Poetry and Story, written over coffee

Damien

"Ma'am Via! Bakit hindi lahat ng tao may angel?" tanong ng batang estudyante ko. Tumingin ako sa kaniya. Ngumiti ng malawak.

"Is it because they are bad?" tanong naman ni Domino.

"Or because they are naughty kids?" tanong naman ni Klay. Nagtawanan naman sila. Tumawa na lang ako.

"Everyone has an angel my dear. When you are baby. You have an Angel Cherubim. Cherubim is a type of angel that is in a child form. But through the time, when you're getting older. Your angel are becoming older also." sabi ko. Nakita ko kung paano bumakas sa mukha nila ang pagkamangha.

"Pero dumarating ang oras na nawawala sila. Do you want to know why?" malungkot na ngiti ko. Tumahimik naman sila. Tiningnan ko sila isa-isa. Narinig ko ang tunog ng bell. Ibig sabihin labasan na ng mga estudyante. Ngumiti ako sa kanila.

"Ano ba 'yan?" angal nila.

"Ma'am Via, sabihin niyo na po." pangungulit nila sa akin pero umiling lang ako.

"Your parents are waiting for all of you. We will see each other again. That's for all today. Goodbye class." sabi ko. Teacher ako sa isang prep. school. Nakita kong nalungkot ang mga bata pero nagsitayuan pa rin sila. Iyong iba umaangal kaya natawa na lang ako. They bid their goodbye so do I. Tumalikod na ako para ayusin ang gamit ko. Nang matapos ko na nakita ko si Dale nakaupo lang at nakatingin sa akin.

He is different from the other kid. He was too aloof. Some think he was weird and mysterious but for me he was still a child that need love and support.

Lumapit ako sa kaniya at ngumiti ng malawak. Lumuhod ako sa harapan niya. Hinawakan niya ang may eye patch ko. Kaya ngumiti ako sa kaniya. My left eyes are blind.

"Why are you still here?" tanong ko. Tiningnan ko siya sa mata. His black orb eyes. His gaze like he was judging your soul and he was welcoming you to the depth of hell. Iniwas ko ang tingin ko sa kaniya. Napalunok ako. Tumayo na.

"Why? Did you see it?" mahinang tanong nito. Tumingin ako sa kaniya. Ngumiti ito sa akin.

"Do you want to know why are those angel, gone?" tanong nito at tumayo ito. Naglakad papalapit sa akin.

"Vanished?" napalunok ako. Tumingin siya sa mga mata ko.

"Because they let them..."

"Die." sabi niya.

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Nagising akong hinihingal. Pinagpapawisan ang mga kamay ko. Pati na ang ulo ko. Nanginginig din ang mga kalamnan ko. It was happened, 5 years ago but everytime I closed my eyes I see his eyes. Like he know everything. Like he can see my sin. Like I did a big mistake in my life. Pumikit ako ng mariin. Huminga ng malalim.

"It was just a nightmare Avia. It will never happened." bulong ko. Minulat ko na ang mga mata ko at nakita ko ang sketch pad ko sa ibabaw ng lamesa.

This is my sketch pad when I was a kid. When I still have my angel. When everything is perfect. Napahigpit ang kapit ko sa sketch pad ko. I sighed. Dahan-dahan ko itong binuksan.

"Angel Documentary by Avia Erich San Jose. In a traditional hierarchy of angels ranked from lowest to highest into the following nine orders: angels, archangels, principalities, powers, virtues, dominions, thrones, cherubim, and seraphim." basa ko.

"Angels are the normal one. They save and protect but not bound to be a guardian. Archangels are the group of angel to protect the cities and country. Principalities, Powers and Virtues are those angel have their own powers, knowledge and strenght. Dominion and Thrones are those angel with a supreme authority to govern a whole battalion of angel." Tinitingnan ko ang mga drawing ko noon. Those are the angels that I see in my dream. Nilipat ko sa kabilang page.