CRIMES AND MYSTERIES 4: BATTERY

I. cont. (Caroline)

(Caroline)

That night, Mondael took me to his flat.  I didn’t sleep.  Somehow, it was easier to accept what I am, because he was beside me.  He didn’t show even a slight surprise on what I could do.

He closely watched me transfigure the blanket into a book, the pillow into a ring, and the bed into a mat.

He stared at me in amazement.

”What?  Natatakot ka na ba?” I challenged.

“No.  I wanna… learn.  I could do a lot of things, but not that,” he answered.

Ano kaya ang ibig niyang sabihin sa “I could do a lot of things”?  What sort of things could he do?  Dazzle people?

I handed him a pen lying on the table.  “Here.  Transfigure it into a flower,” utos ko.

“How?” he asked.

“Isipin mo na ang bagay na tinitingnan mo, bulaklak, not a pen,” I said.

He stared at the pen.  Lucky pen, naisip ko, my angel is staring at you…

“There,” he spoke.  He was holding a flower.  Nagulat ako nang biglang ilagay niya sa kanang tenga ko ang bulaklak.

“That’s nice.  You learn so soon,” I commented.  He just smiled.

We transfigured a lot of things together after that.

“Ang bilis ng oras ah.  Mag-uumaga na pala,” sabi niya.

How time flies swiftly when you’re having the time of your life!

“I’m going back to school tomorrow.  I think I need to sleep.  C’mon, I’ll take you home.”

“No need.  I can take care of myself,” I protested in a firm voice.  “Go ahead and sleep.  I’ll be leaving shortly.”

I watched him close his beautiful eyes.  Nakatitig lang ako sa mukha niya buong magdamag habang natutulog siya.  It is indeed the most beautiful face on earth…

The alarm clock rang.  That’s when he woke up.

“Caroline?  Kanina ka pa ba diyan?  Kanina ka pa gising?” sunud-sunod na tanong niya.  Oh I really love how he pronounces my name… Care Line…

Hindi ako natulog, para lang matitigan ang mukha mo…  I almost answered.

“Just arrived,” I said.

Umupo siya sa hinihigaang kama.  He looked really alarmed.

“What?  Bad dream?” natatawa kong naitanong sa kanya.

”Napanaginipan ko yung lalaking napatay mo…”

“Oh,” I answered shortly.

“Mag-iingat ka palagi, Caroline.  Baka gumanti ‘yon.  Hindi pa matahimik ang kaluluwa niya,” he warned me.

”Hindi ako natatakot!” I shouted, but I was shaking uncontrollably when I said it.

He held my shaking hands.  “Don’t be scared.  No one will know it’s you.  Wala silang makikitang murder weapon…”

“Mabuti kung ganon.  Dahil kapag ginulo pa nila ako, papatayin ko rin silang lahat!”

“I have to go to school, Caroline,” he reminded me, right after he took a bath and fixed himself.

There it goes again.  Care Line.

“Pwede kang dumalaw rito paminsan-minsan,” dugtong niya.

“Ayoko nga!  Bakit, ilang babae na ba ang nakatulog dito?”

“Ikaw pa lang.  Unless you count my friend, Nastja.”

“Na hindi babae para sayo?”

“Na hindi girlfriend material,” he corrected me.

So I am a girlfriend material?  I was about to ask him, but all of a sudden, he’s gone…