The House Of The Unholy

The ride back home seems shorter to Teo than when they were going in, though he knows they are taking the same roads, turning to the same trajectories and going about the same curvatures, only in reverse. Not a moment passes and they are already half way through Pasi, and he seems lost in bewilderment as he tries to find possible explanation to this paradox.

Could they be traveling faster than when they were going in? Maybe. Tatang Chuy could have slept well last night that he woke this morning much invigorated than when they left a day ago. Could it also be due to the horses have eaten much grasses and furthered their endurance? Possibly. After all, the Governor's orchard has green grasses in abundance; and while the dinner is on-going, the horses must have had their own baile in the fields.

Teo looks out the carriage window, beyond the horizon and smiles, as if he finally discovers the more coherent explanation to his dilemma. Expectation. That must be it. The journey going to Jaro was longer since he had anticipated it to be shorter than it really was. He remembers sitting at the same spot at the carriage a day ago, as he had never ventured out to Jaro before, he expected the journey to be a breeze, that when they arrived at their destination, to his dismay, it took them almost half a day to reach it. That was when it went against his expectation.

But that was the journey going in, it still does not explain the pace of the return journey. Teo looks out the window and looks back onto the palm trees that they passed over. Then another realization comes, familiarity. Yes, Familiarity. The roads, trajectories and curvatures that they have passed over were all familiar to him since they had been in there before, with the same trees they had passed over in their way in. He can even tell that they will be in Pasi couple of miles from now upon crossing over the rice fields that belong to his foster father. Then, the ride going in is longer due to false expectations; and the trip going back is shorter due to familiarity.

Expectation and Familiarity, he smiles at the absurdity of these ironies as he relates them again with him and Ana Rosa. Expectation. Never did he anticipate that he would ever had the audacity to come up to her last night, let alone to ask her hand for a dance. Never did he expect her to give in and reveal her hidden vulnerability to him. When she cried on his c.h.e.s.t, he felt a part of his heart dissolved, flowed out of him and rolled away with her tears. Her tears, to him, could be out of sudden joy for finally letting herself acknowledge him, and her suppressed feelings for him. Familiarity. That feeling that engulfed him having her skin next to him, her fragrance on his nose, was the same feeling he had felt as the first time he stood close to her; back in Manila, in between him staring at the setting sun and stealing glances at her dirt smothered face,

False Expectation. Foolish of him to think that last night would be the beginning of his reparation with her; that she would begin to acknowledge him once again. Not that he wants to commit treachery against his Uncle for he had not been that ungrateful to deceive his foster family, his only family. He only wanted her to be comfortable with him, to find answers to his questions about her, about her being Nimfa and now, Ana Rosa. For his Uncle's sake actually, he needed these questions answered since after all, after she and his Uncle had gotten married, they were already a family. To his surprise, upon seeing her at the hallway this morning, in the hotel that his Uncle rented for them, she was still cold and impassive to him. That was when the optimism that he apprehended last night from her actions creases, as he doubts his own judgment and tries to put the blame at them being intoxicated the night before.

"Women, how ambiguous can you get?" He sighs. "You could lead us to the Gardens of Eden with your sweet actions and caring hands; you can have us be cradled in the bushes and greeneries of contentment. After which, lead us to be bathed in the stream of paradise. Or you can have us be dragged instantly to the gates of hell and be damned in the underworld of resentment," Teo bawls to himself

"The Segnor is almost in Pasi, but his mind seems to be stuck in Jaro," Isko teases, sitting on the opposite side of the carriage

"My mind is already in my bed in the stone house. I can already feel my sheets embracing me," Teo dodges with a smile

"Has the Segnor not been c.a.r.e.s.sed by a random lady after the dinner? Jaro is such a sanctuary for fine ladies," Isko continues, "although I heard that our very own lady from Pasi conquered the gentlemen. They said she and her harp was the best part of the celebration; and the ladies at the market, be it the criadas, the vendors or even the common folks talked of her with envy. Your Uncle is one fortunate man,"

Teo sighs and looks away to the window, "I must have been too drunk to notice. Or it must have been not that remarkable as how the other ladies made it appear to be"

"If the Segnor had been as oblivious as how he has always been, then it would be no surprise that he had not appreciated it," Isko laughs to which Teo follows

"What a volatile being the women are. One moment they seem to spite each other; the next, they would talk of each other with the highest regards. I witnessed how the other ladies stab Ana Rosa with their scrutinizing eyes when we arrived. Some even tried to ignore her presence at all, and in the middle of her performance, some women seem unease, like they were expecting her to hit a wrong chord. Only then can they rejoice her blunders; while the men were in complete astonishment,"

"If there is one thing that men can agree on, it would be appreciating the women," Isko retorts in mid-laughter

Teo stares at him with an uneasy smile and shakes his head gently, "have you not found a woman for you to appreciate, Isko?"

The young man stares back at his segnor in a surprised look;

"And now you decided to turn the table on me," he jests

"It is a valid inquiry, Isko. Most men of our age in our province already had their own family. Add to that I was away for four years and never did I receive news from you about any lady that you had paid attention to,"

"But you have not shared your stories of the ladies in Manila, either." Isko replies

"I had my fair share, Isko. I could tell you about them some other time. It is your turn to tell me yours, this time. You and Jimena looked perfectly together"

Isko then gets silent again as if he does not want to entertain additional enquiries regarding his woman. When Teo is about to utter another question to him, the carriage suddenly stops in front of the stone house gate. Little did they know, they are home.

"We're here Segnor," Isko interferes

The stone house is still as quiet as it has always been, but this afternoon, the air brings in a feeling of weightiness as the newly arrived men seem to notice the stone house being empty. Teniente Leon and Ana Rosa must have not arrived yet, the servants are also nowhere to be found

"Segnor," Jimena calls out from the kitchen door.

The pale servant carefully hops through the protruding stone pathways towards them, seems tensed and catching her breaths

"You seemed sick, Jimena" Tatang Chuy greets, concerned

"Where is Nanang Ditas?," Teo enquires

The servant catches air in before wiping her sweat which formed on her forehead as she responds;

"She had to rush to Manang Nita's house for their family is in mishap," she gulps

"What had happened?" Teo probes

"One of his sons, the one who attends the lamps went missing, Segnor"

"Diego went missing?" Tatang Chuy clarifies

"Not him, Tatang Chuy, but the younger boy, he just vanished in the rice fields last night," Jimena still gasping

"Utoy?" Teo pauses, "what did you mean he just vanished?" Teo enquires

"The older lamp boy claims that his brother must have been abducted,"

Teo stares at Tatang Chuy longer, then shifts his gaze at Isko who has been silent. He extends his hand to Jimena to calm her

"Once Uncle arrives we will let him know about the situation. There were Civil Guards stationed near the fields, they must have noticed a boy roaming the fields while patrolling,"

"It must be the bandits," Tatang Chuy interrupts, "they must have captured Utoy to send us in terror,"

Jimena releases heavy breaths before taking another air;

"It was not the bandits Segnor. The older lamp helper claimed that his brother was abducted by the Maranhig!"