Claves Series 1: The World Beneath My Blanket

Part Four - The Man in Mask

Nag eensayo ako sa talon nang tinawag ako ni Bryan.

" Shaaaaang!" he was running and is now catching his breath.

" Bakit? Para kang hinahabol ng multo."

" Si lola!! "

That turned on the emergency switch.

"Anong nangyari kay lola?!"

" Binubully sya ng ibang slave! Help her fast!" wika niya at kinaladkad ako.

Dripping- wet, I put on the red cloak I prepared for my Master.

" Napakapraning mo. Nandun ka na bumalik ka pa dito? Wait up!"

Bryan said he's powerful. Why is he panicking like this?

We rushed for her rescue. One, we can't stand our friend being bullied. Two, Master would be furious once he'll find out.

                   ******

"Hahahahhaa."

Bryan's laughter echoed in our dark cave.

" Ang papangit nyo hahahaa."

Sinamaan ko sya ng tingin. I probably look disfigured because of my bruises and cuts. I haven't mastered my Master's teaching. Para akong bombero na pumunta sa sunog na walang dalang tubig.

Kainis!

Ito namang si Bryan, bigla nalang nawala pagdating namin doon. Lola and I barely made it. Buti nalang at nakakatayo pa kami pagkatapos nila kaming iwan.

"Kasalanan mo 'to eh, ba't ka nawala bigla?!" bulyaw ko sa kanya.

Hindi pa sya nakasagot nang narinig ko ang boses niya.

" Where's my cloak?" seryosong tanong ni Master.

He stopped walking when he saw   us. " What happened?" kalmante niyang tanong.

" Someone bullied Lola. Shang and I went to help her and they end up like that." Bryan explained.

" You left out an important detail, traitor," mahina kong sambit kay Bryan. He should have said that he left us alone because of fear.

" Who are they?" Master asked as he examined Lola's bruises.

" We don't know them," sagot ko habang tinanggal ang cloak niya na sinuot ko.

Binaling niya ang tingin kay Bryan.

" They are Azutea's slaves. They did it for fun. Azutea didn't know anything."

Tumango lang si Zjin.

" If I were a little late, they might have died. I'm sorry. I almost failed," dagdag ni Bryan.

" What did you do?"

" I manipulated their memories. They will walk everywhere to tell the tales," Bryan explained and meet his eyes. " That Satan is back in Hell."

Nakikinig lang ako sa usapan nila. I tried to understand them myself by making sense of their conversation.

" You did great Bryan. Slave," tawag niya sa'kin. " Magpalit ka na ng damit."

I was about to walk away when I saw the blood dripping from Bryan's nose.

" May dugo sa__Bryan!" he collapsed. Napatingin ako kay Master na agad namang lumapit.

" Change your clothes outside first. I'll handle him."

Pagkatapos magbihis ay dali-dali akong bumalik kina Bryan. Pagdating ko sa loob ng kweba ay sinabi ni Master na magpahinga na ako. Siya na raw ang bahala sa dalawa.