In the small town of Casus-- where I live, we have a belief.
That everyone was given a second chance. . . no matter what they've done or who they are.
Everyone deserves it, even the dead.
On the 3rd day of someone's death, they will arose from the...
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1st hour
My face softened, so as my heart.
Her skin dried up, pale. She became so thin, there are also dark circles under her eyes. Nalalagas ang iilang mahaba niyang buhok, at tuyong-tuyo ang mamutla-mutla niyang labi. She has a red bow, paired with red lace on her neck. Wearing a white dress with some red roses.
Still, in my eyes, her appearance is still the same— she's still so beautiful.
May tumakas na luha sa mga mata ko, at umukit ang isang ngiti sa aking labi.
"Rena. . ." I called her name.
Napakurap siya at natulala ng ilang segundo, bago dahan-dahang umangat ang tingin sa akin. Naunang bumukha ang labi niya bago lumabas ang boses niya.
"Zac. . .ky?"
Nabuhayan ang mga mata ko nang marinig ko ang pangalan ko mula sa kaniya. Gusto kong mapasigaw sa tuwa, gusto ko siyang yakapin. Pero alam kong kailangan maging kuntento na 'ko na nakikita ko siya ngayon na mulat ang mga mata, at tinatawag niya ang pangalan ko.
"Y-Yes! It's me, Zacky! Isaac!" I told her my name. Words can't express my happiness, hearing her say it again.
Muling bumaba ang tingin ni Rena, at tinignan niya ang sarili niya. Nagbago ang ekspresyon ko nang mapagtantong ako lang ang masaya ngayon. Sumunod ang tingin ko sa mga mata niya.
Should I really be happy right now? Even though she's already dead?
Umangat ang kamay ko, na para siyang inaabot. "R-Rena-"
Nahinto ako nang iniling niya ang ulo niya. She looked at me once again, with a soft expression, she plastered a smile.
"I want. . . to spend my day without thinking of anything, Zacky," aniya, na parang alam na ang gusto kong sabihin. "Today is my last day of being alive, after all— my second day rather." She chuckled.
"I want to have fun today. . . make the most of it." Nagtama ang mga tingin namin. "My Secunda Vita."
☩
I took Rena home with me, without touching her. Hindi ko inalis ang tingin ko sa kaniya, kahit ano ang mangyari.
Casus is a small town, making everyone our family. So, as orphans, Rena and I, managed to live with just the two of us, being supported of our town. Well, we have a guardian before, auntie Jullie.
She took us both when our parents died because of a plague. For that reason, Rena and I grew up together. But auntie Jullie already died when we were both 14, that was three years ago. After that, we only have each other.
As soon as we got home, I gave Rena clothes for her to change. It's a light blue floral dress, her favorite. I paired it with blue bow and blue lace too. While I set a fire at the fireplace, to warm the house. After changing clothes, she sat in front of the fireplace. I sat in front of her.
"It's still past midnight, what do you want to do, Rena?" I asked her with a smile on my face.
She's staring at the fire, not looking at me.
"We can start star gazing now, how about baking? You love baking. Oh! Remember that-"
"Sunset."
Hindi ko natuloy ang sasabihin ko nang sumingit si Rena sa sasabihin ko. Umangat ang dalawang kilay ko. "Huh?-"
"Sunset. . . I want to watch the sunset."
Hindi kaagad ako nakasagot sa sinabi niya. Nanatili siyang nakatingin sa apoy.
"Ah. . . it's still early, we can watch it later. How about waiting for sunrise first? Then, what do you want to do before that?-"
"Ice cream."
I was taken aback with her answer.
"I want some ice cream," she repeated.
"Sure, but it's still midnight. We can have some later." This is a small town, and all of the shops are closed. We can't get some ice cream at this time.
Hindi siya sumagot sa sinabi ko. "What do you want to do at this moment? Something that we can do now."
Hindi ulit siya sumagot, nanatili siyang nakatingin pa rin sa apoy.
For some reason, it feels like I'm the only one who's looking forward to this, despite her saying that she'll make the most of this day.
As if she's not interested at all. Or maybe she's just tired? She just got out of the casket after all. I mean. . . she just came back from the dead.
That might be the reason.
Napaiwas ako ng tingin kay Rena at napatahimik din ako. Maybe she noticed it, and for the first time since we came home, she looked at me.
"Fireflies."
She caught my attention, making me look back at her.
Tinatamaan ng liwanag ng apoy ang mukha niya, at ang mga mata niyang parang kumikislap. She plastered a smile with her dead, tired eyes. As if she's not paying attention to me a while ago.
