Bagwis
We both knew it. Our time was coming to an end.
We both clung to each other and refused to let go. We cooked, walked, bathed, slept together. Actually, we didn't sleep — thankfully we did not need to. While humans slept, we stayed side-by-side talking.
"Bagwis, wala kayang pag-asa na maging taga-dagat ka din?"
I smiled sadly. "Hindi ko alam eh. Matagal ko na ding tinanong ito kay Bathala ngunit wala siyang kasagutan."
Silence.
"Kapag nagbalik ka na sa lugar mo, pwede mo ba din ba akong dalawin sa tagpuan natin?"
Siena nodded. "Oo naman. At kapag nakalimot man ako, ipaalala mo lang agad. Dadating ako."
I smiled at that.
Still, we didn't look forward to it.
*
While Siena was preparing for a night out, I received word from Bathala. An assignment.
"Kailangan siyang protektahan."
"Ano po ang panganib na kinakaharap niya?"
Bathala was cryptic. He didn't tell me anything. He just said that I would know when the time comes.
*
She was getting anxious. There were worsening reports of how the problems of the humans were affecting her seas.
"Kamusta na kaya ang mga kaibigan ko?" She asked to no one in particular.
"Siguro, Siena, kailangan mo ng bumalik," I suggested. However, like in other times I had suggested this, she frowned.
"At iwan ka?"
"Hindi. Babalik na din ako sa kalangitan."
She continued to frown. Then, she would keep swimming back and forth again in our pool.
"No. Not yet. Not yet," she muttered.
Soon, we could no longer delay.
Her water creatures were pleading for her return as more and more of them perished.
One afternoon, as we arrived from a trip to the beach, we were surprised to see Tala at out living room with a tall man I did not recognize.
The man seemed —- gray, whose features were sharp and pointed and his eyes shifty. He also kept moving around the room, unable to keep still.
"Sister, hanap ka nitong ... nito," Tala started. Siena was not surprised, so Tala turned to me and said, "Angel Pato meet Haring Pating."
Oh. So he was a shark.
"Nagwish siya sa akin na magpalit ng anyo sandali para makausap si Siena," Tala continued. "Pumayag si Bathala kasi sabi nito emergency. Hindi ko alam na 911 na pala ang plano ni Ama sa akin."
Thunder grumbled out of nowhere.
"Joke lang, Ama!!!" Tala apologized, looking at the skies.
"Walang oras para sa biruan. Kailangan na nating kumilos, Kamahalang Siena."
Tala rolled her eyes. "Hindi naman ikaw ang jino-joke ko. At wag mo nga akong sungitan? Ibalik kita sa dati mong anyo kaya?"
The shark was immediately contrite. To Siena he said, "Kailangan namin kayo sa karagatan, Mahal na Diyosa. Marami ng nagugutom at patuloy na napapahamak dahil sa ginagawa ng mga taga-lupa."
Siena turned sadly to me. "I guess I have to go."
I nodded.
"Babalik ako sa ating kaharian bukas na bukas," Siena declared.
"Ngunit Kamahalan —" the shark protested.
"Bukas."
He nodded and stepped back. "Hihintayin namin ang inyong pagbabalik. At ako ay nasasabik na makasama kang muli, aking iniibig."
Tala, incensed, immediately transported him away. "Ay! Gumawa pa ng drama. Pambihira."
"Bagwis, wag kang mag-listen dun ha? I don't—"
"Shhhhhh." I put a finger on her lips to stop her from apologizing. "Wala ka namang kasalanan. Hindi ko siya masisisi kung mahal ka niya. At alam kong napakaswerte ko na ako ang mahal mo."
"OOOOOPPPPPSSSSSS BAWAL MAG MAHALAY MOMENT! NANDITO PA AKO!!!!" Tala yelled. When she was certain that we weren't doing anything, she asked, "So paano? Aalis ka na talaga, Siena?"
"Oo. Kailangan."
"Paano kayo?"
Tala and Siena looked at me.
"We'll be okay," I assured Siena. "Hindi naman ako mawawala."
Tala beamed but heard something and suddenly looked worried. But it was something she didn't want to share.
"Tala, tell us." Siena asked.
She frowned then said, "Anong english ng pato?"
"Huh?"
"English ng pato? Kagabi pa kasi kami nagtatalo ni Mak."
"Duck," Siena answered.
"Eh ang tagalog ng duck?"
"Pato," I answered, not sure where Tala was going with this.
"Hindi ba itik?"
"Pareho lang yata sila, Sister," Siena said.
"Ah ganun? Eh ito pa. Anong tagalog ng peacock?"
"Pabo," I said.
Tala nodded. "Eh ng turkey?"
"Wait, let me check the Google machine." Siena frowned at the result. "It's pabo."
"O? Eh bakit ganun?"
And for the next hour, Tala distracted us with pointless conversations.
What was bothering Tala? I would know soon enough.
