Arcanum: Polymaths of Time

11 : A Hymn of Sorrow

Austin Alderdice

English middle school teachers are the worst. 

One teacher of mine gave an assignment to send a letter as a penpal to children abroad. I picked a girl in the Philippines since I reckoned my mom would help me with the language and we can find topics to talk about. 

I went to school that day hopeful and excited. My classmates and I talked about it during our first period which was Math, you know normally we would have our heads down from sleepiness. But today was not that day, we were just giddy at the thought of connecting with someone far away.

But Mrs. Connor had none of that. 

She gave the letters back to us with red markers correcting our grammars and judging our handwriting. 

I'm talking for my whole class here, that was a jerk move.

And now, nakaupo ako sa dining table holding a pencil doing what Mrs. Connor did exactly. 

Mahina lang ang pagsulat ko sa papel, pero ang kunot sa mukha ko at ang galit na nararamdaman ko ay exact opposite ng paraan ko ng pagsulat. Kung nakikita lang ako ni Mrs. Connor ngayon sobrang proud niya siguro sa ginagawa kong pag-judge sa sulat ni Abraham.

Bahagyang napatingin si Annika sa sulat na hawak ko at nung napansin ang tindi ng kulay ko sa pagsusulat ay bumalik ang gawa para sa pagkulay. Mamahalin at galing pa sa ibang bansa ang coloring book na kinukulayan niya, ang kapalit sa espada na hinihingi ni Annika. 

She's pissed and so am I.

"I am very much alive. Yes you are a coward. Yes I know I'm brilliant. I'm freaking 20 years old now- Wait akala ko 21  ka na?" Tanong ni Seymour habang binabasa ang mga sinulat ko.

"20 pa lang ako," I shoved my face at the table and murmured.

"Ang alam ko talaga 21 na eh. Namali lang siguro rinig ko," bulong ni Seymour sa sarili habang umiiling. "Ang weird naman ng tatay mo, bakit sa tingin mo sinabi niya yun? Ano ang tinuro niya sayo nung 10 ka?"

"I don't even know. Why is my life so complicated."

"Then die," gulat na napatingin kami kay Annika. The young girl is coloring her hello kitty coloring book while saying those ominous words.

"Saan mo natutunan 'yan?"

"Kay Ashy at Giddy. Yun ang sinasabi nila kapag sinasabi ng isa sa kanila ang sinabi mo," she monotonously said like we're idiots dahil hindi namin yun alam.

"Wow. Kaya ayaw ko na maiiwan si Annika sa kanila eh. Kailan kaya sa tingin mo babalik si Violet?" He wondered to himself. "Ayusin mo yan Austin."

"Seymour."  

"Ano?"

"Did my father left you anything? No, actually have you seen my father?"

Naglalaro ang tingin niya at iniisip kung anong sasabihin. Tumigil na rin si Annika sa pagkulay at interesado sa kung ano ang nangyayari.

"Austin. Hindi sa akin ang Arcanum, naalala mo yung 'The monster I obey' ni Easton? Sa kanya to."

Beside me Annika nodded. "Dun yun sa bruha. At ako na nagsasabi sayo wag mo nang hanapin yung matandang yun."