I Found Her (TLCP2)

IKATLONG KABANATA

NAGTUNGO si Autum sa silid-aklatan na pagmamay-ari ni Myrtle. Nagtataka siya kung paanong may nakakaalam ng kanilang lenggwahe at kung paano nasabi ng lalaki kanina na may "Opposite World" sila. Batid niyang maraming natatagong sikreto ang mundong kaniyang ginagalawan, ngunit ang hindi niya alam ay may iba pa palang nilalalang na nabubuhay bukod sa kanilang lahi, at may "Opposite World" sila na tinatawag.

Autum is busy rummaging and scanning Myrtle's pile of books in the library, nang may makita siyang isang manipis na aklat, na kulay tsokolate, halatang napaglumaan na at matagal nang nakatago dahil puno na rin ito ng alikabok. May mga maliliit na kagat na rin ito ng mga anay.

Maingat na binuklat ni Autum ang aklat sa takot na baka mapunit ang mga papel. It's a diary.

FIRST

He's strange. He doesn't look like us. He said he came from another world, another universe--- an opposite universe.

SECOND

He knows how to use magic but they call it power. He can't do spells neither curse someone, but he's super strong.

THIRD

I asked him how he came here, and his answer is kinda interesting.
"Someone like you sent me here, she wants me to find someone."

FOURTH

It's already four days since we started finding that "Someone" he said, but we cannot find her because he doesn't also know her. Weird.

FIFTH

We were walking into the market today, suddenly his necklace lit up. He said, that the "Someone" he's been looking is just near. Now I'm curious where he got the necklace, it's familiar.

SIXTH

It's our family crest. I'm more curious now.

SEVENTH

I confronted him today, and he said, "Someone needs to interfere, and I will gonna do that to save someone from your kind and one from my kind."

EIGHTH

He found her, then she came back today.

AUTUM was quite frustrated with the last entry, she couldn't figure out what happened, but she's sure that this event happened thousands years ago. Now she's curious why it was kept here by Myrtle's family.

Hindi niya maitatanging nakuha ang kanyang atensyon ng talaan na iyon. May parte sa kanyang naniniwala na makakatulong ang mga nabasa niya sa paghahanap kay Myrtle. Naghanap ulit si Autum ng babasahin nang biglang bumakas ang pinto ng silid-aklatan. Nagtama ang paningin nila ng estranghero.

"Anong ginagawa mo rito?" tanong ni Autum na animo'y sinusuri ang kaharap. "Paano ka nakapunta sa lugar na ito?" sunod niyang tanong nang hindi sumagot ang lalaki.

"Naglakad?" seryosong tugon ng estranghero. Hindi tuloy malaman ni Autum kung sarkastiko ba ito, o seryoso talaga ito sa naging tugon.

"Wala kang kasama na pumunta sa lugar na ito? Anong balak mo? Who sent you here?" sunod-sunod na tanong ng huli sa una.

Ngunit walang nakuhang sagot si Autum sa lalaki, bagkus nagtuloy-tuloy itong pumasok sa loob ng silid at nagsimulang tumingin ng mga aklat.

"You're here to do something, not to take Jean back. What are you up to?" Autum stated.

Palihim na napangiti ang estranghero sa naging pahayag ng huli. May tamang hinala ito sa mga kailangan niyang gawin. Kaunti lamang ang oras na meron siya upang manatili at gawin ang kailangan niya sa mundong ito, kaya kailangan niyang bilisan, sapagkat ito lamang ang tanging tsansa niya.

"What's the highest magic you can perform?" tanong ng lalaki kay Autum.

Hindi kaagad nakasagot si Autum, sapagkat hindi niya pa alam kung gaano kalakas na mahika ang kaya niyang gawin. Hindi niya pa nasubukang hamunin ang sariling kakayahan.

"Why?" pang-uusisa ng huli. Hindi sinagot ang tanong ng una.

Humarap sa kanya ang lalaki mula sa paghahanap ng aklat, at tinitigan siya.

"I might need some help, and you might get answers of your questions," he stated slyly.

Of course he knew that Autum is the one that he needed, the core answer of their problems, but they are still uncertain about her capabilities so he need to push her by feeding her curiosity little by little. He might also need a help from Winter to do tricks for him.

Nakatitig lamang sa kanya si Autum, inaarok ang kanyang sinabi. Hindi ito basta-bastang maniniwala lalo't siya ay isang estranghero sa mundo nito. Naputol lamang ang kanilang titigan nang muling humarap ang lalaki sa mga aklat.

"You think Jean has someone inside her, aren't you?" the guy stated, his voice is sure about what he said.

"The myth you said earlier is just a cover up, they used it to cover the truth hundred years ago."

"Why would they did that? How come we doesn't knew about it? Even our parents," Autum asks creasing her forehead.

"Correction, Myrtle knew the truth, even her parents did, so its just you and your fellow witches were hidden from the dark."

"How did you know her? And you are not answering my questions. How will I trust you?" she asks getting a little impatient.

The guy smiled at her mischievously. "Its up to you, Missy. But you need to decide fast, your friend has a little time left. Tik-tok, tik-tok."

Iniwan ng binata si Autum na malalim ang iniisip. She's kind of tempted to just give in to him, but, still, she needs to take precautionary measures. Lalo pa at, estranghero ito at hindi nila kauri.

"Autum! Are you listening?!"

The latter snapped back to her senses when an irritated Summer shouted at her face. They are both on the balcony of the main palace, and Summer was sharing her training experiences, which is more like ranting about how hard her training is.

"Y-yes, I think so?" Autum answered while pushing Summer's face far from her. Naduduling siya sa lapit nito.

"You think so?!" inis na ani nito. Summer is still Summer, a brat but she's a bit tolerating now.

Napangiwi si Autum sa naging turan ni Summer. "Sorry, I am just thinking of something."

Buntong-hininga naman ang naging tugon ni Summer, at tinaasan siya ng isang kilay. "Winter said you have been spacing out since this afternoon after you came back from the coven, what were you thinking ba?"

"I think I found a way to bring Myrtle back."