kanyang ina. Halos marinig ko na tibok ng aking puso sa sobrang lakas niyon habang lumilipas ang oras at nagbabadya ang tuluyang pagsapit ng dilim. Ang mga insekto sa gabi ay nagsimula ng mag-ingay sa gubat.

A minutes before the sun completely set down, I saw three figures almost running towards my direction. I got alerted for the possible danger but slowly let out a sighed when I saw who it was.

The woman almost tripped before she successfully reached me and burst into tears.

"A-Ang anak ko. . . anak ko," she whispered while crying. I slowly gave her the baby which she tightly hugged and kissed the baby's forehead several times.

Ang dalawa pa niyang kasama ay lumapit din. The man which I assumed her husband hugged her while holding a boy around three to four years old. The woman looked at me as she wiped her tears. Her quivering lips formed into a half smile.

"Maraming salamat." She stepped closer. Bumaba ang aking mga mata sa kamay niyang humawak sa aking braso. Masuyo niya iyong pinisil. "Hindi ko alam kung paano kita masusuklian sa ginawa mo para sa anak ko. Napakabuti mo," aniya.

My face heated. I do not usually felt comfortable when being praised. Though, I couldn't help the happiness spreading within me for being able to help others.

"Walang anuman." Ngumiti ako sa kanya. I shifted my eyes to the man beside her and to their other child before turning them back to her again. "Mabuti at ligtas kayo. Mabuti at nahanap mo sila. Sana matapos na itong gulo sa dito sa Neville. Nakaaawa ang mga inosente na nadadamay," I told her with my voice laced with pain.

Her eyes started to moist again. "Sana nga matapos na ito," she answered. Sandali niyang inilibot ang paningin sa paligid. Unti-unti ng kumakalat ang dilim. "Sa bayan ng Ganason kami papunta. Doon na muna kami sa bahay ng kaibigan ng asawa ko pansamantala. Dito na kami sa gubat dadaan. K-Kung gusto mo pwede ka namang sumama sa'min."

Naroon ang bahid ng pagmamadali sa kanyang ekspresyon. Tiyak kong gustong-gusto na niyang makaalis sa lalong madaling panahon. Ako man ay gusto na lamang makabalik sa Rosewood bago pa makaharap ang mga humahabol sa amin kanina.

Marahan akong umiling sa kanyang sinabi. Kumunot ang kanyang noo.

"Hindi na, sa Rosewood na ako didiretso. Dito na lang ako sa gubat dadaan. Alam ko naman kung saan ang daan pabalik sa Rosewood," I told her and softly smiled. I can see the disapproval on her eyes.

"Pero magdidilim na. Wala kang kasama at delikado." May pangamba sa kanyang boses.

"Kaya ko naman. Bibilisan ko na lamang para makarating agad sa Rosewood," sagot ko kahit sa totoo ay naroon ang kaba sa aking dibdib sa gagawing paglalakbay na mag-isa.

But I have to be brave. Ako lang mag-isa sa oras na ito at wala akong ibang pagpipilian kundi ang tatagan ang loob para makauwi ng ligtas.

Hesitantly, she nodded her head and speak, "Mag-iingat ka."

Tumango ako at ngumiti sa kanila. "Kayo rin."

"Hanggang sa muli nating pagkikita."

I smiled and waved my hand. Slowly, they turned their back on me. She turned her face to me again and we both exchange smiles before they completely walked away.

I let out a deep sighed before heading my way back to Rosewood. I was familiar with this forest. Way back when my mother was still alive, I sometimes go with her in the forest when she would looked for herbal plants. Minsan pa ay ginagabi kami sa gubat.

I just somehow wished that I still have my real anklet and not just only the replica of it. Kahit paano ay binibigyan ako niyon ng lakas ng loob sa tuwing pakiramdam ko mag-isa ako. Sa tuwing suot ko iyon pakiramkam ko kasama ko pa si mama. I know I am completely an adult. I do no more need a parent's guardian, but still if I would be given a chance to bring back the past, I would always want to bring back those times when my mother was still alive.

I am just being strong because that's the only choice remain in my life but still deep inside, I am still mourning for my mother's lost. I am just being strong but deep in my heart, I still don't know how will I live without my mother.

My head snapped around. I stopped on my track to observe my surroundings. Naalerto ako ng makita ang paggalaw ng malagong damo na tila may nagtatagong kung ano roon. Tuluyan ng kumalat ang dilim at tanging ang sinag na lang ng buwan ang nagsisilbi kong liwanag.

I sucked my breath when finally I saw where the noises came from. Red eyes meet my green ones. Four legged creatures slowly came out of the grass. Tumutulo ang laway sa kanilang mga bibig habang nanlilisik ang mga mata na naglalakad palapit sa akin.

Wolves. No, they are rogues. I stepped backward when they growled at me. I saw them ready to pounce at me but before they could get near me, I uttered some words to cast them a spell. The harsh wind swept off the small leaves on the ground as the red eye creatures fell limp on the dried leaves.

Mabilis akong naglakad paalis. Napahinga na lamang ako ng unti-unti ko ng nakita ang pamilyar na itutok ng light house sa Rosewood. Sa wakas ay malapit na ako. Ilang sandali pa ay tuluyan ko ng mararating ang dulo ng gubat kung saan naroon naman ang daan patungo sa sentro ng Rosewood.

I couldn't wait to lay on my bed. I couldn't wait to be wrapped in my green blanket and just fall into a deep slumber. I couldn't wait to get under the hot shower to wash this sticky feeling caused by too much sweat. I couldn't wait to rest my now numbing limbs. I want my books. The hot chocolate. Si Mystia at Thalis. My home. I missed almost evertyhing. Parang ang haba ng araw na ito at tanging gusto ko na lamang gawin ay magpahinga at matulog.

I continued my walks with all those thoughts. Thus, that thoughts are suddenly swept away when I heard another shuffled noises and was immediately followed by a growl at my back. I stopped to see what it was but everything was too late for me.

I felt myself harshly thrown away and fell on the ground. I grunted with so much pain as tears began to stream down my face. A large creature pounced at me. Too much pain gave me no chance to fight and see who attacked me. I did not know what happened next as darkness and pain completely consumed me.