What the Trees Kept Whispering [COMPLETE]

• CHAPTER 37 •

Kristal's revelation shattered me into irreparable fragments, leaving me adrift in an ocean of inconsolable incredulity. Nothing gave me a total sense, like a hammering sorrow that I sure felt wasn't there.

"City boy."

"See you again. I'll be waiting."

"Euthymios. Darc Euthymios Abbissimal."

"Yakap... Please?"

"Wala kang dapat ipag-alala sa 'kin, Vian."

"Sana hindi ito 'yong buwan na sumilay no'ng gabing 'yon."

"Wala akong kilalang Joko at Ralph."

"Wala na tayong dapat pag-usapan pa, Vian! You played me!"

"Bakit mo kasama si Caloy no'ng gabing 'yon?"

"I'm all yours, Vi."

His voice...

It was all too real...

He felt too real...

Nanghina ang aking tuhod hanggang sa kusa na 'kong mapasalampak sa lupa. Tremors of agony reverberated through my eyes, their very essence shaken to the core, desperately resisting the weight of Kristal's words as if refusing to surrender to the unbearable truth.

The relentless gusts of wind whipped through the dense foliage; their caresses transformed into a tempestuous force. Within their inexorable whispers, the haunting chorus of trees grew into an eerie symphony, each branch and leaf adding to its mournful notes.

"Matagal nang patay si Euthymios."

I covered my ears, not wanting to hear those words. Yet, amidst this symphony, the voice of Euthymios emerged, unyielding and ceaseless, penetrating the air with a chilling clarity that reverberated deep within my soul.

"I love you, Vian Light."

His innocent smile flashed at the back of my mind. The beating of my heart was pulled harshly by gravity, leaving me seemingly lifeless.

"Vian..." sabay na tawag sa 'kin nina Yna at Caloy na halos hindi ko kaagad narinig.

"Kristal." Binitiwan ni Joko si Caloy upang lapitan si Kristal.

Joko consoled his girlfriend in his arms, wiping down her tears as he tried to ease her breathing. Kristal slowly regained herself, forcefully restraining her hiccups.

"Sabihin niyo sa 'king hindi 'yon totoo," garalgal kong sambit, tinitingnan nang diretso sa mata si Caloy.

Umiwas ng tingin ang aking pinsan. Napakiramdaman ko rin ang paghigpit ng kapit ni Yna sa 'king balikat, tila pinipigilan ang sariling lumuha. Hindi ko na nakimkim pa ang itinatagong kirot sa 'king puso.

"SABIHIN NIYONG HINDI 'YON TOTOO!"

"IT'S ALL TRUE, VIAN!" Ralph raged.

Umurong ang aking dila. I watched Kristal as she helplessly cried in Joko's arms.

"T-totoo 'yon..." biglang hinahon ni Ralph.

"Euthymios w-was... my childhood friend," Kristal breathed out faintly.

I froze. Her photo with a guy facing back swiftly resurfaced in my mind.

"H-hindi lang friend. He was my bestfriend," she added, still chuffing. "Tuwing summer, lagi siyang nabisita rito sa probinsya. He never failed to show himself up at our front porch every vacation."

Silence echoed. Even the trees seemingly calmed down.

"Then, just last year..." Muling bumigat ang kanyang mga mata. "N-nabalitaan na lang naming... p-patay na siya."

Isinubsob niya ang kanyang ulo sa dibdib ni Joko.

"Totoo 'yon, Vian," biglang hagod ni Yna sa 'king balikat. "Natagpuan ang bangkay niyang palutang-lutang sa ilog sa likod ng kabilang sitio. Walang dugo, wala nang buhay." Halata sa kanyang mga impit ang pagpigil sa kanyang mga luha.

Kristal bawled her eyes out. Caloy and Ralph were unnervingly silent while Yna already gave in to her tears.

Pinanood ko kung paano hinagod ni Joko ang buhok ni Kristal. Sa bawat taas-baba nito ay tila matindi nitong napukaw ang aking interes.

Numipis ang aking pagkakatitig sa kanya, itinutuon ang atensyon sa kanyang braso, ang kanyang kulay pulang baller ay nananahimik na nakapulupot sa kanyang pulsuhan.

I shifted my eyes from his baller then back at mine. I eyed the button that was glued to it.

Pinisil ko iyon nang mahigpit, sapat upang matanggal ko ito mula sa pagkakadikit. I got a closer look at the patch where it was glued. A name was engraved there in gold glitters.

Joko.

I slowly lifted my gaze back at Joko. Bigla naman siyang napalingon sa 'kin.

Kaagad na nalipat ang aking atensyon kay Ralph, ang kanyang camiso ay nakabuka sa bandang dibdib. Nagningning sa 'king mga mata ang dalawa nitong butones na siyang magkaiba ang kulay.

I held up the button in front of him, trying to compare the colors. When Ralph met my stare, I got a better glimpse of his white button that hauntingly matched the one I have in my hand.

"'Di mo kami matatakasan, bata."

The growls of that werewolf in my dream seemingly resounded at the back of my mind.

"Bumalik ka dito! Iaalay pa namin ang mga laman-loob mo."

The sudden gush of wind sent chills down my spine.

Gathering all of my strength, I managed to stand up. Burdened by the weight of countless pangs that had nestled within my chest, I mustered feeble steps towards Caloy, my eyes shimmering with a profound intuition, a flicker of anticipation amid the shadows lurking in my head.

I kneeled in front of him, leveling our faces so that our gazes would connect. Not leaving him out of my sight, I snatched my necklace from his hand and placed it side-by-side with his.

Lock and key.

Kasabay ng pag-ihip ng hangin ay ang siyang marahan kong pagpihit sa parehas na palawit ng aming mga kwintas. When I felt each engraving under my fingertips, I already felt a familiar spark coursing through my nerves.

And there lies in front of my very eyes...

Parehas na puno ng mahogany ang nakaukit sa likod ng mga pendant.

Natulala ako, kaagad na nabitiwan ang parehong kwintas. I slowly backed away, my eyes shifting from my cousin, then back at Ralph, then back at Joko. Their faces circled in my periphery, enveloping my whole system with much-disguised clarity.

"K-kayong tatlo..." I trailed off.

The leaves of the trees fell one by one. They circled as the wind swooped them in. As they flew, they sang an ominous tune, like a horrific children's song.

The trees cheered as they whispered until those whispers turned into whistles. I heard a tear dropping by a puddle, its soft ripple creating a melody that shrouded our circle with such mystery.

"Wolves... in the woods... May... lobo... sa... gubatan... Wolves... woods... Eat... Wolves..."

But the mystery... doesn't feel so secret anymore.

The moon slowly glowed a tint of red. And with the cold touch of the air, I felt Euthymios's ghostly presence.

"Sabi nila, sa gubatang ito, mayro'ng isang grupo ng tatlong lalaki. But those three men, they are secretly werewolves... But there is this one werewolf na hindi kasinsama ng dalawa niyang kasamahan."

Mas lalong tumalim ang pagpapalipat-lipat ng aking tingin sa tatlo hanggang sa may matulinigan akong nabaling sanga.

"You are the three werewolves."