Vampire's Pathos

Blood 07

Nagising na ako madaling araw na. Hindi ko na rin natandaan kung ilang oras din ako nakatitig sa kisame bago nakatulog.

I got up steadily out of my bed, at pinatay ko yung alarm ko sa phone knowing that mas nauna pa akong nagising kaysa doon.

Kinuha ko yung twalya ko, another set of uniform, and the medical kit that I threw on my table. Para malinis ko na rin yung sugat ko, and to change its bandages too.

Habang naglalakad papunta sa banyo, hindi ko napigilang mapaisip.

Are there more of them out there?

Blood lusting vampires like Kate?

Isa isa kong tinanggal yung mga damit ko nung makapasok ako sa banyo, and I also started to remove the bandages around my arm. Medyo nagtataka ako kung bakit hindi na gaanong masakit nung ginagalaw ko, but I shrugged it off, thinking that it's just at first.

But that idea was quickly thrown off nung nakita ko yung sugat ko.

The wound was slowly closing by itself.

By the time that everything finally sunk in, wala na. Wala na akong nakikitang sugat sa braso ko. Not even a scar. Nothing. Kahit anong ebidensya na may sugat ako, wala na.

I hesitantly touched my arm to confirm if it was even real, at hindi nga ako niloloko ng nakikita ko.

The whole wound was gone. Like it was never there it the first place.

I examined my arm closely, at nagsimula akong huminga ng malalim para makalma yung sarili ko.

You're fine, Eara.

I assured myself inside my head, at nag isip ako ng maigi.

After seeing what happened the other night, I couldn't possibly cross out that I've become one of them.

I've become a vampire.

That was the only thing that I could think of, kaya nawala nang ganito yung sugat ko. There's just no other way.

But if it was.. then why?

Why couldn't I find any traces of bite marks around my body? I looked in every part of my body na pwede nilang kagatan, pero wala akong nakita. Then.. how?

If it wasn't a bite, were there other ways to turn me?

At kung magawa man nila akong bampira, ano namang balak nilang gawin sa akin? Was there something that they want me to do?

Tinigil ko yung pag iisip ko, at tinignan ko yung sarili ko sa salamin. My hair was everywhere, there were bags under my eyes, and my lips were pale and dry.

This isn't how a vampire would look.

Vampires in one word are ethereal.

They look young and pure enough to lure their victims in.

At sa itsura kong 'to? I don't think I would be able to lure someone in anytime soon.

I scoffed at the thoughts that formed inside my head, at nagsimula na akong maligo.

After being done, nilagyan ko pa rin ng bandage yung braso ko para magmukhang may sugat pa rin ako. Well, we can't erase the fact na absent ako kahapon, and there must be a reason for that. For sure alam ni Ms. Teves yung details since I am her student.

She should've already known from Nurse Fleece, because if not, paano ako maeexcuse?

I should probably pretend to have an injured arm to minimize the suspicion.

Sinuot ko na yung uniform ko, and I finally wore the arm sling to make it more convincing. At lumabas ako ng banyo na pinapatuyo yung buhok ko gamit ang isa kong kamay. Saka ako nagtaka nung nakita ko si Real sa labas ng pinto.

"Took you long enough." She scowled, at napaiwas nalang ako para hindi niya matabig yung sugatan kong braso. Then she finally entered the bathroom.

Masyado ba akong nagtagal sa banyo?

Wala akong ganang kumain, kaya nung nasampay ko ng maayos yung twalya ko, kinuha ko nalang yung bag ko sa table. I kind of wanted to wonder who brought it here, pero wala namang nawala sa gamit ko kaya pinabayaan ko nalang.

Tahimik akong naglakad papunta sa classroom, until I received a message.

Kinabahan ako nung nagvibrate yung phone ko, and everything that happened came rushing back to me.

I could only breathe in to calm myself, at saka ko tinignan yung phone ko. 

From: 09xxxxxxxxx

This is Naval. Pinapasabi nga pala ni Aerovan na may meeting mamaya for the finalization of the project next week. Since bawal na yung library, he suggested to do it at his place. The waiting place is the campus' main gate. After classes. Everyone should be there. 

Medyo nakahinga ako ng maluwag nung mabasa ko yung message. Just a reminder. After reading the message, I went straight to the classroom.

Then naunang napadpad yung tingin ko sa nag iisang bakanteng upuan sa loob.

It was Kate's seat.

Naramdaman kong sumikip yung dibdib ko, but I didn't actually mind. Masyado ba akong mabagal maglakad kaya nauna pa si Serene sa akin dito? I shook my head to get my thoughts straight, only to see everyone look at me.

I guess they must be wondering about the injury. That couldn't be helped, really. Sino ba naman hindi magtataka na may bandage kaklase mo? But little do they know that it's just for show.

Sa lahat ng tao na nakatingin, Kian was the only one who was uninterested.. And another one was waving over at me.

And that was Rion.

When I saw him, everything that made feel burdened instantly faded. I didn't know if I wanted to cry or what, but I was sure that I felt relief.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit.

"Hey.." I greeted him as soon as I came over to his seat, at nginitian niya ako.

Then after smiling, his face was soon replaced with a look of worry.

"What happened?" I smiled at him para hindi na siya mabahala pa, then I answered.

"Just an accident. By the way.." Nagtaka siya nung pinutol ko yung sasabihin ko, and I continued in order to change the topic.

And I'm sure he'll be happy about it anyway. This type of trouble was nothing compared to the things I experienced the past few days.

Muntikan ko nang hindi masabi sa kanya kung namatay man ako ng maaga nung araw na 'yon.

"I found a way to keep the cat for a few days." I saw his eyes lit up at my statement at nagulat ako nung napatayo siya at napasigaw.

"Talaga-!"

Hindi ko na siya hinayaang matapos at tinakpan ko kaagad yung bibig niya, but that didn't stop anyone from looking at us.

I immediately gave him stern look, at mukhang narealize niya yung ginawa niya kaya napaupo siya kaagad sa upuan niya. Then I took my hand off of his mouth, at saka ako nagsalita ulit.

"Are you really that happy?" He really didn't need to answer that, just one smile from him was enough as an answer.

Nagkwentuhan kami ng saglit tungkol sa kung paano namin aalagaan yung pusa, and I just went back to my seat nung pumasok na si Ms. Teves.

Classes were back to normal..

I guess?

Tahimik lang akong nagpaiwan sa classroom dahil alam kong pwede naman akong hindi sumali sa PE. I am injured so that was a great excuse para hindi tumakbo habang tirik na tirik yung araw. I just looked outside the window and watched as all of my classmates were having fun playing outside.

They're having fun huh..?

One class after another, hindi nagtagal at natapos na lahat ng klase namin.

Tumayo na ako mula sa kinauupuan ko, at nagulat nalang ako nung nakita ko si Rion sa tabi ko.

"Let me help you, Miss Eara." Is what he said, at kinuha nalang niya yung bag ko. And I just let him. Tahimik ko lang siyang sinundan palabas ng classroom, at nilingon niya na ako nung naglakad ako sa tabi niya.

"Saan ka ba pupunta?" Tanong niya sa akin, and I could clearly see his intentions.

"I'm fine, Rion. Hindi naman ako baldado." I joked, at natawa nalang din siya sa mga sinabi ko.

Pero hindi niya pa rin binabalik yung bag ko. So, wala siyang balak na hayaan talaga akong mag isa. Maybe this is his way of saying thanks?

Kaya hinayaan ko nalang.

"Do you have any meetings today? You know, yung project..?" He asked in a concerned tone, and he was back to that reserved Rion I met that night.

I should really keep the way he was excited in my memories.

Mukha bihira lang pala mangyari 'yon.

Napangiti naman ako at tumango bago sumagot.

"Yeah, ihahatid mo ba ako?" Ako naman ang nagtanong, and he revealed a small smile. At saka siya naman siya tumango. We were quiet for a while, at ilang beses ko na siyang napansin na tingin ng tingin sa akin nung makalabas kami ng building.

May gusto ba siyang sabihin?

"Rion?" I called out to him, at mukhang nakita niyang napansin ko na yung pagtingin tingin niya sa akin. Napaiwas siya ng tingin sa akin, before he exhales and looks back to me.

He pursues his lips into a thin line, at saka siya nagsalita.

"Um, we have a ball next month.." Nagtaka ako sa sinabi niya. A ball?

Oh, right. The annual ball of Acadia Academy..

It's during the third week of February, after the sports festival. I think it's supposed to be something like a social ball. So that high school students would have a chance to know each other.

"Would you like to.. go with me, Miss Eara?"

Oh.. so that was it.. He wanted to ask me..

The truth is.. wala naman akong balak sumama. I don't really like crowded spaces. Let alone a formal ball like that. Pero.. there was a difference..

Since Rion asked me.. I just found myself saying..

"Sure."

Wala akong alinlangang sumagot sa kanya at napangiti siya kaagad sa sagot ko. We kind of indulged ourselves into a small talk habang naglalakad kami papunta sa main gate ng school.

Nung makarating kami ni Rion doon, everyone in my group was there. Ako nalang pala ang kulang sa kanila.

Everyone was eyeing the both of us, like it was weird na magkasama kami. And Rion carefully handed my bag over to me.

"Be careful, Miss Eara." He said out of concern, at napatango nalang ako before saying my own goodbyes too.

"You too."

He waved his goodbye at umalis na siya, at saka ako sumama sa mga kagrupo ko. Everyone was going inside a car that seems to be owned by Aerovan.

Dalawa yung sasakyan na naghihintay sa amin, at pumasok nalang kami sa sasakyan. And by some strange turn of events, I found myself sitting inside a car..

With Aerovan.

The drive to his place was quiet. There was no need to talk anyway, at wala na rin naman akong katanungan para sa kanya since Kate was behind all of it. Kaya naman mas minabuti ko nalang na manahimik kaysa magsalita pa.

We're not close anyway, at wala rin akong balak.

Rion is enough.

Minutes passed at nakarating kami sa bahay niya. Wait, not bahay.. more like a mansion. That wasn't surprising, since all of the students here are wealthy people with a lot of backgrounds.

And I am not excluded.

Mayaman ang pamilya ko.

Bumaba na si Aerovan ng sasakyan, and I followed behind him. Pagbaba ko, nakita ko na rin sila Naval na bumaba ng sasakyan. They all smiled at me, except for Peria. Branwen Peria. Isa sa mga babaeng may gusto kay Aerovan.

Of course unang una kong napansin yung mga masasamang tingin niya sa akin, kaya naman napalayo ako kaagad kay Aerovan.

I don't want any problems, as much as possible.

"Young master, welcome back." A butler was waiting for us as soon as we entered the gates, and gestured for us to go straight then he slowly leads the way.

The mansion was really wide. A road was in the middle leading to the mansion's door, while beside the road we were walking was like a wide ranged garden.

Sculptures made out of plants were everywhere, there was a fountain, and a large open space.

Siguro nagkakaroon din ng events dito labas, that's why it looks like this.

Pero sa likod ng ganda na pinapakita nung buong mansyon.. I just couldn't help but feel that something was out of place.

Hindi ko alam, but I just felt that way..

Like something's off about this mansion.

Nung makarating kami sa pinto, it was carefully opened by maids at nagpatuloy na kaming pumasok sa loob.

"The living room was already prepared for all of you, this way please." The butler led the way once more, and we followed behind him. Everything about the mansion spoke of elegancy and posed a classic feel.

The mansion was really huge as it looked like outside, but inside was empty. It wasn't empty of things, but empty of people.

Other than the maids and butlers, wala nang ibang tao sa bahay. Parents, relatives, or even someone of relevance to the family. Wala akong nakikita kahit na isa. Napailing nalang ako kaagad sa iniisip ko.

First you think that he's the killer, and now papakealaman mo yung pamilya niya? It's about time you've stopped this, Eara.

Nung naisip ko 'yon..

Bits of memories flashed inside my mind. 

"You should start minding your own business."

"You won't believe what I'll do to you if you get in my way."

Parang nanlamig yung buong katawan ko sa mga naalala ko. He was..

That was a warning.

Does he know something?

Is he one of them?