In The Arms Of An Angel (ON HOLD)

CHAPTER 7

She was at the ledge crying in anguish. Dei was searching and calling out to someone, her tormented voice echoing through the countryside. The feeling of longing was so great that she was desperately gasping for air as tears flow from her eyes. The feeling of loss almost like a physical blow to her frail body.

Then she felt her body falling again. But this time instead of accidentally falling she deliberately jumped into the ravine hoping for him to come and save her...

Dei let out a loud gasp as she abruptly sat up in bed trying to catch her breath. Her heart was beating wildly as she clutched at her heaving chest. Her whole body seemed consumed and paralyzed by fear.

It took almost a minute before she became fully aware of her surroundings.

She is not on the ledge but inside the makeshift tent they slept in the previous night. She instinctively felt around her body to make certain that she is really alive. She even pinched her arm for good measure.

"Aray! Oh, thank God it was just a nightmare!" She thought shakily. She was so relieved but the relief later turned to confusion as she contemplated on the dream's meaning.

"Grabe naman! Bakit naman ganun ang napanaginipan ko? Bakit naman ako tatalon sa bangin? Hala Dei! ano na ba nangyayari s'yo?" She was asking herself as she lightly massage her chest in a futile attempt to calm her still frantically beating heart.

Dei turned to look at Valerie who was blessedly not awakened by the noises she made. Val was still soundly sleeping on her own bed at the other side of the tent.

Dei felt around her bed in the dark to look for her cellphone. She found it beside her backpack that also served as her pillow. She opened it to check the time.

It was just four o'clock in the morning.

The group is not yet due to wake up for another couple of hours.

But Dei could no longer go back to sleep. She was too shaken by the dream.

After a few moments, she decided to go out of the tent and walk around the camp to shake off the negative feelings her dream brought upon her.

The camp is still cast in shadows when she got out. The fire that they used last night has completely gone out leaving only gray ashes. The only light in the clearing is coming from the moon which is still visible in the clear pre dawn sky.

It was relatively quiet. Only the sound of insects and leaves moving to the light breeze could be heard. Not one of her companions was already awake at this time so she has the whole clearing to herself. She walked a bit away from their makeshift camp.

Dei pulled the hood of her white hoodie over her head and embraced herself to ward off the chill of the early morning mountain air.

She listened to the soft sounds of the forest as it slowly awakens to welcome a new day. Listening to nature's own brand of music somehow calmed her troubled mind.

She has a lot on her mind but she forced herself to set them all aside so she can focus on the tasks that she came here to do. Her work should be her first priority since that is the main reason why she is here in this mountain in the first place.

Dei has just sat on a big rock some distance away from their camp when she saw a small ball of light appear out of nowhere. The ball of light approached her, floated around her head and appeared to beacon for her to follow it.

She slowly stood up from the rock still staring at the ball of light and walked towards the direction that the ball of light was trying to lead her to. It continued to float around her before it moved away and disappeared among the clump of trees and into the forest.

Against her better judgment, Dei followed the direction that the ball of light disappeared to. She saw it again once she reached the forested area. It led her further and deeper into the woods.

Dei found herself being led into a smaller clearing inside the forest. It was surrounded by towering old trees and beds of colorful wildflowers. She was enchanted by the raw beauty of the place.

And just as how it appeared to her, the small ball of light suddenly vanished among the trees, leaving her alone in the semi darkness.

Dei cautiously walked towards the center of the clearing. Her every step measured and only the crunch of the dried leaves on her feet can be heard over the silence. When she got there she found herself standing on the bank of a shallow stream.

The narrow stream snaked through the trees which was partially covered by the shrubs. It's water was so clear that you can clearly see your own reflection in its smooth surface as the light of the approaching dawn slowly peaked between the branches of the trees. Dei knelt down on the stream's bank and scooped a handful of water and watched it cascade through her fingers.

Dei stared at the ripples created by the drops on the surface of the water disturbing the shadows of trees reflected on the water. The shadows looked like distorted human silhouettes floating on the surface of the stream.

This reminded her again of the young man who saved her yesterday.

"Imagination ko lang ba talaga yung lalaki sa may bangin? Pero napakaimposible talaga kasi alam kong naramdaman ko talaga sya." She firmly told herself.

Dei has never felt anything similar to how she felt when she first saw the stranger by the ledge.

She has always treated members of the opposite sex with polite indifference especially those who show interest in her other than platonic.

She has never really been interested. Never...Until now.

Dei instinctively knew he is different from all the other men she has ever met. She just don't know why. She doesn't even have any idea who he is.

She looked around her. A low lying mist covered the forest at this time of the day. It's quite difficult to see beyond the dense foliage around her but she can sense she is alone.

"Magpakita ka naman sa akin, please. I want to see you again..." She softly whispered through the wind as she knelt there by the stream. She closed her eyes in silent prayer.

Dei remained where she was until a sudden gush of wind distracted her from her melancholy. Dei decided to pull her hair up in a messy bun atop her head to secure them away from her face.

She was checking her reflection on the water when she suddenly felt the undeniable presence of someone or something somewhere near her. She glanced around her with heightened awareness.

She strained to gaze at the clump of trees around the clearing. A silhouette of a man partially hidden behind a tree near the stream caught her attention.

Instead of fear, Dei felt a surge of nervous excitement run up and down her spine as she carefully stood up from her place while still staring at the silhouette. She refused to blink, afraid that if she does the silhouette would disappear. Her heart was beating like she has just ran a marathon. Deep inside Dei knew who it was.

It just had to be HIM.