Corpse Mistress (A NOVELLA)

XXIV

September 2000

“I vow to love you with all my heart, no matter where it take us.”

Samuel words traverse through Trinity's soul that she couldn't even forget every word he vow on that day—their wedding day. For Trinity, it's still feels surreal.

The hue of orange-yellow sky devoured by the shade of black, a sign that the sun has set. The music on the stereo of the car was on the peak of clamorous crescendo.

The sky was in total darkness when the weather started to reached gloomy. The road they journey is bumpy and was fully enclosed by the trees.

“Are you happy now that we're ma hirried, my love?” Samuel asked and held Trinity's hand with the ring then kissed it, as the amount of joy couldn't be measure from him.

“I assure you I am, for I know the love my heart refuse to know all this time was you. You give me the definition of love I am afraid to understand,” she answered and kissed him on the cheek, full of gutsy affection.

Trinity opened the window of the car and let out her hands then let the cold breeze touches her skin. Heavens’ tears drop on the ring she was deeply staring. She looked up to the gloomy sky and just in time lightning claimed heaven.

Meanwhile, Samuel heard a familiar voice that was calling.

Time is due.
Time is due.
Time is due.

It repeatedly echoed in his ears that caused him to have a chill down his spine. The song kept louder until an eerie silence devoured Samuel. It was at that moment he knew something strange is about to occur.

His senses just came back when the song glitches and a news started to stream on the stereo.

'Isang masalimuot na pangyayari ang bumalot sa Divine Psychiatric Facility ng sumiklab ang apoy at tumupok sa isang malaking parte ng building. . .'

"I know this isn't the right time but I want to tell you something important, Trinity," Samuel interrupted Trinity whose deeply on ears to the news.

“What? Wait. . .” Trinity signaled him to pause. She didn't give much enough attention to Samuel's words as the news piqued her curiosity.

“My love, you need to listen to me,” Samuel insisted but Trinity didn't seem to bother.

'Patuloy naman ang ginagawang operasyon ng mga bombero para maapula ang malaking pinsala at patuloy rin ang paglilikas ng mga pasyente, na ngayo'y sakay ng bus papunta sa siyudad upang masiguro ang kanilang kaligtasan.'

“Oh that was tragic. . .”

“Trinity, please I need to tell you something before it's too late.” He held Trinity's hand while his other hand was still on the steering wheel. Trinity was confused when he did that. “You know it's happening again. . .” His words was haunting. Trinity's brows met for she was still clueless.

“W-what?” she asked.

“The cycle. . . my love. Do you remember, Marshall?” Trinity became frozen when he said that name that it made her not utter a single word. Curiosity crept her.
“God has called me. Trinity, I am—” His words no longer continues when the radio started glitching and at the same time a loud honk echoed on the surrounding and a bright light hit Samuel and Trinity's eyes. The next thing that escalated was an ear-splitting sound and everything went black.

15 minutes have long gone when they were slumped to the cliff. Samuel was back to consciousness. The first thing he smell was the odor of a burning fuel. A drop of liquid fell on his eyes and it made him bring back to his senses. His eyes take journey at the surroundings to find the traces of his wife's body.

“T-trinity,” he hardly mouthed. He stood up from lying and when he finally saw what's waiting for his eyes to see, it felt like his own world collapsed. His eyes have witnessed the lifeless body of people in the bus. Some of them was burned because the bus already started a fire. He immediately came into it, with the hope of not seeing his wife there. He saw three bodies who was thrown a few steps away and he immediately inspect what they are wearing as it bugs him on why they were all wearing a straitjacket. Breathe was still visible in the three guy. The moment he saw the logo with the name Divine Psychiatric Facility, that's when he realize these were the patients on the news earlier.

Suddenly, he heard a groan not far away.

Samuel immediately locate her whereabouts and when his eyes vision a woman lying idle on the ground whose hardly breathing, he immediately come to the rescue.

“Trinity. . .” he knelt to held her but he was suddenly devastated knowing that he lost his sense of touch. “I couldn't touch her. . .n-no, this can't be.” He was trembling looking at his dusty hands. He attempted a several times to feel her but everything seems impossible already. Suddenly, he saw something not far behind her. He motioned and slowly stick his eyes towards it.

There, he saw his own body lying idle with a heartbeat no longer visible, and a breath was already absent.

A liquid formed on his eyes, and drip on his face and
that was the time the heaven cried and it's tears fell on the Earth.

“Lord, what have I done to end up with this cycle? Why can't she die so I can just bring her soul with me? Am I selfish if I just wanted her to leave this world?” he cried asking. He stood up and look up to the roaring sky.

“Do you consider me a sinner if I'm only asking to feel the love you created?” Lighting and thunder was only the response given to him. “God, for the first time, I am afraid of my calling. . . I can't leave her yet.”

He knelt down full of despair, “I’m sorry. . . I'm sorry. . . I'm sorry.” Samuel cried a river.

“S-samuel. . .” Trinity suddenly spoke. “W-where are you? I c-can't see you. . . I'm scared.” Pain was visible with her sobs.

Samuel looked at her wife lying in pain and almost losing her consciousness.

“Do I forsake you if I asked you for the last time to let me feel her?” He begged and a loud sound from the heaven echoed atop of the earth and lightning bolt hit them and everything went dark.