When Back In Time

"SHOW YOURSELF! Bangun Bangun! Show your jerk godly face to me!" she yelled angrily. Behind her who's in tow was Jose Rizal, still confused and depressed.

They wandered their way deeper on the forest where Esperanza last saw Bangun Bangun, the god of Time and Cosmos.

'All this time', she thought, 'I've endured to be dragged in this situation because I thought I've made a mistake that's why I've been punished and to make up to it. But this... This... I was fooled. I'm such a fool to be fooled.'

"Bangun Bangun, show yourself to me! I'm tired of this game of yours. You've made me ran around, doing this quest like a silly girl when in fact I was only running on your palms, according to your plan. And now, are you happy? You've ruined everything! You told me, I've upset the gods and tampered the history and that I must pay for my actions. But then... What's this? A bluff!"

"Sino bang sinisigawan mo diyan Esperanza?"Jose Rizal asked guilelessly. (Who are you yelling at Esperanza?)

She disregards him and continued calling out the god.

"You cowardly god, show yourself. You got bored eh? And you amuse you-- you use me as your pawn to entertain you! You know what, this is all your fault! You get me here to suffer, to make us Pepe suffered and now Pepe is dead because of you! This is all your fault! "

"Whose fault, you mean?"

Esperanza and Jose jumped in surprise as the god himself showed behind them. Jose Riza stumbled back and inched away in surprise.

Bangun Bangun looked at her in stern and pissed. "I see you already completed your mission. Took you awhile," he said while eyeing Jose Rizal and the wristwatch on Esperanza 's wrist.

"Don't talk to me nonchalantly," Esperanza pointed her finger on him.

"And now you rudely pointing your finger on me," the god said.

"I don't care. This is all your fault and I don't want to be in your stupid game ever again!" she yelled furiously.

"What game?"

"Don't act impeccable as if you are not guilty. Is this how you gods do it? Enjoying ruining humans' lives for your p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e?"

"What nonsense thing you are blabbering about?" the god asked.

"Playing innocent again eh?"

Bangun Bangun eyes narrowed coldly, "You are infuriating me human. Be careful with your words or I will cut out your tongue."

She was unfazed, "I've had enough of your stupid games. This... This quest you formulated for me to do stupidly. It's over. I'm done. And please... if you are bored, please don't choose me to play for your amus.e.m.e.nt because you don't know the pain of losing someone and sacrificing everything. You don't know that. "

"What do you mean game?"

Esperanza looked at Bangun Bangun furiously, "You are evil. If you want chaos in the world, to change history, please do not choose me as your candidate."

The god looked at her in confusion, "I've just returned and this is what I get? What nonsense you are saying there human?"

"Pepe is killed because of me and it is your fault," she said as tears began streaming on her cheeks. Remembering her friend's death crumbles her heart.

Jose Rizal who quietly looking between the conversing two, still in shock state, looked at Esperanza in sympathy.

"Pepe? Pepe? Oh that boy," Bangun Bangun uttered, "What do you mean dead? You fool."

"Shut up! You said he'll be my guide for the quest and I didn't know he will be endangered because of me."

"Your destiny is intertwined with him at that time. That's why I chose him to be your guide," he said.

She laughed cruelly and bitterly, "And now you are happy that he is dead? And are you happy about what is happening in my country?"

"You confused me there human," he said.

Esperanza was about to retort but knitted her brows. "What is happening? I don't understand. You seem like you don't know anything."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't really... Know-----"

She was stopped as she felt something on her c.h.e.s.t.

Bangun Bangun looked at her in horror and then to her back. He yelled, "Hey! What in the world did you do?"

She looked behind her and saw Jose Rizal stood there still with no expression. His two eyes turned entirely black.

Her knees buckled and she coughed blood. She looked at her c.h.e.s.t and saw a sharp stick was stuck on it.

She chuckled bitterly.