Napasinghap ako nang marinig ang sambit niya. He locked gazes with the man, pulling me behind him in a snap.

Pasarkastikong ngumiti si Valdez at lumapit sakaniya, "Hindi ko alam na may pagka paki-alamero ka rin pala Daw-as?" Tinignan niya ito mula ulo hanggang paa, "Sikat ka lang kasi sa school kaya hindi ka namin mapagtripan eh, pero dahil wala naman tayo sa school ngayon,"

Lalong bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko ng makita kong magtaas ng manggas ng uniporme si Gabriel.

"Gabriel?" I asked, my voice shaky, "T-tatakbo na ba tayo?"

"Tumayo ka do'n," Narinig kong utos niya sabay turo sa sidewalk.

"P-pero," I bit my lip in apprehension, clueless as I saw the four men pull up their sleeves. "Anong gagawin mo? Apat sila!"

"Ngayon na!" Napa-atras ako nang marinig ang bulyaw niya.

My gaze widened in shock, my heartbeat spiking up as I saw him charge towards the men, thrusting his fist to the first he was able to approach. Bumawi naman ang apat, simultaneously throwing their fists towards him.

Napa-pikit nalang ako nang makitang mapa-atras si Gabriel. My lips parted in prayer, a palm to my mouth as I shut the loud grunts away. Ano? Ano nang gagawin ko!?

"Jesus..." I breathed, scurrying in my mind what I've heard Pastor Melchour pray when they were in Spiritual Warfare. Ano na nga ba ulit 'yon? My hands curled to a fist in the effort.

"Lord, Y-you said all authority is in Your Name, so right now..." I bit my lip, "I ask for warring angels to come and fight for us. In Your Name, Jesus... In Your Name!"

Trembling, I lifted my gaze, and immediately I felt my heart come to a stop. Napatumba na ni Gabriel ang tatlo, p-pero... Si Valdez! Nasa likuran niya si Valdez at akmang ibabagsak nito sakanya ang malaking batong hawak niya. Mariin kong ipinikit ang aking mga mata,

"I-in Jesus Name!"

My voice echoed in the street, and with this I heard a loud thud from the ground.

Oh Lord, let it not be him! With much effort I opened my eyes, and almost immediately a wave of relief washed over my being.

I gazed down at the rock on the ground, its location right in the midst of where Valdez and Gabriel stood. Hindi maipaliwanag na ekspresyon ang naka-pinta sa mga muka nila. I shifted my gaze to Gabriel, his gaze anchored on the rock in their midst.

Anong nangyari?

Isa-isang tumayo ang mga lalake at nagkumpol sa harap ni Gabriel, all having the same inexplicable expressions upon their faces. Valdez flashed me a glance, and with this, began to walk away.

Ibinalik ko ang paningin kay Gabriel at dali-dali itong nilapitan, "A-ayos ka lang?" I lifted my hand to his face, feeling the bruise that marked his temples. Hala, paano na 'to? Angdami niyang pasa!

He dropped his gaze upon me, "Ayos lang," malamig niyang sabi. With this he began to walk away, taking long strides as he advanced.

"Gabriel!" hinabol ko siya't hinablot sa braso, he winced in pain at the act. I gathered my arms to my chest apologetically, "S-sorry," I looked at him from head to toe, "Marami kang pasa, ayaw mo bang sumama sa church? May prayer meeting kasi ngayon, pero pwede natin linisan mga sugat mo do'n,"

"Seryoso ka ba?" He forced a laugh and gazed at me intently, "Gusto mo akong pumunta sa simbahan niyo ng ganito?" Umiling siya at ibinalik ang paningin sa'kin. "Baliw ka rin no?" Pagka sambit nito ay muli siyang naglakad. Tinawag ko uli siya pero hindi na siya lumingon. Napabuntong hininga ako. Anya met iman. I mused in our tongue, a sense of guilt washing over my being as I saw him disappear into a street curve.

Nanatili ako ng ilan pang segundo sa kinakatayuan ko bago muling maglakad. I began to recant the events in my mind. Ano kayang nangyari kanina? Bakit parang nakakapag-taka naman ang mga reaksiyon nila? Sayang, nakapikit kasi ako eh, 'di ko tuloy nakita!

Itinaas ko ang relo at chineck ang oras. 6:18 na!

I lifted my gaze and began to sprint for the church, catching my breath as I made each turn. Ilang minuto ding pagtakbo at naka-rating ako sa simbahan. Rinig ko ang mga boses ng mga kumakanta, patapos na siguro ang worship.

Nakayuko akong pumasok sa pintuan at inilibot and paningin sa pabilog sa pagkakaposisyon ng mga naka-upo. With much care I slipped into the circle and sat on one of the chairs, settling myself as I began to recognize the song.

Huminga ako nang malalim at sinimulang pakalmahin ang sarili. Oh Lord, thank You. Thank You so much for Your protection. I shut my eyes in surrender, when instead of seeing a blank space, his face flashed before my eyes. Thank you Lord for Gabriel's life. I released a breath and joined in the singing.

Spirit touch Your Church,
Stir the hearts of men,
Revive us Lord, with Your passion once again,
I want to care for others,
Like Jesus cared for me,
Let Your rain fall upon me!

Makalipas ang ilan pang minuto nang pagkanta, natapos din ang Worship at nagpatuloy sa panalangin ang gawain. Gradually I felt a burden in my heart to intercede, the events of the day in replay in my mind as I prayed.

"Lord, idinudulog ko po sa Inyo si Rhoe," I began, my voice low as we prayed in unison, "I pray that You would touch her life in a new way. Ipakita mo po sa kaniya na ikaw ay isang Buhay na Diyos at may paki-alam ka sa buhay niya."

I took in breath, continuing in prayer along with the others, "I pray for my classmates Lord, I pray that they'd experience Your Salvation, Oh God! Sa sarili ko pong kakayahan hindi ko po ito magagawa but I serve a God who does the impossible! So Lord, I pray move mightily in our classroom, move mightily in our school! Lord, You said You will pour out Your Spirit in the last days, so Lord pour it out! Pour it out in this school! So that the sons and daughters in this school would begin to prophecy, and experience your Presence!"

Along with tongues I continued to pray, tears slipping my eyes as I thought of my unsaved schoolmates. "Oh Panginoon, kailangan ka po nila! Kailangan ka ng Pinegrove National High School! The youth needs You, Lord!"

My prayers came to a halt, my heart beating unusually fast as I remembered Gabriel's face, I bowed my head, "Panginoon, hindi ko man po alam ang pinag dada-anan ni Gabriel, pero alam ko pong may plano ka sa buhay niya. Lord dalangin ko pong gamutin mo ang anumang sugat sa puso niya, dalangin ko pong ayusin mo kung ano mang gulo ang bumabalot sa buhay niya. Lord, I bring him to you in prayer, and ask that you set him free! Let him feel Your love, Oh God! Convict him with Your power."

I lifted my lids and gazed upwards, "Panginoon, change him, and use him for Your glory..."

Another deep breath escaped my lips as I thought, the events of the day flashing in my mind like an endless cycle.

Hindi ako nagkakamali. I saw what I saw. Napaka-lakas ng pagkabato niya, pero - mariin kong ipinikit ang aking mga mata. Pagka-sambit niya ng pangalan na 'yon, tila ba may namuong pader sa harap ko't pinigilan ang pagtama nito.

I shook my head, trying to convince myself that I've seen it all wrong, but all the more the fact was made clear. Hindi eh, sigurado akong nakita rin ni Valdez and nangyari.

I lifted my lids slowly, taking in a breath as I thought. Unti-unting bumabalik ang mga salitang inu-ulit ulit ni Mama noong buhay pa siya.

There is a realm that we may not see, but is more real than anything we have ever experienced.

Lubos ang paniniwala niya noon sa mga bagay na supernatural, paniwalang-paniwala siya sa mga milagro at kung ano-ano pang bagay sa Bibliya. Napanuya ako at ibinaba ang tingin. Buong buhay niya nagsilbi siya sa Diyos, pero ni ang pagalingin siya sa sakit hindi manlang nito nagawa. Nasaan ang pinapaniwalaan niyang Diyos no'ng unti-unti siyang pinapatay ng cancer?

I leaned against the bed's headboard, pondering once more on the things that had happened. Gradually I felt uncertainty creep up my being nang muli kong maalala ang nasambit ni Grace kanina.

'Be still, and listen...'

Maka-ilang ulit ko ding binalewala ang mga sinasabi niya, but as much as I tried, I couldn't get her words off of my head. Somehow ... she makes me want to believe in something more.

Maybe-

Maybe this is why I care about her so.

I scattered my gaze, eyes in observance of the grassy ground I was traversing. My lips slowly curved to a smile, my heart leaping in gladness as I recognized our front lawn. I'm home! I'm finally home!

Dali-dali akong lumapit sa pintuan, at sa paglapit ko dito, agad ko ding narinig ang boses ng isang lalaki na nang gagaling sa loob.

I inclined my ears to the door, leaning against it as I listened. May nagpe-preach.

Carefully, I pushed the door open, revealing the people that sat on the floor of our house. Anong meron? Inangat ko ang aking paningin, observing the preacher as I caught sight of his lower legs. He wore a pair of dark slacks, and a blue polo clother his torso. I shifted up to his face, and immediately my gaze widened.

A gasp escaped my lips, panting for breath as I opened my eyes. White painted walls occupied my perception.

Huh?

Anong oras na? Hinanap ko ang cellphone mula sa kama at itinaas ito sa aking muka. 1:23AM.

I shifted in my bed as I came to recollect the dream. Ano ba 'yan. I shook my head as I thought. Hay, kaka-isip mo kasi sakaniya kaya pati sa panaginip eh nakikita mo, Grace!

Seconds ticked by whilst I processed what I saw, the utter silence in the room deepening it. Bakit ganon? Parang totoong-totoo yung nakita ko?

Napabuntong-hininga ulit ako sa pagpikit ko ng mata. Lord, anong ibig sabihin non? Mula ba yon sa sarili kong utak? O... ?