Jamie jumped, surprised by the strong grip on his arms. He looked around but n.o.body was touching him. The woman remained in her position under the dazzling light."Who are you?" he asked.
"You do not have to know."
Jamie resisted the urge to come near her. She was terrifying enough that he could hardly move.
"You will know me someday."
He did not answer. He was wondering if the woman was the same voices that Loduvico heard. It was only in his dreams, but now, the unexplainable force or ent.i.ty was finally communicating to him.
"Help me."
Silence.
"Help me so I can help you too."
"From my sickness?"
"From everything. This is only the beginning."
"What are you talking about? Is there more to come?"
The woman lifted his right arm and pointed something behind him. Jamie followed his finger but when he turned around, there was nothing behind him. There was only darkness like before. He was still wondering when a bright light suddenly exploded before him. Jamie shielded his eyes from the glow. When he uncovered himself, Jamie was back to Subangdaku, back to the night when the meteor or the alien hit the district.
Maybe, it was the first crash. The meteor-like object appeared in the bleak sky and swiftly cruised through the night. As it moved, short clips of events flashed in the night. It was like watching brief films on a big dome, except those clips only lasted few seconds and randomly flashing all over the sky. Jamie"s eyes scanned those clips but could not make sense of them. They were too random. There were sick people lying on hospital beds. People crying in a ceremony. Children in Halloween costumes. Old men and women bowing to Loduvico. Dr. Alvarado and Mang Tomas facing each other. Bogart smashing a gigantic stone wall. A child crying while in his sleep. The haunted house of Subangdaku glowing with light from within. A jelly-like fish eating children in the school.
"What are these things?"
Jamie"s attention was caught by an unfamiliar sight. There was a girl in one video clip, much like his age. She was inside their cla.s.sroom, sitting by the window and gazing outside so that her back was to him. Her hair was curly and since the sun was shining on the window, it shone like the sun itself. Her hair was golden yellow. She was about to turn her head when the meteor that traversed the night sky suddenly crashed on Jamie.
Meanwhile, the three Biker Brothers and the spectators were transfixed on what Loduvico was doing. His hands shone brightly as he touched Jamie"s face. He stayed in that position while he uttered gibberish. Jamie was motionless as the man performed his miracle.
"Will the boy get healed?" one spectator asked.
"I hope so. But look at him, there are sores all over him," another said.
"If Loduvico heals that boy, then no doubt, he is this outbreak"s savior."
"I pray that happens, and if that really happens, I will be Loduvico"s disciple."
The people continued murmuring as Loduvico became more intent in his miracle. When the meteor landed, Jamie was shaken and he regained consciousness. He was not yet back to reality but to the darkness. He turned around and saw the woman in her chair, still in her position.
"What have I seen? Are they visions of what is coming to Subangdaku?"
The woman shrugged her shoulders.
"What?!" Jamie shouted and rushed towards her. But before he could reach her, a strong grip once again touched him by the shoulders that he could not move forward. "Let me go!"
"Help me so I can help you."
After those words were uttered by the woman, Jamie was thrown on the ground. When he got up, he was back to the initial scene. He saw his body motionless as Loduvico touched his face. The people were also fixed in their place, wondering what would happen.
"Be healed!"
Loduvico"s voice echoed. Instantly, Jamie"s body trembled. He felt it and though he resisted, an uncontrollable force shook him. He closed his eyes, simply letting the force overwhelm him.
"Wake up and be healed!"
Loduvico shouted one last time. Jamie felt himself lifted and after a few seconds of dizziness, he felt the warm touch of hands on his face. A hot gust of air pa.s.sed by his legs. Whispers were heard everywhere. Slowly, he opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was the smiling face of Loduvico. He looked like an angel or something much greater. He tried moving his arms and to his surprise, there was no pain or little aches. He looked at them and most of the sores were gone, especially the new ones. He stood up and look at his legs and feet. Indeed, most of the blisters had disappeared and the only ones that remained were the dying ones and scars.
Tears fell from Jamie"s eyes and when he looked at his friends, they were gaping their mouths in disbelief. The people"s murmurs became loud as they discussed what they had just witnessed. A child clapped his hands in wonder and no sooner, everyone clapped in unison.
"Indeed, a miraculous prophet has come to our midst!" announced an old man.
"We are all gonna be saved," a woman agreed.
The crowd cheered and celebrated. Jamie went up to his friends and hugged them. He was joyed that his suffering had gone, but at the same time, he was still shocked from the things he experienced in the other dimension.
"Thank you, Mister Loduvico," Jamie turned around and said to his healer.
"It is my happiness to ease you of your agony," Loduvico said and flashed his warm smile again which automatically infected the people. "Anyway, just call me Lodu."
"Long live, Lodu!" the old man declared.
The people also shouted the same. The pa.s.sersby and bystanders were intrigued by the noise of the small crowd that they also began flocking around Loduvico. Immediately, the witnesses shared the story to the curious gatherers and the news of the healing miracle spread like widefire.
As people kept talking, Loduvico took his chance and moved away from them. The Biker Brothers also took the opportunity to slip away and silently left the crowd. In few minutes, they boarded their bikes and began their ride again. When they felt famished, they stopped by a shed, took out their lunchboxes from their bulky bags, and shared a hearty meal.
"It was an exciting first half of the day," Bogart said after finishing his last chicken drumstick.
"Can"t wait for what happens this afternoon," Kiko said energetically.
"It can be more exciting," Tonton spoke and giggled.
"Or it can be dangerous," Jamie said forebodingly.
The three looked at their friend. Since the miracle, there was a weird and unexplainable change that happened in me. It would only be a matter of time before they would understand it.....