Card 11.1 ♦ The Legend Says

[Mavis Alair Celestine]

"Saan nanggaling yang pusa?"

Nadatnan ko si Irish na nakaupo sa may hallway, tapat ng lecture room namin. Nakasuot siya ng malaking bilog na bilog na eyeglasses, at nakapatong sa kanyang hita ang isang makapal na libro.

Tumabi ako sa kanya at naupo sa malamig na semento. Inilagay ko sa harap ang malaking backpack na dala ko, kung saan nakasilip ang ulo ng matabang pusa.

"Saan mo nakuha 'yan? Alam mo bang bawal ang hayop sa House?" pabulong na sabi ni Irish. "Exception lang si Silverblaze."

I chuckled. "Laki talaga ng galit mo sa kanya e no?"

"Ganun talaga 'pag nasaktan."

Napailing ako. Hindi ko alam kung anong ginawa ni Nero at ganyan kalaki na lang ang galit ni Irish. Minsan, gusto ko na ring tanungin. Hindi ko naman magawa. Baka kasi kapag tinanong ko, mapilitan lang siyang sumagot kahit na nag-aalangan siya kung sasabihin niya ba. Ayoko naman ng ganun. As much as possible, gusto kong siya ang kusang mag-o-open up ng topic tungkol dito. Kapag kusang loob kang sinabihan ng isang tao ng kanyang sikreto, doon mo malalaman kung gaano ka niya pinagkakatiwalaan.

Sa madaling salita, a deeper self-disclosure means a higher level of trust.

Inilabas ko ang matabang pusa galing sa backpack at pinakarga kay Irish 'to. "Oh my gosh! Ang fluffy niya!" She exclaimed. Lalo niya pang yinugyog yung matabang pusa at pinanggigilan ito, "You're so fluffy you snow-like giant with tiny paws!"

Naaawa ako sa pusa. Parang nakakakita ako ng spirals sa mga mata nito dahil sa hilo. Hindi pa makahinga ng maayos sa sobrang higpit ng yakap ni Irish.

"You didn't answer my question," nakahinga ako ng maluwag nang ibaba ito ni Irish sa lap niya at suklayin ang puting balahibo nito ng kanyang kamay. "Saan mo nahanap 'tong furball na 'to?"

"Sa attic. Kumakalampag kasi sa kisame kagabi. Inakyat namin ni Nero, ayan ang resulta."

"Attic? Ganito kataba?" tinitigan ni Irish ang pusa na para bang isang alienated object ito. "Weh?"

Tumango ako. "Yeah, and that's what I wanted to talk about. The reason why I came here early."

"Bakit? Anong meron?"

Kinwento ko kay Irish ang nangyari. Simula ng unang pagtungtong ko sa bahay na 'yon, iba na ang pakiramdam ko sa Attic. Naglilinis pa lang ako, may mga kalabog na akong naririnig sa taas. Parang may naghahabulan. Hindi ko pinansin. Mahina lang naman kasi kaya ang inisip ko, baka daga lang.

Sa ilang araw kong paninirahan doon, nasanay na ako sa kumakalabog sa attic. Hindi ko na pinapansin, wala rin namang mangyayari kung tatakutin ko lang din sarili ko. Inisip ko din kung aakyatin ko yung attic para makita kung ano yung kumakalabog. 'Wag na lang pala. Nagbago isip ko hindi dahil baka makakita ako ng mga bagay na hindi dapat makita. Lalo na ipis. Isa lang naman ako sa mga taong tumatakbo na kapag may ipis. Lalo na yung lumilipad.

Pero iba yung kalabog kahapon. Mas malakas, mas mabilis kaysa sa mga unang naririnig ko. At dahil nandyan na si Nero at inuutusan ako ng sadista, napilitan akong umakyat. Grabe yung pagdadasal ko na sana walang flying ipis. Baka mahulog ako mula sa attic ng wala sa oras.

"Do you happen to know something about the history of that house? O baka naman.." bigla akong natigilan. Shit! Bakit hindi ko agad naisip 'yun? It can't be.

"Baka naman ano?" tanong ni Irish.

"Hollows."

"Hollows?" ulit niya. Saglit siyang natigilan bago umiling-iling at tumawa ng malakas. "Pfft- Hahahahaha!"

"I'm not kidding."

"I know, I know." She waved her one hand as if brushing away the thought, a silly smile plastered on her face. "It's just that... it's ridiculous. A hollow inside the House? They can't get pass the barrier, Mavis."

"One managed." A puzzled look formed on Irish's face. "Remember?"

"Oh!" ilang saglit ang lumipas bago niya nakuha ang tinutukoy ko. Yung Class A hollow na nakalaban ko at ng Spades' Royale sa building kung saan ako nag-training. "Yeah.. one managed."

"Still!" Itinaas ni Irish ang index finger niya sa harap ko. "House of Jokers is within the place where the barriers are strongest. 'Yung building kasi na pinagdalhan sa iyo nina Nero, hindi kasing-lakas ang barrier na pumoprotekta doon kaysa sa barrier na pumoprotekta sa Houses kaya naman may mga nakakapuslit. Imposible talaga na may manirahan na Hollow sa Jokers."

"If that's the case, e di sino ang nagpapakain dito sa pusa na 'to?"

Tumingin si Irish sa pusa, kinarga ito, at seryosong tumingin sa magkaibang kulay ng mga mata nito.

Inantay ko ang susunod niya gagawin nang biglang..

"Ang cute cute mong furball kaaa! Meow meow meooow!"

Muli na naman niyang niyakap ng pagkahigpit-higpit ang pusa. Haaay. Kailan niya ba titigilan ang panggigigil niya sa puting hayop na 'to?

Matapos niyang ikiskis ang sariling pisngi sa mabalahibong pisngi ng pusa, (eh kung di ko kaya pinaliguan 'to, ewan ko na lang kung magawa niya pang panggigilan yung hayop) humarap siya sa'kin.

"There are rumors about the House of Jokers tho. But it was a long time ago, and you know.. Just rumors, not even close to a fact."

"What about it?"

"They say the House of Jokers is haunted."

"Haunted?"

"Mm," tumango si Irish habang hinihimas-himas muli ang balahibo ng pusa. "Rumors have it that once, there's a card player who lived in that house. She was the weakest player in her batch, even the freshmen can defeat her without giving all of their power. Soon enough, she disappeared without leaving a single trace. They looked for her everywhere and they gave up. The head master at that time had no idea about her whereabouts. He didn't even feel her presence leave the institution. Usually, the head masters know when a card player leaves the institution, they would feel it. But this time, there was nothing. Sa madaling salita, parang nawala na parang bula."

"Things just went on with their normal routines." Pagpapatuloy ni Irish. "Not until after a week after she disappeared, strange things happened. Those who pass by the house would hear loud cries, glass breaking and even see the lights turn on and off. They say some students form a group to go inside the House. They were never seen again. Soon, the rumors about the House of Jokers are passed on from generation to generation. The soul of that girl is still trapped in that house, and they say she kills every person who dares to disturb her peace, eats his or her soul and performs some kind of black magic to return to her past self. Kaya naman, madalas iniiwasan ang bahay na 'yan, and no one dares to go inside. For hundreds of years." She made sure she emphasized the words of 'hundreds of years'.

"Hundreds of years?" kumunot ang noo ko. Ilang daang taon na ang bahay na 'yon? Just how old is this institution exactly?

"Yeah. Absurd isn't it? Iniiwasan nila ang bahay dahil sa mga kwento-kwento. Kahit nga tagapag-linis, walang may balak pumasok."

Tumango-tango ako sa kwento ni Irish. Honestly, I don't even believe in ghosts. They are just made up fictional characters to scare the children away. But then, fairies are also made up to play a part in fantasy books and movies, and one of them is sitting beside me. Who knows if ghosts are real too?

"Pero kagaya nga ng sinabi ko, wala namang katotohanan dun. Ginawa lang din 'yang panakot sa 'min ng mga Seniors nung pagpasok ng batch namin as freshmen, and we did the same to the freshmen batch this year. In fact, two years ago when the Spades' Royale proved it to everyone that the rumors are nothing but lies. Sophomores kami noon nang tanggapin ng grupo nina Nero ang challenge mula sa isang grupo ng Seniors. The challenge was simple in words. Go inside the House of Jokers, do everything that could possible 'disturb the peace' of the one residing inside, stay overnight and come back alive the next morning. If they are able to complete the challenge, the Seniors would definitely acknowledge their group."

"And they came back alive, I suppose." Pagtatapos ko. Tumango-tango si Irish. "Yep, Spades' Royale invaded the House matapos ang ilang daang taong walang pumapasok dito. They survived the House, got the Seniors' acknowledgment and of course, detention for trespassing. Miss Elina is already the head master at that time, at ang kaparusahan ng Spades' Royale? Linisin ang buong bahay."

"If the House was left unclean for hundreds of years, baka inabot ako ng isang linggo sa paglilinis nito." I sighed and Irish giggled.

"I bet you would. Dalawang araw ring nilinis nina Nero 'yan, with the help of their fangirls. Best days of my life, ang makita siyang nahihirapan. Last year, ipina-renovate 'yan ni Miss Elina para hindi mag-collapse. Kahit na walang tumitira dyan ilang daang taon na ang dumaan, the place was used as storage for things. Ayaw nilang tanggalin. A card deck wouldn't be complete without a joker."

"So I should be proud because I completed the deck for this batch?"

"Oh c'mon, Mavis! 'Wag ka ngang-"

"Just kidding," inunahan ko na siya bago pa matapos ang sasabihin niya. Panigurado, katakot-takot at kahaba-habang sermon na naman ang aabutin ko kay Irish kapag naririnig niyang dinedegrade ko na naman ang sarili ko.

Pero totoo naman eh, hindi naman ako malalagay sa House of Joker kung malakas ako. I am the weakest card player in the batch- oh scratch that, I don't even know if I am qualified as a card player.

Naglolokohan lang ata kami dito.

Natuon muli ang atensyon ko kay Irish nang magsalita ito.

"I don't really believe in ghosts but, I guess we can take precautions just to make sure. I know a book that can help us."

~

Kyamii's Note: Short update of the first part. Hindi ko talaga ine-expect to. Napa-update lang ako dahil napanood ko yung mv ng Bae bae at Loser ng Bigbang and I am soo~ H-A-P-P-Y! I'll probably post the second part by tomorrow or the day after that. And who knows? I might probably post another chapter after. Anyway, good night guys! Thank you for reading!

Shout out to all VIPs out there! THE KINGS ARE BACK!

P.S. Sugar Rolls, any cat name suggestion? :3