#10: Estefro

The moon remains shining in the dark skies. In the village of Ulaiya, a young man is standing beside an old woman and his hands are lifting large leather bags.

Two horses tied on a rope that is connected to a carriage halt in front of them.

"Sa'n tayo mga kababayan?" a middle-aged man sitting on a wooden platform near the horses gently lifts his cap, "dadalhin ko kayo kung saan ninyo nais pumunta."

Ashtana's dried lip begins to curve upwards as she lifts her hands; she lifts her index and middle fingers as her other fingers are folded. "Dalawa kami at sa nayon ng kadalisayan ang aming destinasyon."

The driver of the carriage nods. "Sumakay na kayo at mahaba pa ang ating tatahakin."

During the interim, in front of a house, a young man's upper body is bent forward while inhaling and exhaling at a fast rate.

His bodily fluid is covering his whole body making his skin glisten under the moonlight.

The man standing near the young man smiles widely. "Ayan lang ba ang kaya mo? Nasaan ang Azer na nagpatumba sa aking nakatatandang kapatid?"

Azer begins to straighten his upper body as he's lifting the sword and it slips from his hand as he falls backward.

Estefro jumps toward Azer, and he swings his foot thence his foot strikes Azer's jaw. His eyes turn white and he flies away and hits the ground.

Estefro remains standing on his ground while gazing at Azer whose eyes are white while laying on the ground.

"ANONG GINAWA MO?!" Dillian sprints toward Azer and she looks at Estefro, "naging malupit ka ba kay Azer, ha?!"

Estefro opens his hand as he shakes his head at Dillian. "Naging malambot ka yata sa baguhan? Ganyan tayo sinanay dati ng ating mga guro, at gano'n din ang gagawin ko sa kanya!"

"Lumayas ka." Dillian closed her other hand.

Estefro shakes his head while his eyes mimic a smile. "Nagiging malambot ka yata–!"

Dillian moves her eyes to Estefro. "Hindi ako nagiging malambot ngunit ang pagtuturo ay masyadong nagiging matigas at hindi ito makatao!"

Estefro moves his eyes downward and he turns around from her. "Ang aking pagtuturo ay magdudulot ng paglakas niya, hindi ang turo ninyo na ang tanging magagawa lamang nito ay panatilihin siyang mahina."

Estefro begins to walk away from her sight.

Later on, Estefro halts in front of a river inside a forest. His eyes feast upon the moonlight shining upon the flowing narrow body of water.

He sits on the grassland and hugs his knees while he stares at the river.

"Masama ba ako? Hindi ba makatao ang pagtuturo ko?" he mumbled.

"Ang ilog na ito ay napakaganda talaga sa mga mata," an old man halts in beside Estefro, "aking nadarama na ang iyong isip ay nababagabag nang husto."

"Hindi naman," Estefro said.

Estefro moves his eyes beside him and witnesses an old man staring at the dark skies.

Estefro speaks, "Bakit ka narito, tanda?"

The old man laughs softly. "Ikaw, bakit ka narito? Narito ka ba dahil may malaki kang problema o andito ka upang titigan ang ilog na ito?"

Estefro moves his eyes away from the old man and looks at the palm of his hands. "Ako ay may malaking problema."

"Anak, alam mo," the old man speaks, "may mga nagagawa tayo sa buhay natin na minsan kailangan natin matuto mula rito."

"Hulaan ko," the old man looks beside him and sees Estefro staring at his own hands, "naparito ka dahil sa estudyante mo? Mahirap at mahigpit ka kung magturo?"

Estefro's eyes widen and he moves his eyes toward the old man. "Paano mo nalaman lahat ng iyan?!"

The old man raises his hand and points his index finger at Estefro. "Ang abilidad ng isang tao ay hindi madaling palakasin. Katulad ng butil na itinanim sa lupa ng isang magsasaka ay kailangan natin maging tulad niya na mahaba ang pasensya."

Estefro's eyes return to their original state, and he looks at the river.

"Salamat, tanda," Estefro whispered.