Lolo Cres

The Real Nazareno • 3

Rafa woke up with a start. The first thing he realized was that he was no longer dying, apparently. The second thing that entered his head was that he wasn't in that demented chamber anymore.

Instead, he seemed to be in a ratty but comfortable sala. It seemed to be morning outside. He was lying in the sofa, a blanket covering him. Rafa sits up slowly, gingerly. He may no longer be dying, but he was still weak from that experience. As he looked around, Rafa can't help but think this sala is familiar to him, as if he's been here before. He just can't place it right now...

Come to think of it, where was everyone? Rafa was all alone in the sala when he woke. Now that his attention was engaged, he could hear some shuffling coming from another room. At least there were other people in here, Rafa thought, wherever this place is.

And then Rafa realized why this sala looked familiar. He's been inside just a week ago, when he tried asking-

"So, you're finally awake."  Lolo Cres said, carrying a basket of bottles. "You lucky idiot."

"Lolo Cres!" Rafa stood up sharply, only to regret it immediately as nausea overtook him and he slinks back down to the sofa. "What am I doing here?"

"It never fails with you lot," Lolo Cres didn't break his rant. "You all start looking for the Nazareno at the Baluarte de San Andres because it's the closest to San Nicolas, as if they would hide such a treasure at such an obvious place. I bet you were so thrilled when you found those markings. You must have felt so smart when you figured out that bit with the salt water. Sooooo smart! Dios Mio! Look where your hubris almost led you!"

Rafa listened to Lolo's rant, barely comprehending what he was saying. And then it hit him. "YOU rescued me from that chamber! How did you find me?!?"

"Did you really think the Church would hide such an important artifact so close to the original location?" Lolo Cres was still ranting. "You would not believe the number of treasure hunters and explorers that combed the ruins of Intramuros after the war, looking for remains of the Nazareno! Good thing they had that replica Nazareno that got blasted during 1945, of course. That was enough to sate most of the fortune seekers. But there were those who believed that the original Nazareno was hidden away. Well, most of them were felled by the traps."

"And YOU almost joined them!" Lolo Cres was positively livid. "You thought you could find the Nazareno because you found a picture and you read some books! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!? YOU COULD HAVE DIED!!!

Despite his sickness, Rafa felt every word Lolo Cres uttered, like arrows stabbing his heart. He should have known a treasure such as the Nazareno would not be easy to find. What was he thinking. If Lolo Cres hadn't arrived when he did... The thought made Rafa gag.

Lolo Cres shoved an arinola to Rafa's face. "If you must vomit, vomit into that. Spare me the need to clean up your mess, utang na loob." Rafa did just that.

Taking the arinola away, Lolo Cres started inspecting Rafa. "How are you feeling?" Lolo asked with such gentleness that Rafa was taken aback. "Still feeling nauseous?"

"No, Lolo." Rafa answered. "I'm feeling much better now. What happened to me back there?"

"I'm sure you figured out you were being poisoned," Cres was back to sounding grumpy and indignant, which Rafa actually preferred. "That trap you fell into has an extensive growth of a certain type of fungi. Very deadly to inhale. Death within the hour. But even without the fungi, you would have ran out of air soon enough."

"But how did you know I was there?" Rafa asked.

"I was alerted to it," Lolo Cres answered. "The moment you started poking around San Andres, you triggered one of the 'alarms' that I had installed all over Intramuros. Naturally I came as soon as I could, and I saw you watering the stones at San Andres. I camped out, waiting for you to return. I was watching you from a distance as you fell into the trap."