Nefarious

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Kasintahan

It took me many days to convince Konstantine to go out. Finally, after my frequent nightly visits did he agree. It was not an easy task but I was the highly persistent type of person. What he didn't lie about though was his need of an umbrella.

"You look good." I fought the urge to smile. I caught a whiff of his expensive cologne like I always do whenever I go out first thing in the morning, it being the only telltale that we were indeed together the night before. It haunted my thoughts at night and stopped me on my tracks at day. "And you smell good."

Konstantine only looked at me in annoyance and amusement. Those were the things I needed to let go of my goofy smiles. That and his faithful henchman following closely behind partly at his beck and call but mostly for his dire need of shade.

"Tara na, kamahalan! Gusto ko na lumibot!" Nagtatalon si Alejandro, hawak pa rin ang bukas na payong.

Tanging ang mga buntong-hininga lang ni Konstantine ang aking naririnig habang palabas na kami. Abala si Alejandro kumaway sa mga naiinggit na nakasilip sa kastilyo. Gustong sumama at kahit si Cerberus ay humahabol din. Kumaway na lang ako.

Konstantine, aside from wearing his all black ensemble and his long, midnight cape, wore black leather gloves and dark tinted shades in addition. And if those weren't enough, an umbrella followed us both that was supposed to be the replacement of his cane. I couldn't quite read his expression this way but the thin line of his lips wasn't present at the moment so it must have been fine.

He sure looked like the boogeyman in his lovely suit. And a trendsetter one at that. But it wasn't just him because Alejandro too looked like he was modelling for the Valentino Fall collection in the middle of the day. With his long and thick black trench coat partnered with a black turtle neck, the two marched the town like it was theirs. People had their mouths open, stopping their daily routines to give more than a glance or two.

"Dalawang Adobo at isang Sinigang," sabi ko sa may-ari nang dumating na kaming karinderya.

"Ah! Dinuguan sa akin!" singit ni Alejandro na excited na excited habang lumilinga sa paligid.

Nakikiusyoso ang mga tao. Kung hindi tumitigil sa daan ang mga naglalakad ay sumisilip mula sa kanilang mga bintana. May isang nag-sign of the cross pa nang makita ako. Suminghal lang si Konstantine.

Surprisingly, the insults that are usually thrown in my way turned into silence. I didn't know if it was a good thing because their hatred for me easily switched to fear upon seeing the man walking behind me, and I knew it wasn't Alejandro that was acting more a like a child in an amusement park more than an attendant with his master.

"I'm afraid to tell you that I do not eat the food of a peasant." Konstantine raised his brows when our orders arrived.

Ang maganang kumakain na si Alejandro ay iniluwa kaagad ang kanin na para bang hindi sarap na sarap kanina. "Tama, kamahalan! Lasang putik! Mga walang hiya!"

"If you're going to walk the earth, then you're going to eat the food served in it. These are just normal food. Eat..." I spat, having a spoonful myself.

After the first meal he had outside his castle from a very long time and not mentioning his occasional snort of disgust, I led Konstantine and his henchman to the town's plaza. It didn't come close to his majestic courtyard but it was where most people lounged under the shade of trees, children in particular.

"Ang mangkukulam! May dalang mga tauhan!" sigaw ng isang batang nasa ibabaw ng puno.

Nakita ko rin si Benny sa gilid, kumakain ng kung anong klase ng donut.

"What are we doing here?" Konstantine hissed behind me.

"Maglalakad. Magtitingin-tingin. Tapos na tayong umikot sa mga kalsada at shops. Dito naman tayo..." kibit-balikat ko.

Wala itong nagawa kung hindi ang sumunod. Inikutan namin ang mahangin at malilim na paligid. Tumitigil maglaro ang mga bata at nalalaglag ang panga ng mga nakakakita. With a nod from his master, Alejandro was able to look around the small plaza. He was mostly climbing on the trees like any other kid was doing except he was way, way bigger.

We were both left alone to lounge on the grass under the care of the trees, the breeze of the wind whispering in its calm breaths.

"How was your first day?" I asked, sitting cross-legged and slightly pulling out some grass.

"Terrible."

"Come on! It's not that bad. Right?"

Ang mga tao sa paligid ay nakatingin pa rin. Kung hindi nagbubulungan ay nagriritwal. Napangiti ako nang lingunin si Konstantine na ginagaya ang aking posisyon. Hindi bagay sa kaniya ang maupo sa damuhan dahil mas bagay siyang sinasamba.

"I hate all this. I hate kids. I am never good with kids. I don't find the reason why out of all places to go to, you chose this one for us to stay." Konstantine sighed, his true emotions hiding behind his dark spectacles.

"Then all the more do we need to stay. Kids are people too. Just a little bit tinier."

"And louder."

As if on cue, a boy screamed his head off. Only one boy could scream that loud as if it was tearing the whole place down.

"And louder," I repeated, looking at Benny.

"I don't know who you do it, Celeste. How you perfectly manage to live here in this god-awful town will forever be beyond me and my insurmountable knowledge. You are not a woman nor a witch like how they say you are," Konstantine looked impressed. "You are a goddess."'

Napanguso ako, umaakyat ang dugo sa mga pisngi. Kahit tinataguan ng salamin ang kaniyang mga mata ay alam kong nanonood ito. Umukit ang maliit na ngisi sa gilid ng kaniyang mga labi.

"Or perhaps not. Perhaps you really are a witch living here at day and visiting my castle at night. Perhaps you have bewitched me into wanting and waiting for you and your little adventures."

"Liar..." I mumbled.

"Monster, the Impaler, even the devil himself. I am called many things but not a liar."

"Can we just talk about the part where you hate the kids?"

A laugh erupted from his chest, the deep sound reverberating on my tummy. I would say that a bird was fluttering its wings on my stomach walls but I would be lying because the raging dragon begging to get out went nowhere near close on the poor prey.

"If you're already attached to my visits, then I would like to say thank you and sorry in advance." I whispered, pulling the grass in even larger portions.

"Pray tell, why?"

"Thank you because at least one person appreciated my stay here. And sorry that you did just that. Sorry for inconveniencing you to mourn in the future for someone like me."

Konstantine, if he ever was about to say anything, stayed quiet. We sat together in silence under the falling leaves.

After a few minutes, Alejandro was now enjoying himself with the juice he stole from a kid that ran away from him. Unlike that kid, the one approaching us now had a smug look in his chubby face. He was obviously trying to puff out his small chest and extend his wobbly shoulders as he walked.

Nagkatinginan kami ni Konstantine.

"Mangkukulam, sino ang mga kasama mo? Mga kasama mo pang mangkukulam?" siga nitong tanong sabay maangas na tango sa mga nanonood na barkada sa tabi.

Pinigilan ko ang pagngisi.

"Ito ang mga kasama ko. Malamig ang klima kaya naisipan naming lumabas."

"Sabi ng Mama ko ay mangkukulam ka raw at kumakain ng mga bata. Parang hindi naman!" Tumagilid ang ulo nito sa akin, mariing tinitingnan ang mga detalye sa aking mukha.

"Bakit? Hindi ka ba natatakot sa akin? Hindi ba ako mukhang mangkukulam?"

"Hmm! Hindi! Maganda!"

Parang nabigla rin ang bata sa sinabi. Napataas ang aking kilay. Nang lingunin ko si Konstantine ay bahagyang nakababa na ang mukha nito upang mariing sipatin ang batang lalaki.

"Maganda ako pero mangkukulam pa rin," halakhak ko.

I put my hand on his ears, flicking it in little movements and showed him a coin that came from nowhere. It was a little trick they taught us back at the orphanage so we could kill time and be busy enough not to try drugs. His eyes went wide, pointing at me with his mouth agape.

"Hindi lang mangkukulam! Salamangkero rin!"

He was not fazed by it. In fact, he was so mind-blown that he called his friends over to show them the little trick. Some were hesitant but some were able to join us. Soon enough, a little flock gathered around us despite the whispers of the people watching.

I looked at Konstantine who was not looking so amused, nodding at him for encouragement.

"Mangkukulam, sino siya? Salamangkero rin?" tanong ng isang batang babae sabay tingin kay Konstantine.

He raised a brow in ridicule at the poor little girl.

"Uhh, hindi. Kasama ko siya sa..."

"Sa bahay? Nagmamahalan kayo?" pagtatapos nito.

Napangiwi ako at bahagyang pinamulahanan ng pisngi. Nang tingnan ko si Konstantine ay wala na sa mga bata ang nanunuyang tingin dahil pinukol na sa akin. Mas lalo akong namula.

"H-Hindi---"

"Yes," Konstantine spoke, his cold breath sending chills down my spine.

"Ano?" pag-uulit ng mga bata. "Yes? Ano raw?"

Pinandilatan ko ng mga mata si Konstantine ngunit ipinakita lamang nito ang talim ng mga pangil nang ngumisi. Tinaasan niya ng kilay ang mga bata.

"Kasintahan ko ang pinakamagandang mangkukulam sa Legada..." Tinaasan ako ng kilay ni Konstantine.

Maraming komusyon ang umikot sa pulutong. Kumikislap ang mga mata ni Konstantine sa hindi maipaliwanag na tuwa. Sa isang saglit ay para bang walang tensyon sa kaniyang mga balikat at sa bayang ito. Naghahanap muli ang kaniyang mga matang nanunuyo sa akin. Bago pa man makapagsalita ay nakita ko na ang dire-diretsong pagmamartsa ng mga pari at madre sa aming gawi.

"Mangkukulam! Nariyan na ang mangkukulam at may dalang mga kasama! Mga demonyo!"

Kasunod ay si Mayor Ben na kaagad nakita si Benny na aming kasama rin. Namuo ang galit sa mga mata nito lalo na nang makita ako.

"Tingnan niyo, mga kasama! Kinukuha nila ang mga bata! Kukulamin at kakainin mamayang gabi!"

"Demonyo ka! Wala kang karapatang sirain ang buhay ng mga batang ito!"

Konstantine stood up in his full height and dominance, the gentle aura he carried already long gone. The anger threatening to break out of him was palpable but I held his shaking hand.

"Umuwi na tayo..." nagsusumamo kong bulong.