Chapter 3：A Lovely Place

He immediately filed a forced leave at the HR office and wrote a letter, designating Nestor as the major organizer, in lieu of him. An hour after, he had packed his things that appears to getting vagabond again, wandering by himself, with his tent and packed canned goods, noodles butane bottles , etc. Gone as he usually do when grandma Tere ran to catch him up, but to no avail, he already boarded in a tricycle. While seated, the driver start breaking the silence.

" Where are we going Sir?" a serious question from an old aged man.

" That, I do not know yet, but I'm planning to go camping, to relax myself." He bowed his head and was truly confused.

" Hmm, if you are curious to a place where no one goes, I'll take you there." The driver smilingly said.

" Serious?" Seb smiled wryly.

" Yes, I am. Its actually a beautiful place and from there, people who misses their loved ones could actually be given an opportunity to talk to them, its a secret lagoon below the old park. When I was young, we saw a lot of elks there, they're beautiful. Hmm, but next days, someone out there will take over the area. There was a rumor that the place was bought already. Who knows what are they going to do there but, yes, before it will be renovated, enjoy your camping in that place where you can freely think." The old man smiled.

Seb looked at the old man while driving, wondering if on how he knew that he missed someone. The old man kept talking but Seb unknowingly was napping. Confused but when he woke up the man sent him already at the destination. There was a century old gate with a lot of orange lerios on sides. After a while, when he was about to pay his fare he smiled at the old man and said.

"This place you recommend looks awesome, how many hours have we traveled Manong (equivalent to Sir)? I got a nap more than ever." He jokingly said.

" We traveled for four hours, we've passed by two cities and one barrio." The old man fixed himself a little to start driving again.

"What?" The widower was shocked.

Then the old man left after receiving the Php 500.00 and Seb did not mind of even asking for a change. He could not believe it all happening that instant and remained standing for a while still thinking about the travel time.

"Why four hours, with a tricycle, Isn't it a taxi cab, whatever, but why?" Continually insisted.

After thirty minutes he reached the top. It was tremendously an amazing spot in the world, it was cozy and really windy. On the right side, a protruding estimated fifteen feet high rock looks like a firewall of the forest. Mosses covered with various ferns below that walled and mantled the rock. The estimated wide of the entrance part of the park seem to be fifty meters away, side by side. Its just that the left side was a cliff and looked like the cliff he saw in his dream where he had seen his late wife. There were pigmented tiny petaled flowers on the ground with dirty white colors. They were rare and the scent smells like a perfume. Its almost twilight so he hurriedly moved ahead, catching up the remaining lights from sunset. He noticed around ten benches were vertically aligned. They were made with an old style marble covered with clinging vines, bearing sweet yellow berries (utot-utot) with big seeds. So uncanny looking at these big and shiny berries beautifying all the marble benches. A few meters beside the cliff fenced with big trees were old bulbs on their well-carved posts. Surprisingly, they were all lighted that gave beauty to the place again. A terrible sound of silence. He had chosen to stay beside to one of the benches, facing the western cliff and settled his backpack on the right side of it. He removed the tent from the inside and quickly installed it, as he put some heavy stones to support the soft edges below. He sweat a lot despite the winds outside and started to remove his jacket and polo shirt. After changing and on his comfy outfit, he is about to cook some instant noodles when suddenly.

"Where, where did I place my shirt and jacket, hmm, I remember its just on this corner but where?" He paused and smiled.

Outside the bench was a beautiful woman around Seb's age, she was smiling and carefully listening at him talking alone. On her hands were Seb's jacket and polo shirt and hanged them properly on one of the branches nearby. She was having a tickled smile getting back on that bench beside the tent where Seb was having dinner. She seated and relaxing, watching the hideous sunset with her heart seemed throbbing so fast. Though happy staring at nowhere, her cold tears flowed so lightly on her face and whispered.

"You young brat, you still looked the same way back right years ago." Then she awkwardly smiled. In a while, Seb began to lay down himself and so tired for a day's travel and knelt.

"Thank you Lord...for reaching this place safe and sound. Our Father, who art in heaven holy be your name. Your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sinned against us those who sinned against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Amen."

Outside were two creatures closing their eyes while listening to his prayer. Then a young handsome man in white moved closer to her. He put his left hand on his back while the right is extended to her hand as he smiled.

" Hello young lady, my duty today is done. I removed that "habak" thing that his mother had gave him where he also had worn for years but I already threw it in the sea where their unregistered deity cannot disturb ours. That fallen angel following him was lost too, don't know where it goes but if you can only see that entity taking care of Seb and its "habak," you will scream to death. His wagging tail was really long and...." He stopped because Karla signalled her not to continue mentioning the devil soul following Seb from time to time after her death. Karla held the hand of her guardian angel called Nomin and they smilingly and slowly walked through the bushes. He funnily picked up the yellow berries and gave her some but she started to hit him with those berries as he jokingly screamed, ran and gone. She smilingly turned back her head to Seb's tent, waving her hand as if he saw her then she went down to the lagoon and all the way.