Takipsilim

Chapter 47: Holding Back

Payapang nahihimbing si Katherina nang bigla siyang nagising sa hindi malamang dahilan. Hindi pa tuluyang mulat ang mga mata, kinapa niya sa ilalim ng unan ang kanyang cellphone.

The room was pitch black so when the light of the device hit her eyes, she squinted hard.

It was just three in the morning.

Teka, parang may mali? Ika niya sa sarili.

Katherina breathed in and her nose was filled with the familiar lavender scent that Manang Feliza sprays in her room every single day since she was young. Kinapa niya ang kanyang tabi at nagulat nang makuha ang kanyang baby pillow, ang unan na kanyang pag-aari mula pa noong siya'y sanggol pa lamang. Hindi niya ito inaalis sa kanyang higaan dahil mas nakakatulog siya ng mahimbing kapag nasa tabi niya ito.

Puno ng pagtataka, binuksan ni Katherina ang lampshade sa kanyang bedside table.

She was surprised to find herself in her own room, inside the house she grew up in. She was also wearing her favorite night gown - an old white, short-sleeved cotton dress decorated with simple lace appliqués. She remembered Clara giving it to her when she was 17, and she still used it to this day.

Bumangon siya at pinagmasdan ang paligid. Her room looked exactly how she left it. There was an unfinished painting resting on the easel near her bedroom window, and her tools and brushes were scattered on the table beside it. Her laptop still sits on the couch at the left side of the room, and beside it was a stack of art books.

The pink ball gown she used during the masquerade dance was still hanging in front of her closet.

Everything remained just the way she left it, before she went to Clara's restaurant to give her the phone she forgot to bring to work.

Before she heard everything that changed her life.

Before she learned all the truth about her and the Katahas.

Before everything became an unfixable, pathetic mess.

Unconsciously, she stood up and went to her unfinished painting. She gently brushed her fingers on her tools, savoring the moment she was able to touch them again. It calmed her nerves.

Painting is like breathing for Katherina. Para sa kanya, tuwing siya ay nagpipinta ay hindi ang kanyang mga kamay ang gumagalaw kundi ang kanyang puso.

It was her sole way of feeling happy and free before she met Yael.

Yael!

Tila natauhan ang dalaga nang maalala ang kasintahan, dahilan kung bakit niya nabitawan ang hawak na bote ng pintura.

Her white night gown was now filled with blue paint, and her hands and arms were not spared.

"Tulong! Tulungan ninyo kami! Huwag ninyo kaming patayin! Ano bang kasalanan namin?" Nakarinig ang dalaga ng mga sigaw at iyak ng pagsusumamo na nagmumula sa labas ng kanilang bahay. Natigilan ito.

A-anong gagawin k-ko? Tanong niya sa sarili.

Nagpatuloy ang sigawan at iyakan sa labas at napuno ng labis na takot si Katherina. She quickly ducked under the table and covered her ears. She closed her eyes as hard as she could.

"Tama na! Please tama na! Ayoko na!" She whimpered, as if her pleading will put a stop to whatever was happening outside.

Kahit anong pagtakip niya sa kanyang mga tainga ay lumakas lamang ng lumakas ang ingay, at ngayo'y nahaluan na ito ng mga halakhak na tila nagmumula sa demonyo, at parang nasa malapit lamang ang mga ito.