The House Of The Unholy

That night, Ana Rosa is left alone in her room still sitting in front of a mystified mirror on her bed side table looking at her own reflection. It is as if she is scrutinizing the woman who is staring back at her, from her thick brows to her fine lashes, she then turns to inspect the woman's supple cheeks in soft red blush, looking at it from right to left. Afterwards she looks at her plump lips, softly bites her lower lip and turns her attention to her entire face

"Are you there, Nimfa?"

She holds her stare at her own reflection as if expecting it to respond. She tries to find a trace of her old self, the remnants of what she once was, looking for the innocence of the young girl who used to sell cigars in the streets of Quiapo in Manila, who ran b.a.r.e footed on the cold streets of the city until night falls. No matter how hard she looks for Nimfa, all she sees in front of her is the woman she has turned out to be. A woman with a captivating glance, confident and calculated. That night though, the woman staring back at her has a hidden pain lurking in her eyes, attempting to reveal itself and be free at least for once, at least for that night. That is when Ana Rosa confirms that the young girl she was once is still there, lurking behind the woman she turned out to be. Nimfa, the vulnerable and na茂vet茅 young girl is still in there and that night, she wants to come out and take over

"There you are," Ana Rosa whispers as she stares at her reflection, weeping, and pained but relieved nonetheless.

"I am so glad that you are here," she pauses to suppress her emotion, "you have no idea how lonely I have been,"

That is when she breaks down and let the tears of pain flow out rapidly. The confident and calculated woman turns fragile in front of her mirror, and pities the weeping young girl staring back at her. Ana Rosa embraces herself as if consoling the young girl, her old self, the innocent girl she was once.

When she hears the door creaks open, she quickly redeems herself and wipes the tears off her face. She breathes in and takes a final glance at her reflection to confirm that no trace of weeping can be seen

From the doorway she sees Teniente Leon standing, loosening the buttons of his uniform. The Captain inspects the room with his eyes and locks his stare at his wife. He easily gets mesmerized by her charm as she can be seen lounging on her bedside chair with her robe loose.

"Who were you talking to my dear?"

The Captain walks slowly towards the bed as Ana Rosa gently stands up to meet her approaching husband. Her robe fails to conceal her spotless skin which gives off a glow against the slight dimness of the room with only the lights from the lanterns outside illuminating the room

"There was no one here my dear," Ana Rosa answers

Teniente Leon pulls his wife by her arms forcefully causing her robe to fall off and bares her shoulder. Her face close to him, she can even breathe in the air coming from his mouth which smells of basi. For her defense, she gently pushes him away but her strength is proven vulnerable compared to him. The Captain captures her hand and clasp it beneath his, he then plants a violent kiss on her lips so wild like he is feeding the air off her c.h.e.s.t.

After which the Captain looks at his wife and confirms that she is looking back at him. Then Teniente Leon resumes in kissing her aggressively. When he pauses, the Captain firmly holds her jaw. He pushes his wife to turn around and pushes her back towards the bed. After a moment of silence, Ana Rosa releases a giggle, which turns to an insulting chuckle;

"You still cannot get it up, Captain?"

Her voice is weak as if running out of breath. She continues with laughing so hard while her husband feels defamed by it. The Captain pulls her hair and forces her to face him. The fire in his eyes turned into disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e as he grips her shoulders

"You are hurting your wife," she claims softly, "I was chosen to be here to conceal your incapability, Captain. I am the prize that you brandish among other men to win their approval. I am your validation to your damaged ego because your impaired manhood makes your entire valor a failure that you find solace in my womanhood"

The Captain is enraged, his teeth clenching together and he is breathing heavily. He holds his wife by her cheeks and squeezes her jaws again tighter this time. Eyes to eyes, they could feel their rage coming off each other. Intense, flaming and attempting to cause a destruction.

"You will hurt me, Captain?" she pushes her rage further on him, "but I am your badge of honor! No man envies another man's bruised possession"

Hearing this the Captain stares at her longer, releases her from his grasp. He rests his head on her shoulder, her scent of sweat and perfume finding their way into his nose, bringing with them a familiar scent, the scent of her femininity. With his fist clasps firmly, he hits her with a jab on her stomach so strong it sends her to her knees. So weak, the woman crawls on the floor to gather her robes to cover her body. She feels the pain traveling from her belly all throughout her existence as she ties the strap of her robe with what remains of her strength

Sitting on her bed, Ana Rosa struggles to fight off the tears that are hiding behind her eyes. She recalls this is not the first instance that the Captain has laid his hands on her, but it feels as painful as the first time. She is c.a.r.e.s.sing her stomach which has become the Captain's target to rebuild his broken ego time and time again. Every time he is reminded of his shortcomings as a man, he feels a need of submitting her to his power as if hurting her gives him an affirmation of his control over her despite his incapacity.

"Now you are even making it appear that I am incapable of conceiving to cover your own impotency; even asking Doctor Farin to help me cure my infertility when it is you who needed to be cured!" Ana Rosa claims while avoiding to look at him. To her, the man before her is an abomination that sits on the chair of her bed side table.

The Captain lights a cigar which he is able to finish in just four puffs. He lights another one before uttering;

"You know where you stand in this," the Captain puffs his cigar again, "you are an intelligent woman, Ana Rosa"

The Captain pushes his coat back on and buttons his uniform on. With a last puff on his cigar, he puts out its flame against the bed side table staining it with a burned mark as he makes his way to their bed ignoring his wife.

Ana Rosa sits before her bed side table, brushing off the burned cigar b.u.t.t off the table, her fingers being burned by its bits which are still lit. She stares at her reflection, pitying the woman who is staring back at her, the woman she has turned out to be.