Pagsapit ng hapon, mas tahimik ang buong bahay.
Hindi dahil humupa ang gulo.
Kundi dahil kapag masyado nang maraming totoo ang nakalabas sa isang araw, natututo ang mga tao na mag-ingat sa bawat tunog na ginagawa nila.
Sanctuary Florest now moved like it was listening to itself.
Doors closed softer.
Footsteps grew cleaner.
Even the air in the long halls felt more disciplined, as if the house itself had finally understood na puwede pala itong lokohin gamit ang sariling alaala.
At sa gitna ng lahat ng iyon, nasa west herb wing sina Vincent at Kleo.
The west herb room was not dramatic.
Which, according to Kleo, made it more suspicious.
“Ang pangit ng room na ’to,” sabi niya habang nakatayo sa gitna ng threshold.
Vincent, who was checking the angle of the interior shutters, didn’t e
