A Soul's Journey

Chapter Twenty Two

Mang Teban opened his eyes. His ears picked up unwelcomed noise from the outside. He painfully sat down to further listen. What is this noise in the middle of the night?

His hands groped for his flashlight.

"No, Mang Teban. Don't use your flashlight. They might hurt you?"

"Von, what are you doing here?"

"You should ask what they will do to you if they see you."

"What do you mean? And who are they you are talking about?"

"Shh, not so loud, they might hear you. There are three men outside. Two have sledgehammers hammering my grave."

"Oh no, grave stealers are here again!"

"I don't think so. I have seen one of them before. He is an associate of Jim."

"Then they are here to desecrate your body."

"Might be. How could we stop them?"

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it." Mang Teban reached for his jacket hanging behind the door.

"Oh, no. Don't ever go out, they might hurt you. And no one will stop them from doing it."

"Don't worry, just follow me." Mang Teban sneaked out of the house. The moon was at its fullest and he could clearly see what they were doing.

He positioned himself from a safe distance among the structures where they couldn't see him. Two men were breaking the tomb while the third one served as a look-out.

"My son, run to the police station, go, go, go!" Mang Teban shouted on top of his voice. Then he threw stones successively in the direction of the gate to let them believe that somebody was running away. The look-out guy pulled a pistol from his waist and looked around. "Go, follow the man to the gate," he ordered one of his men. "Beat him and bring him here." His voice rose above the silence of the night.

After one of the guys had left, Mang Teban came closer to see his target better. He aimed at the head of the other digger. The first stone missed him but not the second. The man grimaced in pain and sought cover among the tombs.

Mang Teban lowered himself among the tombs, but his eyes never leaved them. You fool, you can never catch me. This cemetery is my home.

The blood oozing at his left temple took away his courage and he picked up the two sledgehammers and ran away. "Boss, we better leave. We are in danger."

The three boarded their vehicle and sped away. Their mission failed.

..................

Kim was long awake when the alarm clock sounded. She sat down at the edge of her bed then began stretching her limbs before walking to the bathroom. She stopped when she saw her face in the mirror. Oh my, sleepless nights have taken toll on me. What have I done in my life? If you are just around Von, I shouldn't be feeling this way. She continued her way to the bathroom feeling weak and like floating in the air. I better visit Von's grave before I report for work. It might lessen my burden. He might like it as his birthday is coming.

"Aling Nena, please pack my breakfast. I'll eat them in the office."

"Are you leaving alone, my dear?"

"Yes, and if ever Jim asked my whereabouts, say you don't know."

..............

She parked her car inside the cemetery and walked through the narrow concrete path. The thought of Jim appearing behind her was really driving her crazy. She must hurry up to go back to the office at once.

She could see the family mausoleum from where she was. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. The front grille was destroyed and the tomb partly damaged. She suspected that looting might be the reason. She walked faster, racing with her breath.

Finally she reached the front of the mausoleum.

She stood unnoticed behind a man who was seated and gathering the pieces of concrete chips.

She calmly greeted him, "Good morning, sir." She waited for the man to turn to her before shooting her first question.

Slowly he turned around and got the shock of his life. The lady who was the cause of his beating and their frustrations to meet stood in front of him. He slowly stretched up with face blushing with indescribable joy.

Kim held her breath as well, not knowing what the old man would do or say to her. But the old man surprised her with his greetings.

"Good morning, Kim. It's nice to see you."

She dropped her shoulders with eyes wide open. "Do you know me, sir?

"Yes, my dear. Von is very vocal about you whenever we meet."

"I even got mauled when I tried to see you upon Von's instructions. He pointed the scars all over his face and arms. "Look at these scars."

Here is a man claiming to be talking with the dead? This is the guy I am looking for. Kim was tongue-tied. She didn't know how to start her questions.

But even she had the question by the tip of her tongue, she couldn't have the chance to say it anymore.

"Kim!"

She froze by the sound of a familiar angry voice behind her.