Verse of the Day.
"Jehovah is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, And saveth such as are of a contrite spirit."
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:18‬ ‭

Chapter 21
Mystical Specimen
[ Ava Maureen ]

TUMAYO NA ako mula sa pagkakaupo at pinagpagan ang pants ko. The silhouette I saw earlier . . . it was maybe produced by my imagination. I maybe hallucinating things.

Agad akong naglakad pakaliwa tungo sa parte na naramdaman ko ang presensya ni James. Hindi pa nga ako nakaapat na hakbang ay natisod na ako. "Aw!" I groaned, and automatically sat down in the ground after I stripped.

Napatingin ako sa bagay na nakatisod sa 'kin. It is an egg! Nagtatalon-talon ito na parang ang saya-saya niya na nakita ako. My eyes widened in shock. Is this my egg? Lumuhod ako at kinuha ang itlog. Magpapatuloy na sana ako sa paglalakad para makalabas na dahil nakuha ko na ang kailangan nang may humarang sa 'kin. Napatalon ako sa gulat at nabitawan ko ang itlog. Hindi naman ito nasaktan dahil para itong may sariling buhay. Gumilid ito at nagtago sa isang puno roon.

I diverted my gaze into the creature in front of me. It's so ugly! But I should never say anything bad about the forest's creatures. Pero ang pangit talaga! Umabot pa sa 'kin ang baho ng kaniyang hininga. It seems like I smelled a canal full of shit. It's body was like Shrek in a movie, it's all green. Ang mga braso niya ay napupuno ng mga ugat ng puno pati na rin ang kaniyang mga binti. Wala itong kilay at sobrang laki ng ilong. His lips were black and the yellow fangs were visible in my eyes. His ears are the same as nymphs. May tatlo siyang malalaking hibla ng buhok at wala ng iba sa ulo niya. He's also as big as Shrek!

"Oh, my goodness gracious! I don't want to insult you but . . . you're so ugly." I stepped backwards as he growled so loud that my precious ears can't resist. "Jeez, you smell so bad." I pinched my nose to prevent myself from sniffing his bad breath.

Lapastangan! Anong karapatan mong laitin ako, mangmang?! Ano ang ginagawa mo rito sa teritoryo ng dyosa?!

"Oh! You talked?!" I exaggeratedly yelled. Akala ko ba ay nahingi na namin ang consent ng dyosa? Bakit tila may hindi sumang-ayon na halimaw?

I summoned my air sword and play it on my hands. Bago ko pa siya nalabanan ay may nagsalita na sa likuran ko. "Grabe ka naman, Mau! Hindi mo man lang sinabi na makikipagkaibigan ka sa mga kagaya niyan! Mas gwapo naman ako r'yan, a!" I turned my body to see James who's also pinching his nose, probably because of the smell.

He is holding an egg. May nakaukit dito na mapayapa na dagat at lumulutang na mga dahon, above the sea. The egg was like surrounded with a colored rainbow force. I was right, the egg's design was based on what magic and ability you have. He has telekinesis and he can calm a person in just a mere touch. That explains the calm sea and the flying leaves.

"Please spare him, James. Let's just go. Fighting this forest's creature or guardian or whatever is no good." Ibinaling ko ang aking tingin sa pangit na halimaw. "I'm sorry for disturbing you. We are just here for an activity. Sorry and please don't hurt us. Spare your life for the future." I giggled after I said those words. I am confident that I can kill him without a minute.

Hindi pa namin narinig na sumagot ito nang maglaho ito na parang bula. I blinked. I shook my head and went to the back of the tree where the egg is hiding. "Come on, eggy . . ." May narinig akong tumawa sa may likuran ko kaya sinamaan ko ito ng tingin. Lumapit naman kaagad ang itlog sa 'kin.

My eyes widen in awe. Different colorful plants immediately appeared on the egg. Sa likod na parte ng itlog ay may isang pakpak na parang sa anghel. Sa bandang ibaba naman ay may limang gem ang kumikinang. It has the color of red, light green, brown, mossy green, and dark blue. And they are literally shining and glowing.

"A-Ang ganda . . . ang duga naman! Sobrang ganda ng sa 'yo pero sa 'kin ang simple lang," narinig kong maktol ni James. I rolled my eyes because of that. Niyaya ko na siyang lumabas dahil alam kong alam niya ang daan palabas sa kagubatang ito.

***

"OKAY! SO, all you have to do is to wait that mystical specimen to hatch in three days. It is exactly when your match is done. Goodbye and have a good rest, students!" Nagkaniya-kaniya na kaming lakad but of course, doon pa rin kami dadaan sa patay na kagubatan.

"Alam mo, Meg, napaka-unfair ng mundo, 'no?" I heard Zoe's remark from behind. She's holding her egg like a precious diamond, need to be taken care of. The color of charcoal black was surrounding the egg with fiery white lights emitted around the black. Kumikinang ang puting ilaw.

"Meg? Another nickname?" I chuckled. Ang dami na kasi nilang tawag sa 'kin. It's either Mau, Gami (I know they're just hungry when they thought of this name), Maureen, Megami, and now it's Meg. What if they'll know my real name? "The world is really unfair, Mady," ganti kong tawag dito.

"Because, look at your egg! It's amazing, while mine is just too simple . . ." Sumang-ayon naman kaagad ang mga kasamahan namin. "Tingnan mo itong sa 'kin, oh. Black and white lang ang kulay." She even pouted!

"Zoe, maganda ang lahat ng bagay kung pahahalagahan mo ito. Isa pa, ang shell lang naman ang nakikita mo, e. So, we'll just wait until it'll hatch," singit naman ni Sofia.

Her egg was filled with dark blue color with different water creatures. May diamond pa ito sa bandang gitna at kumikinang. The emitting blue light was surrounded around her egg.

Napatango naman kami. Sofia's right. Like sir Kanais said, all we need to do is to wait the egg to hatch. Ano kaya ang laman nito? Jane's egg was color red down to orange. May apoy na nakaukit sa itlog at para talaga itong totoo. There's even a ruby standing above her egg. Above the fire was a three-headed dragon na bumubuga ng apoy patungo sa apoy sa ibaba nito. Pinapalibutan ito ng mainit na force and only her can touch it. It's cool, actually. I bet Jane's pet will be a fire-breathing baby dragon.

Samantalang kay darling Jack naman na itlog ay kulay kayumanggi. May mga beast na nakaukit dito at nakatapak sa isang lupa. If you'll stare closely the egg, you can tell that it is really a soil. The beast's eyes were glowing. His egg was crowned with spring leaves and it's glowing like a star.

Kendreck, Jane's boyfriend, is standing beside her. Blinding color of yellow was painted on his egg. May mga kidlat-kidlat ito na nakapalibot sa kabuo-an nito. May mga patak ng ulan at niyebe. There's also a sun shining above the egg. Napakalamig ng hangin na pumapalibot dito at sobrang gandang tingnan. All weather in one egg, cool.

Nagpahuli ako ng lakad at tumabi kay Jack. He is really silent. How did he even manage to never have a bad breath when he's not talking at all times. Oh well, ganiyan din naman ako kung nasa school ako no'n dahil wala namang kumakausap sa 'kin.

Hindi masungit ang mukha nito ngayon kumpara kanina na patungo pa kami sa Forest of Avareen, parang mangangain na ng tao. A sudden change of mood, e? Nakapamulsa ito sa brown sweat pants niya at nakatingin sa harapan. Did he noticed my presence? Makausap nga.

"Is something bothering you?" pagsalita ko bigla kaya napatingin siya sa 'kin at tinaasan ako ng kilay. Susungitan na naman ba ako nito? Akala ko hindi na talaga ito magsasalita pero nagulat nalang ako dahil sumagot ito.

"Someone . . ." his baritone voice echoed through my ears. Pero agad kong napagtanto ang kaniyang sinabi. Is he thinking about his ideal girl? Wala na ba talaga akong pag-asa sa kaniya?

Pilit kong hindi pinakita ang sakit sa magandang kong mukha. Baka magdiwang 'to dahil nasaktan niya ako. Ha! Matatag ata 'to. What Ava wants, Ava gets. "Are you thinking of me?" I teased. Ngumisi ako at sinundot ang balikat niya.

Napalayo siya sa 'kin ng kaunti at parang nandidiring tumingin sa 'kin. Inirapan ako nito at hindi na pinansin. I pouted. How dare he ignore me? Swerte nga niya dahil nagkagusto sa kaniya ang isang Ava. That is a wish come true.

Hindi nalang din ako kumibo hanggang sa makalabas na kami ng gubat. I looked at my wristwatch to see the time. It's already quarter to six and the sun is slowly rising from now. The blue sky was mixed with the orange and yellow rays of the sun. It's really a beautiful scenery every morning.

Nahiga ako sa kama. Mamayang hapon pa ang opening nga Ranking Ceremony kaya pwede pa akong matulog. Hindi rin naman ako nagugutom. I'm tired. Never in my entire life I tried to wake up three in the morning. And now I experienced it.

It's one of a hella experience in the book of my precious life. Ano kaya ang laman ng itlog na ito? Kinuha ko ang itlog na pinaupo ko pa sa sofa. I stared at it. It's really glowing and my eyes looks satisfied to this one.

Ibinalik ko na ito sa sofa at natulog. I'm tired and I need a freakin' sleep.

@eggarru