THE GUARDIAN OF NATURE
When I finished preparing dinner for kids and for my grandmother, I placed all of it outside where my grandmother sitting. She’s only sitting on rocking chair, staring outside. She keeps staring at the tree far from here. She’s not always talking and if she will talk, it were only about the guardian of nature and other things I don’t understand. When my parents gave me to my grandmother, she didn’t welcome me. She only stared at me seriously like I’m a threat.
She is weird but I understand her. Siguro ang dahilan ay ang pagtanda niya. Marami na rin kasi siyang pinag-daanan at may sarili siyang paniniwala na hindi ko rin maintindihan.
She told me not go near to the tall tree, go outside in midnight. I don’t know if she’s only scaring me but she keep mentioning about the guardian of something. I couldn’t do anything but to listen. I never do anything stupid since I was a kid.
“Lola, lola!” tawag ng mga bata at umupo sila sa sahig habang kumakain ng lutong tinapay na aking ginawa. Grandmother is adopting children. She only adopted few children that she saw outside. Even she’s strict, she is kind.
And as usual, she didn’t talk or answer. She only approached the food above the table and she took a bite after. She glanced again outside, at the tree.
“Lola, mag-kuwento naman po kayo. Lagi ninyo po kaming kinukuwentuhan, sabi mo po kukuwentuhan mo po kami tungkol sa guardian,” pagsasalita ng isa na ang pangalan ay Almera. She faltered from munching her food and instead of giving a glance to kid, she looked at me seriously. The five kids agreed with her. All of them wants to hear the story of guardian they are talking about.
Grandma placed the bread to plate as she wiped her mouth by the white piece of cloth. “The guardian of nature, named Methus. He is the oldest tree of this planet.”
The kids smiled in amusement. Grandmother glanced at me first before averting her gaze to kids.
“Once,” she trailed off. “Upon a time,” pagpapatuloy niya.
YEAR 1820
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘨𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰𝘳’𝘴 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. 𝘚𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘎𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘰𝘳’𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘵𝘻𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺.
Napapikit ako sa inis na naramdaman. I’m mad and pissed because they made a celebration in this situation. Why are they burning trees, killing animals in the forests; haunting them just because of their beliefs that witches, wizards, necromancers, dark creatures are bad and a threat? They do not understand everything. They don’t treasure the beauty of river, sparkling because of cleanliness.
They don’t understand animals. I dreamt about the beautiful forest, cold air passing. All of them are beautiful, all of them are magical. I could see my sisters from here smiling widely and waving their hands, spreading the victory and proudly announcing it to everyone.
“I’m damn sick of this,” I rudely said as I stood up. I’ve caught the attentions of other visitors but I do not care! Napansin ko agad ang isang maharlikang prinsipe na napatingin sa akin dahil sa kabastusan at kahihiyan na ginawa ko. Napatigil siya sa pag-inom at tinaasan ako ng dalawang kilay na parang ako ay sinisiyensahan.
