Señorita and the Katipunero (Book 3)

8. Harvesting Corn

Leo was toiling in the under the heat of the noontime sun. “Why is it so hot?” Leo asked Sambag internally as if looking for a miracle.

“I told you earlier, the fields are worst than the cells. Tayho’s are not accustomed to work under the heat of the sun unlike humans and werewolves.” Sambag explained. The back of their body started to become dry and some parts were burnt already. Small blisters started to form where the sun had hit it the longest.

“Yet your body is still standing. Look at how fast we harvested those corns? We had done almost half of the field by ourselves.” Leo grunted as he explained to Sambag. He never knew before that Tayho’s are sensitive creatures. He thought they were strong and fierce that was what older people used to tell him. Their hands were getting red from pulling and twisting off the corns from the stalk. It was very laborious which he was very familiar.

“Shut up Leo! Yes, we are strong but we are gentle. We only do pranks to humans when we feel like it. Especially, during dusk up until midnight.” Sambag explained to him.

“Why midnight? Do you have curfews like us ordinary people? I should be home before dinner or 6PM or else my Tiya Imelda would kill me.” Leo made a squeaky impersonation of his tiya. Their banter continued until the afternoon came. They almost finished the whole side of field assigned to him while the rest of the other farmers finished the other one as well.

“Leo that is enough. It is almost dusk and the farmers have finished their part of the crops as well.” Trish reminded him with a worried voice. She looked like a person who was about to kill whoever did it to Leo.

Leo then tried to smile to give her assurance. However, it did no such thing instead she got a more worried look seeing his face was full of blisters as well.

“Why are you so worried Trish?” Leo could not help but ask her. He was starting to feel this pull towards her again. Seeing her getting worried about him made his heart skipped a beat. No one ever cared for him or got worried about him except for his parents and Tiya Imelda.

“It’s nothing. You looked like someone grilled you alive. Are you feeling anything unusual?” she asked him. Leo said “no” with a soft voice. Somehow the simple gesture made him a softie towards Trish.

“Ayie! Someone just got a huge crush on Trish.” Sambag teased Leo. “Stop it. No, I do not have a crush on her.” Leo denied it quickly. Although, he did had feelings for her. He tried suppressing them as it did not help his cause.

“What is bothering you?” Trish asked him again. His eyebrows were already scrunching up.

“Your hermana Alex said earlier that you have until Noche Buena to bring me back to my body. Does that mean Christmas is near?” Leo returned a question than an answer.

“Si. What about it?” Trish was curious about Leo. He seemed to be a good person with no proper etiquette and manners. A few days with her might be a good thing. She might even teach him the good manners.

“This is the last Noche Buena I had with my parents. I remember now, we cooked a native chicken and pancit for dinner. Tatay also bought me a new set of clothes for the Christmas Mass the following day. I even complained about the clothes because it was not my favorite color.” Leo recalled his memories.

“You know that did not happen yet. Do you like to see them before you go back to your body?” Trish felt sorry for him so she offered to accompany him to see his parents. She had the urge to help him out. Something inside her pushed her to this Chico. 

Leo could sense her willingness to help, it was genuine and raw. There was no hidden motive behind it. Unlike his mission. It was full of mystery and hidden agendas. 

“Si, Trish if you could help me. Maybe you might also help me convince them not to go out on my birthday or help me find the killer to stop him from killing them.” Leo excitedly blurted the words. He was talking non-stop like a running horse.

“Are you insane?” She exclaimed on top of her lungs. “I just said I will let you see them. That is it. My hermana will surely banish me if I disobeyed her orders.” Trish explained. At the thought of her being banished she shuddered. 

Leo saw this minute change in her body, the shaking and the fear that was gone after a second. He could do no such thing to her who showed him kindness and acceptance since he came to this place. Unlike the others who had disdain looks on them. 

“Banished? Isn’t that too harsh?” Leo asked again. Surely, he did not know how Trish’s family treat each other.

“Do not get us wrong. Yes, it is harsh. However, your parents are suspected as rebels who wants to bring the crown down. Our Papa is the Gobernadorcillo. How would it look if I get myself in between them?” Trish responded to him. Slowly, Leo realized how powerful Trish was and her whole family. He swallowed his saliva upon realizing this. He was in enemy territory, or so he thought. It was true being a katipunero taught him that the government worked against the well being of Indios and serves only the Spaniards and there descendants. 

“Serves you right. Now you know why I had been adamant on warning you. Are you still going to go ahead with looking for your parents’ killer?” this time Sambag interrupted him and his thoughts. It was becoming annoying as the seconds passed by.

“Stop interrupting me. I am thinking of a way to get Trish to help me. Either you will let me or I will force your body to do my bidding.” Leo was tired of Sambag and it showed. This soul transfer was getting on his nerves. He wanted to go back to his body but that would mean letting go of the opportunity to find answers about his parents death. He was 

“Earth to Leo … Are you still there?” Trish waved her hand in his face, but sadly she can only reach his chest. So, instead of snapping in his face, Trish tried to hit his chest softly.

He chuckled at her. She was strong even for a skinny woman. Leo never thought he could feel pain from that simple act. Yet, behind the pain he also felt something for her. A sense of connection and admiration. She was a feisty girl that he would love to court in his own time. 

“Uhuh, what? … Did I miss anything?” Leo said still lost in his thoughts and Sambag’s words.

“It is noche buena already. Come on, we need you to return to your body.” Trish grabbed his hand and dragged him back to the house.

“What no! I just finished harvesting the crops.” Leo looked back into the field. There it was freshly cultivated. He blinked twice and squinted his eyes but there were no traces of harvested corns anywhere.

“How? Wait! … we just … look … how did you? The crops … “ Leo stuttered as Trish pulled him harder he was staggering from coping up. For a small and thin bodied girl she was fast and strong.

“Come on. I will explain later. For now just come. Alpha Alex called for me already.” Trish answered him. It was only this time he noticed that Trish kept calling her hermana Alpha. It was an odd honorifics for him.