VANGUARDIA

Chapter 23

Ali's POV

Time check: 4am

We are in a public bus southbound. As expected, we are the only passengers at this quiet time of the night.

Ishna is sitting alone in one of the seats reading something in my book, particularly where the chant for closing the gate was written. There's a whole chapter about gatekeepers there.

I had that research to check if there is a way for me to open and close a gate to other dimensions, kahit alam kong wala pa namang kagaya ko ang nakakagawa noon. Tinry ko lang naman pero wala talaga. It came handy yesterday, though.

Noah is sleeping in the seat in front of her, hugging his backpack.

Narda and Regina is sitting comfortably in the seat across me. Regina is in the window seat and leaning on Narda's shoulder, eyes closed but I bet she's not sleeping.

I laughed inwardly, "Para-paraan.", bulong ko.

Narda perked up at the sound. She looked at me with a questioning look. Hindi niya narinig.

Umiling lang ako and I smiled at her. "You sure about this?", I asked.

I never had the chance to talk to her. Everything happened so quickly. The other day, we are just in 'who knows she is the soulmate?' agenda, and now, we are all going home because there is a threat in the island and they need us.

"Oo naman." She whispered and I nodded.

She brought back her attention to Regina. Inayos niya ang pagkakasandal nito sa balikat niya.

She kissed her head and Regina just melted.

I sighed and just looked outside even though it is still dark and there is nothing to see.

I think of Agnes.

....

Another fifteen minutes on the bus ride, I called Ishna's attention.

She closed the book and put it in her bag. Kinalabit niya si Noah sa harapan niya.

"Hmm?"

"Bababa na tayo."

Regina is already awake ang gathering their things.

We called for the stop, and we get off at a side of an eatery.

The place is dark except for the part illuminated by an old lamp.

It's actually a decoy to the human eyes. Looks like a normal eatery for stopovers but the journey to the island begins here.

"Hay, ang convenient sana if marunong na si Noah." I heard Ishna said in a low voice.

"Ha?" Tanong ni Noah.

Well, not if you have a gatekeeper with you. If Noah can open the gate to and from the island and the human world, we don't need that bus ride. We can just open the gate in one of our condo.

There's an old man sleeping (or maybe not sleeping) in a hammock inside. He is lying comfortably, his face covered with a hat.

"Okay, uhmm, there's a general code like in a movie. When I say my name, follow." I whispered.

"What?! Wait, anong follow? Where?" Noah asked.

"Uy, masyado kang kabado, ano lang yan, parang passcode ng gate. Ifollow mong sabihin yung name mo!" Sabi ni Ishna.

"Ahh okay. Bakit naman kasi ganito yung ambiance dito? And why are you whispering?" asked Noah.

Natawa ako. Guilty. "It's 430am, syempre ganito yung ambiance." I said in a normal voice.