Glory and Gore (Completed)

Chapter 5

FIVE

Blair

Ellis Island, February 17, 2024, The Day of the Retreat

Maaga akong pumunta sa school. I was holding two huge bags on my shoulders—naglalaman ng mga damit and other essentials. I walked down the hallway and went inside our room.

Ibinaba ko ang dalawa kong bag sa mesa ni Sir Denver. Sabi kasi niya, dito raw kami magkikita. Tutulungan ko raw siyang ayusin ang mga dokumento para sa Retreat. May dalawang oras pa bago dumating ang mga bus.

Dumungaw ako sa bintana sa loob ng silid namin. The parking lot was empty and so was the university grounds. Tanging ang dalawang guard lang na naka-istasyon malapit sa gate ang makikita. Tuluyan nang lumubog ang araw na pinalitan ng malamlam na ilaw na nagmumula sa buwan.

I remembered the conversation I heard yesterday. Mrs Chua seemed scared of something that was about to happen on this day. She was talking about our Retreat with that guy dressed in red cloak and cat-like mask. Then the priest who was forcibly taken into the back room, his strange words still echoing inside my head. And Sabrina, when she came back from getting her handkerchief back at the chapel. Her horrified face—maybe she had also witnessed the scene I'd seen that day?

"Possibly," I muttered to myself.

Napabuga ako ng hangin. Maybe I was just thinking about all of it way too much that I was making things up in my head. Pero kailangan kong makausap si Sabrina—kailangan kong malaman kung ano ang rason bakit ganoon siya kabalisa noong araw na iyon.

May narinig akong tumikhim sa likod ko.

"I see that you've heard our conversation yesterday, Ms Wadson," si Mrs Chua iyon.

Her face was serene and beautiful. Kahit na sa edad niya ay mukha pa rin siyang bata. She almost looked like Audrey Hepburn.

Napatda ako sa kinatatayuan ko nang maalala ko ang sinabi niya.

"S-sorry po, Mrs Chua... I-I didn't mean to..." I stammered. I didn't know what else to say.

But instead of scolding me, she smiled. "Promise me that you will not tell anyone kung ano man ang narinig mo, Ms Wadson. And do me a favor," lumambot ang ekspresyon ng mukha niya. "When the time comes, tell your classmates that I was sincerely sorry that I couldn't do anything about it. Tell them I tried," hindi ko alam kung ano ang sinasabi niya. Naglakad siya palapit sa akin. "Ms Wadson, you should ready yourself for what is about to happen." She gently took my hand and squeezed it.

Naramdaman ko ang malamig na kamay na dumantay sa buong sistema ko. All I could do was stare at her. I wanted to ask her questions. Why was she saying this to me now? It almost sounds like a warning...

Before I could even nod, she turned to go. Gusto ko pa siyang tanungin pero nang tingnan ko muli ang pinto ay wala na siya roon. Nagbaba ako ng tingin at may kuminang na bagay sa kamay ko. It was the same pin made of steel—na pareho ang disenyo na nakatatak sa roba ng mga lalaki sa misa, at sa lalaking kausap ni Mrs Chua; hugis iyon ng mata. Itinago ko iyon sa bulsa ng jacket ko.

Nanginginig pa rin ang mga tuhod ko. Pabagsak na umupo ako sa upuan, patuloy pa ring iniisip ang mga sinabi ni Mrs Chua.

I should not tell my classmates...

But they ought to know. If what Mrs Chua said was true, we should all be prepared for what's about to come.

***