CHAPTER TWO: A MYSTIFYING NECKLACE

CHAPTER TWO:

A MYSTIFYING NECKLACE

“WHAT is a diamond gemstone lying in a place like that?” a question that filled my mind the entire time we were in the province.

“Why? Of all places, why there?” I thought someone might have dropped it accidentally.

I was so wrong.

Though that thing filled my mind, I still have fun wandering around Ilocos Norte. After Burgos, we went to Bangui Windmills which, based on its structure, are really huge electric fans, 16 in all. Some of the folks who call themselves Ilokanos, the fans gave the whole town electricity and the most needed element of their kin, Air. Well it was actually hot in the Philippines.

After having some fun in the sand and wind, we went to Pagudpud where we stayed for the night in a resort, Hannah’s Resort. We enjoyed playing on the beach, for a very long time I’ve never been on a beach and that was the only time, so, I threw all my worries in the sea and just focused on having fun. After dinner, I decided to unwind first before going to sleep, unknowingly the diamond was in my pocket.

I stared at it asking myself, “What is this thing doing here?”

As I stared at it a bit longer, I saw someone. It was the face of a man whom I do not recognize, he talked and called my name, “Altheina…”

I was startled and dropped the gem. After a few seconds, his voice disappeared but as if, he was still there. I couldn’t explain what really happened and who the man was.

If only I was keen enough to know who he is right before I was dragged there…

I wanted to stay outside a bit longer to breathe some fresh air but the air became thicker and shared an incredible coldness that gave me goosebumps, so I decided to get some sleep already.

“Maybe I am just really hallucinating because I do not know the place.”

Before heading straight to Pangasinan, we dropped by in Batac, Ilocos Norte where the great leader of the Philippines, late President Ferdinand E. Marcos and his family lived. Politically speaking, many Filipinos claimed Marcos as the worst president the country ever has because of the Martial Law. A lot were killed, imprisoned and detained because of his rules. On the other hand, some Filipinos, particularly the Ilokanos claimed otherwise, he was the best president of the country. The infrastructures and projects Marcos built during his reign still helped most Filipinos up to the present time. But people never appreciated these achievements. The media has denied the late president and his family a chance to speak and a chance to be heard. Books and teachings only mention Marcos as a dictator and the terrors of Martial Law solely told by the victims. Young generations knew him as nothing but a disgraced president of the Philippines.

My own opinion; people are entitled to have their own opinions of the past. Each of us is entitled to believe whatever we want to believe. We are entitled to have our own version of truth and lies. After all, only those people who truly experienced the regime would know what really happened. Worst or best, it is up to Filipinos to judge who and what the late president truly was.

Even with all of these things, I still enjoyed myself staying in Batac most especially their specialty food, Empanada. How I miss that food with ingredients such as mungbean, papaya, egg and optionally with longganisa and hotdog mixed in an orange wrapper thicker than the shanghai wrapper. I also loved the charcoal grilled street foods like isaw, silet and barbeque and the pedal foods like binatog, fishball, kikiam and kwek-kwek plus the Ilokano dishes like Pinakbet and Bagnet.

Then we went straight ahead to Pangasinan, which meant another 6 hours ride in the bus. My passion in photography always worked while on the bus so as not to get bored and as I took every picture, that unknown voice never left my mind. It kept on calling me and it even got louder as we passed every town and got nearer and nearer to our next destination. I was afraid to see another thing or another diamond in the island where we headed as the voice kept on calling and dragging me.

“Eina, come. Come to us!” said the voice.

It was the same as those fairy tales my great grandma told me but I should not believe it, I shouldn’t.

But I was too late, because it found me.

**********

“HERE we are people! Get ready and you’ll have the base camp of your life!” Mr. Gray cried exaggeratedly with such an excited face than us.

“Yeah right, base camp of our life,” my mind uttered.

I do not know but I felt those times I will never be going to see this world, again.

But look where I am right now. What a twist of wind!

After calming my nerves a bit more, we headed to the island. First, we toured around the sea, admiring the islands in different shapes to which most of them were abandoned. Then we were off to the island where most tourists stop by to have a clearer view of the island itself and the others, the Governor’s Island as they called it. That was where we stayed for the base camp. We wandered around after settling the tents in our campsite. We have competitions in kayaking and snorling in which my team came in 2nd place only. At sunset, we prepared for the bonfire, and then we ate and just had a lot of talks about the trip during the bonfire activity. We told each of us the discoveries we have in each place we went, the Kapurpurawan in particular of which I reported.

“It was explained by the experts that the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation was created through weathering and erosion on the rocky coast of Burgos, Ilocos Norte. The breathtaking view of the different rock shapes completely amazes the tourists who visit the place. To view from a further distance, it has shapes that look like an iconic head, a cradle and a resting dragon.”

All ears were with me while they passed on my camera to have a glimpse of my shots of the place.

“But the Kapurpurawan Rock Formation gained its title as one of the beautiful gifts of nature is its creamy white color, where its name came from the Ilokano term “puraw” means white, that attracts more tourists to come and visit the site.”

Ms. Harper greatly appreciated my pictures by saying, “You truly are an astounding photographer.”

“Thanks Ms. Harper,” I said and felt my cheeks turn a little to tomatoes and everybody nodded showing they agree with Ms. Harper including a pinch on my tomato cheeks given by Angie.

“Ms. Harper is right. You have a gift of artistry, Altheina,” another second demotion by Mr. Gray. “Anything else you want to add more?”

“Hmm. Ah yes Sir!”

I searched for a piece of paper on my bag where I wrote down the interview I had with some Ilokano individuals.

“According to some folks, the Ilokanos, in particular those who live near the Rock Formations in Burgos, told me that hmm…”

I do not know how to start my monologue that time but I just let Superman and Batman come, who cares.

“They said the rock formation was actually a ship struck into the shore and its head or front part bumped the mountain in which you can see in the photos that it is connected to the mountain.”

I paused and observed everyone’s reaction and seriously, all of them seemed fascinated by its native story. I could not blame them because I, myself was surprised while I listened to its beginnings.

Mr. Gray said, “Please continue on, Altheina.”

“So, the reason why the ship hit the mountain and was stuck was the mermaids have caused it,” I stated and waited for someone to bash, dismiss or scrutinize my opening statement but no one did so I continued with my monologue.

“At this present time, the folks believe mermaids are guarding the whole place and they have a shelter underneath the sea where they rest and wait for the people to fall off the sea cliff once people see them.”

I was ready to finish my monologue when Kraven interrupted and asked a rather very ridiculous question than a serious one.

“So, was that the reason why you almost fell off in the sea?”

Some laughed at the question of Kraven but some were interested to know if I really saw mermaids, but I cut off Kraven’s intense grinning and answered him.

“Nope, because I was taking pictures on that side when I balanced off and slipped.”

Everyone bought my reason and seemed to believe it, thanks to my neurons and photographic artistry as my cover up as everyone looked at the camera once more.

“And I thank you Mr. Harris as well as Mr. Stephen for saving me,” I said with sardonic smiles as I gazed at them.

“You’re welcome darling!” Chard exclaimed with rather a smirk than a smile while Kraven just raised his hands.

“So to end, another story of the folks was the Rock Formations, in connection with the first one, mermaids have built it for their shelter wherein the rocks were being brought from the deepest level of the sea. And they said if you really take time to look at the shape of the formation especially on the other side that touches the sea…”

I paused and stared at Kraven who was intently listening to me already as if saying he was already afraid of mermaids.

“It has a statue of a mermaid and the corners of it were the shape of a ship. They made it to bait and wait for their meals!”

I gave an evil grinding smile.

“So, do you believe them, Altheina?” Ms. Harper asked then when I looked around, all of my classmates’ faces were dead serious, eager to hear my answer.

“Well, I don’t believe them but I do respect their beliefs. Moreover, I’ve already heard a lot about these unimaginable stories about this country from my great grandmother and I’ve honored them though I doubted their existence,” I answered to finish my monologue.

Mr. Gray demotion to what I said.

“Altheina is right guys. We may not believe them but the folks here or in any countries that have their various beliefs truly honor it as if they are real, so as we, strangers who invaded their premises, just needed to embrace it.”

Mr. Gray stood and all I thought he would call it a night; he reminded us of one thing that struck my bones.

“But remember these guys, at times if we needed to, we should present realities to avoid the occurrence of any psychotic disorders, in a nice and respectful way.”

“I guess that’s it then,” Ms. Harper stood as well and called it a night.

“Enjoy the sight of the night then all of you can go to bed. Don’t wander in the wilderness without any company to avoid any untoward accidents. To all the leaders, be responsible for your own groups.”

“Yes Ma’am!” everybody exclaimed without any hint of exhaustion from the 2-week long trip.

“Or maybe they will soon, at bed,” my mind said as I felt dizzy for a while. Luckily I maintained my balance.

**********

“SO, you don’t really believe it?” Kraven asked as we were alone fixing the tents of the girls.

“I’ve told you, NO!” I slightly shouted at him. “You’re annoying!”

“Why don’t you listen first to yourself before saying no?”

He was too peevish.

I really hated that Kraven who was too sounding. He wasn’t like that when we were at school, he was a kid acting like a kid at most times to show off his cute-charming personality to all students lower or higher year than him. But he could be as serious as Albert Einstein when it comes to studies, especially his favorite art relics. But the Kraven I was talking to at that time was neither of the two.

“I know what I am talking about. Maybe you should do your own suggestion because I guess you’re the one who does not know exactly what he is talking about!” I exclaimed with a sarcastic tone before turning away.

Before I even got an inch away from where he stood, he grabbed my arms and looked directly in my eyes.

He uttered, “Sometimes, it’s not wrong to believe in something very unbelievable in the eyes of Man. Remember that very well, Eina.”

He stared at me meaningfully, full of emotion, and it was the first time I have seen him stared like that. He touched and caressed my cheeks gently for a few seconds when I heard that voice again uttering the exact words Kraven had told me.

“Sometimes, it’s not wrong to believe in something very unbelievable in the eyes of Man. Remember that very well, Eina.”

I thought that was it but to my surprise, the voice stated more.

“Come to our world Eina. Ea needs you, you are their only hope!” the voice cried.

Before I knew it, Kraven had already fled away and I was left standing in the middle of the night, glowed by the perfectly circled full moon, astounded and unable to move. I was certain the voice inside my mind was not Kraven’s. Kraven’s tone and speech was not deep and hard but rather soft like a baby even though he is a straight guy. That was actually his ultimate trait as a heartthrob of our school, so it was very impossible he was the owner of the voice. Furthermore, I could not apprehend the meaning of those words which he mentioned the word ‘Ea’. I knew what EA meant because it was the name of our newest fashion line which was named after me and my father. But the voice enunciated it in a whole new meaning, in a noun form.

“I am the only hope?!” I asked myself. “What the hell! Now someone needs me?! And for Peter’s sake, what does he mean by ‘come to our world’?!”

Then the words of Kraven began to repeat and filled my mind.

“Sometimes, it’s not wrong to believe to something very unbelievable in the eyes of Man. Remember that very well, Eina.”

What does he mean? What does the voice mean?

**********

I was about to go inside our tent to get some rest when my phone rang. It was my Dad calling who actually checked on me every hour.

“How’s my baby doing?” my father asked with a hint of excitement and exaggeration.

“Dad, it’s night here already,” I paused as I checked around because of some scratches I heard. “I’m going to sleep now.

The others are already sleeping.”

I heard scratches again. I thought maybe the little animals were just traveling home but I heard it again louder and scarier.

“Baby, are you still there?” my father asked in a worried tone.

There were scratches again coming nearer and nearer to where I stood.

“Yes Dad, I’m still here.”

“Maybe it’s just my classmates snoring,” I thought.

“Maybe you’re too tired. Get some rest then, see you in two days. I have big news for you!” teasingly said by my father who was really a full body of surprises.

With that big news he mentioned, I suddenly lost my attention from the scratches who drew nearer and nearer to me and became excited.

“Dad come on, this isn’t the time to play around! I want to hear the big thing!” I exclaimed back.

“No baby. Once you get home then I’ll tell you immediately. For now, have some rest,” my father commanded with a bossy attitude of voice.

But I couldn’t really wait for 2 more days to hear it.

“Dad, I will not be able to sleep peacefully if you won’t tell me now! Tell me the big news, Dad, please.”

I pleaded with all of my charms but still my father is still my father.

“No baby,” he declined.

He became the commanding chief of London during that time which anyone cannot defy all his words.

“Just get some rest.”

I gave up pleading because of his commanding, deep baritone voice.

“Okay Dad. Just be sure it’s really a big thing,” said I.

“I promise baby.”

I waited for him to cut off the line first showing some respect to oldies. Well, that was the practice I’ve learned from the make-believe on-screen married couple, from the wife, when my father talked again from the other line.

“Eina, before I end the call, can I ask you something?”

“What is it Dad?”

“Why did you dye your hair?” he asked as I heard a hint of curiosity from his voice.

“Just a trip-to-go-round Dad, you know,” I answered.

He didn’t reply, which means he was not convinced by my excuse.

“Well, Filipinos are born natural black-haired, so I just want to blend in with them and so as not to be the center of destruction!” I explained.

“Destruction?!” my father exclaimed of anger.

Even on the other line, I could hear his voice shouting and I imagined his furious face to which both of his nostrils were flaring with smoke, maybe in which all of our employees present in the office at that moment were startled in shock. My father doesn’t usually know how to shout even in desperate moments.

“How’s that natural shining golden hair of yours became a center of destruction?!”

My father doesn’t know the meaning of a joke when it comes to my hair and eyes. He protected and loved them very much more than I did.

“Dad, chills. I was just joking,” I stated.

I left out a grinding laugh but I guess he didn’t buy that as he growled out on the other line.

“I mean, if I stay blonde while talking to Filipinos, they will not be focusing on what I am saying or to our conversation but their attention will be on my hair. They don’t usually see natural blondes around the corner, only on TVs’. So, before I came here, I dyed it to black.”

My father was used to seeing me in a shimmering golden hair and he was just afraid it would never go back to its original tinge already.

“Don’t worry Dad. Hair naturally grows in its natural color, so when my hair grows, it’ll be blonde again,” I said and

assured him that the tint of my hair will go back to being blonde.

I heard him sighed on the other line and seemed to be calming himself letting out heavy breaths.

“Okay, I’m sorry. Just go to rest, don’t wander in the forest. There are a lot of burgers made of wolves in the forest. And if you want to pee, just use your shorts. Bye baby, I love you! Be careful,” he said jokingly.

I heard him chuckle indicating he calmed his nerves already.

“Dad, that’s not a fair counter-attack joke!”

He ends the call first. After fixing my classmates’ slippers outside their tents, I walked straight to our tent. Though with all the snoring of my classmates, the silence of the whole island gave me a terrifying and disturbing feeling. But before I reached our tent, someone grabbed my shoulder. I almost slapped the man’s face when I turned around due to my surprise; luckily he was faster than me. It was Mr. Gray.

“What are you still doing here, Altheina? Everyone else is already sleeping,” he asked with a more frightened look than I was while he was holding my right wrist which almost slapped that free-wrinkle face of his.

“I was just talking to my father, Sir. What about you?” I asked politely when my eyes caught, aside from his left hand holding my right wrist, his right hand holding a gun.

“What’s that for, Sir?”

“I heard talking outside,” he said as he let go of my hand and slipped the gun in his back pocket while that frightened look I saw earlier diminished already and changed into a more calming and relaxed face. “Then I saw you. I thought you’re with someone because I heard some scratches.”

“So, I’m not the only one hearing undefined sounds,” the other side of my mind said.

“I think it was just the tiny things crawling, Sir,” I told him.

“That’ll be good,” he stated as he smiled again.

“Now, go to your tent and have some sleep. We are already well-guarded here.”

He pointed out the guards around. “If you have problems, just call my attention or Ms. Harper.”

“Okay. You too have some sleep, you look very exhausted, Sir.”

“Everyone is Altheina, most especially you, I guess,” he commented.

Well, Mr. Gray was young and handsome and I look up to him as an older brother.

Don’t imagine anything else folks.

“I’ll wait here ‘till you get to your tent.”

“Yes, Sir.”

I smiled widely yet something very illuminating at the heart of the forest caught my attention once again. But I was afraid Mr. Gray would be troubled again, so I just passed it away and the light only lasted for almost 5 seconds.

I saw him getting back to his tent while I was closing our tent. But before I totally closed it, I saw someone running in the forest, a figure of a man. I was startled and got a glimpse of the guards who stood widely awake around the corners. I saw some movements, faster than the first one but only for a matter of 10 seconds. As I stared at the forest, there were no other movements, instead another blast of light covered the heart of the forest in a second then it faded.

**********

I wasn’t able to get more sleep because of the scene that happened earlier that night. But after almost 3 hours of counting sheep, I was in a deep sleep, very deep that switched my tired mind into a miraculous dream. I saw the colorless noble cut shaped diamond gemstone floating and a melancholic colorful butterfly gently staring at it. Then I saw a very enchanting colorless amulet designed into a body of an iconic shape of a sword and a six-petal flower being wrapped around by two pirouette laces and it was connected to a silver necklace lying peacefully near the gemstone.

Not only the sight of the butterfly, diamond gemstone and amulet gave my dream its magnificent outlook but the place where I stood, in a grass full of glowing and dancing flowers that enlightened the darkness of the scene. The sight was very alluring and relaxing but only lasted for a few seconds.

There was a scene. The butterfly suddenly gripped the diamond gemstone with its mouth and rested it into the center of the colorless six petal flower amulet. Strikes of light blinded the place and a bigger figure or form of a butterfly appeared covered with intensifying light. Then I heard a sweet, enchanting woman’s voice, different from the deep, hard man’s voice that haunted me since I got to the country, and uttered something.

“Come Altheina. We found you, our only hope!”

After another blast of illumination which swathed the whole land, I was awakened. I ran to catch my breath and my vision was still enveloped by the disturbing luminosity. I felt I was alone when my vision came back to normal and I saw my classmates silently sleeping at my side. My body suddenly moved simultaneously and I couldn’t stop even when I wanted to. I walked out of the tent wearing my shoes and I was dragged by my feet into the heart of the forest. I was like being hypnotized by an unknown force and when I was in the middle of the forest, I heard the voice once more.

“Come Altheina. We found you, our only hope.”

The voice was pleading with such agony.

I was bewildered by the whole scene and got scared by the coldness of the air. I tried to run back to the campsite and attempted to shout but nothing happened. I felt my weakened legs though I wasn’t really tired and my voice was barely heard as thin as the wind. Then I saw the amulet I dreamt about resting serenely on a pile of dried leaves. Some force urged me to search the front pocket of my denim shorts and coincidentally, I found the noble cut shape diamond

gemstone.

Or was it really coincidental?

I walked straight to grab the colorless amulet and I was lucky my weakened legs gave up in front of it. I hesitated but the amulet was so fascinating to ignore that I couldn’t help myself but to grab it. I held it with my left hand and stared at it for a few seconds. I felt some incredulous power stored within it. I stood up with all of my strength left, I pulled the amulet into my neck then I seized the colorless diamond gemstone calmly resting on my other hand. I’ve done the same thing the butterfly did in my dream. I rest the gemstone on the center of the six-petal flower to which I discovered, the center of the flower has the same noble cut shape as the gemstone indicating it was really intended for the gemstone to fit in.

A sudden gush of light plastered the whole forest and the second scene I saw was, I was going up in the air lifted above the ground and fast scenes happened like that of the portals I saw in the movies when a person is being transported from one dimension to another.

And that’s what really happened to me.

After a few seconds, I saw total darkness with only a single path of illumination staring below from afar which didn’t really reach where I was. I felt a very cold floor and the icy breeze of wind frightened me, and the last thing I remembered was the unlikely silence of the place.

“Where am I?” I uttered silently in the wind before my vision became pitch-black and filled my senses with total darkness.