The Cursed One

3 | Ashes of Grief

Five years later

She was awoken one morning with a soft knock on her door. She opened her eyes and looked around, disoriented with her surroundings. It took her a moment to realize somebody's outside her room. 

Agad siyang tumayo at binuksan and pinto, only to see Roselie in front of it. May bitbit itong manika at nakayuko ito sa sahig. Napatingin siya sa orasan sa loob ng kanyang kwarto at napagtantong ala una palang ng madaling araw. 

Roselie is a six-year-old girl. Naalala pa niya ang araw na nakita niya ito sa tapat ng pinto ng bahay-ampunan. Nakabalot ito ng manipis na tela at umiiyak. Naanod ng lakas ng ulan ang iyak nito kaya naman hindi niya agad ito narinig. Looking at the baby reminded her of what she could have looked like when she was left in this orphanage too. Did she look so helpless as the baby in front of her? 

She crouched in front of the girl and held her shoulders. She was sobbing. 

"Bad dreams again?" tanong niya sa bata. Tumango naman ito bago siya hinagkan. She sighed. Being the only eighteen-year-old girl in this place gave her a lot of responsibility. Nagsisilbi siyang ate ng lahat. And it's not that she didn't like it. Somehow, it made everything else easier. 

She brought Roselie into her arms and tucked her into her bed saka niya ito tinabihan. She closed her eyes and felt Roselie bury her face into her chest. 

"I dreamt of fire," the girl said. 

"Fire?" 

She felt her nodded on her shirt. 

"What about the fire? What happened?" 

Roselie went silent for a moment before she said, "And then I heard a scream. I...It was so scary. Someone died." The moment she said the last sentence, she wrapped her feeble arms around her body and for some reason, it gave her goosebumps too. 

"You won't have that nightmare again. I'm here now. You can sleep peacefully."

The child looked at her as she said, "What if that girl was you? I don't want it to be you. Please."

Napalunok siya ng laway. Roselie has the ability to see glimpses of the future. And having that ability at such a young age is terrifying for Roselie.

A woman being burned alive. Someone is going to be burned alive. But who would even do such cruel thing?

"It's not me. Don't worry." She smiled at the kid.

"Good night," the girl said before she fell asleep. She stared at the ceiling and tried to sleep but she couldn't remobe the image of a person being burned alive in her mind.

Morning came at hindi pa rin siya makatulog. When the clock strike 4, agad na siyang bumangon. She immediately went to the kitchen para magluto. Being the only 18-year-old in the orphanage was hard. Siya ang nag-aalaga sa mga bata. She can't be adopted anymore. And she was supposed to be leaving the orphanages at her age, but the Miss Roan stopped her.

"The kids will miss you. You can stay here. And besides, how are you going to survive the world? You will be conned the moment you step out of here. You did not have any education and you had no idea how bad it is in the outaide world."

Iyon ang sinabi ni Miss Roan sa kanya. She had no problem staying here. She loved the kids. Ans she will try and stay there for as long as she can. For as much as she can endure.

The kitchen was quiet dahil tulog pa ang lahat. She immediately did her routine and while she was in the middle of cooking breakfast, she heard someone come in. And when she turned to see who it was, it was Miss Roan. She was already wearing her usual clothes and her short hair was neatly styled, making her look younger than her age.

"How many years have you been cooking breakfast for the kids?" tanong nito sa kanya. And it took her off guard to hear such random question. Miss Roan stood by the doorway, and was looking at her, waiting for her reply.

"I started cooking ever since I learned how to cook, Miss," she answered politely.

Tumango lang ang babae and was still staring at her. There was only a candle in the kitchen that provided light. The shadows of the things around them were dancinf along with the flame, including Miss Roan's shadow. At habang nakatingin siya sa apoy, naalala na naman niya ang panaginip na sinabi ni Roselie sa kanya.

Miss Roan's heels sounded against the stone floor as she walked towards her. She couldn't see her face clearly because it was shadowed but she looked at the lady as she stood in front of her.

Then much to her surprise, the woman sat beside her and they both looked at the fire as it flourished under the massive pot.

"How come you don't have any magic at all?" the woman asked and she stared at the flame.

"I used to wonder the same thing when I was a kid, Miss. I would get jealous looking at other kids having their own magic while I got none. Because having a magical power before meant I would be adopted and have my own family. Because they didn't want someone without a magic."

The  woman was silent and she continued.

"But I am fine now. I don't need it anymore. I am fine without it."

Then she heard Miss Roan chuckle. Hindi niya alam kung anong nakakatuwa kaya hinayaan niya lang ang babae.

Then Miss Roan raised her hand and flames started to emerge out of her fingers. They were tiny—like the one on the candle. All of her five fingers seemed like candles lit.

"I have a magical power but I didn't get the chamce to use it to something phenomenal. Like saving this orphanage from attackers or scorching whoever dares to try and harm the kids. I believe it would be more suitable if I didn't have the fire as my magic. It would have been convenient for me if I had several hands to hold the kids or maybe several bodies to hug each and everyone of them." The womab chuckled again before she extinguished the fire in her fingers.

Then Miss Roan looked at her. "Sometimes we are given power that is not meant for us. And usually, it does more harm than good," saad ng babae saka tumayo. Bago pa man siya makapagsalita ay naunahan na siya nito.

"Tomorrow, early in the morning, you are to leave this orphanage. You are on your own now. Go wherever you wish to go. And do whatever it is that you wished to do. You've done enough for this orphanage."

The news made her too shocked to even say anything. And when Miss Roan was halfway across the door, she stood and called the woman's name.

And when Miss Roan turned to look at her, he bowed so deep that she saw her tears falling to the ground.

"Thank you, Miss," she said but the moment she raised her head, wala na ang babae sa harapan niya.

That day, she couldn't help but feel giddy about it. It's true that she doesn't know anything from the outside world but she let herself think that it's an adventure. Something she wanted to do. Something she needed to do.

"Aalis ka na ba talaga?" Roselie asked her that day habang hinahanda niya ang mga gamit niya. She realized she really didn't have much. She only had five clothes, a hair comb, and a hairclip.  The hairclip she remembered she owned when she was young. It was probably given to her by her parents before they died. It was the only thing that connects her to them.

Hinaplos niya ang buhok ni Roselie. "Kailangan kong umalis, Roselie. Remember those stories I used to tell you before?"

Tumango naman ang bata.

"I'll be doing the same adventure. And one day, you'll have your own adventure too. We all have one. My time to do so has come and I have to abide."

Tumahimik namam ang bata saka tumingin sa kanya. "Are you going to visit us?" tanong nito sa kanya.

She nodded. "Of course."

The other kids went inside her room that day, saying their goodbyes and asking her to visit soon. And as time went by, her departure also neared. Miss Roan told her she will leave by dawn and ride the ferry to the Port Clyde. Binigyan na siya nito kanina ng ticket. Hindi niya mapigilang mapangiti habang tinititigan ang piraso ng papel.

It's funny how a single piece of paper could changer her life drastically. She prepared meals for the kids and played with them for the last time. It was bittersweet and she knows it won't be the last time she'll see them.

And when night came, sleep didn't. She was too excited to even close her eyes. But sleep eventually took her and it was a short sleep as she was awoken by Miss Roan when the clock striked three. Inaantok man ay agad siyang bumangog at nag-ayos. She didn't know ferries travel so early.

Tinanong niya ang babae ngunit tahimik lang ito habang naglalakad sa kahabaan ng pasilyo. When they passed by the kids' room, saka ito nagsalita.

"No need for you to see them now. It will only make things hard for you," saad ng babae and she obliged.

She thought they were heading straight to the door but then Miss Roan went straight to the kitchen. Nang makapasok siya sa kusina ay napakurap siya sa mga pagkaing nakahain sa mesa.

She looked at Miss Roan who was also looking at her. "This is your last day here. We thought we might as well make this more memorable for you." She gestured towards the food and the other administrators of the orphanage did the same.

"Shouldn't we eat this with the others?" tanong niya but Miss Roan just waved his hand dismissively.

"They will have their fill later. For now, it's important that you eat before you travel."

And she did. She ate to her heart's content and they watched her, as if waiting for her to finish. Or waiting for something to happen.

And then she felt different. Something was burning inside of her. She reached for the glass of water but Miss Roan took it away from her. Nanlalaki ang mga mata na nakatingin siya sa babae.

And she was met with cold eyes. Miss Roan poured the water on the ground and before she could even utter something, her vision became dark.

* * *

Nagising siya na masakit ang katawan. She opened her eyes only to see Miss Roan in front of her. Her throat was sore as if she was screaming for hours. But she knew she was unconscious. Something happened after she ate the food. Napatingin siya sa tatlong babaeng nasa harapan niya. One of them was Miss Roan.

She tried to move but she couldn't. Her hands and her feet were bound and it tightens every time she moves.

"It's useless," saad ni Miss Roan sa kanya.

"Miss Roan...what is the meaning of this?" she asked. Her voice sounded foreign on her throat. Her head still spun she couldn't focus.

"Remember what I said yesterday? Some people are given the power that shouldn't have been given to them in the first place. As it does more harm than good."

Miss Roan looked at her with cold eyes. "You have something that shouldn't have existed, girl. Something that isn't meant to exist in this world."

"Miss Roan—hindi ko po maintindihan. Please let me out of here."

But Miss Roan shook her head and stepped forward. And when she looked down, dread filled her as she saw the wood she used to dry before. And she instantly knew what was going to happen.

Fire started to ignite the Miss' fingers as she stared coldly at her.

"The kids will know you left the house early in the morning." And Miss Roan touched the wood and it quickly caught fire. Panic started to build inside her. The she saw the three woman surrounding her and chanting something in the wind. Their hands were clasped and their eyes were closed.

She screamed as she felt the fire touch her feet. And then the fire started to crawl up to her knees. All she could do was scream. As if it would lessen the pain. The view of the city was clear on her head. Ang akala niya'y makikita na niya ito. But then she's burned alive.

Her screams went with the wind. She doesn't remember how many times she passed out but everytime she gets her consciousness all she could do was scream. The bound on her hands and feet were starting to dig into her skin but she didn't care. The fire was more painful as it seeped into her skin.

And when the fire managed to reach her throat, she couldn't scream anymore. And when she lost her consciousness again, she didn't gain it back.

The fire lasted for several minutes. One who sees it would only think someone was burning something. Nobody would think a human was being burned alive. Nobody would think the quiet dawn was once filled with screams of agony.

The sun rose and the smoke rose up as the fire died out. Nothing remained.

Save for the ashes of the nameless girl.

* * *