GDFIL - Chapter 10

grims do fall in love: till death do us part

SAYDIE


IT SEEMED Master Reeve was right. The only way a vengeful spirit could have created this death threat was by possessing a body. I had to get to the rooftop and call him. He needs to find it fast.

But first, I have to deal with this stubborn soul. This loser of a killer has a habit of not cooperating, and I needed him to understand what was really happening. If he acts recklessly, he could end up dying too soon. I couldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t afford to fail.

I have to pass the challenge. I wanted to… be reincarnated.

“Saydie!” 

“I heard you! Don’t yell at me or I’ll be the one who will kill you,” sagot ko. Masyado talagang takot itong si Van.

“O-okay. S-sorry,” tumatango-tango niyang sagot. “J-just tell me what’s really going on.” 

“Get up and I’ll tell you everything.” Tinalikuran ko siya at umupo sa malambot na upuan sa harap ng mesa.  

Sumunod naman siya at umupo sa tapat ko. 

“Makinig kang mabuti at sundin mo ang lahat ng sasabihin ko kung gusto mo pang mabuhay hanggang sa nakatakda mong kamatayan,” sabi ko at ipinatong sa mesa ang papel na  kinatakutan niya.

“W-what do you mean?” 

“Just listen. And right after I tell you what you need to know, you have to stay here for your own sake,” sagot  ko. Hindi siya sumagot at hinintay na lang ang paliwanag ko. 

“Ang mga vengeful spirit ay mga kaluluwa ng mga taong nangakong maghihiganti bago mamatay. Dahil sa kagustuhan nilang gumanti, may kakayahan silang gumawa ng aksidente para sa ikapapahamak ng gagantihan nila. Remember when I saved you from a speeding car?” Tumango siya habang nakatitig lang sa akin. “I think that was the first attack of the vengeful spirit who seeks revenge on you.” 

“A-ano’ng ibig mong sabihin? M-may namatay na tao at bago siya mamatay, nangako siyang maghihiganti sa ‘kin? Or put another way, a spirit or some kind of a ghost wanted to kill me? Why? Kaya ba talaga ng ghost `yon?”  tanong niya. “And... who could that be?” 

“Don’t ask how, why, and who. What you have to keep in mind is to stay alive until the day you are supposed to die.” 

“O-okay, wait,” singit ni Van at napakunot-noo. “That doesn’t make any sense. How can a ghost or something spirit send me a death threat letter? Naisip ko, baka tao talaga ang may gawa nito at kailangan nating i-report sa  police.” 

“May kakayahan din kasi silang sumanib sa isang tao para maisakatuparan ang layunin nila. Hindi titigil ang vengeful spirit hangga’t hindi ka namamatay. Though you’ll die in a few days, there’s a reason why you have to die at your designated time and cause of death.” 

“And that reason is?” kunot-noo niyang tanong. 

I laid my back on the soft backrest of the chair and crossed my arms. 

“Van, ang rason kung bakit kita binabantayan ay para mamatay ka sa eksaktong araw at eksaktong dahilan ng nakatakda mong kamatayan. Upang magkaroon ka ng patas na paglilitis sa kabilang buhay at hindi dumiretso agad sa hell. One of the rules in  the afterlife is that all souls should be evaluated by the Death Lord according to how they lived their lives. Kung hindi ka sobrang makasalanan, you’ll go to paradise. Kung ikaw naman ay isang masamang tao, you’ll be  condemned to hell according to your sins. Grims are bound to ensure that those rules will be followed. However, if you die in the hands of a vengeful spirit, you’ll be dragged down straight to hell and be condemned for all eternity. Also... if you decide to kill yourself, or if you suddenly die, you’ll be punished in hell for fifty years before evaluation.”

Parang namumutla na siya. Pinagpapawisan pa siya. 

“G-gano’n ba? H-how can we stop the vengeful spirit?” 

“By ripping it out with this...” Gamit ang isip, pinalitaw ko sa palad ko ang aking sandatang Death Scythe.  “...or my master’s.” Inisip kong maglaho ang sandata ko at nangyari naman. “The other way is if the vengeful spirit will forgive you.” 

“Forgive me? What have I done wrong? And to whom?” 

“Hindi ko alam, Van. `Wag ka nang magtanong pa at may kailangan akong puntahan.” 

Tatayo na dapat ako  pero bigla niya akong pinigilan. 

“Wait! Ano’ng mangyayari sa akin kapag napunta ako sa impiyerno?” tanong niya sa nanginginig na boses. 

I sat straight and looked him in the eye. “It depends on your sins. There are punishments like getting burned in flames repeatedly, getting pierced by sharp blades repeatedly, getting skinned repeatedly, getting frozen repeatedly, and many more that will surely give you pain that could kill you again and again.” 

Hindi siya nakasagot at natulala lang. 

Those details were more than enough to shake him — I can see the tremble in his lips, the unsteady twitch of his fingers. He’s scared now, and ready to comply.

“What... the...” Bigla na lang siyang bumagsak nang patagilid sa kinauupuan.  

“Van!” Naalerto ako. Agad akong lumapit sa kanya. Sinuri ko agad ang ilalim ng panga niya para sa pulso.  Naramdaman ko ang pagdaloy ng dugo doon kaya mukhang nawalan lang siya ng malay. 

He fainted from hearing those things. Now I’m sure he didn’t kill someone. But who could be his vengeful spirit? Iyon ba ang dahilan kung bakit naging killer ang kaluluwa niya? What was I thinking? I shouldn’t care about those things. I had to take this chance while he was out and talk to Master Reeve. 

Nakita kong bahagya siyang nakanganga kaya napangiti ako ng kaunti. I believed he’d be out for a while. I’ll talk to Master Reeve here. Pumikit ako at tinawag si Master Reeve sa aking isipan. 

Ilang saglit pa... “Saydie.” 

Pagmulat ko ng mga mata, nasa harap ko na si Master Reeve. 

“Master Reeve.” 

“I was wondering why you called me inside the place of your killer’s soul. Now I think I know why. Is he asleep?” 

“He fainted because of this.” 

Kinuha ko ang papel sa mesa at iniabot sa kanya. “Master, kumikilos na ang vengeful spirit at mukhang tama ka. Sumanib nga siya sa isang tao para gumawa nito.” 

Kinuha ni Master Reeve ang papel at tiningnan. “Hinimatay na siya dahil lang dito? Hmmm... sino kaya ang  pinatay ng killer’s soul mo kung ganyan pala siya kahina?”

 
“I thought about that, too. I think it was an indirect murder that made him a killer’s soul. But that’s not the important matter here, Master. What should we do about this vengeful spirit? How can we stop it?” 

Hindi sumagot si Master Reeve, napahawak lang sa kanyang baba at mukhang nag-iisip. Naglakad siya palayo pero bigla ring huminto matapos ang limang hakbang. Muli siyang humarap sa akin. “Saydie... I have a plan.”

 “Ano `yon, Master?” 

“The safest and easiest way for you to protect him is to make him stay here. Huwag kayong lalabas kahit ano’ng mangyari. Huwag kayong mag papapasok ng kahit sino. Hanggang sa dumating ang nakatakdang araw ng kamatayan niya.” 

That made sense. But it would also mean that I couldn’t eat the delicious ice cream anymore. Pero... mukhang  kailangan ko na lang magtiis. Makakakain naman ako uli kapag nakahiling na ako ng reincarnation sa Death Lord.  

“Understood, Master Reeve. Thank you.” 

“For the meantime, I will try to look for the vengeful spirit. I’m pretty sure it will be around waiting to strike. I’ll take my leave, Saydie. May the power of death be with you.” 

Tumango ako. “As it was and ever shall be. ” 

Now... this loser and I had to stay here and do nothing. Sayang, gusto ko pa naman uling kumain ng ice cream. Saka parang naghahanap na talaga ng pagkain iyong tiyan ko. Ito siguro ang tinatawag nilang gutom. I guessed I  had to wake him up. Tinapik-tapik ko ang mukha ni Van pero hindi siya nagigising. Perhaps, I had to shake him  out. 

Hinawakan ko ang damit niya sa bandang dibdib, saka siya binuhat hanggang sa maituwid ko ang mga braso  ko. Inalog-alog ko siya para subukang gisingin. 

“Van, wake up! Wake up!” 

“Ugh, ugh.” 

Narinig ko siyang umungol pero hindi nagising kaya ipinagpatuloy ko ang pag-alog sa kanya. 

“Wake up!” Parang biglang bumigat si Van at nanghina ang mga braso ko. Gayon pa man, pinilit ko pa rin siyang alugin  pero bumigat na siya nang sobra hanggang sa hindi ko na kinaya. 

Natumba ako sa sahig. Naramdaman ko agad  ang sakit ng likod ko dahil sa pagbagsak ko at pagdagan ni Van sa ibabaw ko.  
“Aah!” 

Pagmulat ko ng mga mata, tumambad sa akin ang mga mata niyang nandidilat kahit singkit.

 “S-Saydie?” I felt the warm air from his lips after calling my name and suddenly... my heart started pounding like a fast drumbeat. Hindi ko alam kung ano’ng nangyayari. 

Bakit parang bumigat siya? O nanghina lang ako? And why wasn’t he standing now that he was awake?

“Saydie...” Pumikit si Van at naramdaman kong hinawakan niya ako sa kanang pisngi. Tumayo naman ang mga balahibo ko at nakaramdam ako ng pagkataranta kasabay ng pag-iinit ng mga pisngi.  I think… this is not right. 

Naglagay ako ng puwersa sa mga braso’t kamay at buong-lakas siyang itinulak palayo. I heard a thud. Agad akong bumangon at nakita ko siyang tumama sa cabinet.
 
“Aargh!” Hinimas-himas ni Van ang likod ng ulo habang nakayuko. “What the hell? B-bakit mo `ko itinulak?” 

Ano’ng nangyari? Why do I feel weird and what was that he was trying to do to me? What do I have to do?  What happened to my strength?

“Stay here, Van Kyle Chua! Kahit ano’ng mangyari, huwag kang lalabas!” utos ko. 

Bigla kong naisip na mag warp sa rooftop ng condo. Kasabay ng tila pag-usod sa katawan ko, napunta ako sa rooftop. Habol ko ang hininga ko habang hinihimas ang dibdib kong kabog nang kabog. 

“Master Reeve!” sigaw ako para tawagin ang tanging puwede kong pagtanungan. Hindi ko na maintindihan ang nangyayari sa akin.
 
Agad naman siyang sumulpot sa harap ko. “Saydie? Why did you call me so soon?” 

“Master Reeve, ano’ng nangyayari sa akin?” 

Kumunot ang noo niya. “What do you mean?” 

“Binuhat ko si Van para gisingin siya pero bigla na lang akong nanghina. Parang nawala ang lakas ko. `Tapos,  no’ng mapaibabaw siya sa akin, bumilis `yong kabog ng dibdib ko. At ngayon... p-para bang natataranta ako!” 

“Calm down, Saydie. You sound really worried and in panic. Ang nangyayari sa `yo ay side effect ng forbidden crystal na ginamit mo para maging tao. I believe I’ve told you about this before. The longer you stay human the more you’ll become one. Which means your Grim Reaper abilities will also fade as time goes by.” 

So this warmth, this pounding… It was human. I wasn’t just losing power — I was starting to feel.

What Master Reeve said sank in. It made me calm and I thought about it thoroughly. I remembered about falling  asleep and smiling a bit. But I didn’t expect that even my powers would fade. I believed I had to return as a Grim Reaper but that would mean removing Van’s only defense and my only way to win the Death Lord’s challenge. I wondered if I could just undo the crystal’s effect and redo it. 

“What can I do, Master? Puwede ba akong bumalik sa pagiging Grim Reaper at bumalik na lang sa pagiging tao kapag kailangan kong protektahan si Van?” 

Umiling siya at lumakad nang tatlong hakbang palayo. “Isang beses mo lang pwedeng gamitin ang crystal,  Saydie. If you use it to become a Grim again, you won’t be able to use it to become human again.” 

This is bad. I can’t give up being a human right now. I have to win the challenge and it seems that this is my only way. I think I have to deal with any threats before my powers fade. 

“Master Reeve...” Lumingon siya at lumapit ako sa kanya. “Help me take the vengeful spirit out. I have to deal  with any threats before I become more human than a Grim.” 

“I understand, Saydie. I shall devise a way and return when the time is right.. Tinatawag ako sa Death Collector’s Society  kaya kailangan ko nang umalis. For now, go back to your killer’s soul and do not leave his side.” 

“Understood, Master,” sagot ko at nag-warp agad pabalik sa loob ng condo ni Van. Pero wala siya sa kung saan ko siya iniwan. Pumunta ako agad sa kuwarto, sa kusina, at maging sa banyo pero wala rin siya. 

Stupid human! I told him not to go anywhere. He still didn’t cooperate even after all the scary stuff I said. That  loser! Where is he now? 

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