||Written in Filipino - English|| COMPLETED ||
She loves God. He hates the very mention of His Name.
She is anointed by God's Spirit. He plays with demons.
She is God's. He is lost.
A woman of light comes to cross the life of a man whose life can...
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Agad kong narinig ang isang pamilyar na boses mula sa TV nang makapasok sa bahay. My gaze narrowed at the sight. Kasalukuyang pinapanood nila Gohan at Gerald ang Gabriel na 'yon. A whole year has passed since he began his whole racket, when will he ever stop?
"Hindi ba kayo nagsasawa sa pinagsasabi ng lalakeng 'yan?"
Sabay silang lumingon, both astonished as they heard me speak. Ngumiti si Gohan, "Halika, Manung. Kasisimula palang ng preaching, makinig tayo?"
All the more I felt irritated as I heard his words, "Uray awan!" I hissed, "Alam mo Gohan, kaysa sinasayang mo oras mo kanonood d'yan, maghanap ka ng trabahong mapapasukan mo! Makakatulong pa 'yon sa gastusin dito sa bahay!" I paced the ground, releasing a breath in ire.
Sa sobrang inis ay lumabas nalang ako ng bahay, slamming the door behind me as I walked out. Nonsense ketdin! Hindi. Hinding hindi ko matatanggap pagsilbihan ang isang Diyos na ganon.
Once more I felt anger dominate my heart, hatred so intense that with each breath I took it increased. My father had served him, and he died. My mother had served him too, and yet again she died. And now, my sister, probably the greatest among them, was killed because of him.
Bullsh*t! And now they expect me to serve him too? So what? So I can die as well? I'd rather not.
Ilang minuto rin ang lumipas bago ako kumalma. Mabuti nalang at nakapatay na ang TV nang bumalik ako sa bahay. Kasalukuyang nagbabasa ngayon si Gohan, presumably another book from Grace's collection. Umiling nalang ako at lumapit sa mesa, taking a plate in hand as I sat to eat.
"Manung?" I heard him speak,
"Mm,"
"Pasensiya na kanina," Panimula niya. Tumango lang ako. "Alam kong masakit parin ang loob mo sa nangyari kay Ate. Kami rin naman hindi namin 'yon ginusto." He took in a breath, gazing towards me intently as he spoke, "Pero Manung huwag naman sanang pati sa Diyos ay magalit ka. The end is near, and we have t-"
"Shut up!" I bellowed, my fist upon the table even as he spoke, "Huwag na huwag mo na ulit akong sabihan ng mga ganiyan. Hindi ako interesado. Naiintindihan mo!?"
He lowered his head, nodding in defeat. "Pasensiya na ulit, Kuya. Hindi ko na ulit babangitin. But know, I will say this just this once. Mahal ka ng Diyos, Ma-"
"Sh*t!!!" In ire I rose to my feet, turning around as I exclaimed, "Sinabi ko nama-"
My gaze widened, taka nang makita ang mga damit sa upuan kung saan siya'y naka-upo, now void of him. Confusion clouded my mind. Nasa'n na 'yon? Hindi ba't nandito lang 'yon kanina?
"Gohan?" I scattered my gaze, "Gohan!"
Taka akong lumapit sa kina-uupuan niya. Angbilis namang naka-alis non? With a hand I lifted the shirt to my face. Pero bakit naman niya iniwan ang damit niya?
Dali-dali akong tumalikod at nagtungo sa kuwarto, at sa pagpasok ko dito ay isa pang pares ng damit ang nakita ko sa sahig – the clothes that Gerald had worn. Apprehension now mingled with the confusion I felt. Teka, anong nangyayari?
Without much thought I excited for the door, walking outside the house till I reached the open expanse of our lawn. They weren't to be seen. Nasa'n na sila?
I took another step, this time running down the hill towards the main village. Ilang minuto lang ang lumipas at natanaw ko na ang sentro. Even from a distance voices of panic were heard, and with this I doubled my pace.
Bumungad ang mga taong tila ba asiwang naghahanap sa kung saan. Women wailed in panic, people walked around in confusion. Bakit ganito?
Agad kong nilapitan ang isang kagawad nang mamataan ito, "Kagawad!" I called out, "Anong nangyayari? Bakit-" Inilibot ko ang paningin, "Bakit parang marami yatang nawawala? Pati sa amin biglang nawala sila Gohan at Gerald eh,"
Umiling siya, halatang alala habang pinapanood ang kaganapan, "Hindi ko rin alam, anak,"
Sobrang kaba ang naramdaman ko. Bakit ganon? Nasaan ang mga tao? Tumango ako at nagsimulang maglakad pabalik sa amin. Sana nando'n na sila pagdating ko. Hindi nagtagal ay muli kong natanaw ang bahay namin, the door still open as I have left it earlier. I stepped in, my heart now racing as the same clothes I've left remained on where they are.
Aye, ano 'to?
Dinukot ko ang cellphone mula sa bulsa at agad idinial ang number ni Auntie Lucia. Ilang segundo rin itong nagring, at laking pasalamat ko nang marinig ang kaniyang boses. "Auntie?"
"George, nasa'n ang mga kapatid mo?"
"'Yan din sana tatanungin ko eh!" I paced the floor, "Nawawala sila, Auntie. Pati sa baba, nagkakagulo na ang mga tao."
I heard her sobs on the other line, and all the more I felt nervous, "Pati dito sa Lagawe, anak! Angdaming mga aksidente ang nagaganap ngayon dito sa mga kalye dahil sa bigla nalang nawawala ang mga tao! Anak, buksan mo nga ang TV?"
At her word I rushed towards the TV stand, taking the remote in hand and turning it on. An empty field occupied my gaze. Teka, wasn't this what my brothers we're watching earlier? Nasa'n na ang mga tao? Kung tapos na ang programa, bakit nakatutok parin dito ang camera? Only a few people loitered in the field, all seemingly confused of what was happening. Ibig bang sabihin – hindi lang dito nangyayari ito?
I switched the channel, only to find static screens. Naka-ilang pindot rin ako bago makahanap ng isang channel na in operation. CNN. I turned the volume up, ears in anticipation as I watched a man on the screen reporting on what seems to be a chaotic scene right behind him.
"Many are now confused of what is truly going on... many disasters have now taken place right here even as I am speaking. Some say that this is a great extraterrestrial intervention, some even speculate religious prophecie..."
Inangat kong muli ang cellphone at nagsalita, "Auntie, hindi lang sa Pilipinas nangyayari ito. This is happening all over the world!"
Silence reigned in our midst, intensifying the tension with each second passing by.
"Ito na yata ang sinasabi ng mama mo noon, George." Nangunot ang noo ko.
"Anong sinasabi ni Mama, Auntie?"
"The rapture," I heard her say, "The rapture happened."
***
According to the Lord's word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be c a u g h t u p together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
