During the Wedding

The wedding march began, people looked back at the wedding party walking down the aisle. I watched at the smiling bridesmaids and groomsmen, most of whom were their children. The band played the bridal march, at the end of the aisle, I saw the blushing bride, she looked so beautiful, Miriam is truly beautiful.

I felt his hand clasp on mine once again, he was shaking as he stared at the couple. A darkness seemed to emanate from him, like a wisp of dark shadow slowly engulfing him and making its way to me through his hand.

"They sure are happy", he said through clenched teeth, I looked at the couple and saw their joy but Mr. Saldivar looked at them with spite and what seemed like envy.

"You don't seem to be", I said to him. He looked at me and smiled as if to deny my statement.

"I am happy, Miriam and Jomarie deserve it, but I could only wish for myself." I stared at him, it piqued my curiosity.

"What do you mean?" he gave an eerie smile and looked back at the ceremony.

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My head felt heavy, I was trying to catch my breath, I clutched my hands as I hid behind one of the tables. I peeked at the side seeing the ruckus that they have created, the whole place was a mess, how can this happen now? The Guardia Civil has crashed the wedding reception demanding for my father who was invited to the wedding as one of the Ninongs, the old host trying to quell the hostility by informing the soldiers that my father was not in attendance. He was lying, I thought to myself, my father was in the wedding but Don Simon is another supporter of the revolution and will not sell out his old friend. I felt Inggo's hand wrap around my own, I was shaking, in anger, fear, and anxiety, all I wanted was to leave but we couldn't with the soldiers by the door. Everyone in the party cowered behind upturned tables and the bride had already fainted with the stress, my cousin was also out of sight as he escorted my father and my mother away at the first sight of the guardia civil.

"Breathe Nina", Inggo whispered to me, "we will get out of here soon".

Breathe. I took a deep breath and I looked up - Miriam had just finished her vows, and Jomarie was about to start his. What just happened? I asked myself, did I just dive into one of Antonina's memories again? My stomach turned, the fear I felt began to overwhelm me, my fists tightened into balls and started turning white, then Mr, Saldivar placed his hand on top of my own, his hands were cold. I tried to breathe, then out of nowhere - BANG! Gunshots.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Gunshots echoed behind us as we ran, Inggo held my hand tight, not letting go for any reason. In front of us my father was waiting for us with my brothers and sisters. "We're almost there Nina, just keep running", he called back to me. When we met my father, Inggo told my father about the situation.

"Very well, I will take Nina to the boat, it will leave in half an hour so you need to be quick", my father said to him. My siblings and my mother has gone ahead of us, it was just father and myself who was left behind, after the last instructions to Inggo we started rushed towards the field where a carriage was waiting, but we stopped as a loud gunshot was heard behind us. I looked back and I saw my the silhouette of my fiance fell, my mouth was was covered by my father to stop me from screaming.

"Nina, don't look back, we need to run!"

"Breathe Beth, you might faint if you don't", he whispered to my ear, "do you want to leave?"

My heart began racing, something was wrong, I knew this feeling - a mixture of fear and desperation, I swallowed hard, hoping that I was wrong, as I turned to look at him my jaw dropped, it was Domingo De Leon.

"Domingo De Leon", I whispered under my breath, and his eyes widened in surprise

"How did you know that name?" he asked, trembling, beads of sweat began to form on his brow, he let go of my hand as if they were made of burning coal.

Run! The word echoed in my head, a distant voice urged me to run, I stared at the man who I thought I knew, and a deep sense of fear clutched my whole being. Run! The voice in my head shouted again.

He asked me again how i knew that name, this time demanding,I couldn't answer, slowly I began to step back, I needed to get away from him, he's going to kill me. Soon I was walking towards Lyra and her boyfriend, I know that they can't protect me but I don't think he will cause a scene. At least I hoped he wouldn't cause a scene.

"Hey did you scare off your date that's why you came scurrying towards us", Lyra joked, I hope I still had color, because I felt chills all over my body.

"I think it's the other way around", trying to sound okay, I responded. Ciel, please help me.

"Oohh, i didn't know that Mr. Saldivar was a pushy kind of guy!" she giggled, only to stop when her boyfriend shushed her.

I focused my attention on the wedding, but continued to watch behind my shoulder - concerned and worried. I wracked my brain on how I recognized him, then my mind remembered his voice; even though a hundred years had passed the way he spoke didn't change, the feeling he radiated was the same, it explained why a dark aura always hung around him, it explained why I always felt suffocated when he was near. It became clear why he wanted to be close, I was prey.

"You have renewed your vows! May you continue to prosper and to be happy!" said the presider, I snapped back to reality, yes I was still in a wedding. We clapped and cheered but I felt his eyes on me, what am I going to do?

We were then gathered to joining the reception, I stuck close to Lyra, trying my best not to catch his eye, I looked around ready just incase a his demonic lackey was around, then I felt a hand grab my arm, I looked back in fear - Domingo De Leon held my arm tight, I swallowed hard, oh no. I tried to call Lyra for help but my voice won't come out, I tried to run away but my feet felt as if they were glued to the floor. The world fell silent, as if we began to separate from reality. I faced Domingo De Leon, he was smiling - I was unnerved. Behind him something began to move like a shadow, in the corner of my eye, I saw a tail.