The Grim Reaper's Possession

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Maeve's POV

It feels like forever eversince Felicity was gone. I'm alone.
Ilang beses ko nang inikot ang garden and I don't want to risk entering the temple again at baka mawala na nanaman ako, that thing is huge.

I'm at the end of the garden, my gaze on the path leading to where I saw those three ladies, yung sinasabi ni Grim na 'spirits'
I remembered Grim told me that they could be tricksters and they feed upon people's fears.

Feeling ko mababaliw ako kapag lumipas pa ang isang araw na wala akong makakausap.
Ever so often may kaluluwa na mapupunta dito but as soon as makikita nila ako, they turn back at babalik sa templo.
I'm not sure why, but I guess it has something to do with Grim.
Like this is his room or personal place thing.

I glance back at the garden to make sure no one was there although it's useless. Kahit wala si Grim dito, for sure alam nya na umalis ako.

I started to walk towards the path again and just like before, every tree na malagpasan ko seems a second close to dying.
The skies darkened and fog started to rise above my calves.
Feel ko tuloy nasa insidious ako.

And then I could hear rustling from the bushes. Nung palalapit nako, I swore I saw a small person jumped out of it and ran to god knows where.
Shrugging I started to look for another person, creature, thing or whatever the hell they are.
Para makausap man lang.

Occasionally, I would see shadows ran past me or a few rustles.
I'm not sure kung gano na kalayo ang nilakad ko yet wala pa ring nagpapakita sakin.

I was about to give up and wait for what will happen when I heard a giggle behind me.
Tumingin ako and saw those three girls again.

Still looking the same. Sobrang puti nila at mahahaba ang mga buhok at magulo, they wear all white and there are a few blood stains sa mga damit nila.

“Bakit wala man lang bakas ng takot sa mukha mo?” Tanong nung sa kanan.

I tried to smile pero nagmukha atang pilit.
“I don't know.”

All of them giggled again,
“Di nako nagtataka kung bakit nahumaling sayo si kamatayan.” sabi nung sa gitna, she then tilted her head slightly,
“Oh bakit naging ganyan mukha mo nung binanggit ko si kamatayan?”

“Hindi naman ako ganun ka espesyal, madami din namang di takot sakanya at kagaya nyo.” I said, chuckling rather awkwardly, avoiding the second question.

At the mention of Grim, I felt a little pang inside me, altough I know that naiwan ko yung puso ko sa katawan ko, somehow I could still feel it hurting.

“Siguro nga, kaya ano ba ang espesyal sayo at nahulog ang loob nya at gustong-gusto ka nya?” Tanong naman nung sa kanan.

“Gaya nga ng sinabi ko, walang espesyal sakin, atsaka.. galit sya sakin.” I said, whispering the last part.
“Galit sya sayo? Bakit naman? Yun ba ay dahil kay Zephyr?” Hindi ako sigurado kung sino ang nagsabi nun sa tatlo.

Napaangat ang tingin ko sakanila and look at them suspiciously.
“Pano nyo nalaman?”

“Tingin mo ba nandito lang kami? Minsan sumisilip din kami sa hardin ano?” sabi ng nasa gitna.
“Tara sumama ka samin.”

“S-Saan?” Tanong ko pero naglakad na sila papunta sa harap ko at nanguna sakin, sumunod na lang ako.

“Tungkol sa sinabi nyo sakin na baka di na ako makalabas rito.. Dahil ba kay Grim yun?” Tanong ko at tawa lang ang isinagot nila.
“Huy, ano ba. Anong ibig sabihin nun?”

“Espirito kami at hindi manghuhula. Nakikita namin na ikaw lang lagi ang pinapanood nya dun sa sapa nya.”

“Hindi yun ang tinatanong ko.”
Hindi sila tumigil sa paglalakad pero tumingin sakin yung sa kaliwa at ngumisi ng nakakatakot.
“Nagbago ba ang isip mo at gusto mo ng manatili rito?”

"H-Hindi naman.” Nauutal na sabi ko.

“Sabihin mo nga Maeve,  madalas kaming nanonood sa mga nangyayari sa hardin at di lang kami pinapansin ni kamatayan, pero pinapanood ka namin.. Bakit di ka ata masaya kapag nakikita si Zephyr?”

“B-Basta.” Sabi ko at patuloy na sumunod sakanila kahit hindi ko alam kung saan kami pupunta.

“Mahal mo sya tama ba?” Nanunuksong sabi nung nasa gitna at base sa tono nya ay alam ko kung sino ang tinutukoy nya.

“Hindi ka makasagot?  Mahal mo nga pero mahal ka ba?”

Well.. He just said it a few days? Weeks? Ago.

“Madaming babae sa mundo Maeve, tao ka lang at sya si kamatayan. Kahit mabuhay ka man muli ay makakalimutan mo din sya, at mamamatay ka na hindi mo sya makikita.. Samantalang sya madami pa syang kagaya mo na makikita nya.. Nakukuha mo ba ang punto ko Maeve?”

Oo nakukuha ko ang pinupunto nya at matagal ko ng alam ang bagay na yan, but then again.. I still could love him as long as I remember him.

My eyes suddenly went large.
Maeve, did you just said that?
Did you just admit that you love him?
No, this can't be. I can't.

I shook my head, hindi pwede.

“Tama ka.” Ang nasabi ko na lang and tumingin sa paligid ko.

The skies had darken significantly and the fog thickens.
“Saan ba tayo pupunta?”

Thry giggled once again.
“Isipin mo, Maeve. Galit sayo si kamatayan at wala na syang pakielam sayo, at sa tagal mo ng nandito tingin mo ay magigising ka pa?”

“H-Ha?” yun na lang ang nasabi ko at huminto ako sa paglalakad.
Huminto din sila at humarap sakin.
Ang tanga mo talaga, Maeve.
Tumingin ako sa likod ko at nakita ko na sobrang kapal na ng hamog to the point na hindi ko na makita kung saan ang dinaanan namin.
Bakit ako sumunod sakanila?

“Ayaw mo nun, Maeve? Hindi ka mamamatay, magiging kasama ka namin. Walang kamatayan na galit sayo at may mga kasama ka na.”

Napalunok na lang ako, but her offer seems to tempting.
May punto sya, sa tagal ko ng nandito I don't think na magigising pa ako. The three girls seems so nice and Grim..
Grim.. He hates me, so what's the point?

“Hindi nyo ba talaga sya titigilan?”

I whipped my head behind and saw him.

“Grim..?  Anong-- anong ginagawa mo rito?” tanong ko kahit alam kong alam nya na nandito ako.

He ignored me at patuloy na nakatingin dun sa tatlong babae.

“Ayaw mo na sakanya kaya kinukuha namin sya.”

“Hindi pwede.” Grim said.

“Bakit hinde? Kapag pumayag ang isang kaluluwa na sumama samin ay samin na sya. Wala ng balikan pa.” Sabi nung nasa gitna.

“Nakakalimutan nyo ata na alam ko lahat ng nangyayari sa lugar na to,  at hindi ko sya narinig na pumayag.  Basta nyo na lang sya pinasama sainyo.”

“At sumama naman sya.” Ngisi nung nasa gitna.

Grim then turn to look at me and I shifted nervously at his gaze.
“Pumapayag ka ba na sumama sakanila?” walang emosyon na sabi nya.
“Kapag pumayag ka ay wala ng balikan pa,”

“Tandaan mo ang sinabi ko sayo Maeve.” sabi nung isa at tumawa.

Tumingin ako kay Grim, somehow I could see the sadness in his eyes, the slight movement of his lips na para bang may iba pa syang sabihin pero pinipigilan nya lang sarili nya.
Yet I could see it. Like he was begging me not to go.

Kung sumama ako sa tatlong babaeng to, I'll be here forever,  I could be one of them and I won't be alone anymore even if my body dies.
If di ako pumayag, I'll just stay in the garden again, waiting for my inevitable death and who knows what will happen to me.

From my silence, Grim took this as an answer. He turn his back at naglakad na papalayo.

But then I ran towards him and grabbed his cloak.
He froze and look at me.

I don't care where my soul will lead to when I die. I just want to spend my remaining time with him.