La Cometa 1892

Chapter 7

  IN BETWEEN THE crevices of a wealthy person's home were sunbeams silently passing through, as if sensing the thick atmosphere surrounding the place right at that moment. The nature was unnaturally quiet and eerie. 

  Roads were empty, leaves were suspended, and the afternoon air was a bit colder this time. It was like waiting for a storm to burst out and consume every living thing to finish its job.

  The only sound that was trying to break each other's thoughts was the running faucet in the kitchen. Maingat na hinugasan ni Aelia ang mga basong gagamitin. Sa ibabaw ng babasaging mesa nakapatong ang dalawang tray. Isang pitsel ng orange juice at egg breads ang magiging merienda nila ngayon. Naisipan niya itong gawin kanina lamang habang kumakain sila ng lunch.

"Endy! Pakipwesto naman nitong meryenda natin sa center table," utos niya.

  Sa wakas ay natapos na rin siyang maghugas. Inilagay niya ang mga baso sa kabilang tray kasama ang pitsel. She checked if there is anything they need and noted that her companions might like to add pepper or salt. Hinanap niya ito at nakitng nakatago sa isa sa mga cupboards.

  Nang lumingon siya ay naroon pa rin ang meryenda nila. Agad kumunot ang noo ni Aelia. Nasaan na nga ba ang kasama niya? Kanina ay kasama niya pa si Endy sa unang palapag ng bahay. Habang ang natitira pang kasamahan ay pumasok sa kanya-kanyang kwarto. But despite the confusion, she still brought the two trays in the living room. She noticed her colleague was still in the same position, standing behind the untrimmed bushes.

"Endy, let's have some snacks. Tatawagin ko lang sa taas sina Dyo at Selene." Still, no response from him.

  Naisip niya kung may problema ba ito o nahihirapan sa trabaho. Nang maalala niya ang mga nakaraang nangyari sa kanila, agad na pumaskil ang takot sa dibdib niya. 

  Hindi kailanman naging magaan ang trabaho nilang mga archaeologists. In a world they chose to dwell is a ball of superficial information waiting to be verified. They are vulnerable to fabricated and filtered stories.

It wasn't about the place why it became historically mystic. It was the residents' malevolence and rulers' malfeasance.

  Who would have thought this town can project the unnerving image and mystifying fabricated stories into reality.  

  Aelia looked at Endy. He seemed to be in deep thought dahil hindi siya napansin nitong lumapit sa kanya.

"Endy, are you alright? You looked worried," tanong ni Aelia, bakas sa tono ng babae ang pag-aalala.