13. Outing in Antong Falls II

After they rest... They got up and continued walking. They were still on a wide field. Again they passed an arrow with To Antong Falls written on it. Anyway, that was a big help so that the tourists would not get lost. They enter the forest, and the road would go up then. They rested for a while again... There were many tamarind trees.

"To Antong Falls..." Blade seems to be running out of patience.

That's all he can read.

Where is that Antong Falls?! The distance they are walking is not a joke. After they rest for a while, they immediately walk again because they might even catch lunch time on the road. They are running out of energy and it looks like that Antong Falls was just invented.

"Sir Blade! Sir Blade! Look!" his students were excited ahead.

He also hurried to see what they were looking at... A large sign with the words... WELCOME TO ANTONG FALLS!

His eyes lit up and he shouted with joy. So did his students. They were still taking pictures in the area and across from the sign. Everyone was very happy. There were wild sunflowers around. Finally! They are very close! They are excited to walk. They are crossing narrow bridges. And finally, it opens up to them... Tantanan! Another arrow-To Antong Falls!

‘Son of a-! I guess this is crazy.’ Blade’s thought.

"Hoy! Is that Antong Falls really true?!" he asked Van and Leah impatiently.

They are all tired...

"Yes, we are close!" Van answered.

They passed two more arrows with the words... To Antong Falls. Then, Alas! They entered the narrow paved road. It was next to the river with a huge white rock. They stopped when they saw the road to a large mango tree on the side of the river. He curiously went to it and he was impressed by what he saw...

That road was really meant. Because, you can see below the big frog-shaped rock (for now, you can’t see this rock anymore. It was already covered by cement). They did not miss that beautiful view. Picture here, picture there! After that they continued walking. And it really is true! They can already hear the loud murmur of water coming from Antong Falls!

They have to cross the river and they have to be careful because they will pass through the rocks. They support each other. Until...

"EEHHH!!" Rane shouted.

She slipped and her ass fell first! Her shorts were wet. After that...

"EEEH!" the slips followed one after another.

"Are you all okay?!" Blade asked worriedly.

Conrad was still riding on his shoulder.

"We're okay! We're just paddling... Just so excited!" Rane excused ...

"That’s right!" according to Katrina.

They all laugh even though they slipped.

"I captured that! I'll upload it to Facebook!" Louie's teasing language.

Those who slipped were angry and suddenly chased him. Case, it did not give up.

They went upstairs. And they saw the hut and cottage. Everyone was crying... Tears of joy!

"FINALLY!" everyone was crying.

They thought they would never get to the place.

The guards at Antong Falls who are watching them are shaken. They have already paid the Entrance Fee of ten pesos. It is safe to leave the belongings in the cottage because there is a guard. There is also a rinsing faucet and bathrooms for dressing. There are many balete(banyan) trees around. There is a high rock there and you can go to the top of it because it is meant to be a ladder.

Everyone who went to the waterfall was excited! The road to it was rocky and slippery. But it was beautiful! There is a part that looks like a round swimming pool. It is deep and the water is blue mixed with green. It is at the bottom and you will jump there to take a bath. The water was deep then. When you go upwards. Paul's bathroom (In tagalog it is Banyo ni Pablo, the locals gave that name.) is just nearby. It’s a little swimming pool.

Antong Falls has three levels. The depth is the lowest at level 1, that is at the bottom. The depth is just right on the second level of the waterfall, children can bathe there. And the third level, it is very deep and very high. At the top you can see the natural rock formations and what they call Liming galing. Level three is wide and deep.

They didn't flinch anymore! They immediately rushed to take a bath! And wow! The water is cold, icy-cold! All the hard work they went through was worth it. It was as if they suddenly forgot what they were drowning in!

It was lunch time. They took out their foods. But there was a problem... No one even remembered to bring plates! Blade scratched his head. He sighed and look at his comrades.

“Just wait a minute, I know what to do.” He said.

“Okay, Sir!” everyone said.

He turn to his male students and...

"Alex, Richard and Louie. Come with me."

“Yes, Sir!”

They followed him.

They went to the hut of the guards at Antong Falls.

"Tatay, where can we get banana leaves here? Is it okay? We would have used it to make a plate." he asked one of the guards at Antong Falls.

"No problem, Sir. I will help you. Just follow me." the man volunteered.

There were three guards at Antong Falls.

He did accompany them and the place where the banana trees is a bit far. But never mind... They got banana leaves and came back immediately. They washed the large banana leaves and kept them from tearing. The rice and dishes were laid on the banana leaves arranged on the cottage’s table. They first prayed to give thanks to God and...

"Now those in the left corner be ready! Those in the right corner be also ready! Now, let's eat!" Blade announced.

And they eat, because they are very much tired from walking a while ago, they ate as if there’s no tomorrow. They just used hands while eating, of course, they wash first. There was adobo, roasted eggplant, tomatoes, salted eggs. Fried galungong( a variety of fish) and grilled meat. They also have chili.

"Picture-picture!" Leah said to everyone.

Rane did not continue to suck a food as did the others because they don’t want to be captured eating a lot. But those men did not care. Especially Blade who just continued to eat. After they ate they immediately put it away their clutter. Strict as a rule that it is forbidden to litter in the area. Many butterflies surround there. There is a balete(banyan) tree that can be used as a cradle for its hanging roots. After they lower their food, they go back to bathing and of course. Relentless picture taking.

They begged one of the guards to take a picture of them all together. It stopped when he finished taking a group picture of them. He just stared at the tablet he was holding...

"Eh, just a moment! Something's wrong. I'll just repeat it!" the guard said wearily.

"It's okay!" Blade smiled at the man.

They are all cute and wacky... Until they are done.

"Can I look at our pictures?" Blade said to the man.

He hesitated to hand him the tablet. Blade looked at the pictures and his eyes widened. There was a man in black. He had no face and it was behind them. He looked at his students and there was nothing like them. Something is wrong!

"Sir, that also happened to other tourists who have already come here." the guard explained.

"Does this happen often?"

"Not so much. But many have already seen that ghost insert in the pictures."

Blade was silent. Why did he seem to feel different? He was suddenly nervous. It was like a bad vision... He went to his students.

"Okay, stop aleady! We're all going home. We still have a long way to go. We can't be overtaken by darkness here because we might get lost. The road is dangerous! Hurry up!"

He still don't want to go, but... He felt strange since he saw the black man with no face in their group pictures. Blade did not show the pictures to the kids. They might panic. He does not want to scare them. After they fix themselves they immediately leave. They are in the forest when the crows suddenly fly around. The wind blew hard and the leaves on the trees moved. The whole place seemed to suddenly cool down.

"W-What is that ?!" Rane's scared language.

She even clung to Blade's arm and even those next to her Van and Leah.

"Just walk, don't pay attention to those birds. It's late in the afternoon so they go out. Just walk.” he calmed himself even though he felt a little different.

They were just walking when Jecon, Francis, Wilbur and Brian suddenly ran away. They were at the back.

"Run! The ghost is chasing us!" Jecon shouted.

Everyone turned around and saw the black man with the hood covering his face. It was as fast as if it was just blowing in the wind! Ghost! Everyone is scared!

"WAAAAAH!"

Everyone ran fast. The narrow roads... It seemed to be ignored. All right, they just run! They didn't even realize that they had reached the hanging bridge right away! They all stopped. That bridge was meant for only one person at a time and it is danger of falling when they pass through it at the same time.

"Louie! Take Conrad!"

"Opo, Sir!"

(We say po and opo to elders for a sign of respect)

Louie immediately took Conrad and put him on his shoulder. The black man was still following them. Getting closer and closer, everyone was terrified. Blade confronted him and immediately attacked. He was the one who met him!

"You animal! I will not allow you to hurt my students! You will pass me first! Lightning fi-"

Blade was stunned. He heard a camera flash from the black man wearing a hood.

"How are you, Blade? You're saying bad words, aren't you?" his phone is focused on Blade's face.

"Who are you?" Blade's tongue stopped.

It removes the hood that covers half of its face. Short and emo hair is exposed to all. Beautiful light brown eyes... Sharp nose and teasing lips while smiling.

"AAAH! HANDSOME!" the student’s shouted.

While blade was amaze.

"Azrael?!" Blade whispered.

Azrael is called the Angel of Death.

"Yah, it’s me. All of you are having fun, so I thought about inserting my self in your pictures. I'll post it on my Facebook account. I'm sorry! Did I scare you?" smiling at his explanation to everyone.

Blade pulled Azrael away.

"Is that all, ha... Death?!"

"What do you mean, Blade?"

"Son of a bitch! Aren't you going to fetch them? I won’t allow you." Blade said emphatically.

"Don't worry. Their names did not appear on my list. I just inserted my self in the pictures. I chased you because I wanted to say hello. You were in a hurry to go home so I didn't get close to you before. And stop saying bad words. It’s earache!"

Blade took a deep breath. Azrael was rude. They were all really scared. He approached his students, along with Azrael. The latter say hi to the kids and smile.