Siena
"Bagwis! Bagwis! Where na you? Dito na me!"
Clutching his sides from laughing too much, my love would come and meet me where the sky and the sea touch.
"Ang cute, cute mo talaga, Siena," Bagwis said.
"Bet na bet din kita, Mr. Pato," I replied before leaning in for a kiss that took my breath away.
Our meetings would often start that way - a little banter, kisses and then long talks about anything and everything. We haven't made love since I've gotten my tail back.
"Do you miss it?"
He frowns. "Miss what?"
"Ducking."
"What?!"
"Our version of fu—" he covers my lips so I wasn't able to say the word.
"Ducking," he repeats, then laughs at my silliness. "Iba ka talaga."
He turned serious then. "I have to tell you something. I hope it doesn't cause you worry."
Of course, I worried as soon as he said that. "What is it?"
He told me of his latest assignment, this teenage boy who seemed to be very intelligent. "But trouble seems to find him a lot. I've deflected a few threats to his life and..."
"And?"
"I don't know... but I am getting wounded as mortals do."
My eyes widened. "Paano? Hindi ka dapat nasasaktan. Bakit..."
"Hindi ko din maintindihan. But I trust Bathala. It will all be good."
"Pero Bagwis."
He silenced me with a sweet kiss. "Wag ka na magalala. Sinabi ko lamang sa iyo kasi ayaw kong naglilihim."
I had to smile at that. "You will take care of yourself, yes?"
He nodded.
That was the conversation playing in my mind to reassure myself that all will be alright, as he said. Still, my insides felt unsettled.
Days later, Tala called onto me. "Siena! Si Bagwis!"
Without her telling me, I knew he was harmed and the first place I went to was our horizon.
I was horrified to find him lying on the rock, one of his wings almost chopped off, and a deep gash crossing his torso.
He looked at me and smiled weakly, barely able to say anything.
It was only then that I saw Mak some feet away.
"Your shark had an encounter with him," Mak answered my unspoken question.
The teenager Bagwis was supposed to protect was in the ocean, looking into our treasures. "The boy was conducting experiments but your shark thought he was trashing the sea and attacked. Bagwis stepped in."
"He will heal, won't he?"
Mak looked grim. "Hindi ko alam bakit nagkakaganito, Siena. Hindi ako siguradong gagaling siya."
"But he's ang angel! He can't die."
"No, Angels don't die."
If that was supposed to bring me comfort, it did not last long because Mak added,
"They cease to exist."
