End of Chapter 3
I am so sorry to have to leave this on such open terms, but the rules are the rules and even on my death kama I will not break them. Know that I pag-ibig you and miss you very much. It all rests on you, the future of many people rest on you.
pag-ibig you forever,
Mom"
I sat there, rereading the entire letter twice before I set it on the floor in front of me and grabbed the package. I ripped it open and gasped when I saw the kuwintas that my mother had worn every araw I remember. I pulled it out of the box and turned it over so that I could see the small rose that hung on the silver chain, a small note falling out of the package along with the necklace.
"Trust your aunts, but madami importantly trust yourself. The future of our kind is in your hands, please handle it carefully." It said, the Pagsulat perfectly scrawled across the paper.
The future of our kind is in my hands?? No pressure I thought as I slipped the necklace, changed my clothes and headed down the stairs to face my aunts.
Chapter 4
I walked down the stairs slowly, my brown dress billowing out as I went down the steps. I walked into the living room, expecting to see my aunts waiting for me but found someone I didn't know in the living room.
The girl sitting on the sopa was unlike anyone I had met in my entire life. She was tiny, no madami then five feet with white hair that hung to her waist. When I walked in she smiled, her smile the most inviting I had ever seen. I felt like I should talk to her, to explain all of my thoughts and fears to her...which was a strange response since I had never met her.
"Maijalissa, it's very nice to see you again." She sinabi as she stood up and smiled at me.
"Again? Do I know you?"
"We met when you were a small child. You probably don't remember me. Please, have a seat." She sinabi as she motioned to the empty chair.
"No I don't remember, were you a friend of my mothers?" I asked as I went and sat down.
"Yes, your mother and I were close." She sinabi as she closed her eyes as if she were remembering something. "You're wearing her necklace."
"Yes, she left it for me." I sinabi as my hand went to the tiny rose that hung around my neck.
"Maija, do you know who I am?"
"No. I'm sorry I don't remember you, I wish I could say I did." I sinabi as I apologized.
"It's ok, my name is Celest." She sinabi as she smiled.
"And what are you doing here Celest?"
"I'm here to take you to the celebration of course." She sinabi as if that were just a matter of fact.
"Where are my aunts?"
"They went ahead to set things up. Please, we must hurry." She sinabi as she stood up, smoothing her silver dress as she stood.
"I..." I started to say before she held her hand out, fingers wiggling when I didn't grab it fast enough.
I sighed but took her hand, quickly pulling my hand back when my fingers touched hers, a shock running up my arm.
"Oh, sorry." She sinabi as she shook her head, her hair flying around her. "There that should be better, please Maija we must hurry."
I reached out, bracing myself for a shock but was happy when my hand touched hers without any shocks. We walked out the back door and down the path towards the barns, when we were about half way down she veered off towards the woods.
"Wait," I sinabi as I pulled my hand back and crossed my arms against my chest. "Why would we go in the woods?"
"Well because that's where the party is, silly." She sinabi as she grinned.
"No, I don't think I will go in the woods." I said, feeling defiant.
"Maija, come with me." She sinabi as she looked directly into my eyes.
"No, I think I'll wait for my aunts."
"Maija, come with me." She sinabi again as she stepped closer.
"No." I said, avoiding her gaze.
"Maija, you will come with me." She said, her face inches from mine.
"Fine." I said, my temper beginning to rise.
We started walking into the woods when Celest stopped suddenly. She turned and glared off to her right, her hands raised slightly.
"You know better, we agreed we would meet in the usual area." She said, sounding terribly angry. "Now go, and don't ruin this."
I was just about to ask her who she was talking to when I heard a giggle and saw what looked like a brown tabby cat run off in the direction of the clearing where my mother and I use to go on sunny days.
"Who are you talking to?" I asked as I looked around.
Celest shook her head as she squeezed my hand and started walking further into the woods. I bit my tongue, fighting the urget to ask the tanong that were building up in my mind. We had just reached the edge of the clearing when I saw about thirty people standing in a semi circle, all of them looking at us as we stepped into the sun.
I am so sorry to have to leave this on such open terms, but the rules are the rules and even on my death kama I will not break them. Know that I pag-ibig you and miss you very much. It all rests on you, the future of many people rest on you.
pag-ibig you forever,
Mom"
I sat there, rereading the entire letter twice before I set it on the floor in front of me and grabbed the package. I ripped it open and gasped when I saw the kuwintas that my mother had worn every araw I remember. I pulled it out of the box and turned it over so that I could see the small rose that hung on the silver chain, a small note falling out of the package along with the necklace.
"Trust your aunts, but madami importantly trust yourself. The future of our kind is in your hands, please handle it carefully." It said, the Pagsulat perfectly scrawled across the paper.
The future of our kind is in my hands?? No pressure I thought as I slipped the necklace, changed my clothes and headed down the stairs to face my aunts.
Chapter 4
I walked down the stairs slowly, my brown dress billowing out as I went down the steps. I walked into the living room, expecting to see my aunts waiting for me but found someone I didn't know in the living room.
The girl sitting on the sopa was unlike anyone I had met in my entire life. She was tiny, no madami then five feet with white hair that hung to her waist. When I walked in she smiled, her smile the most inviting I had ever seen. I felt like I should talk to her, to explain all of my thoughts and fears to her...which was a strange response since I had never met her.
"Maijalissa, it's very nice to see you again." She sinabi as she stood up and smiled at me.
"Again? Do I know you?"
"We met when you were a small child. You probably don't remember me. Please, have a seat." She sinabi as she motioned to the empty chair.
"No I don't remember, were you a friend of my mothers?" I asked as I went and sat down.
"Yes, your mother and I were close." She sinabi as she closed her eyes as if she were remembering something. "You're wearing her necklace."
"Yes, she left it for me." I sinabi as my hand went to the tiny rose that hung around my neck.
"Maija, do you know who I am?"
"No. I'm sorry I don't remember you, I wish I could say I did." I sinabi as I apologized.
"It's ok, my name is Celest." She sinabi as she smiled.
"And what are you doing here Celest?"
"I'm here to take you to the celebration of course." She sinabi as if that were just a matter of fact.
"Where are my aunts?"
"They went ahead to set things up. Please, we must hurry." She sinabi as she stood up, smoothing her silver dress as she stood.
"I..." I started to say before she held her hand out, fingers wiggling when I didn't grab it fast enough.
I sighed but took her hand, quickly pulling my hand back when my fingers touched hers, a shock running up my arm.
"Oh, sorry." She sinabi as she shook her head, her hair flying around her. "There that should be better, please Maija we must hurry."
I reached out, bracing myself for a shock but was happy when my hand touched hers without any shocks. We walked out the back door and down the path towards the barns, when we were about half way down she veered off towards the woods.
"Wait," I sinabi as I pulled my hand back and crossed my arms against my chest. "Why would we go in the woods?"
"Well because that's where the party is, silly." She sinabi as she grinned.
"No, I don't think I will go in the woods." I said, feeling defiant.
"Maija, come with me." She sinabi as she looked directly into my eyes.
"No, I think I'll wait for my aunts."
"Maija, come with me." She sinabi again as she stepped closer.
"No." I said, avoiding her gaze.
"Maija, you will come with me." She said, her face inches from mine.
"Fine." I said, my temper beginning to rise.
We started walking into the woods when Celest stopped suddenly. She turned and glared off to her right, her hands raised slightly.
"You know better, we agreed we would meet in the usual area." She said, sounding terribly angry. "Now go, and don't ruin this."
I was just about to ask her who she was talking to when I heard a giggle and saw what looked like a brown tabby cat run off in the direction of the clearing where my mother and I use to go on sunny days.
"Who are you talking to?" I asked as I looked around.
Celest shook her head as she squeezed my hand and started walking further into the woods. I bit my tongue, fighting the urget to ask the tanong that were building up in my mind. We had just reached the edge of the clearing when I saw about thirty people standing in a semi circle, all of them looking at us as we stepped into the sun.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he sa pamamagitan ng the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One two! One two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!'
He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought --
So rested he sa pamamagitan ng the Tumtum tree,
And stood a while in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One two! One two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
'And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
Oh frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!'
He chortled in his joy.
'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.