Strange Things

Chapter 1

“Today is the third day of October in 2015, and I am now at my place of work. I am still in high school but here I am, a waitress in a canteen… ”

“Yani…”

"Well, I have to do this to pay my tuition fee at school, but maybe this is really the job for me. My boss looks kind… ”

“Yani…”

“I get shouted at when I come here late from school or when I make a little mistake, they give me mountain loads of dishes to wash, they let me clean the CR and you are forced to smile in front of customers even when you are tired. But it’s okay, I'm used to it. But then again, that's all I think because any minute now— ”

"YANI!"

"Ay anak ng palaka! (Filipino expression: Oh son of a frog!)" I was shocked and turned around to know who is the person who called my name.

“What are you writing there?! Do you listen to what I say?” Aling Nena questioned me angrily. Well sorry Aling Nena. I know you are my boss but I also need to write my journal.

"Yes, I'm listening," I replied.

“What are you waiting for then. Go change your clothes and leave my canteen once and for all! You are fired.”

Instead of being surprised, I just let out a sigh and did what she said.

"You only bring bad luck in here," the last words she said before I finally left.

I know that. I let out a sigh. I'll find a new job later again, what's new.

I know I don’t last two weeks in any canteen but what can I do. I am in my fourth year of high school and will soon graduate but I am in debt so I need to earn monay. I still plan to go to college.

Since I had nowhere else to go, I just went to school. It's good that it's recess time. But, when I was just walking in, a lot of people around me started to whisper.

"Is she Yani?"

"Yes why? What is wrong with her? ”

"They used to say that suddenly a fire appeared on her hand and then someone saw that the water was also floating on her hand"

“You believe that? How will that even happen? She is just a normal student here ”

Normal? When has it been normal to have the power to control fire, water, air, earth, electricity, plants, metals and ice?

I am not normal, and because of that my life is not normal either. I killed my parents – well, FALSE parents, I live in a house I built in a forest and I am always fired from work because I always make a scene that should never happen.

I wish all of this was just a dream and until now, I still think that I have not woken up to the truth but even though I have slapped my face and pinched my arms so many times, I am really indeed in reality.

I tried to think that it is a blessing to have this power because I am still alive today thanks to it but how would you even feel if you were the only one with something like this in the world you live in?

I went straight to my locker to get my notebooks but when I arrived, there were exposed books stacked on top so I was surprised. I saw a piece of paper on top of the book and something was written on it.

Please bring this to the library.

I just sighed upon reading it. Even though she is not here, I know who is ordering it - the president of our classroom, who just wants to torture me.

I could do nothing but bring the books to the library but with so much weight, I dropped them. I immediately knelt down and picked it up one by one.

Why is it always like this? When there is a scene like this happening to me, I still think happenings inside romance stories that suddenly there is a handsome man who will help you carry these books? But how many times have I failed, that an event like that has already been a cliché and will never happen to someone like me because not a single boy here on this campus or even the girls will try and even help me? It would take a miracle for that to happen.

I let out a sigh again and when I was about to pick up the last book, I looked straight ahead but I was completely surprised by what I saw.

A man was looking at me with white hair and light gray eyes. He looks like a foreigner and a has a cold stern face. I stared back at him with a look of astonishment.

Who is he? And why is he only looking at me? It was as if we had our own little world. Why do the people passing by him not feel his presence?

It’s creepy. I turned to my left and right as well as behind me to make sure but, no one is really noticing. I looked back at where he was standing and ...

He disappeared in a blink. Wait… shacks. Shacks! Does that mean… SHACKS! I think I saw a ghost earlier! Shacks! I suddenly felt a cold breeze touching me. Waahh!!

Wait, wait. Breathe in, breathe out. Just calm down Yani. Let's just forget that okay? But for some unknown reason I felt something as he stared at me ... as if he wanted to tell me something.

Heh! I was just imagining that. I’ve been reading a lot of fantasy stories lately so maybe I am just halucinating. That's right. That is the only reason.

I carried the books to the library and went back to my locker to pick up my other notebooks and books and go straight to my classroom. As I sat down, I opened a notebook and started writing.

Just great. Why can't I get over what happened earlier? Who is that? It doesn't seem like he’s just my imagination.

And why is it that he is so different from the people I see here in the Philippines? He has white hair and grayish eyes. Is there a Filipino living like that? Did he color his hair and wore contact lenses? Or maybe he’s a foreigner really?

I just sighed again and continued writing. I was halfway through my journal when I turned my attention to the window next to me.

Oh, why is the sky suddenly dark? Is there a storm coming?

Suddenly a thunder caused my classmates and I in our classroom to be surprised, but we ignored it and returned to our activities. I continued to write.

It seems like a big deal because there is only thunder. That’s just climate change. I stopped writing to think about what I would write next and played with my ballpen with my finger.

Clank! I dropped my ballpen and held onto my chest because it suddenly tightened. I stopped in my place, my face full of panic and started to get nervous. What is happening?

The wind blew from outside into our classroom. "Why is it cold?" said one of my classmates.

Yes. Why does it suddenly cool down? We are here in Pangasinan so it is impossible to suddenly get cold here, well unless there is—

Boogsh! Blang! Blang!

The wind blew so hard that the door and all our windows closed at once while others shouted in fear.

“Kyaahh! What's happening?!" they panicked.

Even though it was scary, my face showed confusion and I was still holding my tight chest. A word entered my brain and I do not know why.

Wind!

I looked around. I don't know why but I felt that there are people around here doing this and this is not just a matter of climate ... that there are people here like me.

I looked at every student here in the classroom in case one of them is who I suspect.

But in the few months and days I studied and stayed here, I have never met anyone like me. Fear is written on their faces snd they cannot move in their places. What the heck. Do they have no intention of going out?

They were probably scared because the door and the windows of our classroom suddenly closed just because of the force of the wind.

The pain in my chest was gone so I had the courage to stand up and approach the door. I was about to touch the doorknob but we were all surprised by what happened.

“Oh my gosh! There is ice in the door!” panic of one.

I first stiffened in my stance and just returned again in reality when another word entered my mind.

Ice!

My suspicion seems to be getting right. It was impossible for the climate to make ice on our door.

Krrggh! Lightning! Again with the thunder and now with lightning. I turned and looked at the shady sky.

Electricity!

Suddenly there was an earthquake that made me sat on the floor. “Kyaahhh! End of the world!” cry of one of my classmates.

"I'm getting scared. I don't want to die yet!”

The earthquake intensified as the lights went out.

“Everyone! Cover your heads! Go under the tables!” shouts one of them.

Earth! If we look closely, it seems like Mother Nature seems to be angry and it is indeed like the end of the world but I am sure this is not a doing of Mother Nature.

I looked at them under the tables with fear on their faces and others are even crying. Right now, I am the only one who can save them but I have to think of another way where we can get out of here without having to use my power.

I just looked around in case I could use something but I just closed my eyes and again I don’t know why.

“Yani! Cover your head!” one of my classmates shouted because I was just sitting with my head uncovered while the ground was moving.

Just a moment, kuya. I know what I'm doing. Because I can control the ground, I tried to stop the earthquake but instead I found a man holding the ground too that was the source of the earthquake.

Not only that, there are two men on the roof, one controlling the electricity while the other controlling the wind. I saw only three of them but as I was doing this, the face of the guy I had seen earlier in the hallway with white hair appeared.

When the earthquake stopped, I immediately opened my eyes and this was the only way I could think of. I approached the door with ice and immediately wiped the palm of my hand at the same time blowing it.

Elements, join with me.

I released fire from my hands to melt the ice on the door. When it completely melted, I also stopped while panting. I immediately grabbed the door knob and opened the door.

"Oh, you can now go out—" but I wasn’t able to finish what I was going to say because when I looked back at them, there was a look of shock on their faces ... as if they had seen a ghost in fear while looking at me.

They just came back to reality when there was an aftershock. They panicked as they approached the door but I was blocking the way so they immediately stopped and even pushing each other who should go out first. They can't speak but I already know what they want to say.

Your looks are annoying.

The aftershock stopped before I stepped aside. They immediately ran out of the room as if a monster was chasing them.

I was the only one left in the room. I have known this for a long time and accepted the fact that I don’t belong in this world. Even though it is nice to have this power, I am disgusted that I have it. Now that I am looking at the room where I am standing, I hated myself even more and the curse I had. It has done nothing but bring bad luck to my life.

I was just returning to reality when suddenly a loud lightning struck right next to our room. What do they want? Have they not seen what is going on inside? How severe was the damage they did?

I immediately left the room to get out of the school itself and talk to them but I did not know where I was going. Should I go to my left where all the students and teachers are or should I go to the right because there is...

My eyes widened at what I saw. He is there again. The white-haired guy who looks like a foreigner. Nothing has changed in his face and he is still wearing that cold and stern face.

Wait, am I imagining it again? Is it true that he is here in front of me again? I even scratched my eyes just to make sure but no matter how many times I did it, he never disappeared.

Does that mean I really saw him before? But why is he still here? Does he not feel what is happening?

"Uhm si-sino po sila? (Uhm wh-who are they?)" I asked but he did not reply.

"Uhm okay uhh andoon po sila sa kabila (Uhm okay uhh they are on the other side)," I said politely. “Delikado po kung nandito po kayo. Mabuti pong tumakbo na kayo papunta doon para ligtas po kayo, (It is dangerous if you are here. It is good that you ran there so that you will be safe)” but he still did not say a word and just stared back at me.

Okay? He is really creepy. Does he have a problem? Does he hear me or what?

Wait, maybe because he looks like a foreigner, he doesn't understand me. I was about to speak but he suddenly turned around and walked down the other road I was referring to.

“Sandali po! Mali yang daan mo! Ang ibig sabihin kong kabila ay doon! (Wait! Your way is wrong! I mean the other side is there!)” I shouted and pointed at it but he ignored me and just kept walking.

Eish this guy is annoying me. Why is he not listening? Oh right, maybe he really is a foreigner.

“Wait! It’s dangerous out there! ” I shouted as I followed him.

He still ignored me. Pusang gala, what does he understand? I saw him come out the door. When the door was in front of me, I stopped.

I first held the door knob while panting. It was as if suddenly, I started to get nervous. I opened the door and saw him standing a few meters away from me still looking cold.

Honestly, he’s starting to get in my nerves and he doesn't even speak. Are you sure Yani you need to talk to him?

“Kuya, narinig mo ba ang mga pinagsasabi ko kanina? Sinisigawan na kita na andoon sila sa kabila pumipilit ka pa rin na pumarito. Delikado kaya rito, (Kuya, did you not hear what I was saying earlier? I shouted that they are back there but you still insist on coming here. It is so dangerous out here)” I said angrily.

He did not reply. Tsk. Let's try English again. "Excuse me but can't you understand Filipino?" I asked.

He did not speak but he raised his right hand as if offering something to me. Wait, maybe he cannot speak.

"Uhm are you mute?" I asked.

"Sumama ka sa akin, (Come with me)" he said coldly.

I'm surprised. Oh, look. He can speak and it’s in Filipino so he understands what I said a while ago, but wait... what? Come with him?

“Uhm come along? You? What are you saying?” I questioned. I thought he would answer me but he didn’t. Okay? I'm confused.

“Ju-just a moment hah kuya. Why should I come with you?” I stuttered.

He did not reply. I started to get nervous. What does he think, that I will go with him immediately when he says that? Like hello, we just met a while ago and I don't even know his name and then he will suddenly offer me to go with him? Even though you are handsome kuya, I am not like the other girls out there who just go along with men like you.

Wait, this person could be a bad guy. "I do not know what you are planning but—"

I did not finish what I was going to say because I was surprised by what he did. He suddenly made a snowflake from his raised hand and it floated from his palm.

"Come with me so everything will be over," he said.

I stiffened for a moment and stared at the snowflake he had made, at the same time I processed in my brain what was happening. For some unknown reason, I suddenly hit his hand away. I was also surprised by what I did.

“Sorry, sorry. Uhm because— I mean, what are you doing? ” I promised. "Don't you know what will happen if someone sees what you did?"

He just gave me back a cold look. He looks angry. "Bu-but even if you did that, I don't know you so no," I firmly said. "I will not go with you"

He stared at me first before speaking again. "Even though everyone here doesn't want you anymore?"

I was suddenly taken aback by what he said. "W-what do you mean by that?" I started to get serious.

"Why, isn't it true?"

I clicked my teeth in anger. "Shut up!" In my rage, I could not restrain myself and emit a strong fire from my hand.

When thick smoke formed, I stopped firing. Shacks. I might have really hurt him!

Gradually, the smoke disappeared but my eyes widened at what I saw.

In front of me now is an ice fence. So, he can actually use ice to block the fire. Doesn't that mean, he was the one who made the ice at the door of our classroom earlier? If so, who are the men I saw earlier who controlled the wind, lightning and earth?

I know my guess was right but I didn't think I will see even one of them right in front of me now but, "Why are you here?" I seriously asked him.

The ice slowly disappeared in front of his face. "Long story so just come along," he replied coldly.

"Tsk, do you think you can force me like that?" and the usual, he did not reply back.

I really don’t understand. I know he has the power like me but I don’t want to go with him because he’s a stranger… but despite everything that happened, part of me wants to go with him. Will I come or not?

"I will repeat," he once again raised his hand. "Come with me."

Does he have nothing else to say other than that? I looked back at him.

"No," I answered firmly while controlling the wind and making a small whirl on my feet. "But, I'll think about that," and flew away.

Who is he? Why does he control ice? Why does he has a cold stern face and voice? Why is he taking me with him? Where are we going? I have a lot of questions I know that man can only answer but somehow…

… I also thought I was not alone in this world.