✔ Project Salvation: The Last Exorcist

Epilogue

"ABEL, MAGTIRA KA NAMAN!"

But as expected, tinawanan lang siya nito habang patuloy pa ring nilalantakan ang pagkain sa mesa. Magdalene scowled at how messy he ate, which didn't go unnoticed by the 24-year-old mechanic.

"What? I'm sure he wouldn't mind. Kung nandito si E, baka nga magalit pa siya dahil ang dami-dami nating hinanda, eh. This is like, what, three times as much as last year's food?" Abel stared at the mountain of cakes and hamburgers in front of them.

Pero kahit anong sabihin niya, alam niyang walang makakapigil kay Magdalene sa paghahanda nito. Not when the woman dedicates half a year's worth of her salary as a local caretaker to prepare for this very occasion.

On the other hand, Magdalene sighed in defeat and started arranging the plates again. Kahit na ilang beses na niya itong ginawa, para bang hindi pa rin siya mapakali sa ayos ng mga ito.

"Kung nandito si E, baka pinagalitan ka niya dahil ayaw mong tanggapin ang scholarship sa ECU..."

There was a sense of longing in her voice, something that never really faded throughout the years.

'Seven years.'

Agad na umayos ng tayo si Magdalene at nagkunwaring may kukunin sa kusina, an excuse so that she can turn her back on Abel. Him trying to console her is the last thing she wanted today. Dahil sa apat na taon matapos ng Project Salvation, pareho nilang alam na hindi matutumbasan ng kahit ano ang pangungulila nila sa huling Exorcist.

'Kung nakikita mo lang sana ang Eastwood ngayon, E.'

Magdalene took in a deep breath and blinked back the tears. Kumuha siya ng baso at pinuno ito ng tubig, kahit pa nanginginig pa rin ang kanyang mga kamay habang inaalala ang nangyari noon. After taking a sip, she tucked strands of her red hair behind her ear and gazed out the open window. Nasinagan ng araw ang kanyang noong dala pa rin ang peklat ng mga sungay roon.

Bitter scars of her past.

Kumpara noon, maaliwalas, tahimik, at may kung anong positibong enehiyang bumabalot ngayon sa Eastwood.

After Project Salvation, the sky turned clear and the sun finally conquered the shadows. Eastwood was finally cleansed of demons. Naging tao muli ang ilan sa mga Cambions, habang ang iba sa kanila tuluyan nang binawian ng buhay. Magdalene suspected that it has something to do with who's willing to repent for their sins, and who's already long gone.

A judgement passed.

Sa kabila nito, hindi maitatangging nasa proseso pa rin sila ng paghilom.

Even Eastwood itself still harbors the scars of the past, with roads still under reconstruction and houses still under renovation. May mangilan-ngilan na ring pamilihan sa paligid, mga indibidwal na naga-alok ng mga trabaho at nagbibigay ng ayuda, at nito lang nakaraang buwan, nagsisimula na ring magbukas ang mga paaralan. Hindi madili sa natitirang mga tao ang buhayin muli ang bayan, pero sa milagrong naganap noong araw na 'yon, they experienced a spiritual awakening. Everyone knew that they are blessed.

Another chance at life.

Magdalene closed her eyes, just as a gentle breeze came from the window.

'Hindi ito magiging posible kung hindi dahil sa tibay ng pananampalataya at pagtitiwala mo, E.'

Nang makabalik na siya sa dining area, nakita niyang tahimik na nakaupo sa isang silya si Abel. Nagulat pa ito nang mapansin siya sa kanyang tabi. Because of this, Magdalene became suspicious.

"Anong sasabihin mo?"

"Err..." Napahawak ito sa kanyang batok. Finally, Abel pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket. "Siguro matutuwa na siya sa'kin. I accepted the scholarship at ECU, dahil gusto kong maranasang makapag-aral ulit. I... I've actually been self-studying for the past year at the local library. Naipasa ko na rin ang entrance exam nila kaya pwede na akong pumasok sa susunod na Disyembre."