Continuation of the Maguindanao Pearls

Words by: Samantha Michaela Barron

As the guards were supposed to restrain Pirang Kawayan from escaping, Pirang Kawayan
ran fast as the speed of lightning. And after a few seconds, he was gone. Everyone was
shocked and stopped breathing for a mere second. No one dared to make a sound.

Meanwhile, Walang Gulat, who was still in the crowd, ran as fast as he could towards
Sinag-Tala’s dead body. He pushed Lakambini out of the way which made the people gasp.
But Lakambini couldn’t care less. She was still sobbing as she knows she did wrong this
time. Walang Gulat carried Sinag-Tala to Pilar, the village’s ‘Mangagamot. No one
stopped Walang Gulat, feared of the man might do.

When he reached Pilar’s doorstep, he kept knocking frantically. Then, he felt someone
caressing his face. He stopped moving. With a beating heart, he looked at Sinag-Tala.

“Stop.” Sinag-Tala hardly uttered. She smiled sadly at him. Walang Gulat laid her
down. And with trembling hands, he held Sinag-Tala’s hand.

“S-Sinta.” Walang Gulat’s shaking lips managed to say. Sinag-Tala’s smile grew wider
but felt sadder. She knows that she’ll miss that endearment of his.

“Walang Gulat, don’t ever blame yourself. “ Sinag-Tala kept tracing Walang Gulat’s
handsome face. From his always shivered hair, his thick brown eyebrows, his sharp
jawline, his pointed nose, and to his plump lips. She was definitely going to miss every
single part of him.

Walang Gulat nodded. “Yes. I won’t. J-Just stay. Please.” Sinag-Tala lowered her
head. Tears are now starting to form. She was now starting to taste the metallic blood
of hers. She was now having a hard time breathing.
“I can’t.” Walang Gulat started to cry. He hugged Sinag-Tala and repeatedly kissed
her forehead. Sinag-Tala started coughing blood. Walang Gulat didn’t flinch. He knew
this was going to happen. He just held Sinag-Tala tighter.

“Will you be fine?” Sinag-Tala managed to ask Walang Gulat.

“I will be. For you.” That made Sinag-Tala satisfied. Sinag-Tala then, looked up to
the sky then smiled.

Sinag-Tala started to feel sleepy. Her grip on Walang Gulat started to lose. Walang
Gulat now knew what was going to happen next. It’s time.

“The Gods are now calling me Walang Gulat.” Fresh tears were again, starting to form
from Walang Gulat’s puffy eyes. He held Sinag-Tala’s nape and with no hesitation he
brought her lips to his. He could taste the blood but he couldn’t care less. Sinag-
Tala gathered up her left energy and didn’t think twice of kissing Walang Gulat back.

Their tongues fought. Tears streaming down their eyes. They were both a moaning and
crying mess. The kiss lasted long and they stopped when oxygen was running low in their
lungs. A satisfying kiss before parting ways.

All Sinag-Tala could see before being eaten by darkness was Walang Gulat’s smiling
face. She would not want to forget that face. But before blacking out, Sinag-Tala uttered
something.

“Don’t worry. She’ll come.”

 Pangasinan, 2018

“That’s the most expensive one here.”Pierre warningly whispered at Chimnea.

“I don’t care okay? What I want is what I get. And I want those pearls.” Chimnea
scoffed at Pierre. She impatiently tapped her heels on the marble floor. She raised her
brows at Pierre.

“Well? What are you waiting for? Get it.” Pierre frustratingly shakes his head. He
looked around for cameras then sighed.

“I can get you anything. But not the Maguindanao Pearls. It’s the only treasure left
for the Maguindanaon’s.” Pierre calmly explained to Chimnea.

And as if Chimnea did not heard anything, she walked nearer to the glass box protecting
the pearls and signaled Pierre to come forward. Pierre tiringly followed her. Chimnea
gave Pierre her hair tie.

“Tie me.”

Pierre nearly choked on his own saliva. His eyes widening. Chimnea chucked softly at
his reaction. “I mean, can you tie my hair for me?”

Pierre cleared his throat then nodded. “O-Okay.”

After getting her hair tied, she held something coming from her bag. She examined the
glass box then first then rolled her eyes.

“God. Even the security is cheap. You only got a freaking------“

“Language.” Pierre warned.

“I mean, this glass is only fiber.” Pierre patted Chimnea’s head. She swatted
Pierre’s hand away.

“Enough talking. It’s nearly 4 in the morning. The guards are going to wake up any
minute now.” Pierre just watched Chimnea do her thing behind her. He admired Chimnea
for her boldness, and being very cunning. That’s what made him love her so much. She
may steal, but he understands her. This is her escape from the pain she’s feeling.

“Got it.” Chimnea smirked when she got a grip of the pearls. She was amazed by the
beauty it has. Even thought it was from years ago, it still looks brand new.

She showed Pierre the pearls and Pierre just smiled softly at her. She put the pearls
inside her bag then stood up. She fixed her hair then held Pierre’s hand.

“Told you. This is------“

“Stop right there! “ Their eyes widened when they heard the guards. They looked at
each other then nodded. They ran towards the nearest exit.

Chimnea lost grip of her bag containing the pearls so she stopped running to pick it
up. Pierre looked back at her.

“Go! Meet me at the car! I’ll be right at your back.” Chimnea told Pierre. Pierre
nodded then ran. Chimnea looked at the floor to see where the pearls are. Her eyes
widened when she saw the pearls rolling to a room. She ran towards it.

“Stupid pearls.” She kept muttering.

When she arrived inside the room she was stunned. There was a portrait, and for some
reason it was glowing. She thought. She slowly walked towards the portrait, mesmerized
by its beauty. As she was about to touch the portrait, she felt like someone pushed her,
and there she started to black out.
“Why would you do this Lily?”

“I want him to be happy. I already know what’s going to happen to me.”

“Then why don’t you change the prophecy?”

“I can’t change that.”

“You’re in big trouble.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Let’s just hope that this is all worth it.”

“It will be. Trust me.”

“Is she dead?”

“What are you saying?”

“Look she isn’t breathi----wait. She’s breathing!”

Chimnea woke up from the loud noises. As she was about to open her eyes, she felt a
stinging pain on her chest, that made her scream.

“Ahhhh!”She heard someone gasp.

“Kuya!” She tried opening her eyes. And she could see two young girls shouting
someone’s name. She tried to talk but her throat was too dry.
“W-Water-r.” The girls might have heard it so one of them gave Chimnea a water inside
a coconut shell. Chimnea desperately reached for it. When she felt the water flowing
down her throat she could feel the pain on her chest fading.

When she managed to fix herself she weirdly looked at the two girls. They were just
wearing cloth. At first she thought she might have been ended up in a Halloween party,
but no. She looked around and saw that she was lying beside a river. She furrowed her
brows then looked at the two girls.

“Where am I?” She asked annoyingly. The girls looked scared at her because she had
this rude tone,

“U-Um. We better get going.” The girl with the short hair bowed at her then started
dragging the other girl. As they were about to leave they bumped into a man.

She widened her eyes then muttered something, but enough to be heard by the man.

“Walang Gulat.” The man instantly looked at her then also widened his eyes. He gulped,
then muttered something also.

“Sinag-Tala.”