The Moon Child

Lita cringed and cowered. "I'm sorry, Pacita."

Pacita looked at Maria. Something in her manner made everyone suddenly silent. "There is something else I want to ask you. Can you tell the future?"

There was a stirring in the air; the leaves of the balete tree rustled softly; the girls waited for Maria to reply.

She looked straight into Pacita's eyes. "Yes. There are times I can see what may come to pass."

"How can you do this?"

"Through my moonpower," Maria said.

"What is this moonpower?" Lita asked.

"It's something I was born with. I can use it to heal. I can use it to see things, know things, in a way others cannot."

"Use your moonpower," said Pacita, "and tell me what my future is. Do you see-love?"

"Give me your hand."

She clasped Pacita's hand, and shut her eyes. After a moment her body gave a sudden jolt. Moonpower rose from within her, up through her spine, a surging force, burning like white liquid fire. Exploding in her brain.

"You're hurting me!" Pacita tried pulling her hand away.

But Maria did not hear or feel anything anymore. She saw herself falling into a deep tunnel of moaning voices and lashing winds.

She saw the moon. She saw blood. She saw a torrent of stones. She heard voices, hateful, raging voices. She saw women, frenzied and furious, screaming wildly and running everywhere. And pain, she felt deep, deep pain.

The moon turned into blood. Blood flowed over the grass and over the roots of the balete tree. Blood.

Maria could hear voices all around her. She opened her eyes. All the girls were staring in great fright, huddled behind Pacita who stood over her.

"What did you call me?" Pacita's voice trembled and tears were in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

Maria stood, still weak and dizzy. She could not remember saying anything. Whatever images she had seen in her vision all seemed vague now.

"You called me a murderer," Pacita said. "You said my hands were covered with blood. You called us all-murderers! You said one day we would all be guilty of killing you!"

All the girls confirmed this. Some were crying with fear and shame, others with protests and anger. "We are not murderers! We thought you were our friend! Why do you say such things to us?"

Maria tried to explain how she could not remember anything she said. Her moonpower gave her visions she could not understand. She was just as confused and frightened as they were. But they did not listen to her. They pushed her around and shouted at her.

"What did you see?" Pacita clasped Maria's shoulders. "What did you see? Tell me!"

"I don't know!" Maria was in tears. "I saw blood. I saw death. I saw women. I saw--"

Her eyes became luminous with moonpower.

"You were standing over me by the balete tree. Your hands were covered with blood. Your eyes filled with hate. You called me the Moon Child. You said I had taken away the man you love?."

Pacita's face was twisted with fear and anger. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know," Maria said with a sob. "I don't know."

Pacita slapped her. "You witch! I'm not a murderer! You are trying to trick me! You witch!"

She pushed Maria on the ground. The other girls joined in, yelling and shrieking with anger. They pummeled Maria with their fists and pulled her hair.

Maria tried to escape, but they were too many. They surrounded her and beat her.

"Stop it!" A loud booming voice shouted. "Stop it!"

From behind the trees there appeared a carabao drawn cart loaded with bamboo poles and driven by two young men. One of the men quickly jumped down from the cart. With long quick strides he rushed to the scene of the commotion.

"Its Arturo!" The girls said to each other. They backed away from the unmoving crumpled figure of Maria with frightened and guilty expressions.

Arturo's tall and broad figure towered over the girls. "Why were you attacking her?"

He knelt beside Maria and gently turned her over. Her face was bruised. She moaned and stirred, and then fell into complete unconsciousness.