Sta. Barbara

Kabanata 9: Kalmot

"Will you calm down Erielle? Your brother just texted me na he is going to Iloilo at nakasakay sya sa barko he'll probably reach there by morning or so" Erielle's father said

After Matt left their house, di mapigilan ni Erielle ang mabalisa, she's really worried about her brother. Di sya komportable sa mga nangyayari. He called his dad na isang businessman at agad din namang umuwi. Her mom is still busy at work. She's working at the MDRRMO sa kanilang munusipyo kaya medyo busy at kapag may emergency ay sya ang nag fa-facilitate.

"Baka mauna pa si Matt makarating doon" Dugtong ng kanyang ama

"Do you really think Kuya will be ok Tay? It's a dangerous world out there. You can never just trust anyone"

His father just smiled. Madami ang nag sasabing mag kamukha sila ng kanyang tatay and his big brother resembles their grandfather. She can't really say kung totoo nga dahil she can't see any similarities at all but now she noticed, they have the same smile.

"You know Ne, Ezikiel is a complex person. He is sometimes unpredictable pero I know he'll be safe. Your brother is smart and Iloilo is a safe place. Just have faith on him, ok?" Kasabay non ay hinalikan nya ang noo ni Erielle

"Tay, stop callin me Ne or nene it's annoyinggggggggg"

"You'll always be our nene. Sige babalik nako sa trabaho ha? Madami pa kasi akong tatapusin. Mamaya't -maya dadating din naman si mama mo"

Their parents is always busy pero if emergencies di silang mag-aatubili na iwan ang trabago nila. 'family first' ika nga ng kanyang tatay. She's lucky to have parents like them, providing everything for them but at the same time giving enough time para sa kanila.

"Mag-iingat ka Tay"

"Ikaw din nak. Wag kang mag-alala, malaki ang tiwala ko na magiging ok ang kuya mo"

Naiwan na naman si Erielle na mag isa sa kanilang bahay. At kapag nag-iisa sya she can't help herself to think a lot of things. 6 years na silang nag sa-stay sa Manila but she could clearly remember Athelstane. She was the first girl na dinala ng kanyang kuya sa kanilang bahay. She is just 11 years old back then and a little bit confused but now she understands and realized something.
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It was Saturday morning. Walang pasok kaya excited si Erielle na mag laro sa labas. She lives in one of the humblest brgy of Sta. Barbara, Balibagan Oeste. It's also known as Bakulod and mostly mga palayan ang makikita. Pinamumunuan din ito ng isang active at very responsibke na kapitan. Ang bahay nila ay malapit lang sa basketball court kaya araw-araw dun nakatambay si Erielle dun din naman ang puntahan ng mga kabataan doon.

Pero sa araw na ito may di silang inaasahan na bisita. Kasalukuyang nasa sala ang bisita at ang kanyang kuya. Si Erielle naman ay nag tatago sa kanyang kwarto. Isang floor lang ang kanilang bahay at ang kanyang kwarto ay malapit lang sa sala. Sinilip ni Erielle ang babae.

"Ma, si Athelstane pala, ang schoolmate ko" sabi ng kuya nito

Athelstane. What a pretty name. For 30 minutes she stayed in her room di alam kung anong gagawin. Maya-maya'y tinawag ito ng kanyang kuya. Lumabas naman sya ng dahan-dahan and awkwardly smiled at her.

"Athel this is my little sister, Erielle. Erielle this is your ate Athelstane, Schoolmate ko"

Di nya alam ang gagawin.

"Hi Erielle"

"Hi ate Athelstane"

Athel giggled.

"You're so pretty, and you've got a cute name"

Even with that beautiful smile she seems sad.

"Oh sige maiwan ko muna kayo bibihis lang ako. Erielle samahan mo muna si Ate mo"

At pumasok ng kwarto ang kanyang kuya Ezikiel. She knows she needs to say something pero di nya alam kung ano ang sasabihin nya.

"Are you ok ate?" She unconsciously

"Hmmm?"

She hesitated. Nagulat sya, di nya alam kun bat sinabi nya yun.

"Ok lang po ba kayo ate?" Erielle repeated her question

Silence.

"Bakit mo natanong?"

"Kasi makikita ko sa mga ngiti mo na malungkot ka"

Kinakabahan sya baka isipin ng Ate Athel nya na may saltik sya. Out of nowhere she asked a question na di nya naman alam kung tama nga ba na tinanong nya yun sa bisita ng kuya nya. At di nya rin maisip kung tama nga ba ang sagot nya.

Athelstane looked at her for a long time. Nagulat si Erielle ng linapitan sya nito at pinisil ang pisngi nya. That's when she saw something at Athelstane's wrist.

"Love your kuya ok? And kahit ikaw ang bunso protect him"

She looked at her confusingly.

"Ano po yan ate?" Erielle pointed at Athel's wrist.

"Oh this? Kinalmot ng pusa" Athelstane answered

Yes she's young but she knows if someone is lying. How can be this beautiful girl sad? She's also saying weird things at Erielle. Ang dami nya tuloy gustong itanong. Lumabas na nga kwarto si Ezikiel.

"San punta nyo kuya?"

"Sa bantayan, sama ka?"

Nag-isip si Erielle.

"Sa susunod nalang cguro kuya"

Lumabas na ang dalawa pero sinundan sila ni Erielle hanggang gate. Napatingin sya ng matagal sa kanilang dalawa. Bakit kaya ganon sya? Di nya na iintindihan pero napakabata pa nya para pag-isipan iyon ng malalim. Erielle shrugged at pumunta ng basketbl court para mag laro.
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Erielle is ready to leave. She knows na hindi yun kalmot ng pusa. Something is not right at all. She needs to find for herself what's really happening. She puts a note in their refrigerator.

"Nay, tay, I'm going after kuya"