Chapter Text
Poleng had always been frail.
It was a well known frustration to her parents - that the only child they were able to concieve was a girl, and too sickly at that. She was used to the interplay of disappointment and calculations that crossed his parents' faces whenever they looked at her. She had resigned herself to such a fate, being a wallflower whenever her parents were not busy looking after businesses throughout Pampanga or their lands up north in Tarlac.
She was glad that they were always away though, and things could be different whenever it was just her and the servants left in their estate. Even at the age of ten, she had already learned to connive with the boy who worked in the gardens, Totillo, so she can sneak out of the gates and explore the town of Floridablanca. She couldn't understand why a lot of the townspeople viewed her with something that she didn't realize was envy and awe, but at such an age, all she wanted was to see the town and what it offered.
She had to take the smallest forms of freedom that she could. After all, she was sure that it wouldn't last.
Sunday, 05-15-16, 6:00 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center
The first thing Jay felt upon regaining consciousness was pain. Breathing was difficult, even with the hospital equipment, and her chest was on fire. For one terrifying moment, she remembered that it was almost the same pain she felt when her mother almost stabbed her to death. It was enough to choke her up and send the monitors spiking up, their soft beeps sending a haze of pain in her head.
Her eyes slowly opened, looking around bit by bit to orient herself as she looked around the hospital room, quietly noting the too clean smell that she could never get used to. She looked around carefully, noting Joven standing by the window while Goyong and Aurora talked in whispers by her side.
"Gising ka na ba talaga, 'Nay?" Aurora's startled voice almost made her jump up in surprise.
She looked up at the girl, who was watching her with bloodshot eyes. "Um..." She fought back a cringe as she realized that her voice came out too creaky. "Gising na nga ata."
Goyong's soft hand closed around hers. "Mabuti nalang talaga't nagising ka na," he murmured as Joven dashed to join them. "Anong nangyari?"
She shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore the stabbing pains. "Pakshet. Si Dolores." She paused, gathering her thoughts and memories. She told them about her dream, and how Dolores reenacted the night Jay's mother almost killed her daughter in a fit of rage. She fought back the fear fluttering in her gut, knowing that she would lose to Dolores the moment that she gave in to it. "Pero don't worry, ayos lang ako. Konting sakit lang naman 'to. Sisiguraduhin kong pag nagkita kami in person ng bruhang yun, susuntukin ko siya ng kaliwa't kanan."
Goyong's hand tightened its grip as he leaned forward with the smallest of frowns. "Buwisit talaga siya."
"Jay, ali naka migaganaka kang Dolores. Ikami nang bahala kaya. Magpaynawa naka mu." Jay, wag ka nang mag-alala tungkol kay Dolores. Kami nang bahala sakanya. Magpahinga ka nalang. Joven's eyes sharpened into steel but there was still pity evident on his face - as if he saw her as a helpless invalid because her curse took a turn for the worse.
She hated it.
Goyong gave Joven a long look before turning back to Jay. "Sigurado akong babasagin mo yung mukha niya," he murmured quietly.
Dapat lang. Pakyu Dolores, pag ako nakalabas dito, babangon ako at dudurugin kita. Literally, kung pwede.
Aurora nodded, slamming a fist on her palm. "Si nanay pa?" she said in a quietly smug tone. "Siya yata yung pinaka badass na ate sa bahay niyo, diba?"
Jay smiled. She had to trust herself. She knew that others will worry - that others will keep trying to force her to rest and leave it all to them - but she was going to prove to herself and to them that not even the curse would set her back. She would make sure that she was going to help them take Dolores down... or maybe do it herself if given the chance.
Sunday, 05-15-16, 8:00 PM, Angeles University Foundation Medical Center
It was just Goyong and her. Aurora had gone home for the day, while Joven left briefly for lunch. Seeing her brother's retreating back was met with a surprising feeling of relief on her part. The way he looked at her screamed so much of pity that it made her feel even worse about the entire situation at hand. She was ill thanks to Dolores' curse and yet she didn't want to be defeated by it. Her brother made her feel like she already did and it wasn't a pleasant thought - and it didn't help that she felt like she was even frailer than Poleng used to.
"Masama pa yung pakiramdam mo, ano?" Goyong mused, his thumb briefly stroking her chest and stirring her out of the darker direction her thoughts have been taking. His eyes briefly flickered to the window before turning back to her with the smallest of smiles. "Gusto kong itapon sa bangin si Dolores pero mukhang, um, mas madami na ata siyang atraso sa iyo. Tanginang sumpa yan."
Wala kang kapangyarihan upang mapigilan ako. Isa akong mangkukulam, at buo na ang aking kapangyarihan bago pa man dumating sa aming mga lupain ang mga Kastila.
Dolores' words came to the forefront of her thoughts, reminding her of the dream. Her fists automaticaly clenched despite the pain it brought the arm that was connected to the IV needle. "Pero tama siya," she mused quietly. "Madami siyang powers. Mga, um, daggers lang ang meron natin. We need something more."
He nodded contemplatively at her words. "Napapaisip na din ako tungkol diyan," he murmured. "Kahit na marami tayo, sigurado akong hindi parin magiging sapat yun laban sakanya. Kailangan natin ng ipantatapat sa mga kakayahan niya."
There was a quiet knock before the door creaked open. Addie Reyes stepped into the room a little hesitantly, fingers fumbling with the ribbon on her blouse as she regarded the two of them. "Hello sa inyo," she began, her gaze jumping between the two of them. "Is this a bad time?"
Jay tried to sit up, forgetting herself for a moment. Her aching body and the hospital equipment quickly reminded her though, and she slumped back to her bed with a small gasp of breath. Dolores' words rang at the back of her head, telling her that Addie had something to do with the extra torment that she was currently going through. "Hindi naman," she forced herself to blurt out. She tried to stomp down on her suspicions, though she wondered if Addie's curse - the curse that she could never find proper love - was true. "May problema ba?"
Addie's lip wobbled as she approached them. "I-I need to apologize." Her words were cut short as she burst into tears. "Kasalanan ko lahat ito."
Jay's eyes softened. "May nasabi si Dolores. Ano bang nangyari?"
Addie slumped forward, unable to meet their eyes. It took her a while to calm down but her gaze remained averted. "I'm so sorry. Hindi ko alam na maibabalik kay Dolores yung powers niya if I did something para mawala yung sumpa ko. Ang tanga ko."
"We all make mistakes..." Jay replied tentatively. She was too tired, too sore to strike up an argument. Besides, she was the one who was reckless enough to seek Dolores out and end up cursed. "I would also be desperate para mawala yung sumpa ko kung bibigyan na ako ng opportunity sa harapan ko mismo."
Goyong nodded. He exchanged glances with her before turning to Addie. There was an odd look on his face. "Pero kung malaman namin na talagang sinadya mong mangyari kay Jay yun..."
"Ako mismo ang hihirit sakanya," Jay assured him. Looking at Addie's defeated face, she had a feeling that the girl was telling her the truth. That was enough for now. "Chill na muna."
Addie cringed, but she held her ground. "It still doesn't excuse what I did."
"It doesn't pero understandable." Jay tried to sound as firm as she could, remembering how her father used to talk to fussy patients. "Alam kong hindi ka agad matatahimik dahil dito pero trust me. I'm okay. It's okay. There's no need to worry, oks? Relax. Hindi ako galit at hindi kita gigilitan ng leeg."
"I don't deserve your kindness..." insisted Addie.
"You do." A small smile quirked up Jay's face. She remembered her father telling her and Joven about his womanizing back in his youth, telling them that people always had the propensity for both good and bad things - and most of them still had the chance to change. She knew that Addie wasn't a heartless murderer like Dolores, and that was enough for her now.
Bonus
Sunday, 05-15-16, 8:00 PM, Museo Ning Angeles
The night was cool to Jose Bernal's skin - even cooler after spending the past ten minutes in Tito Selong's car as its owner oversped their way to the museum. He had never had motion sickness until that day, and Cat's sunglasses fell into the car floor with a sickening crunch a few minutes before they parked on the small space by the sidewalk. He had never been so glad to have his feet on solid ground until that day. Alarm coursed through him as he realized just how much his knees were shaking - but at least his stomach finally stopped heaving.
"Grabe, Tito, harsh pala kayong magmaneho!" he blurted out as he smoothed his shirt.
"Correction, hijo, masyadong mabagal magmaneho ang henerasyon niyo." Selong smiled as he gallantly helped a pale Cat step out of the car. "How do you young people even get around in slow speeds?"
"Tito, umiiwas po kasi kami sa vehicular accidents," Cat told him wryly. She rubbed her abdomen, as if reassuring herself that she didn't have to throw up from all that wild driving. She crossed her arms and gazed at their companion. "Bakit niyo po kailangan ng access sa archives? Can't it wait until tomorrow po ba?"
"Pasensya, ngunit kailangan ko ito sa lalong madaling panahon. Nakita ko kasi na ngayong araw ko kukunin yung libro dito eh," Selong said, fluctuating between his old and new speech patterns.
Jose still found Selong and his visions odd, but he decided to roll with it. Tito Selong knows best nga naman ata. He wasn't sure why Cat wanted him to come with them but he supposed it was fine with him. At least he got to clear his head for a bit. The day was quite hectic, especially with the chaos that Jay's condition bought in the household.
Cat's keys jingled as she unlocked the Museum, looking around anxiously in case someone approached to question them. It wasn't exactly illegal, especially as Cat was an employee, but it was better not to rouse suspicions.
The darkness and silence was enough to send a shudder down Jose's spine, but their trip to the archive room was quite uneventful, to his surprise. He supposed that it was better than coming across some kind of ghost or being attacked by Dolores. Still, he couldn't help but feel as tense as a taut string. He felt a small shudder of relief run down his entire body as they stepped out of the museum though it still didn't ease his quiet fear.
He couldn't help but look around warily as they crossed the cool, lively courtyard slash park outside of the building though, the smell of street food and bibingka fading into a quiet background. He couldn't relax fully, not even when they finally made it to Selong's car. Selong's humming punctuated the revving engine as Jose peered out through the window. He only fully relaxed once they had finally started to drive off, the museum slowly winking away in the distance.