After Death (Hello, Death 3) (Completed)

Chapter 15: In secret

A death god in a mortal body is time-limited.

***

The full moon was high in the sky. Prof. Henry was standing before me, his silver wings glowing under the bright moonlight. It was beautiful and dreamy.

Bumalikwas ako ng bangon. Napakurap.

Luminga ako sa kabuuan ng silid kung nasaan ako. Lumang kabinet sa sulok. Maliit na mesang sulatan. Malaking bintana kung saan tanaw ang malaking puno sa bakuran ng kumbento.

Masakit ang ulo at mabigat ang katawan ko nang bumangon. I wanted to rush and find Prof. Henry but I couldn't. Parang tumakas ang lahat ng enerhiya sa katawan ko.

It couldn't be just a dream, right? The wings... I know I really saw them.

"Natalie."

Bumaling ako sa kaliwa ko. Papalapit si Prof., hinahagod ako ng tingin.

"Why do you look... perplexed?" he asked.

Nakatitig akong mabuti kay Prof. He wouldn't deny it, right? I heard a death god or whoever called him Athos. I saw his wings and tried to give his feather back. It wasn't a dream.

Kumapit ako sa braso ni Prof. Mahigpit.

Binulungan ko siya, "Last night... it's real, right? You're not going to tell me that I was just dreaming. Sabi mo ro'n sa dumating na death god or whoever, you're going to do something and tell me what's really happening! You can't tell me that it's just a dr— Aw!"

Napahawak ako sa noo kong pinitik niya.

"It did hurt, right?" he asked.

Ang passive ng mukha niya. Hindi halatang nang-aasar.

Hinihilot-hilot ko ang noo ko. Halos angilan ko siya. "Masakit."

Namulsa siya sa malambot na pantalong suot niya. Jeans 'yun pero washed kaya halos puti pa rin.

"I won't lie to you and tell you that it was just a dream. It really happened, Natalie," seryoso ang mukhang sabi niya.

Luminga ako sa paligid. Buti na lang at walang tao sa hall.

"Bakit wala na 'kong maalala bukod do'n? Tapos nagising pa 'ko sa kuwarto ko rito sa kumbento? Akala ko..." Hindi ko maituloy na sabihin ang iniisip ko.

Ang totoo, natakot akong baka panaginip lang ang lahat. Na baka hindi siya totoo. Waking up with the threat that he might just be a figment of my imagination scared me, more than the fact that I almost died last night.

"You fainted last night. It's expected. You stood face to face to a Compline," he said.

"A what?"

Hinawakan niya ang kamay kong nasa braso niya at binaklas. Nag-iwas siya ng tingin sa'kin. "I'll tell you when we get home. You have other things to do here, Natalie. Sister Janet needs you."

Napasapo ako sa ulo ko at napakamot. Oo nga pala. May iba 'kong ipinunta rito. Last night, Sister Millie was taken by death. We have to prepare for her funeral.

"Mag-ayos ka na. Kanina ka pa hinihintay magising nina Sister Janet at Father Dan," sabi pa niya.

Tumango ako. Tama. Kailangan kong mag-ayos.

I froze. Kinapa ko ang magulo kong buhok at ang halos malalaglag nang elastic na panali niyon. I checked my face. May muta pa yata ako.

And I confronted and whispered to him in this state? In this state?!