Et Obscuratus Filia

BANG!

A gunshot filled the air and breaks the silence in a small simple community in the midst of crowded city. It reached the ear of a young lady who’s on her meditation session inside their house on a man-made pond. Her cousin saw that it disturb her a bit, she remained peaceful and calm outside but not on the inside.

“Criminals are freely roving around the community again. These past few days the criminal rates are getting high, as if there was a feast waiting for them here,” she said to herself.

She inhaled and exhaled heavily, sign that she cannot concentrate anymore. She suddenly opened her eyes and light flashes to her.

“Another long day ahead, are you ready?” She turned her head towards her cousin and smile.

Her cousin smiled back and told her that breakfast is ready their grandfather is waiting for them; he’s really hungry and already losing his temper because she meditates too long. The young lady just laughed hard.

“Layla, please don’t mind me asking about this but are you okay?”

She stopped laughing and looks at her piercingly sharp. No words coming out of her, her cousin stepped backward and afraid of what might come next. Her heart is pounding so hard and sweat on her forehead slowly runs down on her face.

“Kimberly…” Layla said. And her cousin answered back.

“Yes? Oh, I am so sorry if I offended you by my…” Layla interrupted her and innocently asked her back if she doesn’t look okay. She doesn’t wait for her answer, laughed hard again, and said that she looked so terrified and continued laughing until they reached the dining hall.

“Oh my, for Christ sake where have you been? I’ve been waiting for the both of you like forever! God I’m really starving, thank you Lord, Our God for this sumptuous breakfast that we have this morning and guide us in all our ways and protect us from all harm that might get in our way. In nomine Patris et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.”

Her grandfather stared right on Layla on his last words.

“Good morning Grandpa Enrico, cómo estás? ¿Cómo dormiste?” as she smiled on him.

“I slept very well my dear granddaughter and how about your meditation thing? I really hope it would help you a lot on your anger management issues, really and good luck hmmmmp…”

“That’s so sweet of you grandpa, thank you! Have you heard the firework early this morning?”

“Ha ha ha! Come on little girl that is clearly not a firework my dear grandchild, I know the difference between the sound of fireworks and gunshot, okay?”

Suddenly Kim interrupted the conversation, reminding them that they need to eat before the food gets cold and probably gets late to school.

“Okay both of you before this thing gets so serious and lead us to another thing let’s finish our food first.” Kim exchanges glances with her grandfather and cousin.

They enjoyed their breakfast and get ready for school. Layla and Kimberly were both senior high students, while their grandfather is a college Philosophy professor. The parents of the cousins and their siblings are living abroad and they left to help, take care and guide their grandfather.

While on their way to school, they saw how busy the streets and the people are all rushing going to work or school like them. Layla reminisce the good old days, when she was still young. She remembered how she and her little brother escaped with the help of their father just to buy some ice cream and cake from the nearby store.

“This whole place really changed a lot, I wish I could go back in time and to experience and do again the things that make me happy when I was a child” Layla whispered.

Her grandfather seemed to have read her mind.

“Nobody can alter the past. No matter how much you prayed for it young lady. Life is not made backwards it is made forwards. Whatever has happened in the past we must keep it and let it stay in the past. If it is bad let us forget it, if it is beautiful and good let us consider it a good treasure” and he smiled without looking at her, you can clearly see on him that he has a lot of good memories that worth treasured for.

All of the sudden, the whole place is dimmed, like a twilight. They forgot about the total eclipse, which is happening now.

“Wow amazing I haven’t seen a total eclipse before, it overshadowed the whole city!” Kimberly looked outside the car’s window in great amazement!

“The light and dark, dark and light” said Layla.

“It was not just a simple light and dark phenomenon my dears. Light and darkness also played an important role in our lives, daily lives. Light always resembles good and darkness as bad, somehow it still on human perspective. Light brings some noise and darkness brings peace whichever a person chooses here on earth it will still form and tell his or her real identity. No one can hide the light or darkness in his being for long, it will still surface in the end. And with all that have a great day ahead my grandchildren stay hard and stay safe. Here I go down because I want to walk into faculty, a little exercise for the bones and joints of an old man like me. Lastly, you know what Layla, you were born while a total eclipse was taking place that same day and when night came suddenly, there was a total lunar eclipse. I will never forget that event in my whole life because even scientists and astronauts could not explain that event. Besides you were the only one born at that phenomenon, I researched that for a long time Layla so you are especial whether in light or in darkness. For whatever reason I don’t know either. So please stay calm and have a clear mind so that you can understand things. That is why I left my priesthood to guide and protect you from both sides. I want you to enjoy your childhood and don’t feel that you are different from the others. And now I know you understand those around you that only you can see, feel or hear. I know there are things happening to you that are different than normal creatures but believe me it is not a curse but a blessing. It's hard but I have a lot of confidence and trust in you that in the end you will still choose what is best for everyone.”

Kim was so puzzled about what their grandfather have just said. She don’t know what that’s mean and she looked at Layla she doesn’t have any expression on her face. She is always having a poker face every time they’ve had a conversation like that she just nod on the old man left the car.

“Okay that was sooooo surprising you were born when an eclipse happened okay noted anyway what else I don’t know, I just don’t really understand can you give me some hint? We are cousins right? We’re best friends too if you have a problem or something like… hey I’m always here to help you, you’re not alone. Try me I will understand everything like everything. I believed that I’m open-minded person, yeah really open” Kim looks Layla really worried .

Layla just smiled back on Kim and said; “Thank you for always being there for me. Don’t worry I am completely fine and under control. Let’s go we’ll be late for our first class, I don’t want to be late. You know me (and wink her eye on her cousin)”.

“Oh, really? But you we’re always late, your classmates told me!” Kim said in amazement.

“Is that so? Well don’t believe them I just went on the bathroom to put some make up on” Layla manage to smile on her very confused cousin.

“Oh my, make ups I love that! Hey… hey but you never wear some make-ups!” Kim shouted to her cousin that already running on her way to class.

“See you later! Don’t think too much you will get aged early ha ha!” while Layla waving to her poor cousin, leaving her completely wondering on those words that their grandfather told Layla a while ago.

Layla had reached the building where her classroom was. The whole area was quiet and surprisingly there were no students on any floor and hallway that she passed. It's really different than the ordinary days where the students can almost exchange their faces as they fight and chase in the hallways and stairs before the class starts. Layla knew that the eclipse had something to do with it. The moon no longer completely covers the sun; the darkness and light take over the surroundings as the eclipse nears its end. She feels like there are two pairs of eyes that have been tracking her since she got out of the car. She knew who they were and she also knew that these two had something to do with why until now there were still no people in the whole building. They seem to have brought the whole place into a dimension somewhere between the ordinary world of humans and creatures like them. Layla continued walking until she reached their room. She sat in her seat and watched the students below and outside their building. They are unaware of what is going on around them, the regular life for them is still going on, their usual activities.

Layla closed her beautiful eyes and said; “I know you are there and you have been following me before, I know you two have something to do with everything going on around me. You don't have to hide yourself, you're out”. The wind gently blew on her face as two shadows appeared on her back and revealed themselves in human form.

A sweet smiling lovely lady and a plain looking man standing on her back.

“How do you feel about the eclipse?” said the man.

“Good to see you again young woman, I felt something inside you that for sure both of us will make us chill” the lady said.

Layla never looked back on them. She just feels the whole surroundings, whether there is a danger lurking in those present or just like on ordinary days when the two creatures also appear. She would not let anything bad happen in that area because many would definitely be in danger. They are not ordinary people or spirits. The beautiful woman is a demon and the man is one of the archangels, both from the best armies in their origins. So, in the strange event that took place today in this world, it is not far off that there is something she cannot stop. She never let her guards down. She is very afraid but she never let this engulf her and she never shows it especially on this two.

“It’s true that looks can really be deceiving isn’t it? One hides in the face of a very beautiful and innocent creature, you are also very modest compared to the normal woman. You man, your personality is very ordinary when it comes to others who would have thought that you were a warrior from another world. Despite those forms of yours, you cannot hide your true identity from me. I can see your shadows, still clear in a crystal. I can smell you too… especially you woman. The smell of hell stinks out of you.” Layla said as she still looks from the vast horizon. At the wink of an eye, they are in a new place, on the top of a tower in the middle of the city where you can see everyone and everything.

“A good vantage point, why you brought us here Ruby” Layla asked the woman

“I just wanted to see this entire city before everything ends and probably to breathe some fresh air which we don’t have in the underworld” Ruby answered Layla.

“Layla… you were born in the midst of light and darkness, you are the only soul who can maintain the equilibrium of light and darkness, and it all depends on your choice. No one or any force in heaven or in hell can stop it. All of this is destined to happen,” said the man.

“Professor Atom, do you really think I am a trump card on your deck? Same goes to Ruby. That is why both of you keep on convincing me to choose your sides. Nobody can stop the final judgment it is already written, the prophets warns us that it will come to us like a thief in the night. The righteous will be left behind and will continue to live in the new world to be rebuilt and the wicked will be taken to their destination in hell to burn their souls there. I am not your trump card, because I will initiate destruction, from me will come all the sorrow, chaos, strife, envy and hatred in this world. I will be the cause of the fall of the world to make way for the new world. When I do this, everyone's masks will be removed, they will be stripped naked and their true selves will be exposed. The good -hearted will be left, and the false will be drowned in the lake of fire. Many souls will cry out in the depths and ask for help but no one else can save them. I am the beginning and he is the end. Be prepared because you will not be able to survive the war that is set, whether angel or demon is destined to lay down life” said Layla.

The two were shocked by what they heard, they didn’t expect it and the more they didn’t know about it. This was not what they expected, all they knew was their mission was to convince the mortal woman to side with their respective groups but it was contrary to what they thought and expected. She is the destruction and downfall of all the living and the dead. But the big question to them is how did she knew about it. In that very moment they went back inside the school building as if nothing ever happened. Students coming in to their classroom and telling their experience about the eclipse, some say it was amazing while others said some horror stories. All of them are laughing except for Layla. She remained cool and calm on her chair looking outside the window, imagining the world will set on fire.

Meanwhile on her Grandfather’s classroom, he can be seen discussing in front of the class.

"Everyone wants and claim that they are on the side of the light, who really likes darkness indeed. There is a lot to fear in darkness especially when it is boundless. There are many people who say they came from light, but the light coming from them is true? Or it is just false a fake one hmmmmm. You should always remember that even light is destructive, too much light is blinding. We must understand that light and darkness are brothers, twins. Darkness not only symbolizes evil but it helps to see the true light. The light comes from us, so as well as the darkness. When you look up the vast dark sky every night you will see those little stars twinkling, the light inside of you is like that small, tiny. However, the real nature of humans has kept darkness inside them. They always hides it, no matter what the cost sometimes. You who are here, how great is the darkness in you?