Katherine
-rey
-rey
Outskirts of Lipa City, 1330 hours. The 16th of February, 1998.
The silence is deafening and not even a gentle breeze moves a blade of grass. One can feel it in his skin, death is in the air. Finally a breeze blows through…and it reeks of blood. At the turn of a corner sitting on a pool of blood wide-eyed is the one they call the Icewulf. He’s a teenager with a past blanketed with a haze of deceit and hatred. A single tear falls down his cheek as he heaves. With but a glance one would notice that the blood is not his. Laying in his arms like a rag doll is a young lady. Her name is Katherine, but to those who know her relationship to the Icewulf she is called Wolfsbane, named after the beautiful albeit very poisonous flower used to kill wolves. Hearsay dictates that she is the one person able to control him.
On Katherine’s white tank top, right above her left breast lays the source of the red pool, a single gunshot wound. It was a single shot that was aimed at the Icewulf, until she pushed him out of the bullet’s path and received the piece of metal in his stead. His eyes, all glazed stare right into hers as his mind races through memories of just a few minutes ago…
South expressway, 1300 hours. Destination: Lipa City, current speed 160 kilometers per hour.
“Don’t you ever drive slower than 120kph?!”
“Not this discussion again Kathy!”
“Somehow I knew you’d say that. Hah!” Kathy chuckled as he puts on his yeah-right-whatever face on.
“Anyway, I hope you don’t mind but I want to ask you something.”
“You’re my best friend you know you don’t need to ask for permission to ask a question, you know that.”
“Well, then let me ask you…how are you?”
“You’re asking me how I am?
“Yes.”
“You know how I am, you’re with me everyday!”
‘No really, how are you?”
“Oh, I see. Well I’m doing well. Haven’t felt better in a long time.”
“Good to hear, I noticed it in you too. Um, maybe it’s time we stopped all the crazy stuff and just enjoy the calm we have now.”
He takes a while to reply. He looks at her and sees that she was serious, she was indeed pouring out a real sentiment.
“Why? Shouldn’t we take this as a time to prepare ourselves for the next maneuver? Don’t tell me you forgot already all the pain some people have caused you?!” His voice is stern, he’s always full of pride. However, one look into his eyes and one would notice that he is considering her suggestion.
“C’mon, you know as well that I do that there’s nothing to gain by feeding our hatred, depression and by letting our past haunt us. We’ve finally found our way back home, we’ve finally found God again, and we’ve gotten rid of most of our burdens already. It’s time we let go of the past and finally be able to start anew! You teach it, now let’s live it!”
“Kat, you sound just like me when I’m giving a retreat session…it’s scaaaary.”
“Haha…go ahead and laugh but I’m serious. We have gotten past our problems at home, with our exs, with our other friends, with our old acquaintances and influences. But we still let the past haunt us, if we let it go that would be taking off the last anchor that weighs us down. I want to make this step and I want you, my best friend, to come with me coz I know you share the same burdens I do.”
“Best friend?...Yeah. Well…we’ll see.” His face hides nothing about what he feels, clearly something she mentioned changed his mood.
“Why so gloomy all of a sudden? Something I said? Last time I checked we still are the best of friends, right?”
“Yeah sure.” He tries to break a smile. This time its Kat’s turn to look down with her smile fading but he doesn’t notice.
“Alright, we’re exiting now. Hey Kat why don’t we drop by the place where we used to play hide and seek with everyone? It’s just nearby.”
She immediately puts her smile back on and nods, her eyes dictate that she’s lost in thought.
Minutes later they park the car by the side of the road and decide to take a walk. They start pointing out spots where they used to hide while reminiscing. Across the road two drunk and noisy men walk by, one looks familiar. Icewulf waves at one of them but before he utters a word he hears Kat scream and shove him aside. He falls to the ground hard and in shock.
Outskirts of Lipa City, 1331 hours.
He snaps out of his flashbacks as she tries to move her left arm, pain clearly showing in her face she reaches for his shirt. “Take it easy.” he says, breaking the silence, “Hang in there, you’ll be ok.” She tries to break a smile and in a weak and shivering voice a few words escape her lips. “You saved my life so many times before, I’m glad I was able to save yours when it mattered the most. Take care of yourself ok? No more crazy stuff.”
“This is not the time for this kind of talk Kat.” His voice revealing he’s about to break. With a smile on her face she replies, “There will be no other time. Listen, please. Remember all we talked about before we got here? Please, consider it all. You know this is your second chance, don’t waste it. Let go of your hatred, be thankful you are where you are.”
“Please Kat save your strength…”
“Don’t worry I’ll be fine, I love you.”
He stares at her wide-eyed. It’s the first time she ever said that to him. He’s known her for years now, she never lets go of those words unless she means it. Not even some of her past boyfriends heard her utter those words.
“Don’t look at me that way, silly….” Her sentence is cut off by a cough. Some blood comes from her mouth as she coughed.
She stares him right in the eyes. “I always have and I always will. Take care.”
With barely any sound coming from his shaking lips he utters, “I always have and I always will too.”
Hearing those words she smiles her most beautiful smile in her lifetime, then she’s gone.
The silence is deafening and not even a gentle breeze moves a blade of grass. One can feel it in his skin, death is in the air. Finally a breeze blows through…and it reeks of blood. At the turn of a corner sitting on a pool of blood wide-eyed is the one they call the Icewulf. He’s a teenager with a past blanketed with a haze of deceit and hatred. A single tear falls down his cheek as he heaves. With but a glance one would notice that the blood is not his. Laying in his arms like a rag doll is a young lady. Her name is Katherine, but to those who know her relationship to the Icewulf she is called Wolfsbane, named after the beautiful albeit very poisonous flower used to kill wolves. Hearsay dictates that she is the one person able to control him.
On Katherine’s white tank top, right above her left breast lays the source of the red pool, a single gunshot wound. It was a single shot that was aimed at the Icewulf, until she pushed him out of the bullet’s path and received the piece of metal in his stead. His eyes, all glazed stare right into hers as his mind races through memories of just a few minutes ago…
South expressway, 1300 hours. Destination: Lipa City, current speed 160 kilometers per hour.
“Don’t you ever drive slower than 120kph?!”
“Not this discussion again Kathy!”
“Somehow I knew you’d say that. Hah!” Kathy chuckled as he puts on his yeah-right-whatever face on.
“Anyway, I hope you don’t mind but I want to ask you something.”
“You’re my best friend you know you don’t need to ask for permission to ask a question, you know that.”
“Well, then let me ask you…how are you?”
“You’re asking me how I am?
“Yes.”
“You know how I am, you’re with me everyday!”
‘No really, how are you?”
“Oh, I see. Well I’m doing well. Haven’t felt better in a long time.”
“Good to hear, I noticed it in you too. Um, maybe it’s time we stopped all the crazy stuff and just enjoy the calm we have now.”
He takes a while to reply. He looks at her and sees that she was serious, she was indeed pouring out a real sentiment.
“Why? Shouldn’t we take this as a time to prepare ourselves for the next maneuver? Don’t tell me you forgot already all the pain some people have caused you?!” His voice is stern, he’s always full of pride. However, one look into his eyes and one would notice that he is considering her suggestion.
“C’mon, you know as well that I do that there’s nothing to gain by feeding our hatred, depression and by letting our past haunt us. We’ve finally found our way back home, we’ve finally found God again, and we’ve gotten rid of most of our burdens already. It’s time we let go of the past and finally be able to start anew! You teach it, now let’s live it!”
“Kat, you sound just like me when I’m giving a retreat session…it’s scaaaary.”
“Haha…go ahead and laugh but I’m serious. We have gotten past our problems at home, with our exs, with our other friends, with our old acquaintances and influences. But we still let the past haunt us, if we let it go that would be taking off the last anchor that weighs us down. I want to make this step and I want you, my best friend, to come with me coz I know you share the same burdens I do.”
“Best friend?...Yeah. Well…we’ll see.” His face hides nothing about what he feels, clearly something she mentioned changed his mood.
“Why so gloomy all of a sudden? Something I said? Last time I checked we still are the best of friends, right?”
“Yeah sure.” He tries to break a smile. This time its Kat’s turn to look down with her smile fading but he doesn’t notice.
“Alright, we’re exiting now. Hey Kat why don’t we drop by the place where we used to play hide and seek with everyone? It’s just nearby.”
She immediately puts her smile back on and nods, her eyes dictate that she’s lost in thought.
Minutes later they park the car by the side of the road and decide to take a walk. They start pointing out spots where they used to hide while reminiscing. Across the road two drunk and noisy men walk by, one looks familiar. Icewulf waves at one of them but before he utters a word he hears Kat scream and shove him aside. He falls to the ground hard and in shock.
Outskirts of Lipa City, 1331 hours.
He snaps out of his flashbacks as she tries to move her left arm, pain clearly showing in her face she reaches for his shirt. “Take it easy.” he says, breaking the silence, “Hang in there, you’ll be ok.” She tries to break a smile and in a weak and shivering voice a few words escape her lips. “You saved my life so many times before, I’m glad I was able to save yours when it mattered the most. Take care of yourself ok? No more crazy stuff.”
“This is not the time for this kind of talk Kat.” His voice revealing he’s about to break. With a smile on her face she replies, “There will be no other time. Listen, please. Remember all we talked about before we got here? Please, consider it all. You know this is your second chance, don’t waste it. Let go of your hatred, be thankful you are where you are.”
“Please Kat save your strength…”
“Don’t worry I’ll be fine, I love you.”
He stares at her wide-eyed. It’s the first time she ever said that to him. He’s known her for years now, she never lets go of those words unless she means it. Not even some of her past boyfriends heard her utter those words.
“Don’t look at me that way, silly….” Her sentence is cut off by a cough. Some blood comes from her mouth as she coughed.
She stares him right in the eyes. “I always have and I always will. Take care.”
With barely any sound coming from his shaking lips he utters, “I always have and I always will too.”
Hearing those words she smiles her most beautiful smile in her lifetime, then she’s gone.
