Archanghel: Tale of the Universe

Chapter 25

I wiped the sweat out of my forehead when I finally finished cleaning up the toilet. I was filthy and smelly. I set aside the cleaning materials and walked out of the toilet. My shirt was clinging on to my body and I badly needed a shower. Since the toilet doesn’t have its own shower, we take our bath in the public tub near the river. It was located at the front of Lola Isma’s house, down across the highway.

“Janus, can you pass me the towel? I would like to take a bath now.” I called out to Janus inside the house.

Janus appeared in front of me, holding a towel and the soap case set. He raised it up to level my eye and he smiled suggestively. He even has the guts to move his eyebrows at me.

“Do you want to go with me?” he said.

I really hate it when Janus gets playful around me, not really. I shook my head at his advances. Janus laughed loudly at my answer. Janus will be the death of me. I pushed him outside to make him leave and that earned another set of laughter from him. This guy!

“You go first, since you’re already prepared to go. I'll go after you.” I said to him.

“Why don’t we go together? You looked like you badly need a wash.” He suggested again.

I was bewildered at how he sounded so casual. It was as if it was a normal thing to say and a normal thing to do for both of us. In fact, it was only last night that we did the deed. Now, Janus was comfortably suggesting such things. I shook my head for a moment, not even bothering to hide the blush on my cheeks. He's used to that now, I know. He might even be secretly enjoying this.

Janus didn’t say another word and shrugged. He then waved his hands at me. I sighed happily as I looked at his back. Happily, really now, Xandy. As I gazed outside, a thought suddenly appeared in my mind. Last night, it was my first. Most probably to Janus too. But for Rachele and Cleo, this might be one of their regular things, since they are a married couple. I sighed again. But this time, to release the negative thoughts in my head.

I decided to get back inside and arrange our clothes. The newly washed clothes are still hung on the clothing line. I went inside our room to get a basket. I bent down to pick it up. That is when I felt that the atmosphere changed. The air went still and there was something sinister behind me. Then a voice spoke.

“Found you.”

It was just two words. But those two words made my world stop. A cold shiver runs down my spine. I know that voice. Just last night, he was following me, saying that he had found me. And now, he really did find me. I slowly rose up from the position I was in. Turning my head, my eyes met with Asmodeus’ own. His eyes were red on the side and they looked strained. He might’ve used his powers more than he used to. His lips quirked up in a wicked smile and I knew that I was doomed.

+++

“You ‘re in a good mood today, *Pareng Cleo. Did something good happen?”

That was what greeted Janus when he reached the public tub. He was still on the third to the last step when the guys in their town called out to him. The tub consisted of almost all the guys in town and just thinking about Xandriel saying yes to his invitation earlier made his blood boil. Well, luckily, his wife didn’t say yes.

“Are you alright, Cleo?” Janus was abruptly woken up from his reverie when he heard a tinge of concern from Manang Lida’s husband.

“Yeah. Just a little bit drowsy.” He politely said.

Janus settled down the soap case on the rock not far from the water pipe. The water running in there was so strong and didn’t stop. I came from the river up on the mountain and the people in the town put a pipe to help the water travel down into the tub. It was the greatest source of water in the town, and because the water came from the mountains, it was cold and clean.

Janus placed himself under the water pipe to clear his head. He was feeling rage, jealousy and some kind of playfulness when talking about Xandriel or even seeing her. It may be some kind of effect from last night. He can’t possibly know.

+++

“Asmodeus.” I called out his name.

His smile widened even more that it almost teared the flesh on his cheeks. Knowing him, he might be able to do just that. Asmodeus stepped forward and I immediately backed out. The back of my knees bumped on the edge of the bed and my grip tightened on the basket. I didn’t know I was holding until now.

“I must say, you really did a good job running away from me last night. I might be able to consume you before that kid does. You smell different.” He commented as he eyed me from head to toe lustfully.

“I smell of sweat and filth.” I retorted, which I discovered to be a bad idea. His smile only widened.

“Just how I like it.” Asmodeus licked his lips.

He reached out to touch me and just before he could touch me, there was a fire that appeared in the air and burned his hand. He stepped back in surprise. He looked at me wide-eyed as the fire evaporated from his hand. I was also in shock. What was that?

Whatever that was, it angered Asmodeus more. He charged at me head on and again, before he could even touch me, he was stopped by a fire. This time it was a barrier. This time, the fire stayed on his body and seemed to travel on his body.

Asmodeus released an earsplitting scream. His face was masked with pain and the fire continued to travel all around his body. The fire did not leave an inch on his body. It lasted for a minute before Asmodeus dissolved into a black smoke and disappeared.

The house turned quiet again. Gone was the shrieking and howl of pain. I released a hasty breath, afraid that the sudden movement might destroy the momentary peace I had acquired. When nothing happened, I flopped down on the bed. The basket in my hand collided with the floor and created a clang that seemed to echo throughout the whole house.

That was close.

I heard footsteps outside and when I looked at the window, Lola Isma was standing there. She abruptly stopped as if she just saw a ghost and looked at me. She looked spooked and awkward. She even looked at both her sides to check on something. And then she finally asked me.

“Did something happen? I felt like I had just walked into something. Are you okay?”

I slowly stood up from the bed and picked up the basket again. I went to the window to answer her. I even tried to smile at her even though I already knew how crooked it looked. I still did my best to pretend to be okay.

“ Yes, everything's fine. Cleo was just taking a bath and I was just about to get the laundry.”

Lola Isma looked at me as if she was doubting if I was okay. I even raised the basket to prove my point. She just nodded at me before she proceeded on walking and entering the house.

+++

“Elise, darling. Come down and eat. The food will get cold.” Betty was standing at the foot of the stairs as she called for her daughter who had locked herself in her room.

She was getting worried about her daughter. Just a few days ago, Elise went home with a tear-streaked face saying that her boyfriend had broken up with her. When Betty asked for the reason, her daughter’s answer broke her own heart. The guy left Elise because of her weight.

Ever since that day, Elise has stayed in her room. Knocks and pleading don’t have any effect on the daughter. Betty also tried leaving some food at the door and hoped that she might open her door just to get the food when she got hungry.

But every time, Betty would just come back with a tray full of untouched food. She even tried to comfort her daughter from the other side of the door. Saying things like, “it was not your fault”, “you’re still beautiful”, or “he’s stupid for breaking up with a wonderful person like her”. None of it touched the girl’s heart and she still refused to open her door.

Betty walked up the stairs again, calling out to her daughter. This time, she heard some response.

“I’m not going to eat, Mom. I will undergo a diet so I can lose these fats in my body. Maybe by then, Ricky will come back to me.” She heard her say.

Betty felt awful for her daughter. All her life, she was subjected to being bullied because of her body. They once asked for professional help about it because Elise couldn’t seem to lose the fat in her body. The doctor said that it was due to her health condition and irregular hormones. It can be cured but it will take a long time. And forcing a diet wouldn’t be good for her body also. Now, Elise wanted to do just that.

Betty needed to stop this nonsense. She would either lose everything around her or lose her own child. She would always choose the former. It was Elise over everything else. Betty fished out the phone in her pocket and dialed a number. She waited for a moment in tension before she heard that familiar voice on the other line. It was now or never.