Norfolk

Beginning

The weather was freezing, but there was nothing else Ceesta and Apollo could do to warm themselves when she wore nothing but a white prairie dress, with a rectangular neckline and tulip sleeves.

Dumating ang oras kung saan binalot ng asul na kalangitan ang paligid. At dahil papagabi, lumiit na rin ang bilang ng mga taong namimili.

Although Apollo didn't show any signs of difficulty in the situation, Ceesta could confirm by how he took a few heavy sighs while his pinkish cupid lips turned pale, he was struggling.

"Good!" He said, sounded more like a touch of sarcasm. "Now we're trapped here."

Undoubtedly. It was the book's fault. Pero hindi lang niya lubusang maisip kung paano.

As she recalls, pumunta lang si Ceesta at Apollo sa bahay niya para iayos ang mga I-do-donate na libro nang matagpuan nila ang librong isinulat ni Corina--

Ngayon nagkakaroon ng linaw ang lahat kung bakit ito ipinag babawal sa kaniya ni Corina. Corina knew the book was enchanted.

At kung may hiwaga ito,medyo mahirap tumbukin ang tamang sagot kung paano sila napasok rito. Unless they enchanted a spell, or a prayer to summon someone or something that could drag them into Norfolk, but they did nothing like that--

Did they?

Aggressively, paulit-ulit na tinapik niya ang nakahalukipkip at matitigas na braso ni Apollo.

He stiffed and then stopped walking. "Cee, that hurts."

"Remember yung binasa mo sa libro na sinabayan ko?" Tanong niya.

Ilang segundong titigan, tumaas ang dalawa nitong kilay. "Yung slit?"

She nodded and a bright hope crossed her face, she knew, Apollo was not dumb after all--

"Hindi" He replied. "Bakit?"

She didn't move, nor reacted that could start a fight. Hindi ito ang tamang oras para pairalin ang init ng ulo.

But instead, "All and sundry holds the key, slit the coat and you will see," she recited again.

"Oh!" His mouth curved into a letter O. This time, kumbinsido na si Ceesta na naalala na ito ni Apollo. "Sooo.. are you telling me na may kinalaman 'yan kung bakit tayo narito?"

She nodded. "I think we opened a door-- a portal or something. Kasi pagkatapos no'n, nakarinig ako na tinatawag mo pangalan ko and we fought--"

"We what?" He cut in, hands rested against his waist, nang iharap ang katawan kay Ceesta. "Are we thinking the same thing, Cee?"

Ceesta scanned his expression, and it was nothing but quizzical. Hindi niya alam kung saang parte may hindi naintindihan si Apollo. O kagaya ng nangyari kay Ceesta kanina ay mayroon na namang pwersa na kumukuha ng memorya nila.

Tanda rin niya kung paano naging aligaga ang kasama at sinasabing delikado ang lugar na 'to, isama pa na alam ni Apollo kung paano ibalik ang memoryang nawala sa kaniya--

Binalik niya kay Apollo ang paniningkit na mga mata nang may mapagtanto. "Anong alam mo sa lugar na 'to, Apollo?"

Bumaba ang tingin ni Ceesta sa damit nito at tinitigan ang tuyong mantsa, kakulay ng nasa kamay niya. "At saan mo nakuha 'yan?"

Sinundan ni Apollo ang tinitignan niya at marahang kinutkot ang mantsa gamit ang isang daliri. "Cee-- wait-- seriously?"

"Mukha ba akong nanloloko, Apollo?" Asik niya. "Alam ko na may hindi ka sinasabi sa akin."

Itinanong niya kung paano nalaman ni Apollo ang gagawin para maibalik ang memorya na muntik mawala sa kaniya. Kung bakit tila takot na takot ito na dito sila napunta-- gayon pa man, naiintindihan ni Ceesta na nakakabaliw itong nangyari sa kanila pero gusto niyang malaman ang eksaktong sagot at dahilan.