Angevil's Portrait of Portals

Chapter 15. De Ja Vu

As if living inside a dream, Diwa could see herself on top of the hill again. With that she felt at home once more. She was delighted and enjoyed a carefree moment. She slowly danced in circles while stretching both arms high up in the air. She wore a long white dress and walked barefoot. After that she sat down on the ground and breathe the fresh air. After a while, she smiled as she reached for her art materials just beside her and started sketching the big old narra tree. In her sketch she included a man in a hooded white robe standing next to it. When she was done with her painting she called out to the young man and said, "Sinag, Are you tired? You may take a rest now. I have finished your portrait. Please come and take a look at it." Sinag sat down beside her and looked extremely happy as he stared at his portrait which took an hour for Diwa to finish. "Thank you. This artwork for me is a huge masterpiece. I love it." Sinag replied. "Please keep this as a souvenir from me. I don't know why but even though this is the first time we have met each other, it seems like I have known you for a long time already." Diwa said. Sinag replied, "Maybe in a dream we have met many times before, don't you agree? In that case, let us treasure this moment until we meet again." Diwa looked at the young man in infatuation and felt comfort before asking, "How will I ever know if this is just a dream? Awake or not, I see this painting in the museum which means..this is real. You are real. Who are you really?" Sinag replied, "In order to know the answer, keep that key in your hand. The man who gave you that will guide your way. An upcoming storm will lead you to where my portrait lies. Open the door using that key in your hand. That is your father's last will. By then his wish is granted." Diwa said, "My father?" In confusion she wasn't able to think clearly. She then faced 'Sinag' only to see another male whom she met in another dream named, 'Liyab'. He then reached out his hand and invited Diwa to come with him. Diwa was frightened with the whole situation and didn't gave out her hand in return. Instead, she asked about her father. "What did Sinag mean about my father's last will?" Liyab put down his hand and replied, "Only if you come with me then you will learn the answer to that." Again he reached out his hand to her. Diwa gave her hand as they both stood up while holding each others hands. Seconds later, Diwa saw his father climb up the hilltop. She screamed her father's name but he did not hear her. She was about to run towards her father but Liyab held onto her hands tightly and gently shook his head while instructing her that once she leaves the circle, she will lose the vision of her father. This is just a past memory. Diwa was shocked. Who is this man? She thought. Even Sinag. What are her visions for? Diwa's father stuck a note onto the big old tree's branch. Diwa then recalled the letter she read when she was just a little girl escaping the cruelty of the spaniards. After that Diwa saw Sinag and her father talking. She just realized that his father couldn't see her because this was just a time travel of the past. Tears started running down her cheeks. She then overheard them talking about her father being held captive by the spaniards together with her mother who was locked up in one of the chambers at church. Her father had those visions of what will happen to him in the future. That scene was crystal clear in Diwa's vision. In a blink of an eye the scenery changed into the woods from outside of town where Diwa's parents tried to escape the guards. In this particular scene, only Sinag and Diwa's father could be seen in the middle of the woods talking and nobody else came to view. His father then said to Sinag, "I will get caught and I know that. All I need for you to do as a form of help is to take my daughter away from here. In a world where she is safe. Do this in the exact time of the war. Soon after Japan's reign, the Americans will rule over our country. I knew this beforehand due to a gift I got since birth. That is because I can predict the future. I knew that you came from the past, 'Sinag' and your counterpart which is 'Liyab' came from the future world." Diwa couldn't believe what she had just heard from her father. Soon after the vision of her father slowly faded. She cried heavily upon the disappearance of her beloved father. She no longer had the strength to hold on to Liyab's hands. She knelt down to the ground whimpering. The moment she stopped crying, a dark scenery came to view. There was lightning and heavy rainfall. She saw an image of herself lying helplessly on the ground and was partially being carried by Isla and Aunt Emi just inches infront of her. Diwa saw them both struggling to carry her doppelganger due to it's extraordinarily heavy weight. Her constant wailing and calling out to them couldn't be heard. She then crawled her way towards them while holding onto the mud but to her surprise, her other image was soon eaten by the soil burying it alive. With a blink of an eye the real Diwa woke up. She hurriedly sat down and embraced both Isla and Aunt Emi. They all started crying together at that moment. Soon after, footsteps were heard approaching them. The boys along with Mang Destino who had just arrived from work helped them get up from the ground. They quickly entered the house and cleaned themselves up before being gathered altogether in the living room. A while later, they all sat down on the couch and quietly drank some tea and ate a pack of biscuits prepared by Alon and his uncle. Silence was in the air until Mang Destino asked Aunt Emi what had happened a few moments ago. She couldn't give out an answer as to why Diwa ended up in that situation. She then looked at Isla assuming she knew about it. Isla was speechless as well and the same goes for Diwa. Since nobody could provide him an answer, Mang Destino suggested they talk about it later and the girls should take an afternoon nap after eating some snacks. He then took Aunt Emi's hand and brought her to their room so they could talk privately. Alon and Bisig sat still while eating some biscuits and noticed how quiet the two girls were. Isla was biting bits of her biscuit while Diwa was staring blankly at the window. Alon and Bisig both spoke at the same time, "Are the two of you okay?" The two boys looked at each other in amazement and Isla couldn't help but smile at them. Alon then called out to Diwa but she was meek all this time. Bisig couldn't take Diwa's silence and stood up facing the window. He went straight to it and looked back at Diwa to get her attention. Diwa also stood up and approached Bisig. She slowly lifted her head to face him and they saw eye to eye. Alon and Isla were in shock. "What is wrong with you, Diwa? What happened back there?" Bisig asked pointing outside through the window. Diwa looked passed him not paying attention at all to what he was saying. Bisig felt weird about it and looked at the others. Isla and Alon stood up and went near them. "I think we should let her rest, Bisig. Maybe Diwa was in shock with what happened. I will escort her to our room." Isla said. Before turning around Diwa spoke, "I am sorry for- for being a mess. I don't know what went wrong with me. I always put everyone in trouble." They were all surprised. Isla then gave Diwa a warm embrace and assured her that everything is fine. Bisig then said to her, "I am truly sorry, Diwa. I was insensitive. I just hope you are feeling okay now." Alon also spoke out and said, "Me too. I apologize for not being there in time to help you and Isla. I hope next time you'd let us know when you are having problems of any sort." Alon said. Diwa and Isla smiled and nodded at them in return. Just as the girls went straight to their room, Mang Destino came outside of his room and sat on the living room area. Alon asked him if Aunt Emi was doing okay. "She is in bed as of the moment. Your aunt might have scared the two young girls. She admitted to saying some horrible things relating to our baby. This must have provoked them to pray infront of the narra tree where my baby was buried however maybe due to fatigue Diwa had passed out." Alon and Bisig were curious and so Alon asked, "If I may ask, What horrible things did Aunt Emi said about her baby?" Mang Destino replied, "She wished for our baby to be revived by the devil itself. She said she prayed everyday for that to happen." The two boys were left stunned by his revelation.