Not Even Death Do Us Part

12

12

Ang maginhawa at pag-ihip ng hangin ay bumabalot sa balat ni Zerina, pakiramdam din niya ay para siyang inaanod.

Hanggang sa idinilat ni Zerina bigla ang mga mata. Ganun na lamang ang gulat niya dahil nasa pamilyar na batis siya!

"How did I get here?" Nilingon niya ang paligid, "Franco? Franco!"

"I'm here."

Pumihit siya patalikod at nakita si Franco. Tinignan pa ni Zerina ang likuran ni Franco, "Wait, was it all a dream?"

Umiling si Franco at napakislot si Zerina nang biglang lumadlad ang mga pakpak ni Franco. "I-It's real."

Nagpunta si Franco sa may batis at lumapit sa kanya. "It's Friday, so I brought you here."

Titig na titig si Zerina sa mga pakpak ni Franco, "P-Pwede bang hawakan?"

"Of course."

Nanginginig ang mga kamay ni Zerina at hinaplos-haplos iyon. Sumilay ang ngiti sa mga labi ni Zerina nang damhin niya ang lambot ng pakpak ni Franco.

"You always show the same reaction every time you touch and see my wings for the first time."

Napalingon siya kay Franco, "Huh?"

Umiling si Franco at hinawakan sa baywang, "It was a lot for you last night. You collapsed."

"You said you were a drangue?"

Tumango si Franco, "Haven't you read yet the Albanian myth book I gave you?"

Umiling si Zerina, "No."

Franco sighed, "I think I understood why you taught I was a shtriga."

"You're a warrior?"

Franco nodded his head, "Yes. The reason for my absence is because I need to catch them."

"But are you going to kill them?"

"I can't kill them yet. They had many victims; it is only them who can give back the blood they sucked out of their victims."

In just a blink of an eye, Franco immediately hid his wings. His eyes went back to their natural color.

Kapwa sila naupo ni Franco sa batis upang masagot pa ang mga katanungan ni Zerina.

"Ang pangalan mo? Franco ba talaga?"

Matamis na ngumiti si Franco habang nakatitig lang sa tubig, "You gave me that name."

Nangunot ang noo ni Zerina, "Hindi ko maintindihan."

"I'll explain it to you gradually, but for now. What are your questions?" He extended his hand, and Zerina held it then he pulled it gently asking her to sit on his lap.

Sinuklay ni Franco ang buhok ni Zerina, habang tinititigan siya ng buong pagsinta. "To you, it's just months, but for me it is not, I love you, Zerina."

Napapikit si Zerina nang halikan siya sa labi ni Franco pero pinatigil niya muna ito, "You said I can ask questions. Don't kiss me yet."

Humalakhak si Franco, "Go on."

"Since we're already talking weird and unnatural stuff. Let's talk about you."

"Okay."

"May kinalaman ka ba kung bakit lagi kang nasa panaginip ko tuwing Biyernes?" Inalala ni Zerina ang mga misteryong panaginip. "You were always in my dreams, and ..."

His lips twitched like he is hearing something amusing, "And?"

Uminit ang pisngi ni Zerina, "we were doing it."