chapter 6

Somewhere in the forest of Sagada. The three - Benjie, Daya and Danny, were waiting for someone to come. Benjie was leaning himself on a pine tree as he stood facing the pine needle covered narrow pathway. Beside Benjie was a rock where Daya was sitting on. Danny was standing in front of them. He was whistling as a respond to the chirping birds that were flying around from one tree to another. He was trying to eradicate his almost fifteen minute boredom. While Daya was scanning around , appreciating the beauty of nature.

A few moments later...

They sensed that someone was coming towards the space they occupied.  Because of that, Daya slowly stood up while looking at the pathway's farthest distance her eyes could see where the sensation was coming from. She kept on smelling the incoming visitor's scent.

"Siya ba 'yan?" She asked Danny. She suddenly felt nervous.

"Siya nga." Danny smirked.

Benjie and Daya slowly walked towards Danny, curious of what does he look like.

Then, they can already see a man walking, getting closer and closer.  At the same time, his scent was getting stronger and stronger. A few walks later, he has finally reached Danny. 

"Danny!" He gladly yelled as he spread his arms wide.

"Undoy!" Danny yelled back. Then they hugged each other.

"Kamusta ka?" Undoy asked.

"Ayon pa rin may band aid sa balikat( speaking in Kankana-ey)." He laughed. Undoy also laughed.

"Palagi ko namang sinasabi sa iyo na mag-ingat ka," Undoy said.

"Ay...mahirap iwasan Pre."

"Sa bagay..." His friend snugged. "Mas lalo na't sa panahon ngayon. Nahihirapan kayong talunin 'yung tropa ng abalayan ng kapatid mo." 

Danny turned around and he looked at Daya for a second then he faced his friend once again. 

"Oo nga eh." He agreed. "Sana matulungan mo kami doon sa 'susi'."

"Basta ikaw." Undoy laughed once more.

"Ano?Nahanap mo na ba 'yung kaibigan mo?" Danny whispered. Undoy responded with a smirk. 

"Ikaw talaga." He laughed then he grabbed Danny's shoulders.

"Huwag kang mag-alala. May sasagot din diyan mamaya." He added.

                                   ****

Study Hour, an hour held three 'o clock in the afternoon everyday to rest every high school students' minds and some students take this hour to do club activities. Although, that hour is not available for college students, the hour was still Ana's free time since her next class was an hour away, at exactly four. And so, she decided to spend her free time in the library.

Grace Joy was also at the library. She was searching for a vacant table where she could read the book she was handling. Later, she found Ana sitting alone while reading an animal book.  She walked slowly towards her. Without Ana knowing, Grace sat across her. 

"Ano bang binabasa mo?" Grace Joy asked with a smile.

Ana suddenly startled. Her eyes widened in shock.  As she gasped.

"Ikaw naman nakakagulat ka," she told her. She put her right hand on her chest.

"Sorry." Grace Joy apologized. "Puwede bang maki-upo?" she asked.

Ana bit her lips as she immediately nodded. 

"Sure. Wala namang problema dun. Nakaupo ka na eh. Ano pa bang magagawa ko? Total wala akong kasama ngayon." She answered.

"Salamat!" 

"Ano bang dala mo?" Ana curiously asked while looking at the thick small book Grace had put on the table.

"Ah? Eto ba? Isang mystery novel. Magbabasa muna ako ng libro habang may free time pa ako." She responded. 

"Same pala tayo." Ana sighed. "Wala kasi akong magawa ngayon kung kaya't magbabasa na lang ako. Tapos wala pang meeting ang Arts Club ngayon." She added.

The last statement of her suddenly made Grace Joy think for a few seconds.

"Sa tingin mo...masaya ba ang sumali ng club sa college?" Grace Joy suddenly asked.

"Oo." Ana answered.

"Teka nga lang...?" Ana wondered. "Wala ka bang sinalihan ni-isang club man lang?"

Grace Joy shyly shook her head. The upper part of her nose creased as she brought her eyebrows closer to each other.

"Dapat may club kang sinalihan." 

"Gusto ko sana...pero...'study first 'muna."

"Grace Joy." Ana sighed. "Alam mo hindi mo din ma-eenjoy ang college kung hindi mo susubukang sumali ng mga club organization. Besides, mas aktibo ang mga club organizations sa college kay sa sa high school. At alam mo... Itong school na ito? Sigurado akong aktibo lahat niyan."

After hearing what Ana had said, she bit her lips as she looked down and she gently nodded. She was reflecting on what the girl in front of her had said.

                                        *****

Somewhere in the middle of the forest, an area west of the echo valley. Where Undoy's family was hiding. He and his wife and children were living together in a nipa hut and it's a little far away from the civilization. 

"Ay kayo ta sunggep tako. Ma-id man babain.( Pasok kayo. Huwag kayong mahihiya)." Undoy told them. 

The three guests were slowly walked through the door while scanning the interior of the hut. As they enter, they were already at the living room. 

"Wow... mukhang mag-isa niyo lang rito ah?" Benjie faintly chuckled. He sat down on a wooden chair next to a sofa. 

"Nagkakamali ka pare," Undoy said as he sat down on a sofa that's made of entirely rattan. "'Yung asawa ko...hinatid 'yung bunso namin doon sa eskuwelahan. Tapos 'yung panganay naman... may susunduin."

Benjie slowly nodded. Then, he looked at the two who were just touring around the room.

"Ay oo nga..." Undoy suddenly stood up. "Gusto niyo ba ng kape?" He then asked. "Wait lang ah... magluluto ako ng barako." Then he rushed toward the kitchen.

A few seconds later, someone opened the door.

The people in the living room looked towards it. They saw a teenage boy entering. Next after him entered an old woman. 

"Upo po kayo." The teenage boy assisted her to a wooden chair. After helping her sit down, he then looked at his father's unexpected guests.

"H-hi...po." He got shy.

"Hello," the three responded.

"Ang pogi mo naman." Daya said which made the boy smile. 

"Anong pangalan mo?" she then asked. The boy lowered his head slightly due to his shyness.

"Marlon po," he answered.

"Nice to meet you Marlon!" She smiled.

"Nice to meet you." The two men said next.

Then, the boy called his father.

"Daddy! Na-ey kami et. (Daddy andito na po kami!)." He went to the kitchen.

"Kung ganun, kayo pala ang sinasabi ni Undoy na mga bisita niya." The old lady spoke.

"Opo Lola," Daya immediately smiled. After her response, the old woman faintly laughed. The three then looked at each other, wondering why's she laughing all of a sudden.

"Bakit po?" Daya asked. 

Then, she pointed at Danny.

"Nararamdaman kong may malakas kang 'sisidlan' sa loob mo." She told him.

Danny raised one of his eyebrows, deciphering what does she meant by ''sisidlan".  

"Sabihin mo taga-tribo ng Ba-as...anong klase ng lobo ang nararamdaman ko mula sa iyo?" she asked.

" Sa akin na iyon." He responded. The old lady smiled."Kung ganun. Hindi na kita ki-kwestyonin pa."

"Salamat po." He said.

"Nandito lang naman ako para tulungan kayong mahanap  susing hinahanap niyo." She told them her intention.

"Teka nga lang..." Benjie told her. "Lignodon din po ba kayo?" Benjie asked. "Wala po akong maramdamang kakaiba sa inyo."

"Iho... isa lamang akong tao," the old lady responded.

"Talaga?" Danny cannot believe her. "Paano mo naman nalaman na may isa pa akong...'sisidlan' kung hindi ka kagaya namin?"

"Naramdaman ko lang." She answered.

                         ****

While blending in to the crowd, Cainnick and Gilhameer were walking across the ground towards the main building of the school. Suddenly, Cainnick halted. And so, Gilhameer also stopped.

"Bakit?" Gilhameer asked. He's wondering why his friend seemed frightened.

"M-may problema ba?" He added.

"Gilhameer..."He said his voice stuttered. " M-may na-nararamdaman ka bang kaka-iba s-s-sa likod nat-tin?"

"Huh?" Gilhameer about faced. There he finally felt what Cainnick was talking about. Not only that, he even saw the person which the feeling was coming from. Because of that, he got shocked as he widened his eyes. Then, he immediately faced back in front.

"Tol!" He told Cainnick. "Nakatingin siya sa atin."

"Ganun ba?" Then he slowly turned his head. Just slight, just enough to see him.

"Mukha pa siyang galit." He looked at Gilhameer.

"Kilala mo siya?" Gilhameer then asked. "Kasi hindi ko pa nakita ang mukha niyan sa buong talambuhay ko," he added.

"Basta huwag natin siyang titignan. Umarte lang tayong parang walang nangyari at maglakad...lumayo kung maaari," he told.

"Sige," Gilhameer agreed.  And so, they walked as normal as they can so that the boy who's a few meters away from them wouldn't realize that they noticed him.

                                                     ***

While Marlon was serving hot coffee to the guests, the adults were discussing about how they would find the missing key. They were gathered around a square table where Marlon laid their coffee down.

"Una sa lahat. Ako pala si Aurora." The old lady introduced herself. Then the three guests introduced themselves.  

"Tinawagan ko pala si Lola Aurora rito para tumulong upang mahanap ang pamilya ng matandang may alam pa sa susi." Undoy told them. The old lady thanked him afterwards.

"Lola. Sila po 'yung sinasabi ko sa iyong mga taga-Ba-as." He said.

"Alam ko." Aurora replied. 

"Magandang tanghali mga taga-Barrio Ba-as," she greeted. 

"Huwag na po tayong magpaligoy-ligoy pa." Benjie told them. "Alam na natin na kunti na lang ang araw natin sa paghahanap sa 'susi'. Alam din natin na kaunti na lang, baka ma-unahan tayo ni..." he slightly pointed at Daya. "... Ama niya," he added.

Danny, Daya and Undoy sighed.

"Tama siya. Malay niyo, isa pala siya sa pinaghahanap ng tatay ko." Daya worriedly said.

"Kaya nga ako nandito para padaliin ang paghahanap niyo." The old lady interrupted them.

"Paano...niyo...gagawin 'yon?" Danny wondered.

"Bakit hindi niyo itanong kay Undoy?" She turned her head to Undoy.

"Hay nako," he sighed.

"Isa siyang matandang may kakayahan kuma-usap ng mga Anito." 

The three looked at each other.

"Anito?" Danny asked. "Talaga?"

"Babaylan?" Daya wondered.

"Parang ganun na nga iha," Aurora responded. She took a deep breath before she continued speaking. "You see, sagrado ang islang iyon. Ang sabi ng mga ninuno ko noon ang islang iyon ay isang parte na ng ibang mundo. Mundong tirahan ng mga espirito na kung tawagin ay mga 'anito' sa salitang Igorot. Ang lagusan papunta sa islang iyon ang tanging daan upang puntahan ang kakaibang mundo na iyon."

"Pero bakit gusto nilang pumunta roon?" Daya was getting more puzzled. 

"'Yan ang dapat mong tanungin sa Papa mo," the old woman answered.

                                                   ****

It's already three 'o clock in the afternoon. Cainnick was walking  alone along the corridor. He was trying to call his big brother on the phone. Still, he wasn't responding. He stopped walking for a while.

"Tssk," Cainnick slowly shook his head due to his disappointment. He held his phone near his ear once more as it rang.

Sorry the number you're calling is out of coverage area. 

"Ano ba 'yan?" he scratched his head. "Mamaya na nga lang nanggigil na ako ah." He put his phone inside his pocket at the front of his pants.

Unexpectedly, when he was about to move forward, he got surprised because he bumped into someone. The person wasn't just someone though, he's a teacher. A very strict and a hot tempered teacher who's name was known throughout the school.  Worst is that the vase the teacher was holding accidentally fell down the concrete tiled floor. Cainnick and he just watched it rapidly fell. As the vase landed, it broke into pieces.

Everyone's attention was captured after they heard the noise as it broke. And so, they looked at them.

Cainnick's heart suddenly raced. He slowly raised his head up and look at the person who owned the vase. By his surprise, his heart suddenly raced more and he suddenly felt tensed. The teacher he bumped was the 'worst' teacher the school has ever had - Mr. Matty also known as "General Matty".  Cainnick's eyes widened as he looked at Mr. Matty's face in stern and turning red, a sign that Cainnick should ran away.

"Sorry po! Sorry po!" He said over and over as he panicked. 

"'Sorry?'"The teacher said faintly.

"'Sorry?'"Then, he yelled in anger. "Sa tingin mo mababayaran ng sorry mo ang sinira mo?!" 

"B-B-Ba-Babayaran ko na lang po!" Cainnick replied in panic. "Naku!" He muttered. 

"Sorry po talaga! Sorry."

"Huwag na! Hindi ko kailangan ng pera." He insisted. " How about..." he began thinking.

Cainnick took a gulp of his saliva. He was sweating and he was feeling tensed while waiting for the teacher to tell him his punishment.

He never knew that the boy they felt strange a while ago was hiding among the crowd. Watching Cainnick scolded by the "General".

                                   ****

" Oh? Twenty minutes before my next class na pala?" Ana was surprised when she checked the time on her watch. 

"Grace. Maiwan na kita ah? Mamaya na kasi 'yung klase ko eh." She closed the book she was reading ,then she immediately stood up and picked up the book on the table along with her back pack she had placed on the floor under the mono-block chair she was seated.

"O sige okay lang." Grace answered.

"Sige bye!" Ana immediately went to the shelf where she pull out the book she borrowed. After that, she headed towards the door.

Grace Joy sighed. She stared at the widow near her for a few seconds. Then, she continued reading.

Later, Grace Joy checked her watch. It's already ten minutes before four. She widened her eyes in shock. Because of that,she stood up and she pulled up her back pack on the table. 

"Oo nga! May klase din pala ako." She realized.

Then, she walked away from the table but she suddenly remembered that she left the book she was reading. She immediately went back to pick it up. 

                                           ****

Outside Undoy's home. Where the place is wide, grassy and calm. A perfect spot to perform Lola Aurora's ritual. They prepared a bonfire, a plate of pinikpikan and a glass of tapey and they put them down on the ground. After that, Lola Aurora knelt, facing the sacrifices. Later, she closed her eyes and she began to concentrate. Daya, Danny, Benjie, Undoy and Marlon moved a little far away from the old lady. A few moments later, the old woman began to mutter.

" Kinikilabutan ako," Daya softly spoke. Danny, whom she was talking to grinned.

"Kung gusto mo doon ka na lang sa loob. Kung ayaw mong manood." He suggested.

"Hindi dito na lang ako. Ayokong mag-isa doon sa kubo." She insisted.

"Edi tawagan mo 'yung asawa mo para samahan ka doon." He joked. 

Daya slapped him on the back. 

"Aray!" Her brother-in-law reacted.

"Pagna-itakas ko lang talaga si Wendel, tignan mo...isusumbog talaga kita sa kanya." 

"Puwede ba? Tumahimik kayo." Benjie told them.

"Bakit? Takot ka rin?" Danny spoke back. "O Daya. May kasama ka nang papasok." He joked.

Benjie  hushed while he scowled at him.

Suddenly, the group was surprised when a small twirling wind appeared in front of the old woman. Then, it began to 'dance' around her with the sacrifices. Just after the small tornado moved, another tornado appeared and it began to move around her. The two swirling winds move like dancers dancing around the old woman along with the food, the wine and the bonfire.