I woke up feeling so positive and excited the next day. I took a bath and did my morning routine. I wore a black wrap around dress partnered with black sandals. I have nothing else to do here in the hotel so I would visit Bea instead and would help them in creating pots! She also agreed with this when we talked before we went home last night.
I ate my breakfast at the hotel’s diner alone. After that I went out and started to walk in the near village where Bea’s place is located. It’s a good thing that I can visit them without a need of vehicle. I inhaled the fresh air and looked at the hills on the side of the road. I smiled happily as I looked at it. It’s really beautiful and makes me feel calm. I gazed at the far sea and the waves seem to be calm as well. I stopped for a moment and closed my eyes. I held my summer hat when the air blew my hair abruptly. I sighed in relief, thinking of the nicest things I would do today with Bea.
“Hi there, Madame! Good morning!” I arrived in the store and greeted Bea’s mother.
She smiled when she saw me. She walked towards me and also greeted me happily.
“Are you sure you want to make some pots, Miss? It is tiresome and your hands look so soft for this kind of work! Your dress might get dirt too!” Bea’s mother reacted, worried about me.
“Mom, she knows how to do it! I already taught her how to mould a clay yesterday.” Bea assured her Mom and then she winked at me.
“She’s right, Madame. Please let me help you today. I have nothing else to do at the hotel so I want to help your daughter and have fun here with her instead,” I pleaded and smiled at Bea when I saw her giggle.
Bea’s mother sighed in defeat. I chuckled a bit and thanked her when she finally allowed me to help them. Madame looks so kind and I think that is the reason as to why Bea also has a kind personality. She raised her very well.
Bea taught me a lot of pottery designs. I was amazed as to how her hand gracefully stroke while drawing her designs on the pot. Her mom joined us and also taught me how to draw some designs.
“Oh, you knew how to write using Alibata?” I asked Bea amazingly when I saw her writing some Alibata script on the other pot she created earlier. It is one of the requested pots of their usual customer.
She nodded. “We studied Alibata scripts at school, Miss Nathalie. That’s how I learned writing it.”
“That’s really amazing! I don’t know how to write using Alibata script but I know how to write using stenography.” I smiled at her.
“Stenography? What is that, Miss?” she asked me curiously.
I picked up a paper on our table and then wrote some words in stenography script.
“Oh, wow! It’s pretty like Alibata too!” she said, fascinated.
“That’s right. That’s the script I normally use when I am working,” I told her and then I laughed. “But Alibata is way more amazing though. Can you teach me how to write works in Alibata scripts?”
“Of course, Miss!”
I had my lunch at Bea’s place too. I noticed that they have so many tourist customers purchasing a bulk of pots from them. I could not help but to feel happy that their business is already enough for their daily living. They are earning more and so, Bea has a good life at her young age. It’s a relief that she can go to school unlike the other kids out there.
I became too interested in pottery that I almost forget the problems I left in Manila. I remembered myself when I first arrived here in Basco. I was filled with sorrow and was crying in my hotel room but right now, my thinking and emotion have changed a lot. I felt the happiness that I didn’t feel when I was in Manila.
I realized that it’s really great when you can do the things you love the most without having the fear that someone might stop you. It feels wonderful when you can walk freely, decide on your own and do all the things which can make you truly happy.
I realized that this is the freedom I want to live with. I want to live in my own accord. I don’t want to be caged anymore and be someone who would always be submissive to my parents.
If only they have thought about my feelings, I think this would not happen at all. I would have not escaped and we’re still together as a family.
But then, it is just a mere imagination.
It’s getting late so I decided to go back to the hotel. The road is already dark and some of the locales here are closing their stores already. I went out of the village and walked on the long road. I looked up at the night sky and thousand of stars are shining brightly, giving enough light for me to walk alone even at this night.
This place located at the northern part of the country is really different from the place I left. It’s like I could reach the stars easily. It’s like they are near me and I could hold them simply by raising my hand. The cold air feels satisfying too. I embraced myself. I could only hear the humming sound of the insects and the ocean waves from afar.
I walked in the highway near the hotel. It’s a good thing that there is light coming from the lighthouse and the hotel lights are also turned on. It made me feel safe.
I am almost near the hotel when I felt something cold on the side of my head.
My lips ran dry when I realized that it is a gun...
My body froze up immediately as fear started to eat me up. I could not even breathe. My eyes won’t even blink as I am truly scared for my life!
What the hell is going on?
“Kneel... or else I will shoot your head,” said by a man who has a very cold and scary voice. He was standing behind me and so I could not see his face at all.
I gasped abruptly. My tears started to fell, scared of what is happening. I slowly knelt down. My heart is beating aggressively. I can’t breathe at all knowing that a gun is pointed on my head.
“P-please... I am begging you... Don’t do this...” my voice cracked as I begged for my life.