The Harvest [Unedited]

XXXV

Acheron's POV

I kept glancing at Cammie's 'phone' and can't stop tapping the ground with my shoes. We've already wasted a lot of hours in this art museum while the world is facing an impending war between the underworld gods.

Both of them are sure taking their time looking at those bland paintings hanging on the wall. Mabuti sana kung hindi dito mundo ng mga mortal gaganapin ang sagupaan. 

I winked and waved at a young lady who keeps on checking me out. Hindi ko naman siya masisi dahil kahit nagkatawang-tao ako, hindi pa rin maipagkakaila ang aking ka-guwapuhan at kakisigan. Napansin ko ang pamumula ng kaniyang pisngi pero umirap lang siya sabay talikod.

What in the world did just happened? A mere mortal had the audacity to do that? To me? A ferryman of death? Hindi ba niya alam na maraming nymphs ang hindi magkandaugaga sa 'kin?

Naibaling ang atensyon ko kay Cammie nang ituro niya ang isang larawan sa dingding. It's just a 1500 oil-in-canvass painting of a woman in a red Victorian dress. 

 "Ang ganda niya, 'di ba?" sambit niya habang napako ang mga mata sa painting. 

Umiling ako kahit alam kong hindi niya ako makikita. I've been in that era countless times, during the sudden surge of death due to the black plague. I can vouch that ladies back then never looked like that. They all looked plain and boring to me.

"She does," Alpheus whispered but he wasn't paying attention to the lady on the wall. In this room full of art, his eyes were only fixated on her. He was only looking at Cammie. I frowned. Masyado siyang halata.

"Sana all."

"But you are captivating." 

"Sinungaling."

"I'm not."

Narinig ko ang marahang pagtawa ni Cammie nang guluhin ni Alpheus ang buhok niya. I mentally rolled my eyes at their display of affection pero sumunod rin nang magsimula silang maglakad palayo. Pinanood ko kung paano tumabi sa gilid ni Cammie si Alpheus habang nakapamulsa. 

Hindi pa ba sila tapos? Kailan ba balak ni Alpheus isauli ang kaluluwa ni Cammie sakatawan niya? Malapit na siyang operahan at dapat makabalik na kami bago matapos ang operasyon.

"Sa tingin mo Alpheus, ano kayang ibig sabihin niyan?" rinig kong tanong ni Cammie sabay harap sa isang painting na hindi ko maintindihan.

A field of yellow flowers? Ah, a field of wheat. I'm certain it's a field of barley or wheat, or whatever it is. It's just scribbled yellow paints. 

"Hmm..." napahawak si Alpheus sa kaniyang baba at mukhang malalim ang iniisip. "I think that's a field of wheat, yet it somehow reminds me of the flames of hell. What do you think?" 

"May impyerno talaga?" Namilog ang mga mata ni Cammie pero agad rin siyang ngumiti. "Hindi ko alam kung bias ako dahil paborito kong kulay ang yellow, pero nang nakita ko 'yan ikaw ang una kong naalala."