Covenant in the Wilderness

Chapter 10: What did you do?

Parang nanginginig ang kalamnan ko at hindi ako makapag-isip nang matino. Hindi ko na naramdaman ang presensya ng lalaki at narinig ko ang pagbubukas at muling pagsara ng bakal na pinto.

Napalunok nalang ako at dumiretso sa pagkakatayo. I've seen their initiation, several times. I even saw them hurting a girl just to be initiated, just to prove the start of their loyalty. It was all crazy. I will never let them pass without saying the truth that will slap all of them for their own good.

Pinag-saklop ko ang mga kamay at ipinagpatuloy ang mabagal na paghinga. Hindi ako kumapit sa bakal matapos maramdaman na sobrang lamig nito, hinayaan kong nakababa lang ang mga nakatali kong kamay.

Agad na naalarma ang sistema ko nang marinig ang pagbukas ng pinto. Tumayo ako nang maayos at mariin na pinagdikit ang labi habang naririnig ko ang mga yapak nito palapit. Even his steps was too familiar. Ryker, I know this is that crazy man.

"The initiation will happen in a minute. Once you've taken the vows and pledged your fidelity, everything will be irrevocable," paalala niya sa akin.

"Bahala kayo," I tried to test him by taking things nonchalantly, that everything wasn't a big deal.

"This is a very important ceremony, Deborah. You need to keep your eyes blind for a while to build your trust, and not hatred towards those people who will help you in the end."

"How could I keep my eyes blind..." I breathed. "I have clearer sight in the dark?"

"Mmm." He let out a light laugh. "You need to open your eyes starting today, you'll realize what kind of world you are stepping into. What kind of people surrounding you hides. Mahal na ang tiwala ngayon, kailangan ng kabayaran, kailangan ng sakripisyo."

"Your perspective just prove me who you really are." Bumawi ako ng mahinang tawa. "It's a poison. Are you expecting me to buy that? Ha, Ryker Herrera?"

"I'm not an entrepreneur, Miss Bautista. I've said what I said, your life will prove it anyway," he said. "Every words from you never failed to make me amused, I don't know what's with someone like you."

Naka-focus pa rin ako sa kanya kahit ramdam ko na ang presensya ng mga tao sa loob. Bulungan lang ang mga naririnig ko mula sa mga estudyanteng katulad ko lang rin. Everyone here inside who will come near me, I will remember their presence. I will never let it pass on each one of them, I swear.

"If you proved that kind of perspective in this lifetime, you're not yet living." Sinadya kong iparinig iyon sa mga tao na nasa loob na ng silid ngayon. "What kind of people surround me hides? Did you mean these people surrounding me now, these people?"

"I warned you, Deborah."

"Start the initiation ceremony."

Napapikit ako ng mariin kasabay ng kaunting kilabot na nararamdaman. Kakaiba talaga dito, hindi ko alam pero sobrang bigat sa pakiramdam, mabigat sa dibdib. Noon ay sa labas at gilid lang ako ng pader nanatili para tingnan sila, ngayong ako na mismo ang nasa sapatos ng mga nakikita ko noon, kinikilabutan ako.

"If anything happened, don't you dare touch her. You'll be dead."

I gathered all my courage before I stepped in here, I asked for strength and the will to take this one. Thinking of those people who walked in here without knowing anything, how hard it must have been for them?

Mas bumilis ang tibok ng aking puso nang biglang mas dumilim sa aking paningin, senyales na pinatay na ang ilaw. I could almost memorise what they're doing every time they're giving a member a welcome. Their kind of welcome will never be warm.

I closed my eyes once again, they're lighting candles. I know they're lighting stupid candles at this moment, for their ritual, they need to light some candles. They started it and I remained silent. They started the ceremony as if it's something normal.