Halo - 5. Chapter Five

It was lunch break and instead of eating, I was in the library researching everything that I could about the mysterious tribe in the Philippines. I could’ve asked Mike, but he looked exhausted last night after eating ice cream with Miranda and making sure she didn’t have another bad dream. It would’ve been selfish to press him for questions then, so I decided to do my own research, and unsurprising there wasn’t a ton of information about a tribe of people who could manipulate light with the power of an unshackled consciousness.

I decided to take a different direction and began researching Filipino mythology, hoping that this would give me something to look at. And I found something possibly useful. I clicked on a page about diwata who were gods and goddesses worshipped by pre-colonial Filipinos. They were compared to fairies, dryads from Greek mythology or elves from Norse mythology. These deities were renowned for their beauty, knowledge and impressive fighting skills. I immediately made the connection back to the tribe who had the knowledge to bend light with just the mind. They also taught Mike how to fight.

So, using the information that I have gathered, I typed in the search box Filipino tribe and diwata as key words and looking through the results I found one page that interested me. Clicking on it, I found a short article about a mysterious indigenous tribe who live in the highlands of the Philippines. They were separated from the rest of the world, sparing them from being colonized by the Spanish, so most of their culture remained intact. The article went on to discuss how the tribe worshipped a diwata named Maria Makiling, a very well-known diwata in Filipino mythology and culture. Further in I read that she was worshipped due to her supernatural abilities like being able to turn ginger into gold. She wore radiant clothes and I wondered if it wasn’t her clothes that were actually radiating, but own her consciousness.

The article then ended which only made me more curious about this diwata named Maria and the tribe who worshipped her. So, I opened a new tab and searched for gold and myth and I was given links about all references of gold in mythology. Clicking on one link, I was given information on Egyptian mythology and how gold was associate with the Sun. Another page stated how other ancient civilizations made connections to gold and light from the Sun, like how the shine from gold was like the rays of the Sun. I then concurred the gold that was created by Maria was actually light that she could manipulate into some physical-looking form due to her transcendent conscious.

I leaned back against my chair, feeling pleased with the connections I made and I was going to ask Mike about Maria. He would hopefully know what I was talking about and I would have a better understanding of the origins of his supernatural abilities. Still, the idea that humans could manipulate light through their consciousness was very perplexing to me and I wanted Mike to show me more of his abilities, maybe allowing me to see him practice his martial art skills sometime.

I checked the time on my phone and saw that I had five minutes before my next class started, so I logged out and headed to my class early.

As I walked to Physics, I saw a banner hanging above the hallway that was promoting this year’s senior prom even though it was still a month away. I wasn’t a person who cared much about school events, including pep rallies that celebrated school spirit that I always found very annoying. The only people who truly benefited from school spirit were the school’s athletes and cheerleaders like Dustin since it was just a ploy to get people to go to their games and bolster their vanity.

Despite that, I felt like I would be missing out on a very memorable moment of my life if I decided to ditch prom and instead be playing video games in the loneliness of my bedroom. Also, believe it or not, I actually knew how to dance. Yeah, I know. How could a loser like me know how to bust the moves on a dancefloor? Having no social life and a lot of time on my hands allowed me to practice with many online videos as my guide. I wasn’t like Dustin who had two left feet and couldn’t even tap his foot to the beat without stepping on someone else’s foot, the homecoming dance being evidence of that.

I wouldn’t have to worry about getting a tuxedo since I already had one custom made to fit my body perfectly in my closet. I wore it for my father’s numerous fundraisers that were more about boosting his reputation as the charitable oil tycoon rather than for the genuine concern of the poor, sick and helpless.

So, I already had the apparel and the moves for prom, but I had no one to go with. How pathetic my prom date? I could already imagine having my arms around Mike’s shoulders while he had his around my waist as we danced slowly to a song about love.

The real possibility of that happening gave me flutters. But would Mike even want to go to prom with me? When I thought about it, I had no problem about coming out at prom since only a couple months after would be graduation. Anyone who had a problem with me with being gay would be long gone as soon as I went to college.

But would Mike be okay with that? Did he care about what other people would think about him being with another guy? I got the sense that he really didn’t care. I wouldn’t truly know until I asked him, which would be easier as we continue seeing each other.

That kiss I had with Mike at my porch last night after he drove me home still resonated with me and I couldn’t wait for things to come.

***

After a few hours of nonstop typing, I clicked the save icon at the corner of my laptop screen just before leaning back against my chair and stretching my arms out. I finally completed a five-thousand-word essay on the differences between individuality and conformity in Asian and Western societies for my Psychology class. It wasn’t due for another week, but I always finish things early, so I didn’t have to worry about it the day before it was due. Also, I couldn’t be valedictorian if I procrastinated and hastily completed my work at the last minute which Dustin did all the time. I understood he had baseball, being the captain and all, but did he really have to do his all crap the very day that it was due and ask me to proofread since his grammar was terrible? I might never understand the person whom I shared a womb with. Ever.

I suddenly heard my door open and I turned around with my chair to see Dustin at my doorway with a frustrated look on his face. Speaking of the devil.

“Hey, Duncan, can I ask you something?” Dustin asked, leaning his shoulder on the doorframe.

“Sure.”

Sighing, Dustin, “What were you doing with Miranda last night?”

My eye widened and I asked, “What do you mean?”

Looking down, Dustin said, “Miranda was talking to her friends today about how much fun she had last night with you and Mike, and all I want to know is why were you at her place last night.”

I knew right then that Dustin, my twin brother, was accusing me of have some kind of fling with his girlfriend. I mean, did he not think that I didn’t know him at all. This was the same guy who punched me in the face when we were five just because I tried to snag a fry from his plate. Besides, I wasn’t attracted to women, but I couldn’t tell him that.

So, instead I said, “Dustin, you’re my brother. I wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize our relationship, and that includes trying to get with your girlfriend.”

“So, what the hell were you doing at her house last night? I tried to ask Miranda myself, but she just shut me out. So, the only conclusion I can think of is that the two of you are seeing each other behind my back.”

“We’re not!” I enforced.

“Then tell me what really happened then,” Dustin said as he stepped forward and slammed the door behind him.

“Nothing happened! We just ate ice cream and—”

“Ice cream? What the hell were you two eating ice cream together for?”

“It wasn’t just us, Dustin. Mike was there too. We were just hanging out. No funny business,” I assured.

“So, why wasn’t I invited?”

“Miranda tried to call you, but she said you wouldn’t answer your phone,” I reminded.

“So, instead of calling me, she calls you instead, huh?”

I grunted with irritation. “No! She called Mike, not me! I just happened to be with Mike when she called him.”

“And what the hell were you doing with Mike?” Dustin asked with his arms crossed.

“We’re just hanging out is all,” I said, crossing my own arms.

“Really? So, what’s that on your neck then, bro?” Dustin asked, pointing his finger at me.

I touched the side of my neck where I knew Mike sucked on my skin last night and I knew I was busted.

“It’s-It’s nothing,” I lied, pulling the collar of my shirt to hide the evidence of Mike’s lust for me.

“Come on now, Duncan. I know when you stutter that you’re either lying or hiding something important. Just tell me which of those you’re doing right now and I’ll leave you alone.”

“I told you. It’s nothing,” I asserted.

Dustin snickered and said, “Do you want to know what I think? I think that Mikey is the one who gave you that mark on your neck and now you’re trying to hide the fact that you like getting down on your knees and taking cock down your throat.”

“Shut up, Dustin! You don’t know anything about me!” I exclaimed.

“I know enough to see that my own brother is into guys. God! I don’t want to even look at you right now,” Dustin spat.

“Then don’t. Just leave me alone, okay?” I asked weakly.

All I wanted to do right then was hide under my covers like a scared child who was afraid of the boogeyman in his closet. But instead of the boogeyman it was my own sexuality, my own identity coming out at the worst possible time.

“All right, but before I go, I just want to let you know that I’m telling Dad about this.”

I panicked as soon as I heard that and shouted, “No! Why would you do that?”

“You hid this huge thing from me and you expect me to tell you why I’m doing what I’m doing?”

“Yes, because I knew how you were going to react! I knew you were going to freak out and try to hurt me. Please, Dustin, don’t tell Dad. So, you found out that I’m gay. Why should that matter?” I asked pleadingly.

“Why?” Dustin asked before stepping forward and shoving me to my desk. “Because ever since high school, Dad has been leaning towards you as his favorite, Duncan, and that fucking pisses me off!”

I furrowed my eyebrows, confused as hell from that statement and asked, “How the hell am I Dad’s favorite now? He hates the fact that I wanted to pursue dancing as a hobby ever since we were kids, that I may as well move out if I ever decided to actually do that. He did that while placing you on a fucking pedestal for playing baseball, loving the idea that you could be the next Babe Ruth or some other famous baseball player.”

Mike grunted. “Yes, but when he realized that baseball was the only thing I was good at and nothing more, you became the son he was more proud of. So, he doesn’t want you to waste your true talent on dancing, you idiot! He understands now that you’re naturally adept with math and science and that you’ll most likely become valedictorian, which will land you a full scholarship to any Ivy League university in the country. And what do I have to impress Dad? A plastic crown to show that I’m prom king? No, he’ll eventually want you to replace him as the president of the oil company and where will I be? I won’t even get a full scholarship to the local community college because baseball doesn’t actually count. He doesn’t want someone who can only hit a ball across a field to run a company worth billions. It’s all he fucking talks about when I’m trying to prove to him that I’m just as capable of being the company’s next president just like you…but apparently, I can’t impress him anymore. And he kept you in the dark since he doesn’t want you to lose that edge, that resiliency as he said it, that’s making you become the son who will inherit his throne someday. He calls it tough love, but I just call it bullshit.”

I shook my head. “Well…it’s not my fault that I’m now Dad’s new favorite since I can’t change what he thinks. So, you found out you can’t win Dad’s approval like you do with your games and you’ll do the only thing you can do. Put me down any way you can to make yourself feel superior. You know, I sometimes envied you, bro. I thought that if I only had your confident and same level of athleticism that I could live the dream life as the popular other brother. But now I know that it was stupid of me to even think that highly of you and all I’m going to do now is give you the middle finger as soon as I graduate and leave this place forever.”

“Yeah, well, how are you going to graduate if Dad kicks you out of this house?” Dustin hissed.

Not believing what I was hearing, I said, “You’d happily watch Dad kick me out onto the streets just so you don’t have feel inferior next to me? I never thought I’d say this to you, Dustin…but FUCK YOU!”

Dustin narrowed his eyes at me, and then chuckled. “Do you kiss Mike with that mouth?”

Gritting my teeth and finally getting tired of this shit, I stepped forward and attempted to swing my fist right into Dustin’s fucking smug face. However, he quickly managed to dodge my lame attempt at hitting by leaning back before he swung his own fist right into my left cheekbone. I then fell to the floor and just when I thought Dustin would walk away, I quickly found that that punch was just the beginning.

Crouching down on top of me, Dustin grabbed the front part of my shirt and started pummeling my face with his other hand. To say it hurt was an understatement and I cried to my brother to stop hitting me. But he kept colliding his knuckles against my face and I thought it wouldn’t end until I heard someone shout.

Even though vision was blurred from the immense pain I was feeling right then, I still managed to see Stephanie standing over us. She then proceeded to slap Dustin right across the face that caused him to stop his assault on me immediately.

“What the hell are you doing to your own brother, Dustin!” Stephanie shouted.

“It’s none of your business, bitch!” Dustin spat.

That caused Stephanie to gasp and earned Dustin another hard slap, this time causing him to stumble backwards and collapse onto the floor.

Stephanie then crouched down next to me and asked, “Are you okay, Duncan?”

My instinct was just to nod and pretend that I wasn’t on the verge of tears from the pain and that this wasn’t from my own brother’s doing. However, I shook my head as I placed both of my hands on my face, feeling blood trickle down from my nostrils.

Stephanie placed a warm hand on my forehead and shouted to Dustin, “I’m telling your father what you just did to Duncan!”

“Go ahead, lady. And I’ll tell Dad why Duncan deserved that,” Dustin said as he attempted to sit up. “I’ll tell him that Duncan’s a fag and he won’t want anything to do with him after that.”

“It doesn’t matter what your reasons are. You don’t physically assault your own family members. You just don’t! I know your father thinks highly of Duncan since he told me himself, but do you think that punching Duncan, your own twin brother, will earn you your father’s approval?”

Dustin remained silent.

“And if you must know, your father already knows about Duncan’s sexual preference,” Stephanie announced.

I had to lower my face, so I could see what Stephanie was saying was the truth. “What? But how?”

“He said that a parent just simply knows and that regardless of who you decide to love and someday marry, you’ll still inherit his position as the president of the company as soon as you finish college. He’s more accepting than you realize, Duncan.”

“Yeah, more accepting of him that is,” Dustin interjected.

“Don’t start, you horrible boy,” Stephanie gritted out. “I’m calling your father right now about what just happened and we’ll see who he won’t want anything to do with.”

All I could hear right then was Dustin’s heavy breathing as I continued to lie there on the floor, trying to work through the throbbing pain. I couldn’t imagine the bruises that were going to form by tomorrow and how I was going to explain to people like Miranda that his boyfriend decided to pummel me just because of his intense jealousy. She’ll most likely break up their relationship and it’ll be another reason for Dustin to hate me.

“You know what? Go ahead and tell him. I won’t be here when he comes home to disown me anyways,” Dustin said before standing up and walking out of my room.

Stephanie cursed before placing a hand behind my back and assisted me in sitting up right. “I’ll go ahead and get the first aid kit.”

“No…it’s okay. It’s just a bloody nose,” I assured. “I’ll clean myself up.”

“Are you sure? Maybe we should go to the hospital just in case,” Stephanie insisted.

I shook my head. “There’s no need for that. Just let me go to the bathroom and I’ll be fine.”

Stephanie sighed and said, “All right, if you’re sure. I’m going to call your father. I’m certain he’ll be able to deal with your brother.”

I just nodded and slowly stood back up. The dizziness caused me to stumble backwards, but Stephanie stopped me from falling to the floor. She rubbed her hand on my back and assisted me in walking to the bathroom. I then thanked her before closing the door and leaving me alone in the tiled room. I didn’t look at myself in the mirror, just turned on the sink and began washing away the blood that reached all the way to my neck.

Before Stephanie left me here, I actually wanted to tell her that she shouldn’t tell my father about what just happened. Even though I was hurting so much because of my own brother’s hands, I also was hurting for him as well. Dustin was willing to hurt me both inside and out, so he wouldn’t hurt himself. Maybe I was too kind, willing to forgive the actions of a serial killer just the same. However, the logical side of me knew that I couldn’t let him get away with that and with my father coming home soon, I also knew I couldn’t hide the bruises and say that I fell down the stairs or something stupid like that. I just didn’t know what to do right then, how to stop my father from potentially disowning Dustin. I needed to talk to someone and it wasn’t anyone in this house.

So, after I washed away all the blood and made sure no more was coming out, I quietly walked out of the bathroom and down the stairs. I could hear Stephanie talking to my father on the phone and I carefully managed to open the front door without it squeaking like usual.

Outside, I felt the cool night air bring some alleviation to my face as I started my fifteen-minute walk to Mike’s house. As I did, I pulled out my phone and texted Mike that needed to talk to him personally before placing it back into my pocket.

I was walking on the sidewalk where either side of the street was surrounded forest. It shouldn’t have been so unnerving, but I never walked this path at night before and I quickened my pace, so I could see human activity again and not panic about a wolf or other hairy creatures attacking me.

Keeping my head down, I kept walking and as I felt that I was reaching the end of the dark forest I saw a figure suddenly step out of the forested area and onto the same sidewalk that I was on. I stopped and wondered who this person was. The person looked like they were looking for something, and when he or she faced me, I felt my heart stop. The figure proceeded to walk towards me and I immediately turned around to walk back.

“Hey!” the figure called out. “Can you help me? I can’t find my dog. Have you seen him?”

Yeah, right. Like I was going to fall for that cliché kidnapping line. So, I continued walking back to the direction of my home at a very fast pace and all I could hear was the person’s steps getting louder behind me. And that was when I panicked and started running.

I knew I shouldn’t have, but I looked behind me and do you know what I saw? No one. And right when I turned my eyes forward, I saw the same figure standing only a short distance away from me.

Tilting his head to the side, the figure said, “Do you mind if we go through the forest, so we can find my dog?”

I took a few steps back, terrified, and that was when the figure started sprinting towards me. Screaming, I launched myself into the forest where I hoped I could lose him through the denseness of the trees.

As I continued to run, I eventually entered a clearing where I stopped to catch my breath. I didn’t think I ran that fast or for that long in my entire life. And when I looked around and listened quietly, I couldn’t hear any noise other than crickets chirping their redundant tune. I then looked up at the night sky like I was hoping it would show me a path to being myself back to my house.

Then a force caused me to fall several meters away from where I originally stood. And as I tried to sit up, the same force pushed me back down and I when I looked up, I saw a pale-skinned man on top of me. He was wearing sunglasses and he was smiling widely, revealing pointed teeth.

I couldn’t speak from immense fear nor could I move with his hands pressed hard on my shoulders. I tried with all my strength to get free, but it felt like some other force was holding me down to the ground like restraints.

The man then lowered his head until his nose that was as cold as ice brushed against the crook of my neck. He smelled me as I prayed to the gods and goddesses that this was just a dream and I would wake up anywhere, but here.

“You smell so delectable. You definitely will fill me up,” the man said before gliding his wet, frigid tongue on my neck.

“St-Stop,” I begged.

I then felt his pointed teeth and I shut my eyes as I waited for the inevitable as my vision began to darken suddenly and I knew this was the end for me.

I closed my eyes and—

Hearing something swirl by, I opened my eyes again with my vision returning to normal as I felt the man’s weight on me suddenly disappear along with the other unknown force that released my arms and legs. I quickly stood back up and I surveyed the area to see the same man on his knees as he held his face with both hands. And whizzing around him was a gold-colored disc that was spinning either clockwise or counterclockwise before it zoomed past me. I turned around to see a tall figure standing a few meters behind me. And behind him was a larger disc that had a medium-sized hole in the center, a razor edge and three more disc of the same size as the one that zoomed past me revolving around the larger disc.

“Duncan! Stay back!” the man said as the zooming disc returned to its position behind him.

I instantly recognized that voice as Mike’s and I wondered what the hell were those discs levitating behind him and how the hell he appeared here in the first place.

I heard a groan and I looked back to see the man who attacked me without his glasses and what I saw brought me back to the images of that dream I had yesterday. That cracked, flaking skin around his eyes that looked so red and irritated brought shivers down my body.

He then looked at me with rage in his dark eyes just as Mike, my savior once again, stepped by me and said, “Not this time, you fuck.”