Bolero

I stared at the window of my study as Señor De Leon droned on about the Spanish royal family and the history of Spain, which I was thoroughly educated in my time there. My mind floated elsewhere remembering the vivid dreams that I had a few nights before. For one, it felt so real, and I felt as if I was supposed to be doing something -THWACK!

I roused with the sound of the stick hitting the desk and above stood the frowning Señor De Leon who apparently was asking something about the subject but my mind was off frolicking that I wasn't paying attention. I looked at him trying my best to look innocent, but all that I got was his stern lecture, he ended the lesson soon after that.

"Nina", he called out to me before he left the study, "it's not your problem anymore. It's Damian's problem, best not get yourself too invested in it."

I looked at him and gave him a soft smile, as hellish this person is he always has kind words for me. I stayed at the study for a little while longer after he left, it was amazing how his words can sometimes make me feel better, a gust of wind blew, scattering my papers. I rushed to pick them all up, as the wind continued to blow when I heard a faint whisper, "wake up!" I raised my head to the face of Domingo De Leon, it was the first time I saw him this close, his eyes are beautiful, I thought, realizing that he was staring right at me as well. I felt my cheeks burn, backed away so fast not noticing the table behind me, hitting it with such force that the heavy lamp sitting atop wobbled and fell. Oblivious to the impending danger all I heard was, "Look out!" I screamed and closed my eyes then CRASH. When I opened them, I saw the shattered lamp on the floor and pressed against me was Senor De Leon.

"Are you alright?" he asked weakly, I barely nodded, then I felt something drip on me and to my horror it was blood.

I paced up and down the living room as the doctor mended the wound on my tutor's head. It was just a small cut, no big deal, but I felt guilty. It was my fault why he got injured, I know it was his job to look after me but still... My aunt walked in the room as Doctor Dela Merced finished up, my aunt handed a handful of coins as payment and had one of the house-helps assist my tutor to his room. Soon as he was out of sight I allowed myself to collapse on the nearest chair, and my aunt gave me a gentle pat.

"Ay hija!" she exclaimed, "you gave us such a fright, next time be careful, will you please". I nodded and gave her a big hug.

"Now,'' she began, "don't you think it's about time to wake up?"

What?

I blinked and I found myself in my bed staring at the rafters. The crows of the roosters pierced the morning air. Awkwardly I got up, felt the cold floor under my feet, what happened, I asked myself. It was definitely morning as I could see the sunrise just outside my window. I sat on my bed staring at my dressing table, the maid walked into the room carrying a box that I somehow recognized as a carrying case for my dress for tonight's party. I was dumbfounded, I was sure the party was still three days away, how... I can't wrap my head around it. The succeeding hours was a whirlwind, I was tasked to do a multitude of things right after breakfast, like choosing a last minute engagement gift for the couple and the next thing I knew it was already dusk and I was sitting in front of the mirror putting on some jewelry and a light dusting of powder and pink rouge on my lips and cheeks, the only piece of makeup that I had bought during my time in Spain, because I learned these things cost a fortune. Now I only use it for special occasions, as it may be impossible to acquire here in the country, especially in these provincial parts.

"Nina", I heard Tia Lorenza calling from downstairs, "it's time to go!"

I closed my jewelry box, slipped on my sandals and rushed down the stairs, they were almost at the door by the time I caught up with them. Outside I saw Manong Pilo and his calesa waiting for us, aunt had the old box taken out of the shed for tonight and the old wrinkly driver who is my cousin's right hand man at the plantation cleaned the calesa up well. I was the first assisted into the calesa then my aunt who sat right beside me and then my cousin followed by my tutor. I felt fidgety as we travelled, looking at my cousin who and my tutor who both didn't look happy, the only one who was excited is my aunt who talked a lot about how this event will be a good chance for my cousin to find a wife, I chewed the insides of my cheeks, if she only knew.

When we arrived at the manor the two gentlemen got off before us, my aunt faced me and declared, as "Nina, will you steer clear of your cousin tonight? I have arranged a few introductions with a handful of young ladies for him". All I could do was nod and my aunt got out of the calesa which I followed suit. By the time I got off my aunt and my cousin had made their way into the party, the person left to my escort was my tutor, just perfect. He offered his arm which I took, we walked towards the party keeping my thoughts to myself as I still haven't got over my shame from our last ordeal. Soon as we entered the hall a call caught my attention, "NINA!!!" I looked to my left and there stood a tall woman, she was slim and wore a pair of thick spectacles, her hair was tied into a bun embellished by a gold hair ornament with pearls, "Clara!" I hugged her as she rushed towards myself and my tutor.

"Ay Nina! What took you so long!" she exclaimed, "Señor De Leon", she greeted to my tutor, "Welcome to my sister's party, may I borrow Nina?" she said in one breath, with her teasing smile as she looked at us.

"Good evening Señorita De Martine, feel free to do so" he responded, as my friend whisked me away I saw my tutor made his way to the bar for a drink.

Clara giggled, I looked at her, she was blushing, "what has got into you", I asked

"Who would have thought that you would be waltzing here in the arms of your gorgeous tutor".

"Ay! Clara! Watch your mouth people might hear you", I shushed her, "my aunt just would not let me go into this party unescorted! If it were me I'd be very much capable of going to this soiree by myself!"

She laughed at me much more, till we arrived at the table with the rest of our friends. Mirana, Selena, and Aurora, they were all cousins, they lived in Manila and would only travel to our province during the summers but they had made the trip at this time of the year for this engagement party. We were all about the same age and our parents had introduced us as children. We wrote letters to each other even when I was exiled to Spain by my parents, these four people never forgot to write and send an occasional telegram here and there. These girls have been with me through thick and thin, but somehow they cannot seem to not notice my tutor whom they had ogled for everytime he passed by.

We began our own merriment with playing cards and drinking some cider, some of the Martine's old female servants kept watch over us as if we were mere lambs in the presence of wolves. It was old fashioned but it was understandable, all three of us are of marriageable age and not one of us is affianced, we were fruits ripe for the picking.

Then the music stopped and the hall fell into silence, not even a soul dare cough, the lord of the house cleared his throat and with his joyous voice he said, "good evening friends! It has been my great honor for you to be able to be here this evening to celebrate with us the engagement of my eldest, to this dashing young man right here", said Don Simon De Martine, he placed his arm around the blue-eyed gentleman with dark brown hair and fair complexion. His nose was a bit long but crooked as if it was broken once before, he had a strong angular jaw line that made his chin almost like a straight line. He smiled at his future father-in-law that showed two rows of tobacco stained teeth, he isn't that handsome, I thought as I watched Don Simon droned on with his speech, but despite his looks, I somehow understood why Don Simon took the liking for him, he was charismatic. Even Clara had admitted, that this man can turn heads when he enters a room, he is both eloquent and elegant, and he carried around an air of joviality that attracts people.

"Now let us continue our merriment! Drink to your heart's content, we have free flowing ale, and brandy, eat till your stomachs burst, dance till your feet can dance no more, for tonight is such a joyous night!"

At that the musikeros began playing their lively tunes and the floor began to be filled by people dancing, led by the young couple. Soon people began walking towards our table, young men accompanied by older women, one was even my aunt, with him was my cousin who at the insistence of my aunt asked Clara to dance. Clara giggled, did she take a liking for my cousin without my knowing? I shook my head, no maybe my aunt was just playing cupid trying to get my cousin married off. Soon as they were gone, the other girls were also being asked to dance, and my aunt stayed behind to keep me company. I watched my friends as they danced in the arms of men, some we knew others were introduced by a chaperone. I was watching intently waiting for one of them to slip that I jumped as a hand tapped my shoulder. I looked back, it was Senor De Leon, "I called him over to dance with you", said my aunt with a smile, I looked at her raising an eyebrow, "it's a party Nina, you should go and have fun". I rolled my eyes and heaved a sigh, my aunt smiled as I went with my tutor to the dance floor.

I bit my lip, it was a Bolero, the one dance that I utterly detest, since I can never get it right, I walked towards my humiliation. Then the music began, and on the very first step, "OW!" I heard my tutor winced, on the get go I had already stepped on him. I shut my eyes, my shoulder stiffened, as I felt his hand on my waist, "sorry" I murmured.

"Nina", he began, "open your eyes", his voice was soft and his touch gentle. In confidence, I slowly opened my eyes, he turned me and what welcomed my sight - AAAAAAHHHHH!

I saw people all on the floor, throats slit, all wearing a disturbingly wide grin, exposing their teeth, there were those whose faces were contorted in ways no words can express. The hall was red, with blood on the walls, I felt a tug on my arm and I turned. The place once filled with joyous people now laid on the floor with their own blood pooling beneath their bodies. Dark-skinned figures stood around them, consuming. I watched as they ripped the flesh off of bodies, gluttonously stuffing their mouths. Pulling appendages from some of the bodies and gnawing at them. I saw the newly engaged couple lay on top of each other impaled by a long iron rod suspended a few meters off the floor, with the figures opening their mouths beneath them to drink the dripping blood from their abdomens. Only a few steps away my friends all bloodied hanging by their necks with nooses tied from the beams of the ceiling, their eyes wide open with fear etched on their faces as they succumbed to death and as if that wasn't enough beneath them were impish beings laughing maniacally spearing them, watching them howl in pain and bleed. I wanted to stop I looked at the opposite side of myself, praying to see that my tutor was holding my hand but as I glanced my eyes were blinded by a bright light, I looked away but my body moved on it's own, every step we took in this dance I watched my loved one tortured and bloodied in ways I can never even imagine. But the music pushed on and my body danced this hellish bolero without end. I felt my body ached as I forced it to stop, but the more I fought the movements my muscles ached as if they were on puppet strings and forced to move their own accord. I was spun in another direction and my eyes fixated on a scene that horrified me more, I watched as my Tia Lorenza was lashed by monsters and violated countless times. I heard their screams and wails, I felt my aunt's pain as she cried out, she screamed for help and they mocked her, I forced my arms to be free from the clutches of my dance partner but as I pulled away I heard a pop, I cried out in pain, I felt my shoulder dislocated, as the hold of my warden was so strong that I had no chance of fleeing. As I was pulled back another pop, another scream of pain as my shoulder was forced back into its socket. Repeatedly the same scenes played as I spun around and did the bolero. I I wanted to stop, I wanted to, I ordered my body to stop, but I didn't have any control over my own body. The worst sight that kept replaying to my sight was that of my beloved cousin, I saw how he laid on a table splayed, mutilated, his eyes were gouged out of his sockets, his chest slashed exposing his organs, and his mouth slitted into an ever disturbing smile. Another spin I closed my eyes, I was already in tears, and I felt somebody hugged me. I buried my face on whoever's' chest it was and bawled, then the music ended.