HOWLINGS AND SHADOWS (Thindrel Howzit Hawthorne)

🐾XIX. Letter🐾

Esmeray Vozenilek

Hindi ako nakagalaw pagkatapos siyang marinig. He's kidding, right? Or am I just deaf for not hearing it right.

"W-w-what?", I asked with pure horror. I shook my head continuously and look at him in the eyes. "N-n-no!".

He exhaled and walk towards me. Sa kanang kamay niya ay may hawak siyang blade. He reach for my right arm. Tumitig muna siya sa akin bago bumaba ang tingin niya sa aking braso.

Hindi ako makagalaw. I want to stop him but I feel like I'm under his spell.

He force the blade against my skin. The fresh blood comes out.

Kita ko ang pag-iba ng kanyang aura. The supposedly light room went dark.

Napatitig ako sa kanya ng makitang may nangyaring kakaiba sa kanyang mukha. Dark nerves are all over his eyes. Ang kaninang mala abong mga mata ay naging pula.

He parted his lips a little and I saw sharp fangs coming out from his mouth.

Natigilan ako. My mind is screaming with so many words but my mouth can't even speak one of them. Natulala lang ako.

He lowered his head and lick the blood on wrist up to my arms. He did it gently. Taliwas sa disposisyon niya kagabi.

"T-Thin-drel!", nauutal na sabi ko. Halatang nanginginig ang boses sa takot at pagkabalisa. Halo-halong emosyon ang aking naramdaman.

He's a vampire. Thindrel is a vampire. My boyfriend is a vampire. And is he the killer?

"This is the real me, Ray", aniya sa akin.

Tears flooded in my eyes. The only man I love is a vampire. He's a killer. A monster.

Umiling ako at umiyak. I pull my arms off from his grip. Hinayaan niya iyon. Even though I'm bleeding, he didn't try to kill me.

His eyes screams gentleness pero iwinaksi ko iyon sa aking isipan.

"You're a monster", sabi ko. "Are you the one who killed my friends?", I asked.

"I'm sorry", mahinang sabi niya.

"You turned them like you. How could you do this? I hate you!", malakas na sigaw ko kahit hindi naman iyon ang aking naramdaman.

I love him. I love him with every bit of my heart. I do love him. Na kahit nalaman ko ang tunay niyang pagkatao ay hindi pa rin nawala ang nararamdaman ko para sa kanya.

"Leave this town alone! Go back to where you belong!", sigaw ko sa kanya.

He nodded twice. Parang hindi ko tuloy iyon matanggap. So he'll leave? He'll obey me, huh?

"I will. I just want you to know the truth before I leave this place", aniya sa akin.

He extended both of his arms and pull me close to him. Hindi ako nakagalaw. Kahit na alam kong delikado ako dito dahil bampira siya and dumudugo ang braso ko. Pero hindi ko naman maipagkakaila na gusto ko siyang mayakap. Gusto ko siyang maramdaman.

"Telling you who I really am puts me in danger, Ray. But I want to be honest with you", he whisper against my ears.

Hindi ako umimik at pumikit nalang ng mariin. Is this the last time I'll saw him?

"Close your eyes", aniya.

Hindi niya siguro alam na kanina pa ako nakapikit.

Kumalas siya sa pagkayakap sa akin at mabilis na dinampian ng mababaw na halik ang aking malalamig na labi.

"I love you, my beloved. I'm sorry but I have to go", pagkatapos niyang ibulong iyon sa akin ay napadilat kaagad ako.

What? He has to go?

Pagkabukas ng mga mata ko ay wala na siya sa aking harapan. Inilibot ko ang tingin sa paligid ngunit hindi ko siya natagpuan.

I went out from his room and search his whole place. Ngunit ni anino ni Thindrel ay wala akong nakita.

Bumagsak ako sa sahig. Umiiyak sa sakit at lungkot. Is it necessary to leave me, Thindrel? I won't tell the secrets you told me. Wala akong pagsasabihan.

I cry my heart out bago naisipang lumabas ng apartment niya.
Napadaan ako sa receptionist at napatitig sa babae ng ngumiti ito sa akin.

"Miss Vozenilek, right?", she asked.

Alam kong namumugto pa ang aking mga mata ng harapin ko siya.

Hindi ako nagsalita at tumango lang.

"This is the key of Mr. Hawthorne's apartment and his tesla. He wants you to have this. They are all yours", aniya at ngumiti sa akin ng inabot niya ang dalawang susi.

Susi ng apartment niya at susi ng kanyang sasakyan.

They are all yours? It means the apartment and his car is mine?

Hindi ako makapaniwala. I went to the parking lot and saw his shinny tesla there. Binuksan ko ang kanyang sasakyan.

At ang una kong napansin ay ang sobre sa dashboard nito. I opened it and saw his handwritten letter.

Dear my beloved Esmeray Vozenilek,

I know when you read this I'm no longer with you and completely left the town. I just want you to know that you're the best thing that ever happened to me while I'm away home. Please, accept the apartment and the car as my peace offering for you. I know what you've gone through in your own home.

Live peacefully and happy, my queen. I'll come back to you soon but I need to grow up. We both need to grow up. I have a responsibility to do with my own home. Soon, when the time comes and we're both ready, I'll take you here and be my queen.

Love,
Thindrel Hawthorne.

It even has his signature. Tumulo ang luha ko sa nabasa. He left. Naiwan na naman akong mag-isa. My parents doesn't even care about me. My sisters feels like they're not.

My friends are slowly drifting away from me. Siya nalang ang meron ako. Iniwan pa ako.

I sat inside his car for a moment. Maraming pumasok sa isip ko.

Binuhay ko ang makina ng sasakyan niya at pinatakbo ito. Umaasa na maabutan ko pa siya. Hindi pa siya nakakalayo. Hahanapin ko siya.