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Untitled Part 2

HINDI KA NAMAN HINAHANAP." ADAM ENTERED AND JOINED his mother and me at the dining table, "Tahimik naman dun sa compound."

The Compound or simply Compound, iyon ang tawag nila sa kinaroroonan ng simbahan--kulto, kahit iisa naman ang building doon.

"Dahil alam nilang mali ang ginawa nila. I doubt they'd even go to the police." Dahil nag-decide ako kanina na kay Mrs. Luciano humingi ng tulong, hindi pa ako gaanong nakakalayo sa Compound. I was just three blocks away, as a matter of fact.

Kanina, while I was changing into Mrs, Luciano's leggings and shirt, I heard Adam --they have flimsy walls--telling his mom he'd go out to check on the Compound, see if there were people looking for me. Kutob ko, gusto lang niyang kumpirmahin ang kwento ko.

"Pero may kasalan nga raw dun kanina. Tapos nag-alisan daw, dala ang jeep at 'yung van. Pupunta na sa reception."

"At the farm." I said. "Do'n ako tumira. May bahay sila do'n. They have goats and pigs and chicken...they...Ahrhys killed a pig last night for the wedding." I swallowed , "He made me watch." Oh, that poor pig. It was looking at me with so much sadness and resignation. Poor thing gave up all hope, accepted his fate then it grunted its last.

Suddenly, I gasped in fright. A huge bee landed on my nose. I screamed. The bee flew away but now I could not breathe. I struggled for air. I was choking. I tried to call Ahrhys but I couldn't speak and he wasn't aware of what was happening. He was talking to his horse and...and...oh, God...his head exploded. But his blood was orange. I gasped. Finally, there was air and my face was cold and wet and....dripping.

I touched my face and gaped at Adam. Hawak niya ang pitsel ng iced tea pero wala na iyong takip.

"Okay ka na?" Tanong niya.

"You...poured iced tea on my face." I said not knowing what to make of it. I looked down at my shirt. Basa rin sa bandang leeg.

"Sorry, hindi ko alam ang gagawin, eh. Bigla kang sumigaw tapos natulala. Hindi ka sumasagot sa 'min, hindi mo kami nakikita pero dilat na dilat ka."

"You didn't see it? The bee?"

"As in Jollibee? Wala naman.

"Are you sure?" But come to think of it, that bee I saw was too huge to be real. Then I noticed it was just Adam and me in the kitchen, "Where's your mom?"

"Lumabas, tatawag ng tulong--"

Like on cue, his mom arrived with an old man in tow.

"Ano'ng nangyari?" She hurried to us. "Okay ka na, Kiki? Ano'ng nangyari sa 'yo?"

"I...H-Hindi ko rin po alam."

"May masakit ba sa 'yo? Ulo? Ito pala si Mang Benny, albularyo dito. S'ya ang takbuhan namin pag...emergency." Mrs. Luciano winced as if she knew how ludicrous that sounded. "Mahusay si Mang Benny." Parang sarili ang kinukumbinsi.

"Okay na po ako." Sabi ko.

"Pero bakit....ano ang naramdaan mo kanina? Kinakalog na kita, hindi ka nagre-react. Parang wala kang nakikita at naririnig--"

Biglang nagsalita si Mang Benny, "May nakita s'ya at narinig. Hindi nga lang kayo."

Napatingala ako sa matandang lalaki. How did he know? He bent down to look at my face and without asking for permission, he touched my forehead, checked my right eye. "Ano ang nakita mo, 'ne?"