Ilang oras din akong nagdrive patungo ng Ilocos para marating ko ang aming dating bahay. When dad died, I have no more else to go to, so I decided to migrate in Manila kung saan nameet ko si Jane. Ayokong manatili sa bahay namin kasi it makes me drown into deepest sadness. Maguumaga na. Unti-unti ko ng natatanaw ang malagintong sinag ng araw na dahan dahang kumikislap sa langit. Kasabay ng ganda ng paligid, isang malamig na patak ng luha ang mabilis na tumulo mula sa mga pagod kong mata. I remember my dad. Hindi lang siya actually, pero pati yung sakit na naramdaman ko.
My dad died because I can't protect him. I failed to be with him in times na kailangan niya ako. I graduated college sa isang prestilhiyosong school sa Manila. Dad was so excited in my graduation. We are talking via skype the night before my graduation ceremony but everything went into a terrible blood bath. I cannot remember the whole thing, maybe because of the trauma but I know for sure that I saw my dad murdered in front of the camera. Walang awa ang mga gumawa nito sa kanya. I tried to sue those murders but they are no where to be found. Hanggang ngayon, dad's case is still not solved pero parang isang alaalang kinalimutan na lang ang nangyari sa kanya but not for my case. I still remember. After his burial, I undergo such great depression and trauma. Buti na lang, I surpassed those trying times with the help of our nearest family friend, ang pamilya ng Tesoro.
Maya't maya pa, I already had passed the houses of the family of Tesoro. Wa lang nagbago sa exterior ng bahay nila. You can still sense its ancient vibe. Ilang kilometro na lang, malapit na ako sa bahay namin. Our house was located near an end of a cliff facing the vast Philippine Sea. Maganda ang tanawin mula sa aming bahay. Hindi naman kalakihan ang bahay namin but it looks pretty decent. Sakto lang ang pamumuhay namin. Simple but happy. Ipinarada ko ang aking sasakyan sa bakanteng espasyo sa gilid ng bahay na dati ay isang magandang hardin ng iba't ibang klase ng bulaklak.
Pagkalabas ko ng sasakyan, sinalubong agad ako ng malamig na simoy ng hangin. I missed being here. I approached the door and opened it. Inilibot ko ang king mata sa paligid. Wala pa ring nagbago sa bahay. Maganda pa rin siya at katulad pa rin ang ayos niya noong buhay pa si dad. I can't help but to miss him. Nanghihina ang tuhod ko dala ng matinding pighati na unti unting lumalamon sa puso ko. This is the reason why I don't like to go back sa bahay na ito. Every part of this house speaks of my memories. Buti sana kung good memories but it also reminds me of my dad's tragic end. I rushed to my bedroom.
"I thought you will not come." malumanay na bati ng babaeng nakaupo sa kama ko. Napatili ako ng malakas. Grabeng takot ang naramdaman ko. Hindi ko alam kung papano nakarating dito ang babaeng nakita ko sa restroom kahapon. "Compose yourself, Vera. Stop over reacting." she added. Paanong di ako magiging hysterical? How did she managed to enter here? Napaupo ako sa takot. She looked at me with her mesmerizing eyes. Her eyes are like the splendor of the moon, nakakaakit. Mukhang dadalhin ka ng mata niya kung saan. She stood in front of me and offered her hand para tulungan akong tumayo. "Stand up. I am Luna by the way." she introduced.
Siya si Luna? I have many questions but I cannot speak. Umatras yata lahat ng tapang ko. She guided me in the nearest chair while she sat on the chair facing me then crossed her leg. Mukhang feel at home siya habang ako, worried, anxious and bombarded by many illogical thoughts. "Do not give me that look. Pipi ka ba?" she asked in a medyo naiinis na tono. I shook my head as a reply. "Then, talk to me." she shouted. Nagulat ako ng bahagya sa lakas ng boses niya. Hindi ko pa rin mawari ang logical reason kung paano naganap ang lahat. Surely, this is supernatural but I am denying it because this such things are not real, right?
"Do I look like an imagination or a hallucination to you?" Luna asked. I am so close to insanity. What in the world, gave her the power to know what's on my mind? "It's just that, I have power." she said confidently with a smirk. Isang malakas na sigaw ang isinigaw ko. "Stop making my mind insane. You are not real." I shouted. "Stop." Luna calmly said. In an unknown reason, I found peace. Humupa lahat. "Okay. Bakit ka nandito?" I composed myself and asked. "I am here to help you which I am trying to do for a very long time." she said.
She wanted to help me? Marami akong problems, alin doon? "Saan mo ko gustong tulungan?" I questioned her. "Sa kung anong dapat mong gawin." she answered clearly with an assuring smile. Angelo's problems raided my mind easily. Siguro she wanted to help me to solve Angelo's struggles. "Are you some kind of genie or a patron?" I asked curiously. Well, she should be. She looks like a wish maker. "I don't know what mind you have but stop questioning me. You are wasting my time. Let's go sa kung anong dapat mong gawin." she declared in an annoyed tone. "Is this about Angelo? Did he consulted you?" I tried to know what's really going on. Ikaw ba naman, bigla na lang may sumulpot na ganito out of nowhere? She should be driven by someone's prayers or wish right?
"I don't know. You are causing me so much pain in my mind. Hindi ko alam na ganito kababa ang comprehension mo." giit ni Luna. She is insulting me. How dare her? "Kung naparito ka to comment on my comprehension level, better leave. Just enlighten me. I cannot process this kind of things on my own." I said. She let out a big sigh. "Well, I am Luna. I sent you the letter to help you with Ms. Razon. I cannot let you go to what tribe you wanted to go to, without preparation. Alam mo na, you have to be prepared." she explained na parang bored na bored. "Okay, are you working with Ms. Razon's company?" I asked. "Of course not!" she boldly said. Buti na lang. Iba ang kutob ko kay Rebecca. Something is odd sa kanya and I don't want her help. Kung hindi lang dahil sa writer's block ni Angelo, malamang, I would not like to meet her. I nodded as a reply to Luna.
"Do you know who you are Vera?" Luna asked me randomly. Napatanong din ako sa sarili ko. Sino ba ako? To be honest, I know who I am but if I tried to remember my childhood and some important things about me, I see nothing. But I know in my heart, kung sino ako. Bakit nga ba ganito? I can't remember my memories. Luna handed me a color white box. "Open it later, when the moon is shining vividly. Itapat mo sa liwanag ng buwan." Luna said while going out from my room. Mukhang aalis na siya. "Wait!" I tried to followed her but when I opened the door she closed, I found no one again. Naglaho nanaman siya. Then, my eyes was captivated by the box. Curiosity eats me. Ano kayang laman nito?