Past In The Spotlight (SUNSET TRILOGY #1)

Chapter 9

[Capítulo Nueve: Unang Araw (First Day)]

THERE'S something about that man that rendered her momentarily silent. Once again, his voice sparked a sense of familiarity within me, although I couldn't pinpoint when or where I had heard it before.

"Hoy (Hey)! 'Kaw ah (You there)!" I jumped as her furrowed eyebrows directed toward me. "Anong ginagawa mo riyan, Mister (What are you doing there, Mister)? Are you stalking me?" she accused, oblivious to the surrounding people.

"Shut up. You're making a scene!" I scolded.

She paused, walking past me, continuing upstairs as discreetly as possible.

I was about to follow her when she returned, her fist raised, eyes fixed on me.

"Go to sleep," I said, and she continued walking.

After a few moments of gazing at the scene outside, I finally felt my eyes yearning for another journey to the dream world. I took steps toward the bedroom, ascending the wooden stairs of the house.

Approaching the second floor, I found Marianne peacefully asleep on the bed assigned to her.

"Does she even know about this situation?" I pondered as I sat on the bed, removing my shoes. "No," I answered, shaking my head. "Of course, she knew! She's the Filipino here!"

I allowed my weary head to rest on the pillow once again. After some time, my eyes closed as the sun slowly rises towards the east.

.

TIKTILAOK! The crow of the rooster pierced the morning silence, jolting me awake.

As sunlight streamed through the open windows, I stirred from my slumber. The room was bathed in the soft glow of morning, the lamp having been turned off.

"Buenos dias, Joaquin (Good morning, Joaquin)." As I settled on the bed, stretching out my limbs, a voice echoed in the room.

"Clara?"

There she was again, and in that instant, her beauty seemed to shine even brighter than the previous night.

In that moment, the realization struck me – I was still ensconced in the past or some enigmatic realm.

"Tengo ropa para ti (I have clothes for you)," she spoke. In her hands, I noticed the attire common among men of that era – a distinct white long-sleeved shirt, crafted from a unique fabric.

Swiftly, I repositioned myself, settling into a proper seated stance, my feet making contact with the solid ground. "Gracias (Thank you), Señorita," I expressed, rising to approach her and receive the offered clothes.

"Puedes bañarte con los otros chicos en el río (You can take a bath with the other boys in the river)," she spoke. "Pero deberías darte prisa porque el número de hombres que vienen aquí está aumentando (But you should hurry up because the number of men coming here is increasing)."

Stepping outside, I was welcomed by the sight of people engaged in their daily chores, functioning as one cohesive village. Despite the sun not reaching its zenith, productivity marked the beginning of their day.