Bride Of The King (by K.L. Tiempo)

/3/ Rainy Night

Chapter 3: Rainy Night

GLENN'S POV

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DRIP, DRIP, DROP! Panay pa rin ang tulo ng ulan sa labas. The sky is dark. The ground is wet. Puddles are all over the place.

Dahil wala na 'kong bahay ngayon, maraming salamat kay Madam Quilla, I decided to search a place where I could stay in.

Ayokong makaabala kay Mr. Elmer, kaya hindi na 'ko lumapit sa kaniya. Matanda na iyon at may trabaho rin siyang inaasikaso sa Jewelry Shop. I don't want to be a burden.

Fortunately, I have found a small cave somewhere in the forest. This is my last option, so I decided to stay here for a meanwhile.

So, I went inside the cave. Binaba ko ang mga kahoy na kinolekta ko, saka ko 'to pinagpatong-patong. Tapos, nilabas ko ang isang kahon ng posporo mula sa aking bulsa.

I grinned. "Nice. Mabuti naman at may natira pang posporo."

Sinindihan ko ang posporo, saka ko 'to binato sa mga kahoy at kaagad itong lumiyab. Good. Now I have my own personal bonfire.

I sat on the ground and bent my knees toward my chest. I made sure that I'm nearby the bonfire, so that I could feel warm despite this cold rainy night.

At this solemn moment, I was alone inside the cave. Nothing here but small size and big size rocks.

"Sana lang walang mga paniki rito," bulong ko.

Habang nakaupo malapit sa bonfire, kinuha ko ang aking satchel bag. Mula roon, nilabas ko ang isang litrato at napangiti ako.

It was a small picture of my dad.

He's wearing his silver armour, sword in his hand, and his eyes were bold like an eagle's. He will always be the greatest knight I have ever knew.

"Papa..." My thumb gently stroke my father's old photo. "...I feel so lonely. I wish you were here. Pasensya na rin po dahil hindi ko naipaglaban ang bahay. Wala na nga kayo, nawala rin ang nag-iisang pinamana n'yo sa'kin. Now I feel like I lose everything."

Tumawa ako nang may pait.

"But at least I haven't yet lose my head," pahabol ko at tumawa ulit. "Right?"

I'm talking to myself, who's losing her head now? Tss.

With a heavy breath, lumingon ako sa kanan. Naroon ang bunganga ng kweba. I saw the green forest outside and all those tall trees, but it is quite hazy. Malakas pa rin ang ulan sa labas, dahilan para maging blurry ang paligid.

Binalik ko ang litrato sa loob ng satchel bag, saka ako humiga. I laid my bag under my head as a pillow, then straighten my body while lying on the cold ground. Hands on my stomach.

Tumitig lang ako sa stalactites na nandoon sa itaas na parte ng kweba. I stay like that for a couple of minutes.

Dripping rain, whistling wind, bristling trees, flickering bonfire, and cricket noises. Wala akong ibang marinig kun'di ang tunog ng kalikasan.

Isn't it weird? The nature has these topsy-turvy sounds but it seems harmonizing at the same time.

Just saying.

"Good night, Glenn," I talked to myself and sigh. "Sleep tight."

After giving my longest yawn, I closed my eyes and took my slumber inside this cave.

* * *

SLASHING SOUND EMERGES into the air. Two wooden swords are clashing together, scuffling and parted.

I saw my seven-year old self. I had these serious eyes, beads of sweat on my forehead, and heavy breaths escaping my lips.

May hawak akong espada na gawa sa kahoy. I could feel my hands shaking, dahil sobrang higpit ng hawak ko sa espada na 'to.

The background is nothing but the blue sky, plus this summer green grasses dancing beneath the clouds. Masasabi kong nasa tuktok ng burol ang lugar na 'to, kung saan banayad ang hangin at maliliit ang tabas ng d**o.

Then I saw a familiar man in front of me. He is definitely taller, chest broader, grin across his face, and he is also holding a wooden sword.

"Oh? Suko ka na ba, Glenn? Wala pang ilang minuto tayo nagsimula eh mukhang pagod ka na?"

When I heard that man speaks, I already knew who he is.

He is my dad. Gregory Mczeen.

"Hin... Hindi ako pagod!" sigaw ko sa gitna ng aking mabagal na paghinga. Pinunsan ko pa ang pawis sa'king noo gamit ang aking braso. "Mukha lang akong pagod, pero hindi ako pagod!"

Liar, I was.

With that, I stormed forward. Hinampas ko ang aking espada sa ere. Mabilis ang reflexes ni papa, kaya't kaagad niyang kinontra ang atake ko.

Our swords met and swung and met again. Malakas ang impact sa bawat contact ng aming mga espada. I swing the sword above, but dad immediately shielded his sword. I swing the sword low and dad did likewise.

Sa nanlilisik kong mga mata, halatang determinado akong matalo si papa kahit imposible.

I mean, he is five feet taller than my tiny size. At heto ako, trying hard na nakikipag-espadahan sa kaniya.

My father never let the smile disappear from his face. He seems enjoying while contrasting my sword attacks. Which also irritates me at the same time.

"Aaah! Matatalo rin kita, papaaa!" I yelled and move faster.

Winasiwas ko nang mas malakas ang aking espada. Dad, on the other hand, still manages to keep up with me. Parang hindi pa nga s'ya pinag-papawisan eh.

Kainis.

Desperate to gain the victory, I thought of pulling my last trick. I grinned.

So, I quickly moved back and ready my feet.

"Hiii... Yah!" Then I jumped.

Mabilis akong nag-split backflip. As my body rotates in the air, sinipa ko ang kamay ni Papa, dahilan para mabitawan n'ya ang kaniyang espada at ito'y lumipad sa ere.

As dad's sword landed on the ground, I landed on my feet at the same time. Perfecfó!

Then I pointed my sword's end at father's direction.

"Hah! Got'cha!" Ngumisi ako.

Dad looked surprise for awhile. His empty hands raised in the air as if he surrenders. Maya-maya ay tumawa siya, saka nagpamewang.

"That was cheating, young lady," he said.

Ngumisi naman ako, saka nagpamewang din. "Hindi, ah! Hindi po ako nag-cheat."

"I just saw you backflipped. Cheat iyon."

"Eh? Wala naman pong rules na bawal ang backflip sa sword fighting, ah?"

"You, naughty girl! 'Lika nga dito!"

Tumawa nang malakas si papa, saka siya lumapit sa akin. He squatted in front of me and ruffles my hair.

I remebered how I laughed that time, how dad embraced me in his arms.

It feels so warm.

It was the feeling you would never want to forget.

"Remember what I always tell you, hm?" ani papa habang karga n'ya ako sa kaniyang mga braso. He grinned. "Still breathing?"

I replied, "Keep fighting!"

* * *

IT WAS A beautiful dream from my memory.

Dumilat ako at unang-una kong narinig ay ang mga huni ng ibon. Instantly, I felt the cold surface where I'm lying down.

Bumangon ako. Beside me, I saw woods from the bonfire, wala na 'tong apoy. I leaned around and saw rock formations. Good. Nasa loob pa rin ako ng kweba.

Mula sa bunganga ng kweba, pumasok ang silahis ng araw. Narinig ko ang ihip ng hangin, saka naamoy ko rin ang maalat na simoy ng umaga.

Rain has stopped. A new day came.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit, but somehow, I felt hope despite the fact that I lose my one and only home.

Tumayo ako, saka kinuha ang satchel bag at sinabit ito sa katawan ko. I tied my hair in a ponytail.

As soon as I laid my feet out of the cave's mouth, the tingling sunlight kissed my face. Thus, the jasper green environment and birds chirping greeted me.

Each leaf from tower of trees dances with the wind, as though they are greeting me a good morning.

Napangiti ako habang nakahawak sa strap ng aking bag.

"It's a brand new day, Glenn. It's not too late to search a new home. Remember what papa said: still breathing... Keep fighting."

And I trod my way down the forest.

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