The Merchant's Heavenly Contract

9

The voices stopped, the prayers ended. 

As if she was rising from the dead, which is very much the same, everyone's faces lightened up and they couldn't believe what they were seeing.

Unti-unting bumangon ang babaeng inakalang bangkay na. I could hear the gasps and murmurs coming one after the other. 

Nang tuluyang nakabangon mula sa pagkakahiga, nalaglag ang telang nakatakip sa mga mukha niya. Ang aakalaing buto na lang kanina ay nagkaroon ng laman, nasilayan namin ang mahaba niyang itim na buhok na nagtatakip sa dibdib niya.

Filled with tribe tattoos and marks, tanned skin. Her light blue eyes met mine. Wow.

"Hermana! (sister!)" 

Before she could fully see me, a voice caught her attention. Sinundan ito nang mabilis na pagtakbo papunta sa kaniya na sinalubong siya ng yakap. 

Atzi, crying nonstop and loud, greeted her sister who came back from the dead. 

I showed a smile. A blank one, as always. 

What does it feel like? Does it feel good? Hmmm. She's crying again, but I can now tell she's happy.

Humarap siya sa 'kin, mas nakikita ko ang namumula niyang mukha at namamagang mga mata. Now that I look at them side by side, they do look alike.

"G-Gracias! Thank you, Lady Zalli! Thank you for saving sister!" she said, crying.

Her sister, who just woke up, was taken aback but immediately knew what was going on. Kaagad namilog ang mga mata niya at humarap siya sa 'kin. Kahit na walang suot at kahit mahina pa ang katawan, nagawa niyang lumuhod sa harapan ko.

"T-THANK YOU! L-LADY ZALLI, MY LIFE IS YOURS!" aniya.

Napiling-iling ako at winagayway ang mga kamay. Pero ginaya na sila ng mga nakapalibot sa 'min na kanina lang ay nagdadasal.

"Daughter of Quetzalcoatl, our lives are yours! gracias por tu misericordia! (thank you for your mercy!)"

"H-Hey, i-it's okay. No problem." I looked at the devotees. "Get this chica some clothes!" I told them. One of them immediately followed.

"P-Please, my lady. L-Let me repay you. You saved my life." She pleaded, about to cry. "I-I, I couldn't-"

"Chica, start with your name," pagputol ko sa kaniya.

Natigilan siya at tinignan ako. Napasulyap siya kay Atzi na para bang nanghihingi ng tulong na sinagot lang sa kaniya ay pagtango.

"Perdón, Elena . . . my name is elena, mi jovencita."

"I don't mean to bring up memories you don't want. But por favor (please), Elena. Could you give me some information you might know during the accident?" I asked, hoping for an answer.

Just like what I thought, her expression changed. Napababa siya ng tingin at kita ang lungkot sa mukha niya. Azti had to gently tap her shoulders and gave her a nod.

"lo lamento (I'm sorry), my lady . . . but I don't remember anything after the attack. The last I remembered was the tōtōchtin rampaging."

Malalim akong napaisip. "Hmmm . . . are you sure you didn't anger any gods?" I asked.

It was Atzi who answered. "Nunca! (never!)"

"We're loyal devotees, my lady. We worshipped our god and never disrespected one ever. But . . . if my sister's actions were-"

"No," I stopped her. "Huitzilopochtli wouldn't do this," pagtapos ko.

Malalim akong bumuntong-hininga bago sila talikuran.