Chapter 16: Tree House

I was staring blankly on the way home. We were in the backseat of a car while an order drive us back to the apothecary. Hindi pa tapos ang birthday party ni Vincent but it was ruined by the incident between Callahan, Zackary and I. We were advised to leave to deescalate the situation.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, hands on top of each other, brushing my knuckles in an anxious manner. "Nasira ang party... hindi ko sinasadya..."

"No, no!" Anabeth clasped a hand over my shoulder. "It's not your fault that Callahan, that son of a bitch, is a monster. Kung ako lang ang nakakita ng nangyari, baka hindi lang suntok ang nagawa ko sa kanya. Those kitchen knives will be put to good use."

I glanced at Anabeth before I returned my gaze to the road ahead. Bumalik sa'kin ang tinginan ng mga elders sa living room, ang usapan nila.

"What were they fighting about?"

"It's that girl!"

Nakabalik kami sa apothecary at nasalubong si Senior Violeta sa main house, nagtataka. "You're back early."

I dropped my gaze to the floor, unable to answer. It was Sir Sebastian who asked us to leave first and let him manage the conflict between the two.

Tahimik parin ako pagdating sa aking kwarto. Hindi ako maiwanan ni Anabeth. She lingered at the doorway, watching me. "Eleanor, are you okay?"

"I caused harm to Zackary," I mumbled. "What if they think different of him because he's siding with me?" I absentmindedly brushed my palm over my dress. "Would it affect him?"

Humakbang palapit si Anabeth, sighing deeply. "You didn't cause anyone harm. It's the right thing to do with people like Callahan who treat other people as things."

Umupo si Anabeth sa tabi ko. "I'm sorry for everything you've been through. Twenty years is a long time to suffer. So please let people protect you. We may not deserve the world in its cruel form but we deserve someone on our side."

That night, Anabeth made both of us chamomile tea to calm. Pero hindi ko pa ito nagagalaw and the white teacup turned cold on my bedside table.

Pinagmasdan ko ang madilim na langit mula sa bintana. Maagang lumabas ang mga bituin na kumikislap sa langit. The garden flowers look blue under the moonlight. The artist who once owned me told me before she died...

"Someday, you will find people who are willing to stay by your side and you will no longer be alone. So until that day comes, do your best to stay alive."

But what I didn't realize is staying by my side comes with pain.

Days later at the breakfast hall, Anabeth mentioned about her visit to the mansion for Zanra's medicines. "Do you wanna come with me?" alok niya sa'kin.

Umiling ako habang nagpapahid ng raspberry jam sa toast. I was honestly ashamed to face any member of the Van Zanth. It's probably safer for everyone if someone like me would keep my distance from them. I couldn't burden Zackary to protect me all the time.

By afternoon, matapos sunduin si Anabeth sa apothecary, nagtungo ako sa greenhouse where I planned to spend the rest of my day to check on the new buds and to re-plot some seedling with my small shovel and my garden gloves.

I walked to the huge glass structure at the side of the property, glimmering under the afternoon sun. It was a greenhouse fit for a mansion, occupying half of the garden and with an entire ecosystem inside.

Walking to the side of the pond where they keep the water plants and lilies, I stared up at the tree branches and leaves reaching the tall glass ceiling. Tahimik ang paligid except for my shovel digging dirt and everything smells earthy and green.

Carefully separating the seedlings from their trays, I re-plotted them to larger patches and some to the forest ground later on, recording their growth or lack thereof, while the sun shine through the glass walls and ceiling, making the greens vibrant and glimmering.

I was deeply immersed from my task at hindi napansin ang paglipas ng oras. When I lifted my head up, orange and pink hues blanketed the sky outside the greenhouse.

Niligpit ko ang mga gamit bago lumabas. Pagbalik ko sa tower, napansin ko ang itim na sasakyan sa driveway. Mukhang nakabalik na si Anabeth. Nagtungo ako sa tower, naglinis, bago pumanhik sa kwarto ko para magbihis. Pagbaba ko sa hall para sa hapunan, Anabeth was waiting for me at a table with two trays of untouched food.

"How was it?"

Bumuntonghininga si Anabeth before she slide the second tray of food in front of me. Umupo ako sa silya sa tapat niya, nagtataka. "May nangyari ba?"

"Nothing," she mumbled. "Literally nothing happened. Kailangan kong bumalik bukas to check on her. She's in a weak state today and didn't want to leave her bed. Iniwan ko nalang doon ang mga gamot at pinagbilin sa nagbabantay sa kanya."

"Sana maging okay ang pakiramdam niya."

Anabeth poked the food in her plate. "We used to be schoolmates, you know? She was a year ahead, pero nakikita ko siya sa campus and whenever I got invited in the mansion because of Uncle Sebastian.  That's why I know how hard headed Ms. Zanra could be."

Wala sa sarili na tinitigan ni Anabeth ang pagkain. "She could still go out then, could still live like a normal person. Though she rarely have friends because she's an alpha's daughter and makakaharap mo si Sir Zackary bago mo malapitan si Ms. Zanra, she was the kind of person who would approach you first."

There's a faraway smile on Anabeth's lips.

"Hindi mo sila basta-basta makakasama. As kids, they were protected by the alpha, specially Ms. Zanra. As teens, whenever those rude elites would pick on her for being human, nakikipagpambuno si Sir Zackary hanggang sa magtanda ang mga ito. I could still remember that one instance they were both walking in the corridor while the rest of the students were completely silent, watching them. Sir Zackary with scratches on his face and Ms. Zanra ready for verbal argument with the teacher who gave her brother detention slip because of the fight." Anabeth silently chuckled.

I leaned closer to the table, astonished by the stories of high school. I never get to attend a normal school. I was taught by the teacher everything I had to know, so whenever I hear stories about school or see students in uniforms, I always find it interesting.

"I was one of those people na tinitignan lang sila sa malayo," continued Anabeth.

"You didn't approach them?"

Bahagya siyang natawa sa tanong ko. "Hindi ako ganito kaingay at kadaldal dati," ngiti niya. "I was one of those awkward teen with bushy hair, freckled face and gap between my teeth. I could be the easiest targets of bullies in school kung hindi lang ako related kay Uncle Sebastian, but it didn't save me from the isolation."

Sandaling natigilan si Anabeth, space out for a moment. "It was Ms. Zanra who took me beside her, who would invite me during lunch  breaks para hindi ako kumain ng mag-isa. Maybe it was Uncle Sebastian's request but it didn't matter to me. Naging close kami kahit paano, kaya noong napasok ako dito sa apothecary, the first task I requested was to visit the mansion."

"But... she did see you right?" I asked. "You said today is the first time she would see you as staff in the apothecary."

Tumango si Anabeth pero wala ang saya sa mukha niya. "Kanina, hindi ako makapaghintay na bisitahin siya and tell her I make her medicines. But it was a different Ms. Zanra who greeted me. Her eyes, they used to be so alive... bright and always curious. But what I saw today are tired and vacant eyes."

Silence swept us both. Naalala ko noong bumisita ako sa mansion, ang kagustuhan ni Zanra na makalabas, ang hinahanap niyang tree house sa kakahuyan.

"Pwede ba akong sumama sa'yo bukas?" tanong ko kay Anabeth.

"Of course!" Her face lit up. "Magpaalam tayo kay Senior Violeta."

Tanghali na nang makaalis kami sa apothecary kinabukasan. Hindi mapalagay si Anabeth sa loob ng sasakyan. "Nasa Fabrice ngayon sina Zackary kaya si Ms. Laura lang ang makakausap natin regarding Ms. Zanra's condition."

"I hope she's feeling better today," I mumbled.

Napatingin si Anabeth sa labas ng bintana ng bintana ng sasakyan. "Sana nga..."

We arrived at the hill. I was growing anxious for a reason. Sa driveway palang, alam kong may mali. Nasa labas ang mga tagasilbi, nagkalat sa garden at palibot sa mansion, may hinahanap.

Agad kaming lumabas ni Anabeth sa sasakyan. "Ano pong nangyayari?"

Hindi makausap nang maayos ang mga tagasilbi dahil sa taranta. "Si Ms. Zanra... wala siya sa kwarto niya. Hinanap na namin siya sa buong mansion pero wala siya..."

Color drained from Anabeth's face. "N-Nasaan si Ms. Laura? Alam na ba niya?"

"Dumaan siya kanina sa hospital to file a leave para maasikaso si Ms. Zanra..."

"Ilang oras na siyang nawawala?"

"Hindi namin alam... ang buong akala namin nasa kwarto lang siya at nagpapahinga..."

Natulala si Anabeth, nanghina sa tabi ko. Patuloy sa paghahanap at paggagalugad ang mga tao sa mansion. Nagpalakad-lakad si Anabeth, nagiisip nang bigla akong magsalita.

"The tree house," I told her. "The last time I was here, she's searching for the tree house."

Natigilan si Anabeth, confusion rose from her wary face. "Pero... matagal na itong wala..." she mumbled. "It's been years since the last time I saw it. Mula noong magkasakit siya at hindi naging okay si Sir Zackary at Alexander, wala nang gumagamit dito. The last time I heard about it, a storm knocked and destroyed the tree house. Do you think... she's searching for it?"

"Hindi ko sigurado... pero wala siyang ibang gustong puntahan kundi 'yon..."

Humugot ng malalim na hininga si Anabeth. "Let's go... hanapin natin siya..."

Nagtungo kami sa kakahuyan malapit sa mansion at tinahak ang daan sa ilalim ng nagtataasang puno. A part of the woods remained within the mansion's property, but a large part separates the hill from the town below.

Habang nagmamadali sa loob ng kakahuyan, passing by slippery grounds and fallen logs covered in moss, nasabi ni Anabeth kung saan nagmula ang tree house.

"Regalo ito ni Sir Zackary at ni Alexander years ago, during her 15th birthday... it was the last time she was okay. A year after, nagsimulang lumala ang sakit niya."

Maingat naming tinawid ang masukal na parte ng gubat, ang batuhan at mababaw na parte ng ilog. I couldn't imagine Zanra passing by these places... searching.

But I understand why she wanted to see the tree house so bad. Maybe she's searching for a reason, a reminder that she was once okay. But what if she sees the tree house destroyed tulad ng sinabi ni Anabeth? Would it wreck her too?

"It should be here somewhere..."

Huminto kami ni Anabeth sa isang lugar malapit sa naglalakihang boulder sa kakahuyan. Nagpalinga-linga siya sa paligid, pilit tinatandaan kung saan huling nakita ang tree house.

"Ito ang marka," she mumbled, referring to the three big rocks on top of one another. "Nandito lang 'yon..."

Habang naglalakad, something caught my eyes. A movement just few meters away from me... the soft noise of dry leaves under someone's shoes, ang paghawi ng mga halaman. Noong akala ko si Zanra ang makikita ko, someone stepped out of the lush trees, eyebrows scrunched, lips in a frown.

"Kayo nanaman?"

I breathe escaped my lips. It was Alexander. Pareho kami ni Anabeth na nilapitan siya. Napansin ko ang hawak niyang maliit na bag... in there was a hammer and boxes of nails. Tinignan niya ako nang masama nang mapansing nakatingin ako sa gamit niya.

"Pakalat-kalat nalang talaga ang problema ngayon," bulong niya bago naglakad.

"Sandali," si Anabeth ang tumawag sa kanya. "Have you seen... someone... may napansin ka bang ibang tao sa kakahuyan?" Hindi magawang deretsahin ni Anabeth si Alexander.

Nagsalubong ang kilay niya. "Sino?" walang interest na tanong niya.

Napahawak si Anabeth sa noo, deciding... "It's Zanra... nawawala sa mansion..."

Something registered on Alexander's face. For a brief moment, tila natigilan siya, though his face remained cold and unbothered.

"Ang alam namin hinahanap niya ang tree house," patuloy ni Anabeth. "Alexander, you know where you built the tree house right? Is it still here-"

Natigilan si Anabeth nang biglang umalis si Alexander. Nagmadali ito, passing by slippery paths, behind bushes and gigantic ferns. Pilit namin siyang sinundan ni Anabeth, positive that he knew where the tree house was.

Both of us arrived in a small clearing in the middle of the woods. There were only three trees in the dry, flat ground, where a tree house was connected with a wooden bridge a few feet off the ground. I was expecting to see a little make-shift structure made of thin woods and scraps, but in front of me was something that resembled a little house made of woods and glass windows.

Natulala si Anabeth sa tabi ko. "Nandito parin..." she mumbled. "And in a perfect condition..."

I noticed the things on the ground, at the foot of the trees, hidden by the large, leg-size roots. There were materials in there, wood planks, saw dusts, broken glass. Sumulyap ako kay Alexander na pinagmamasdan  ang tree house, hesitating, hindi naniniwala na maaaring nasa loob si Zanra.

Sumunod kami ni Anabeth sa itaas, climbing up to the wooden ladder attached to the tree trunk. Alexander was a few steps ahead of us, pagtawid namin sa wooden bridge, tumigil si Alexander sa nakabukas na pinto ng tree house.

Over his shoulder, someone lying on the floor, white dress and long hair in a mess. Natutop ni Anabeth ang kanyang bibig. Alexander rushed inside the house.

"Zanra..." Alexander lifted her up at marahang tinapik sa pisngi. "Zanra, wake up..."

But she's not waking up.

***