Sinag

Chapter Five

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Esperanza

Mary.

Half of my life, I felt worthless.

I felt the dullness of life, back when I was still sleeping in my room alone.

The days where I question myself, what is really the sense of fighting and surviving? What's really the point of still living?

Not until Mary came, filled those gaps in my heart, and provided answers to my questions, making my life feel like it has somewhat... worth and sense.

She brought colors to my dull life.

She gave clarity and peace to my chaotic and scary life.

Mary has become my only will to fight and to survive.

Mary helped me survive.

Mary... Mary made me survive...

"Go get the mops, apresúrate!"

"Sor, the water's entering the church!"

"Get some buckets!"

"Check the madre!"

"Cover the saints, hurry!"

"Dios mío, por favor haznos estar a salvo..."

It's been raining heavily for days now, due to the storm. And everyone's panicking because the water is starting to enter the church.

The flood's rising; non-stop water flows from the door; strong and cold wind breeze; loud and scary lightning and thunder...

I shivered when I felt the cold wind from the open window.

"Esperanza, why are you just standing there?! Close the windows!"

"S-Sí, Sor." and I obliged.

I hugged my body tightly as I walked towards the very large window beside me. And I almost lost my balance when a loud thunder suddenly roared like a mad-mad tiger.

"Ahh!" children screamed.

"Who told you to scream?! Just mop the floor!"

"L-Lo siento, Padre Diego..."

I pursed my lips together, as irritation filled me. Apologizing isn't really necessary. They were shocked and scared, it's a natural reaction!

Monjas and Sacerdotes really love to overreact about small things like that.

And just when I was about to close the window, as the lightning struck again, my eyes widened when I saw a woman who's wearing a white jacket running away from the main door.

"Esperanza, what are you doing?" I heard a nun ask. "I told you to close the window! Don't just stand there—"

"La... Ladrona!" I screamed with so much panic.

"What? A thief?"

"Hay una ladrona, Sor!" I pointed my finger at the main door through the window, and there... they saw nothing.

Huh? Where did it go?

I tried scanning the whole place with both of my eyes wide open, but, again, there was nothing.

"What are you saying? There's nobody there, Esperanza."

"B-But..."

"Stop with your weird imaginations and just help the others—" the nun was about to scold me more, when I suddenly noticed something that was...