(First posted here.)

It was like popping the cork off a volcano. Nirvana’s outburst reminded me of Elfen Lied’s diclonii, pretty little mutants that can slice through human bodies like knives into butter. These creatures look all cute and waifish in their pink, laced camisoles wading through bloody remains of spontaneous dismemberments.

I did not know rage can turn me on. I’ve never seen her like that. I’ve never seen her so in control and out of control at the same time. Her fury was so palpable and strong it scared me.

It was fucking amazing.

We were standing there, in the middle of the grassy auditorium, face to face with a kagluyag I dragged off the shadows. We had sensed we were being followed.

The kagluyag looked like he can toil hard in a construction site: kayumanggi, of average height, impressive small-guy muscles. The only reason I can tell he was not human was–I can’t really say what it is exactly, but–he was … blurry. The way your eyes can get at  suddenly having to look at something far away when you’ve been staring at your phone or your tablet for hours.

Maybe not blurry–wavering? He was as clear as you or me or the things around him, but he was not very much there. I don’t know what to call it.

“Hindi ko kayo kilala.”

“So bakit mo kami sinusundan?” sabi ko.

“Hindi ko kayo sinusundan.”

“Nasa’n si {ria}?” sabi naman ni Nirvana.

“Nasa kandungan ni Ramon.” The man actually laughed. He really shouldn’t have laughed. No one laughs at anything Nirvana cares about and gets to live.

“Tarantado,” sabi ni Nirvana. Nagulat ako dito. Hindi mapagmurang tao ‘to. She must be really pissed.

The man stopped laughing. “Ano’ng sabi mo?”

And then out of nowhere, she went straight for the man’s face. Her fist made contact. The man buckled backwards. It took a moment for him to recover and realize he was encountering an equal. When he raised his hand to hit her back I yelled “Hey,” and blocked his arm.

Nirvana took her chance and brought her right foot up in what I supposed was a roundhouse, and that’s when the creature dissipated into thin air.

I stood there, in shock, wondering what the hell just happened.

She was shivering.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Wait,” she said. “I won’t hear you yet.” I could feel her breathing hard and fast. She was glinting in the stage lights coming up from the sidelines.

“That was a grown man, Nirvana,” I said.

She smiled, finally. Now she was here. She brought her left hand up. “And I have a fist of steel.”

I shook my head. Oblivious, as usual. I wanted to kiss her. She was so raw and flushed and I was probably standing too close at this point and there was this magnetic pull that was bringing my face within inches of hers. She wasn’t backing up and her lips were so close and I wanted to know what that meant, I wanted to know what everything meant, instead I checked her hand, which had begun to grow red.

“This will be useless for days,” I said. I was referring to myself.