Pain And Pen

KABANATA 13

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
The wise will see,
The sadness in you.

Twilight was almost setting when we arrived. There were plenty of streetlights and lampposts, so I could still see outside and enjoy the view.

Dark's mansion was located across the pristine river, and was surrounded with pine trees. At first glance, it was obvious that Dark was close to nature. He maneuvered the car slowly towards the huge gate, as if he was giving me the opportunity to slowly observe my surroundings which I greedily took advantage of.

With the windows rolled down, I slowly spread my palm outside—letting my skin tingle with the breath of fresh air. The number of trees, as well as the other plants, made the atmosphere cool. Hindi ko na mapigilan ang pagguhit ng ngiti sa aking mga labi. It made me ease my worries.

The car halted when we reached the golden gate. Doon ko lang napansin ang kakaiba nitong desinyo. The gate wasn't ordinary, instead of polished metal bars, the entrance's whole surface resembled an open book. There were even paragraphs written on its surface which unfortunately I couldn't read because it wasn't written in english. Mataas at malapad ito na kinailangan ko pa talagang tumingala para makita kung ano ang nasa tuktok. The word 'DARK REALM' was etched above using silver highlights. Shiny golden walls stood rigidly in its sides. There were two sculptures of pens attached in each border.

Gate pa lang ang creative na. Mas nadagdagan tuloy ang excitement ko sa kung anuman ang nasa loob.

When the gate opened, the large open book structure was torn into two—revealing the breathtaking scenery inside. There was a long stone pathway that led to the entrance of the mansion. Its sides were planted with different kinds of flowers. Huminto ang sasakyan sa harap ng isang malaking fountain.

I couldn't reign my excitement, so the moment Dark stopped the car, I giggled and immediately jumped from my seat. I gasped as my eyes wandered in the mansion. Hindi katulad ng mansion na nadaanan namin na punong-puno ng kulay, Dark's place had a monochromatic theme. Black was the superior color, and it perfectly accentuated the contrast of the lively surrounding and the gloomy mansion. It was really huge and wide, and I couldn't begin to fathom how much this mansion cost.

Dark stood beside me, and gestured to the entrance—the large double door with hesitancy.

"Some said, my safe haven looked like it housed vampires and other creatures of the night. So I wouldn't blame you if you decided that you don't want to stay here."

"It's perfect." I smiled genuinely.

Kung para sa iba ay creepy ang safe haven ni Dark, para naman sa akin ay hindi. Sometimes, I hate the stereotypes when it comes to colors—be it in our skin complexion, up to how we viewed things and symbolism. I hate the stigma that black was the epitome of evilness; that it was for the devil, while white was the opposite.

"Well, at least I'm not sleeping in a coffin. So shall we?"

I laughed and followed him inside. If this was a fucking dream, please wake me up when February becomes 31 days.

I SPENT MY first night in Dark's safe haven with a smile on my face. Despite my excitement, I'm too exhausted to wander around. After dinner, he led me to my room, and wished me goodnight. I slept that night peacefully, even knowing that tomorrow I would enter the world that failed to give my mother her place.

The next day, I woke up feeling refreshed and energized. I was bouncing in excitement as I descended from the grand staircase. Ngayong maliwanag na ay mas nabigyan ko ng pansin ang loob ng mansyon. Just like its exterior, the interior design also had a monochromatic theme. Unlike the horror movies that portrayed haunted houses, this place wasn't creepy despite the lack of other hues. Infact, it looked really beautiful.