Angevil's Portrait of Portals

Chapter 13. Evil Vs. Faith

Isla and the boys were able to bring the deceased woman and her baby to church. Their initial plan was to seek help in looking for the baby's family members. During this era, only the church was given full jurisdiction to reign over the country which is the Philippines. With that, the head priest then claims the right to put the law in his own hands. As soon as they got to church, Isla immediately went inside and asked the people for help but nobody wanted to be involved in any way. In an attempt to find the baby's family, she went up the altar and begged the priest for help. Bisig followed her from behind. Isla was more familiar with Diwa's hometown compared to the boys since the two girls were cousins who visited each other's houses every year since childhood. Alon who was sitted on the driver's seat was carrying the baby, while the mother lay lifeless in the passenger seat of the carriage covered up in thick cloth. When the priest noticed Isla begging for help, he went down a few steps to where she was standing and whispered to her that she should quit begging for help to save the priest's reputation from this type of humiliation or else she might end up in one of the chambers like the other pitiful souls in there. Isla couldn't believe what she had just heard. She then breathed heavily in anger and shouted at him, "You have always been such a cruel being who doesn't deserve any respect from anybody in this town. Specially, you do not deserve the title of being a Holy Christian priest!" She immediately turned around and walked away from him. Bisig who had no idea what just happened showed a concerned look upon Isla's sudden burst of anger at the priest and asked her what was wrong. Isla told him they should leave now but before she could even reach the church's doors, the guards barricaded her way out. Bisig took a stand to protect Isla. The people from inside the church quietly whispered to one other in shock. The priest then spoke out, "I told you that you'll be provided with assistance but you insisted on disrespecting me. But still my dear child, I will make sure to send you some help." With a faint smile he nodded to the guards and he faced his right side in order to give them a sign that Isla will be locked up in one of the chambers. The guards then proceeded to separate the two and ordered them to enter the hallway to the left which lead to the chambers. "No! This is not right. Please hear us out. Please! We have an emergency outside waiting for help." Bisig asked mercilessly. There was no answer from the guards. "Where are you taking us? What help is the priest talking about?" Isla asked in a worried state. She had no idea what awaits her unlike Bisig who had already experienced trespassing this area when he and Diwa were still young. Again, there was no answer. Bisig then spoke out while being dragged towards the hallway. "Hear me out, okay? We have a situation. There is a dead woman and her newborn baby inside the carriage just outside the church. Her baby needs a family, you understand? We are just here to help them look for their families." Both of the guards stopped and looked closely at Bisig examining him from head to toe. "Is that true?" One of the guards asked Isla. "Y-yes. There is a baby outside who needs to be fed and taken cared of. The baby's mother passed away after giving birth just awhile ago." She answered. The guards were silent as they guided the two infront of a door which led to a basement chamber. The other guard opened the lock. Bisig was familiar of this sight and was scared of being held captive without anyone knowing where they are so he faced the guards and attacked one by headbutting him. The other one he kicked hard on the stomach to knock him down as well. He then pulled Isla towards the main doors to escape and as soon as they ran down the stairs he shouted at Alon to hurry and drive the carriage. Isla got inside the carriage and took the baby from Alon's arms. Just as Bisig was about to climb up, a guard grabbed him by the arm and punched his right cheek. He shouted again at his friends to go on and said he will catch up soon after this. Isla cried out loud to not leave Bisig alone but Alon said he believes in Bisig and that they both know it's for the best. So he quickly strode the carriage and fled somewhere far away without any planned destination just so they could get away from there. Isla who can't think properly was seen blankly gazing at the houses nearby. "Are you okay, Isla?" Alon asked. There was no reply. Soon after, Alon saw the grand museum not far from where they were and decided to go there and ask for help. After putting the carriage to a stop, Alon turned around and looked at Isla. Then he glanced at the fully covered deceased woman beside Isla before saying, "I needed to protect you and also the baby. As much as I wanted to help Bisig back there I just couldn't and I am truly sorry for that." Isla slowly looked him straight in the eye before saying, "I- I understand. I just truly care about Bisig. I don't want anything bad to ever happen to him." Alon replied, "I know. He'll be back home soon and I am sure of that. We should get going now. I need to look for Ginoong Marso and ask him for help." They both entered the museum with the baby crying out loudly due to hunger. Upon hearing a child scream, Ginoong Marso quickly rushed to the entrance and saw the two looking extremely tired. "What is the matter my dear children? Are the two of you alright?" He asked out of curiosity. Alon replied, "We need your help. The baby's mother died of childbirth. Her body is in the carriage outside now. It just so happened that we were in the city just in time to help deliver her child so we brought her to a midwife's hut. Unfortunately even after the efforts we made in searching for her family and asking for help at church, we were almost arrested by the guards. Our friend was taken by one of them." Ginoong Marso was taken aback by their story then he asked, "How may I be of help to you then? You know, I cannot meddle with your issues at church especially that nobody ever wins against the priest and his men. But I can assist you with the baby by creating flyers to help find the baby's family all over town." Alon looked at Isla who was silently playing with the baby and replied, "Thank you. That was awfully nice of you but I was thinking if maybe you'd be kind enough to look after the baby while we head home to ask for my uncle's assistance? We are just hoping you could extend a helping hand until such time that we find the baby's family. Besides, I know that 'Ginang' Marso, your beloved wife is great with children. We'll come back tomorrow. We promise you that." Before Ginoong Marso could even answer, Isla quietly argued with Alon based on his decisions and asked, "Wait. Why don't we just bring the baby with us? I'm sure Diwa's grandma will take good care of the baby. Or why not take it to your uncle's wife instead? What is wrong with you, Alon?" Alon was speechless for a moment. Ginoong Marso who overheard the conversation was about to say something when Alon spoke to Isla in reply saying, "Please understand, Isla. Firstly, we need to look for Diwa before going back to her grandma's house. She must have been worried by now. What more when she finds out that Diwa is not with us? Secondly, my uncle Destino's wife is still bedridden due to a sudden miscarriage. Bringing the baby might trigger her depression specially when it's about time to give the baby back to it's original family. I hope you understand, Isla. We need to do this." Ginoong Marso then decided to speak out and said, "Ehem. I willingly volunteer. Settle your issues without the baby please. Leave this to me and I'll make sure to take care of it, him or her. Whatever." Alon and Isla looked at each other in astonishment. "It's a her. Thank you very much for your help." Alon replied. Puzzled, Isla asked Ginoong Marso if he has had an experience raising a child before. He then answered, "I had a weird dream last night. It showed me that I had a daughter. For your information, I am unable to produce an offspring. I never had a child but would want to raise one. Maybe this is the right time for it. Even if it is only for the meantime." Alon then said, "I think indeed it was a sign. I highly appreciate your help Mister Marso. As for the infant supplies needed, I already bought them and they are placed in this baby bag." Ginoong Marso nodded in reply. "We are very grateful for your help Ginoong Marso. Thank you." Isla said with a genuine smile on her face. Ginang Marso was seen walking slowly towards them after hearing the baby's cry. She was surprised after learning what had happened to them from Mister Marso's story and was very open-minded in extending a helping hand. Isla then handed the baby over to him. With a loving smile, Ginoong Marso bid them goodbye while his wife carried the baby in both arms. A dream come true for him even for the time being. Isla and Alon then headed straight to his Uncle Destino's place. As soon as they arrived home, his uncle greeted them and thought that at last Alon had brought a girlfriend with him but Alon repeatedly denied it. Isla and Alon looked at each other with disgust as if they were siblings mistakenly paired as a couple. In the living room they met Aunt Emi, his uncle's wife. She was timid and reserved due to her current situation yet Isla still managed to comfort her by singing a Filipino traditional song called, 'Paro-parong bukid' which means 'Farm Butterfly'. Aunt Emi then smiled in amazement with Isla's angelic voice. Alon informed his uncle about what had happened and so they brought the deceased woman's body in a funeral home just a few kilometers away. While Isla stayed with Aunt Emi, she still couldn't bare to sit around and wonder about Bisig and Diwa. She then asked aunt Emi if she could go look for her friends, but Aunt Emi didn't allow her to go on her own. When Alon and his uncle came back at night time, everyone shared their meal for dinner. Alon noticed that everyone was awfully quiet and he felt awkward about it so he tried cracking a corny joke which he finds hilarious. He noticed everyone was staring at him in silence so he then sulked down his chair and sighed. His uncle then said, "Do not worry too much about us young lad. Your aunt and I are normally quiet. How about your friend here, Isla right? Are you feeling okay?" Isla looked at everyone before saying, "I-I am worried about my friends. We got separated from them." Alon reached for her hand and held it tightly before saying, "It might not look like I'm worried, but believe me, I know Diwa well enough to trust her with what she is doing now. The same goes for Bisig. At a time like this, you need to have faith in them. That's the least we can do for them and to gain our peace of mind. They will both make it through this and I promise we'll be reunited with them again soon." Alon looked at Isla straight in the eye with compassion. Isla felt her heart throbbed after hearing Alon's reassuring lines. Even in just a short period of time, she has seen Alon get concerned about mostly serious situations and slowly realizing his concern to her from time to time. She had known him as a laid back type of person and a reliable friend. With a smile she put her hand on top of his hand. Alon smiled back at her in return. Seeing the two become close to each other, Uncle Destino recalled his and her wife's past. He then started to share their love story. Aunt Emi who kept quiet for some time listened attentively to her husband's story and in the end, she felt at ease. She realized how much his husband loves her despite the fact that she hadn't given him a child yet after years of being married. The both of them then stared at each other with pure love in their eyes. Alon and Isla witnessed it all and with that everyone ended the night with their hearts at peace.