Scintilla and Scent

X: Smoky Scent

Chapter 10

I BELIEVE that perfume also plays a huge role in memories. Just one scent and you can reminisce everything.

“Kali? Are you okay lang ba? You're tulala kaya,” Ansley pouted as she closed her book.“What's bothering you ba?”

I closed my book and leaned on the seat. I smelled a very familiar scent of perfume, and I was distracted by it.

Hanggang dito ba naman, his memories were chasing me.

“Oh! Kali? Pagod ka na ba? Something wrong?” Ben asked.

“I'm good-- I'm just drain because of too much reading,” I opened my book again.

Nasa library kami using our free time to study. May prelim exam pa kami this afternoon and we need to do well for the sake of our grades. Sa rami ng nangyayari sa'min past few weeks ago, we really lost our focus in our lessons. Now, we have to relearn it with our own.

“Anyway... how's Coreen in your class Ben?”I asked leaning on the chair.

“She's really weird, I mean-- napakatahimik na n'ya ngayon, ni isa sa'min sa class, hindi na n'ya kinakausap,” sagot ni Ben.

“That's really weird nga, kasi ang daldal n'ya sa classes namin before eh,” I touched my forehead.

“This is so weird nga, even her fashion sense nagbago, like how did it happen in a span of a week? Cringing here huh,” Ansley added. “Lalo na 'yung wound n'ya, up to now kasi, I couldn't believe it.”

“Well, wala naman tayong magagawa eh, baka after effect lang 'yan ng nangyari sa kanya,”  I massage my eyes. “Mag-aral ka na lang, it's more important that we can pass our exams.”

“Kali is right, I guess-- kailangan na nating unahin ang pag-aaral natin, and if possible, umiwas na lang tayo sa mga kababalaghan na nangyayari rito,” Ben sighed.

“Sige Ben, panindigan mo 'yan ha,” I shook my head. “I bet you can't, knowing you.”

“Hay Kali, bahala na...sa ngayon exams muna ang gusto kong atupagin,” Ben massage his forehead.

I shrugged my shoulders and leaned on my seat tapping my pen on my forehead.

“I think I need a cup of coffee,” I picked up my backpack and would suppose to stand but I froze upon seeing something entered in the library's door.

“Why? What's wrong Kali?” Ansley asked. “Hey!”

I didn't answer her, instead my eyesight followed what really caught my attention. A black smoke entered inside the library. Parang hugis bola ito na paikot-ikot lang sa loob.

“OH MY GOSH! What's that?” Ansley muttered as she covered her mouth. Si Ben naman nakatitig lang din sa itim na usok at tila hindi na ito makakilos.

“It's gone!” I finally said when the black smoke went out from the window. “What was that?”

Ben stood, gazing on the window, “all I know is, masamang senyales 'yun.”

“Sign of what?” Ansley stood and touched her chest.

“Someone will die,” Ben muttered.

Halos tumalon sa kaba ang puso ko, upon hearing what Ben said. Someone will die? How? Wala naman akong naamoy na kahit ano since earlier.

Nawawala na ba ang capacity ko to smell death? What's going on?

“Naku po! Nagkakagulo na pala sa may CR malapit sa Arts Department!” malakas na sabi ng isang student sa library, habang hawak ang cellphone nito. “Grabe! Ang daming dugo!”