#and no furniture except a bed and my old bookshelves. wow that sucks so bad turns out !!!!

[stuck-in-the-ghost-zone]

and in a cruel twist of fate that surprises NO ONE, turns out sleeping in my childhood bedroom that my mom is in the midst of turning into Something Else turns my brain into soup!!

[anihan-spills]

Girl in the Mirror (Part II)

II.    Alberta

   The big kalesa stopped in the middle of the mansion. The first to go out was Don Sinestrella in his expensive suit and cane, smoking a big tobacco cigar. The second to exit was his wife, Donya Sinestrella in a lavish gown fanning herself with an elegant fan whose colors seem to matches her outfit. The last was Alberta — in a simpler gown. She looked at the view of the house and turns around to the farm.

   I remember the Don stretching his arms and sighing. After so, he faced his wife. “Isn’t this beautiful, mi amore?”.

   The lover cheerily agreed. “It is beautiful, mi amore!” The man faced his daughter, who seemed more in distraught than her parents. Nevertheless, he asked her in the same manner how beautiful the newly attained land was. “Isn’t it beautiful, mi amore?”

   Alberta faced him. “Where’s the university?”. The cycle continues.

   “We don't even know how you became so enthusiastic about stars, and planets, and comets, and moons!” Don Sinestrella exclaimed, “Why don't you go with us to Señor Patricio’s house tomorrow night. You can have your first glass of champagne there!”

   This made Alberta sigh. “I’ll think about it.”

   Alberta enters her new room, the furniture all placed. Although the hassle of placing one’s own furniture was retracted from her, she was still tired and frustrated as ever from the moving. She dumps herself into her bed. She turns on her side and faces the wall where the mirror stood, which is opposite to the window. She stares at her reflection before going to sleep.

   Four, or maybe more than four, hours later, she woke. In her mirror, she could see the reflection of the moon and the stars that surround it. It was late night, making the celestial bodies shine so brightly. The luminescence made her run to her window to take a look.

   “The stars are bright tonight. I want to be a star — a star that can actually be seen and be mesmerized at. I want to be a star that so inspired Thales, Copernicus, Galileo, and maybe those who are to come.

   “I want to study these stars. I want to know and see how these stars are so capable of shining light through a dark and cold vacuum. Just like them, I want to shine through something empty. But alas, this society is a black hole, sucking out the light of any star like me to shine. The male stars shine are able to shine... though. I don’t know how, but they were somehow always the exception.

   “What am I without these stars? How will I end? How will they end? I wish I could find out.”

   Maybe I was a bit forward when I emerged. The speech, after all, was worthy of an instant standing ovation. Or, maybe it’s because it was my first time to hear a speech. Regardless, I clapped and said:

   “Wow! So inspirational!”

   I was too forward. She looked at me, frightened. She stared at me quietly before shouting.

   “G-G-G-GhoST!!!”

   This made me frightened too. Then again, what else should I have expected? Every action has an equal opposite reaction. I became terrified as well.

   “WHERE????”

   Alberta took out her rosary and trembling pointed at me. At that time, it made me even more confused. I looked around myself, thinking the ghost was around me. Then I was still shouting, jumping all around. “WHERE!? WHERE!? WHERE!????”

   “YOU!” Alberta shouted.

   This one word had answered so many questions.

   “Me?” I asked. “Oh yeah! I haven’t introduced myself. I had to explain to her. “Oh. I’m no ghost.”

   “Then what are you?” she asked.

   Oh. I don’t know. I was never asked that question before. I had to go with the most obvious answer. “I’m the girl in the mirror, I guess.”

    She rebutted: “That's not possible. You're in a mirror. Mirrors are supposed to be reflecting visible light from its opposite side and right now... you aren't on the opposite side.”

   I stared blankly at her. I admitted, “I did not understand a thing you said.”

   She frowned and went closer to me. “Do you have a name?”

   I continued staring at her before slowly shaking my head. “No…”

   Alberta looked at me before staring out the window. She said, “I’ll find you a name.”

   I smiled at her. I took the chance for the inquiry. “Do you have a name?”

   “Alberta”, she answered.

   My smile became wider. “Alright, Alberta. I heard you like stars.”

   “I do…”, she said, “I want to be a physicist, you see. And study light.”

   I said “That’s beautiful!”, although I did not know what that meant.

   She agreed, “Yeah, it is.”

   That then, she jotted up in excitement. “Oh, I know! Since mirrors are reflections of light, and you are in a mirror, why not call you ‘Lucia’!? It does mean light.”

   I gasped. “Oh! I like that name.”

   “Right?”

   She sighed and looked away. I notice her mood change as she went to look at the stars once more.

   I said, “You look sad.”

   She replied, “I am.”

   I asked, “Is there a reason?”

   She sighed and turned to face me before opening up. “Well, my family doesn't really support me liking... stars. Actually, there are other people who don't support me liking the stars. They would rather have me in a convent than be a physicist. I shouldn't be mad at them. But I should try to do something at least. I'd do anything to be with them; these stars.”

   I looked away. That then I somehow remember, as I was being transported, seeing a library nearby. It was west of the mansion. There was an old acacia tree near the library.

   That’s when I told her: “You know, there's a library nearby. That's the only thing I can recommend to you.”

   She jotted up, smiling. “There is!?”

   I told her the directions. “Just head west. You'll reach the town in half an hour by walking. You'll find a library near the old acacia tree.”

   She leaped in glee. I saw her dumping herself on the bed once more.

   I smiled and said, “You should probably sleep first. The library opens somewhat early.”

   She smiled back. “I shall take note. Thank you so much.”

   I told her to sleep tight. I saw her eyes closing. I did the same to mine.

   Then, the visions came. I saw her searching for books inside a huge room that welcomed its guests with the gigantic bookshelves that withheld gigantic books.  I saw a boy, Alberta’s age, who carried a stack of these gigantic books. The boy had a somewhat dark complexion that went along with his curly dark hair. Nevertheless, he remained to look suave. He jotted up as soon as he saw her. She and the library boy interacted.

   “Uhmm, paumanhin po. Babae po ba ‘ho kayo?”

   “Oo! Babae ako. At kailangan ko ng tulong dito.”

   “Señora, parang naliligaw po kayo nang landas. Ang boutique ay na sa—”

   “Señor, kung ang boutique na ‘yun ay hindi para sa teleskopo, hindi po ako interesado.”

   And they continued to talk. Eventually, the library boy agreed to help her.

   “Bihira na akong makakita ng tao sa silid-aklatan. Maslalo na ang mga babae.”

   “Hindi rin kasi kami puwede”

   “Alam ko. Pero masaya naman din makakita ng bago’t ilegal na mukha dito sa librarya.”

   “Salamat.”

   “Ay, oo nga. Bago kita i-rekord dito, anong gusto mo’ng pseudonym?”

   “Hmmm… well, dahil pangalan ko ay Alberta, puwede rin namang Alberto Magno? Parang si Albert Magnus.”

   “Ang nag-aagham? Kaya pala interesado ka talaga sa mga ganitong bagay, ano?”

   “Inilikha ako ng Diyos nang ganito.”

   “May mga paborito talaga ang Diyos.”

   “Ano ulit pangalan mo, señor?”

   “Jose.”

   “Paborito ka rin ng Diyos, Señor Jose.”

   I wake up and saw Alberta carrying a saddlebag full of books. “Hey!” I greeted. I jotted up and smiled.  I asked, “Did you get those from the library?”

   She nodded. “Yeah! The library is HUGE! I almost got lost… if it weren’t for Jose.”

   I shrugged. “Yeah. Men can be useful like that sometimes.”

   Alberta sighed before dumping herself on her bed. “Something inside me feels like I could never achieve my dreams, no matter how much I want it.”

   I shrug, “Well, you could always try. If nobody believes in us, it’s fitting that we’re the only ones that believe in ourselves, right?”

   A knock is heard from the door. She and I turned to figure out who it was. I heard Donya Sinestrella say, “My dear, get dressed for Senor Padrino’s party tonight! Come on! It’ll be fun!”

   Don Sinestrella chimed in as well. “Yes, darling! Why you might even meet a new suitor!”

   Alberta gasps. “Oh no! Senor Patricio’s party! I keep on forgetting!”

   I vanish to give her some space.

   The visions came back. It was faster this time. I saw a grand ballroom with people dancing in their elegant outfits. I saw Alberta dancing along with a young lad, who was not Jose. The lad was, in fact, the opposite. The lad had modish clothes that reflected what wealth he has in store for him. His name was Salazar Patricio. He had a white complexion and brown hair, very much in contrast with Jose’s rugged looks. But what contrasted the most was how much worse his name sounded from Jose’s. Seriously! It’s so bad! I would pity anyone named Salazar.

   In the middle of everyone dancing, Salazar led Alberta to a big room that had bookshelves as its walls. Alberta gleefully twirled around the library. He handed a manuscript to Alberta, which Alberta stared at in awe. I heard the lad say,

   “My colleagues and I need more manpower to finish our physics paper. I’ll put your name on it too! Imagine — you’ll be the first woman to ever be part in a scientific inquiry. My God! You’ll make history!”

   Alberta smiled at the paper and hugged him. “Thank you so much, Salazar!”

   Alberta and Salazar were seen in the library — each taking turns to write on the parchments, solving equations, referencing books and other sources — some of which, if I deduced correctly, were borrowed from the Magnus Library.

   The scene changed now. Alberta entered the Magnus library. Jose greeted her from the counter. That then a rolling sound was heard. Alberta quickly hid behind the counter. From there, she saw a man with a cart full of manuscripts. The man put all these manuscripts down. Alberta and Jose waited for the man to leave before scurrying through the manuscripts. Alberta stopped to stare at one particular manuscript. Her eyes filled with tears as she gave the manuscript to Jose before crying on his chest.

   Jose looks at her. “Nasaan pangalan mo?”

   “H-Hindi ko alam.”

   I saw Alberta crying.

   “‘Bat mo pa ako tinulungan?” Alberta asked her friend.

   “Kasi alam ko kaya mo.”

   Alberta wiped her tears. She smiled at Jose. “I’m going to confront him.”

   “Mag-ingat ka.”

The scene changed the second time around. She was at Salazar’s Library. Salazar and his friends were already in the scene when Alberta entered. Salazar opened his arms to greet Alberta but was in shock when Alberta slammed the manuscript on his chest. She demanded:

   “Where’s my name?”

   “My dear, that’s MY work.”

   “But I helped you, didn’t I?”

   “Do you really think that you contributing will earn you credit in this paper!? You’re a woman! So don’t dream too much, my dear.”

   Alberta glares at him one last time, a tear rolling down from her eyes. She stormed out of the library, gripping the manuscript.