00: I'm Home

~𖥔☾𖤓☽𖥔~

PAULIT-ULIT NA LANG.

Bahay. Opisina. Bahay. Opisina.

Kahit ngayong 27th birthday ko, pakiramdam ko ay edad lang ang nagbago sa akin.

My life is too routine. My days are too repetitive. I do not want it anymore.

If this continues, I'm afraid that the only thing that will really change is my age, not my world nor my perspective.

I feel more like a spectator in life rather than an active participant these days. I... I long for something else.

Sa halip na umuwi sa pamilya kong naghihintay sa akin pagkatapos ng trabaho para sa isang salo-salo ay mas pinili kong sumakay muna ng tren at maglakad mag-isa hanggang sa dinala na lamang ako ng mga paa ko sa parokya namin.

Aside from it was already evening, it was also heavily pouring outside. Kaya nang makasalubong ko sa entrada ng simbahan ang dalawang huling nagdarasal ay ako na lamang ang naiwang mag-isa roon.

Nagpatuloy pa rin ako sa loob. Mabuti nga iyon at nang masolo ko ang Diyos.

Pumuwesto ako sa may unahang upuan at lumuhod upang taimtim na magdasal. Nagpasalamat ako para sa mga biyayang natanggap ko mula sa Panginoon at humingi rin ng paumanhin sa mga naging kasalanan ko.

Ang totoo niyan ay hindi ko alam ang sasabihin. Hindi ako makuwentong tao pero madalas, kapag nabibigatan na akong dalhin ang mga salita at damdaming hindi ko magawang maibahagi sa iba ay sa Kanya ako naglalabas ng saloobin.

Lord, puwede bang ibalik na lang ‘yong dati? The last time I truly felt the joy of living was as a child. We lived in an RV, constantly on the move while running our family business.

Even though my father was already mortal, his exceptional talent and knowledge of exorcism inspired me to live a life full of incredible adventures.

However, he gave it all up and decided to run an ordinary business—a convenience store—with my mother.

Ang kapatid at nanay ko naman, sa kabila ng natatangi nilang pisikal na lakas at kakaibang katangian, ay mas piniling mamuhay din nang normal. My brother works as a policeman to support his daughter as a single father after the death of his wife. He could take advantage of his ability to earn more but he didn't.

Not that I want him to rob banks. I mean, puwede siyang maging si Superman, pumirma ng kontrata sa ABS-CBN, at maging susunod na Jackie Chan.

Napabuntong-hininga na lamang ako sa mga naiisip. Perhaps all that I really want him to do is to revive our former family business, which was exorcism. Pero mukhang malabo...

If only I was as strong as him and our mother and as skilled as our father, maybe I could do it myself.

But who am I kidding?

I can't even see ghosts...

Pinikit ko ang mga mata ko at mas pinagdaop pa ang mga palad ko.

“Please make my life extraordinary,” I voiced out my birthday wish, too loud and desperate it sounded more like begging.

Agad akong nagdilat ng mga mata nang bigla kong marinig ang malakas na pagsabog. Natulala na lamang ako sa nasaksihan sa mismong harapan ko.

Ang matandang parish priest namin ay nakadikit na sa dingding ng simbahan. Ang  mga bitak sa pader ay kapansin-pansin din sa likuran niya na para bang malakas na binalibag siya roon ng kung sinuman.

His head was also bleeding!

Mukhang malakas talaga ang naging tama niya. Gumuho na rin ‘yong kabilang pader ng simbahan kung saan siya galing bago siya bumulusok sa kung nasaan siya ngayon. Ano bang nangyayari?!

Nanghihina siyang napaupo sa sahig at nang mapansin ako ay sinabing, “Takbo...”

Awtomatikong tumayo ako pagkasabi niya no'n at tumalikod upang tumakbo palabas ng simbahan.

I didn't care if I was already drenched. I just kept running.

Kailangan kong makahingi ng tulong para kay Father.

Whatever it might be, it was not something I could handle alone.

Napahinto ako sa pagtakbo nang may bigla akong matanto.

Iniwan kong mag-isa ang matandang pari roon. Kapag humingi ako ng tulong sa pinakamalapit na bahay dito na nasa may distansya pa ay baka huli na ang lahat.

Baka hindi na dumating ang tulong na pinakakinakailangan ni Father ngayon mismo kung aalis din ako.

Tinapangan ko ang sarili ko at muling tumakbo pabalik sa loob ng simbahan. Agad kong nilapitan si Father at inalalayang tumayo.

“Bakit ka pa bumalik dito?!” tanong niya sa mataas na tono at habang mahigpit na nakakapit sa braso ko, halatang hindi makapaniwala sa ginawa ko.

“Hindi kita iiwan dito, Father.”

“You don't know what you're getting into, kid. Just go!”

Sinubukan niya akong itulak pero nagmatigas din ako katulad niya. Ibinuhos ko na lamang ang atensyon sa pagtulong sa kanyang tumayo.

Suddenly, a slow, loud clap echoed behind us, followed by a man's mocking voice.

“May audience pala tayo. Sayang, ito na ang huling show mo.”

“Shit...” the old priest muttered, which really surprised me.

I only noticed then how very different his aura was at that time compared to his usually gentle and soft-spoken nature every mass.

“Come on, let's face it. That old priest could no longer hold you,” panunuya ulit ng lalaki sa likuran namin. “That power deserves a new host, and this body right here is the perfect candidate.”

Power?

Host?

Ano bang pinagsasabi niya?

“Kung magmamatigas kang isuko ang katawang iyan, may alam naman akong ibang paraan. Don't worry, I'll make sure it would be a quick, painless death for your worn out host,” he continued.

Lilingunin ko na sana ito nang pigilan ako ni Father. I looked intently into his eyes when I noticed something flicker in them.

“Tell me your name,” aniyang pinagtaka ko naman. “I said, tell me your name, damn it!”

“Huwag po kayong sumigaw! Hindi ako bingi! Saka kanina pa po kayo nagsasabi ng bad words, pinapalagpas ko lang, Father!”

“I have no time for this, what's your goddamn name?”

“Honolu Magalona. I'm Honolu Magalona!” inis kong tugon sa kanya.

Nahuli ko ang pag-angat ng gilid ng labi niya. His eyes suddenly turned all black with specks of countless twinkling lights, like stardust.

Namangha ako.

It was like I was staring straight into the vast universe.

No, it was as if the universe was trapped in his gaze.

I also felt a strange sense of peace in that moment, as if his eyes were singing me a silent but sweet lullaby. It was soothing my very soul.

Mayamaya pa ay naramdaman ko na lamang ang pagbigat ng aking mga talukap hanggang sa hindi ko na talaga napigilan pa ang sarili ko at tuluyan nang pumikit...

⭑𖤓☽| 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 |☾𖤓⭑

UNBEKNOWNST TO THEM, the sinister man already extended the long, black tentacles from his back and struck them both down in a single, powerful blow.

The wall crumbled and buried the old priest and Honolu beneath the rubble after the man's swift attack.

A bark of laughter then escaped his lips as he raised his right hand and clenched it into a fist. "I can already feel his immense power within me," he declared.

His triumphant and maniacal laughter continued to fill the silent ruins of the local church until...

“Shh... Nasa simbahan tayo,” biglaang saway ng boses ng isang babae sa kanya.

Nahinto sa paghalakhak ang lalaki at nilingon ang pinanggagalingan ng boses. Natigilan siya nang mapansing nakaluhod si Honolu sa isa sa mga upuan doon, nakapikit ang mga mata at magkadaop pa ang mga palad na animo ay mataimtim na nagdarasal. Sa tabi naman niya, nakahiga ang wala pa ring malay na pari.

Though her eyes were closed, a teasing smile played on her lips. The man was dumbfounded. He thought he’d finished them off for good and followed the instructions carefully — he has to kill the current host to inherit the primordial being and his powers. 

“H-How...” hindi makapaniwalang usal niya.

He was certain he wasn't facing a mere mortal woman anymore but rather the primordial being he desperately sought.

“Did she give you her consent?”

Pinaghiwalay ni Honolu ang kanyang mga palad bago tumayo at naglakad papunta sa gitna ng simbahan. Kung gaano kakalmado ang dalaga ay siya namang ikinakaba ng lalaki.

She halted in the middle of the aisle. The open church doors behind her framed the stormy night, with violet lightning flashing through its darkness.

Honolu's smirk grew wider. "It's the other way around. She didn't get my consent."

The man recoiled as he felt the primordial being's overwhelming power coursing through the young mortal's body. He had mocked his old host just minutes ago, but now he was the one rendered speechless.

"Why don't we continue where we left off?" she challenged calmly, before all the lights went out and the church doors slammed shut.

Seconds later, only the man's piercing scream could be heard.

~𖥔☾𖤓☽𖥔~

“NASAAN NA BA ‘yong batang ‘yon?” nag-aalalang ani Alohi pagkatapos ibaba ang cellphone niya.

Hindi na niya mabilang kung ilang beses na niyang tinawagan ang panganay na anak subalit ni isa sa mga iyon ay wala itong sinagot.

“Nagpaalam siya kaninang dadaan muna ng simbahan,” kalmadong paliwanag naman ni Holmes sa asawa habang nagsasara ng kanilang convenience store.

“Nagsimba? Anong oras na? May misang pang-alas-diyes pa ba?”

Sumilip din si Holland sa kanyang mga magulang mula sa loob ng kanilang bahay nang marinig ang usapan ng mga ito. “Hahanapin ko na lang po siya. Napatulog ko na rin po kasi si Shannon.”

“Twenty-seven na si Honolu. Maybe, we should let her do life the way she wants it. Ang mahalaga ay suportahan at magtiwala tayo sa kanya.”

“Holmes, nag-aalala lang ako. Sa ating apat, si Honolu ‘yong dapat nating pinoprotektahan. She doesn't have any ability to protect herself. Paano kung balikan tayo ng mga nakaharap nating nilalang noon?” tugon ni Alohi sa asawa.

Nagpakawala nang malalim na buntong-hininga si Holmes at tumango upang sumang-ayon dito. May punto rin naman kasi ang kanyang asawa. Mahihirapan ang anak nila na harapin ang mga kakaibang nilalang dahil wala itong kapangyarihan. Kahit na ang makakita man lang ng mga multo ay hindi nito magawa.

“Holland, samahan mo na lang ang mama mo rito at si Shannon. Ako na ang maghahanap sa ate mo,” bilin ng padre de pamilya sa anak.

“Sige po, p—”

“Nandito na ako.”

Tumunog ang wind chime pagpasok ng hinihintay nila sa loob ng kanilang tindahan. Tahimik na nagkatinginan naman agad ang tatlo.

The sound of the wind chime should not have been a problem for ordinary customers, but this was no ordinary wind chime. It was a special talisman from their extensive collection of exorcism items, designed to sound only when a supernatural being dared to enter.

Pagtapak ni Honolu nang tuluyan sa loob ng kanilang tindahan ay mas lumakas pa ang tunog ng wind chime. Humakbang si Holmes paharap at itinago sa likuran niya ang asawa at anak.

She smiled at them and said, “I'm home.”

“Love,” Holmes called his wife. “Prepare the shrine room. We're going to perform an exorcism.”

“Our daughter is possessed,” he added.

°˖ 𔓘 𝓛𝓸𝔀𝓵𝓪 𝓟𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓸 𔓘 ˖°

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