CHAPTER 12- DARLING

E L A R I E N ••P●V••

Both Captain Naea and Nyne leading us the way. We couldn't see far ahead of us. Mukhang di pa ito napapasok ng tao. They keep on checking the routes, down the slope. We came across to a riverbank. The routes to Jamai is ahead in this river but it's extended to the mountain and to the sea. There's a Boulders leading to the other side but we cannot cross, the current is too strong even great swimmer won't escape. And also the boulders are covered in Moss. Its not safe. There's sharp rocks at the bottom and we accidentally fell on that current. Then I'll be in heaven when I woke up. Of course we need to study the bodies of water. Water are not just simply normal as we think we can just cross it. The current is faster is that you can swim before heading into any body of water with current.

"We can't cross this water it isn't safe. Its important to evaluate how fast its moving compared to your swimming abilities" said Nyne and narrowed his eyes to Naea " There must another way to leads us to the other side"

We walked down on a slope while piggyback riding komori. And she was amused by the beauty of nature. As we passed it we have spotted a swamp. And Nyne is about to crossed and i felt uneasy for it. It doesn't feels right. Even I work on a farm I hate crossing a swapped. It's dirty I hate when I can't see the bottom. "Nyne stop. This types of water is a habitat of Alligators, frogs and many other Animals live in this spot. We need to be alert and careful at the same time. And also If the water has many algae everywhere then we can tell that. There's a bacteria. Sometimes cyabobacteria. Its toxic and can experience skin and eye or ear iritations. Not just it if swallowed then it can cause diarhea, stomach crampt. Fever, vomiting and many more. Di man tayo maapektuhan pero ang mga bata pano kung bigla akong mahulog tapos mahila ko pa pababa si komori..."

"But its a shortest way to go"-said he. I guess I ran out of reasons.

"I won't passed those swamp."-my final word

"I think ela is right. Maghanap nalang tayo ng ibang daan. There's something on the swamp see..." Naea just fumbled on her bag and take out the leftovers she wrapped on a banana leave and throw it to the water and something came out. It's jaw is too big, it's fang is enough for consuming me whole. But as it rose up on the water I saw its attention was not on the food but us. Naea just attacked the Alligator without even hurting it but lures predator away "Let's get moving.." Naea's voice snapped everyone out of their reverie and immediately followed Naea , silently

My father used to warn me about any possible hazards it can cause to me. Negligence can put my life at risk"

➖➖➖

We still had no idea where was jamai located this place is too big and muddy. I just keep on guiding myself to the bark . Para lang di ako masalampak dahil napakadulas at medyo nakakabwisit dahil nasusobsob yung mga paa ko. Issh ang hirap kaya maglaba!

"ACHOOO!"

"Who was that?"-takang tanong ni Spike samin and I just shrugged. I even heard it but I thought it comes from my comrade but it's not. It sneezed again and it's cute. I think it's a kid. I look at komori and she seems fine.

"Sino ela?"

"I heard someone sneeze. Was that you?"-tanong ko kay komori at umiling naman.

I heard a belly rumbled at bigla siyang bumitaw ng hawak at tumakbo bigla. Napakabilis niya at nanlalaki ang mata ko sa pag akyat niya sa puno ng walang kahirap hirap at lumukso lukso sa mga sanga "Komori be careful! mahuhulog ka!"-sigaw ko sa kanya at napakabilis niyang kumilos dinaigan ang mga lalake namin.

Umakyat naman si spike at ginaya rin si komori pero di pa siya nakakalahati ng mabali naman ang sangang inaapakan niya. She bathe on mud and i couldn't even recognize her anymore.

"Malas!"-sigaw pa niya at sinuntok ang putik na tumalsik sa bunganga niya. "GWAAAKK!!"

*****

We have finally reach komori at the mushrooms field. So many. Mostly edible and theres a few poisonous to. Mushrooms can also be dangerous to consumed. "Mmm Well I can cook mushroo--"

"Wait aewa! Thats conocybe filaris. If digest can cause lethat organ failures."

"Oh shit!"-he cursed and wipe his hand to his pants. I shivered and wipe his hands again at Nyne "Does it kills me di ako naghugas ng kamay ko!"-sabay arte niyang parang dinapuan ng sakit sa utak

"It doesn't, Your fine. Just dont consume those" I reminded him once again

"So you can tell if its poisonous? that's great, your are really a smart cookie"-Naea just flatter me with her words. Matagal din akong nagtrabaho sa aming bukirin and theres a lot of different mushroom grown in my garden from which my dad have teach me on what is edible and the one that is poisonous to consume.

Tinuro ko sa kanila ang mga iba't ibang mushroom as if ang dami ditong family mushroom at the same spot. "I once work at my father's garden. These are boletes an example boletus, suillus and leccinum families are easily identify as they don't have any gills but sponge like pores and generally stout stems. And this one is Agaric. For short you can identify their smells-- if you arent sure if wala kang alam sa colors nila. Agaric smells pleasant of aniseed and almond but the toxic one is smells chemical and indian ink and unpleasant--"

"This one?"-turo ni spike sa puting mushroom and it is not edible its russulas. Well theres an edible one but she pointed out the mushroom who has toxic in it.

In spite of their innicuous appearance the mushroom are actually quite poisonous. Tricky so be better the difference.

"You want mushroom komori?"-tanong ko kay komori at tumango siya and rubbed her tummy. famished already. Iniabot lang sakin nina nyne ang maliit na kutsilyo at kumuha ako ng agaricus bisporus tsaka white button mushroom at iba pang pwedeng iconsumed. May inabot akong isa nalang na mushroom and the death angel mushroom just twitch. Napakunot noo lang ako at kinuha nalang yung inabot ko at nagtwitch again ito.

"Please don't!"-sigaw nito at napaatras ako. May maliit itong kamay na niyayakap ang kanyang stem. Its shaking and saw a sweat came out.

"A mushroom can talk?!"-tarantang sigaw ni Spike "It talks i heard it! Who are you little devil?!"

Tinutok ko ang kutsilyo hanggang sa magpuff ito at naging isang bata na nakatihaya at umiikot ang paningin sa takot "don't kill me"-wika nito

"JAMAI!!"-sigaw ni komori at niyakap si jamai na wala sa sarili. I figure it out so thats why komori leads us here becuase her deity friend is here and disguise as a death angel mushroom to prevent harming her.

"She's trying to kill me!"-maliit nitong sigaw sakin at tumayo tsaka ako inangasan ng maliit niyang mukha. So cute hahaha. She has dark hair and purple eyes and has a white dress and a pair of crystal heels. She tries to punch me but her little arms can't reach and she just exchaust herself

"No jamai thats mama!"

"Killer Mama?! Stay away! Rawwr rawwr"-she turn red at hinablot si komori at tinutukan kame ng sanga ang sama ng tingin niya. She's adorable too "Don't come any closer-- no no ahhhhhhh!!"

Natawa ako ng hablutin si nyne na parang maliit na pusa at pilit itong kumawala at pinukpok siya ng sanga sa ulo ng ilang beses.

"Jamai they're good mama. Komori love mama"-Said she, komori just makes me adores her even more.

"Jamai is fighting. I'm fighting!! rawwr"-di niya talaga pinigilan si nyne na pagpupukpukin sa ulo "I'm fighting for my life!!"

"Jamai stop! Their good mama's. Komori trust them.."

"Good mama?"-takang tugon niya atbinaba siya ni nyne at bilis niya kaming tiningnan at umikot ikot samin at pinagtingnan kami sabay amoy "More mama! Mama! Jamai too love mama. Love, love, kiss, kiss"-tuwang sigaw niya saming lahat at tinitingan kame and she bump on ram's leg and she looked up and flop as she raised her heard a tall man in front of her "Ugly mama!"-turo niya kay Ram at nagtawanan nalang kame

"Ugly mama!"-masayang sigaw nila at naghawak ng kamay napapikit kami sa pagbiglang liwanag na lumabas sa kanila at nakuha kaming mabulag. Kinusot ko ang mga mata ko at napakadilim ng paligid. Paunti unti namang lumiwanag ang paligid and jamai trying to pull spike from being wasted because of the light.

➖➖➖

We have arrived at the village. Marami ring tao na nagtatanim at dumadaan mga wagon na may dalang mga hinarvest upang ibenta sa kanilang city. Narinig ko ang kurog na tiyan ng mga bata na naghahawakan ng kamay at bilis hinablot ni jamai si komori at sumilip sa bintana ng isang kubo na malapit samin. Naamoy ko rin ang masarap na pagkain na nagmumula run.

"Mama! I want that too!"-turo ni jamai. Binuhat ko siya at nakita ko ang pagkaing inihanda ng isang matandang babae at aktong nabigla naman samin na nakatingin sa labas ng kanyang bintana. Pinapasok naman kami nun at medyo nahiya kame pero laking pasalamt din niya dahil nagustuhan ng mga bata ang luto niya. May mga bata ring lumabas ng kwarto at nagbow ito samin tsaka nagmano sa matanda.

"Lola bisita po?"-tanong nila at tumango ang matanda. Naglapag din siya ng plato at lumapit yung iba para alalayan siya. Nagluto naman si aewa ng mga nakuha naming mushroom

I never even thought about aewa was a man all along. She might have been always mistreated as a woman because of her voice and her beautiful manly face.

Nakatingin lang ako sa kanya habang nagluluto napakadreamy niyang tingnan sabay pa ng paglagay ng kanyang buhok sa tenga.

"Done!"-agad na niyang nilagay sa bowl ang kanyang niluto may mga noodles din at may mushroom din dun. Nag siupuan kaming lahat at nadasal muna bago kumain. Kumuha ako ng kanin at inabot niya sakin ang sabay. Kinuha ko naman at naglagay sa kanin ko pati kaunting mushroom.

And when I take a bite. I was so touch the aroma was perfectly cook. I never tasted this type of flavor before. Lahat kami mukhang nagustuhan ang niluto niya at hinigop kolang hanggang sa last drop niya. Napakasarap talaga wala akong masabi.

"Thank you po!"-sigaw ng mga bata

"Wahh i'm full!"-sigaw ni spike and burp.

I can tell his food was satisfying lalo kung pano siya maglagay ng mga spices dun parang nakakalutang yung mga moves niya kala mo may kalaban. Napaka romantic niyang gumalaw yung simpleng luto lang pero nakakalutang siyang pagmasdan. Ang swerte ng babae na mapapakasalan niya his born perfect and yummy at the same time. Hahaha

"Papa"-sinindot naman ni jamai si aewa at hinawakan nila sa kamay tsaka hinila papalapit sakin at nanlalaki lang ang mata ko ng ipaharap nila sakin si aewa. Di ko pansin na talagang maganda siya na gwapo at the same time ang ganda ng malarosas niyang labi. Bat ngayon kolang napansin ang kanyang kakaibang ganda.

Kinuha nila ang kamay ko at pinaghawak kaming dalawa parang nakoryente ako sa pagkabigla. "Papa, don't leave mama behind please"

Mukhang nabigla naman si aewa sa sinabi nila at pati rin ako. Ano bang pumasok sa ulo ng mga batang to para gawin kaming mama at papa nila. Aewa sat at hanggang magkasintaas na sila at pat both of their heads.

"I'm sorry. From now on, i'll be on your mama's side"-said he. Nabigla naman ako sa kanya yung pati puso ko parang nashock din kulang nalang hihimatayin ako dito. Tumayo siya at nabigla ako sa paghalik niya saking noo. Nanginig lsng ako sa ginawa niya pero kinikilig naman. Pero di ko makuhang sumigaw

"Darling come on!"-tawag niya habang dala dala ang dalawang bata. DARLING hehehe what just happen?

"Mama and papa!"

"Papa you look like a girl than mama. She looks manly that papa"

Medyo nairita ako sa sinabi ni jamai. Oo obvious talagang napaka feminine ni aewa. Mukha siyang dalaga ako nabuhay lang talaga. Ang cute ng lalake na close sa mga bata parang nakikita ko na wala siyang problema kung magkakaroon siya ng pamilya balang araw. Nakikipaglaro lang siya sa mga bata at bigla siyang lumingon sakin at binawe ko agad ang tingin.

"Jamai maganda ba si mama?"-tanong ni aewa dito at lumingon naman si jamai sakin and she wrinkled her lips and put her hands on her chins to think. Gagi pinag iisipan pa talaga niya ang sasabihin

"Papa looks beautiful"

Natameme lang ako at inunahan sila at nagtatawanan lang sila sakin. Oo na panget na ako. "Darling paki abot ng tubig nauuhaw ako"

Darling?

Darling? I tried to ignore his words. I felt burning sensation all over my face. And I heard Nyne, he let out a small laugh, but to me Aewa it sounded like a mocking laugh so he glared at him. I fumbled on his bag, finding his bottle of water and handed it to him. Pinainom Niya rin Ang dalawang Bata habang nakaupo sa kanyang lap. He looks like a husband material he's good with children kids.

"Darling bagay ba sakin maging asawa?"

"Huh" My head when blank as he started to asked me. I felt butterflies and my inner self screamed. But I tried to be strong para di niya ako mahalata na kinilig sa kanya. I couldn't deny that his handsome even his hair was disheveled "Oo naman. Ang swerte ng mapapangasawa mo Aewa. Malapit ka sa mga bata, masarap Ang luto mo.."

"Wag kang mag alala ela. I'll do everything to be yours someday"

"Wag ka ngang magpakilig sakin tangna mo!" napamura ako kase masyado siyang pa fall.

His hair began is dancing on the wind, the leaves just play magical scenery on his background. His so beautiful. Shit! Napaiwas ako ng tingin sa kanya at hinarap niya ang mukha ko. Bumilis lalo ang kaba ng aking dibdib sa pagtagpo ng aming tingin. My heart is screaming for help. Pero sinampal kolang ang mukha ko dahil nawawala ako sa tingin niya at inunahan siya at dinala si komori.

"Darling" he calls me but i pretended not to hear him calling me that it's gives me butterfly. "Tied my hair for me" He put down komori and kneeled down turning his back on me. Jamai just handed me the comb and I was envy on how beautiful his hair was.

"Mommy, Papa face is red"