LUNA

4: Black Witches

Mabilis lahat ng mga pangyayare. I almost got him, just another slight movement of my hands and I could've snapped his neck so neatly. I gagged from the cold waters and swallowed a great amount of liquid after my thin body received the shot and fell. An arrow. An iron-tipped arrow was directly fired at my shoulder--- the incredible pain was unexpected, ripping like a wildfire scattering inside me. Napa sigaw uli ako sa sakit, pero sinakop ng tubig ang boses ko at puros mga bula ang lumabas sa bibig ko. Again, I choked on the water. Blood oozing out from my right shoulder. I tried swimming up, wanting to gain back my footing, but the water. The lake itself didn't let me.

I squirmed and squirmed. The arrow at my shoulder shifting from the water's pressure as I twisted and turned. The pain deepening like a snake crawling further into the depths. My heart started to beat louder each second, feeling it tearing out of my rib cage as my stomach began wrenching so eerily. The water-- the water's still pushing me down, keeping me from reaching the surface. Out of the sight of the moon. The Moon Goddess, Simphia. The protector of the mystical night, the laborer of the hunted light. No. No. No. Water blurred my vision, I squirmed. The arrow still doing its job of giving me torment and-- and--- hands.

Slender white arms have reached down for me. Fast and swiftly. Pinulupot nito ang mga kamay nito sakin at tyaka mabilisan akong inahon sa tubig. My lungs immediately found their way to gather air, my mouth gaping open as I took in a heavy breath, my chest tightening from the quick movements. Hindi ko namalayan na tumatakbo na palayo ang bumuhat sa'kin. Me in its arms, my legs and arms dangling-- Ngayon lang pumasok sa utak ko kung ano talaga ang nangyayare. Agad akong napamura ng maramdaman ko ang sakit sa balikat ko. The arrow was still there. "A-anong--"

"Wag ka muna magsalita" trees occupied my vision. Tumatakbo siya palayo. A lady with platinum hair that twinkled against the moonlight, onyx eyes, pointed nose, heart-shaped lips-- "Gusto mo ba talagang mamatay kanina ha?"

I groaned when the pain struck me again. Her midnight eyes went down as if to scan me-- a mixture of green and brown and black visualized my sight in front. Tumakbo lang ito ng tumakbo. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako nito dadalhin, pero naamoy ko na siya. Blood, immunity, femininity, and a scent of ghostly aroma which only witches have in common. A vicious pride of greediness and a strike of pure venom. A Black Witch.

Mga ilang segundo na ang nakalipas, binaba na niya ako sa isang puno kung saan isinandal niya ang likuran ko sa kahoy. Walang pasabi sabi, hinatak niya ang pana mula sa balikat ko at napasigaw ako wala sa oras. Her palm immediately pressed the open wound, making sure to put pressure on it to keep my blood from flowing out. "Deep breaths. Deep breaths"

"Putangina mo" I exclaimed at her. Eyebrows scrunching down. My chest breathing heavily. Up and down. Up and down. I didn't care about my nakedness. I didn't care about the dirty ground beneath my buttocks. Didn't care about the darkness starting to envelop my eyes. Didn't care about the white-haired witch assisting me in front. Didn't care about anything at all as I beheld myself under the sparkling light of the moon.

I offered my gratitude to Simphia. Still alive and breathing. Silently whispering my respect to the moon goddess watching us from above.

"Buti na lang at hindi tayo sinundan" mabigat ang aking mga talukap-mata habang tinitignan siyang asikasuhin ako. "I doubt he could even do that with his mortal speed though, but still" I blinked. Heavily. Trying to focus my breathing.

Ang lamig.

Tapos hindi ko na maitindihan kung ano nakikita ko ngayon. I can see white before me. Also a shade of black. But more green and brown. Then onyx orbs glittering. Though, something occurred inside me as my solemn light pink eyes distinctly stared at a piece of wood and string hanging behind her, peeking out from her delicate shoulders.