Chapter 2.1:

"Pa, sa tingin niyo po ba may multo rito?"

Perhaps my question was a bit weird that Tito Yael and Papa looked at each other first before they settled their eyes at me.

Nanatiling seryoso ang aking mukha dahil totoong nababahala pa rin ako sa nangyari kanina. Iyon na naman ang panlalamig sa aking sikmura tuwing maaalala ang nasaksihan. Ngunit pilit ko pa ring itinatanggi sa sarili na namamalikmata lamang ako kanina.

"Hija, ako'y naniniwala sa multo," si Tito Yael na marahan pang tumawa. "Ngunit imposibleng may magpakita sa iyo."

"Bakit naman po?"

Papa scowled at Tito. "Huwag mong paglaruan ang iyong mga salita sa anak ko, Yael. Baka makalimutan kong kaibigan kita."

Kumunot ang aking noo at tinitigan ang dalawa. Si Tito Yael na ngising-ngisi at si Papa na halos patayin na siya sa matalim na tingin.

Bakit?

Hindi ko na lamang isinatinig ang aking kalituhan. Sa halip ay nagbaba na lang ako ng tingin at saka nagpatuloy sa pagkain. We are currently in the dining room, which is just next to the kitchen to eat our dinner. Ako ang nagluto ng ulam namin dahil hindi ako nakatulong sa paglilinis kanina ng salas.

My chewing stalled as I remembered what I noticed earlier when I rushed down from the second floor. Pakiramdam ko'y nasa ibang bahay ako at lumipat kami dahil sa ayos ng buong lugar. They have removed the white cloths on the windowpanes and appliances to lit up the whole area. The furniture seems to be all new because of its neatness that it even glistens in my sight. Kanina, akala ko ay kulay puti lamang ang kulay ng buong bahay. It was only then when I realized how modern our house is, a contemporary combination of white walls and the shade of wood-brown-edges. There is even a chandelier above the sala set! I don’t know how they hooked that up, but I decided not to question it instead.

"Nakapili ka na ba ng kwarto, Erelah?" tanong ni Papa.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Papa at nakangiting tumango.

"Iyong pangatlong kwarto, Papa. Sa pinakadulo sa kaliwa. Iyong puti ang pinto na may... rosas na disensyo."

Tito Yael scoffed, earning my attention.

"Sinabi ko na sa iyo Simone, eh. Sa oras na dumating kayo rito, hindi na magpapaligoy-ligoy pa ang tadhana upang tawagin si Rouze."

Munting humugot nang malalim na hininga si Papa at saka umiling-iling, tila naging problemado bigla. Kumibot ang aking labi sa akmang pagsasalita ngunit wala akong maisip na ibang sasabihin pa.

"Ilang taon na ang lumipas simula noong inilayo mo siya sa tunay niyang tahanan. Oras na para ibalik mo siya ulit at hayaang kilalanin ang tunay niyang katauhan."

"Yael," Papa grunted. "Hindi pa ito ang tamang oras para riyan."

"At hanggang kailan mo ipagkakait sa bata ang katotohanan?"

My head tilted a bit as I watched the two adults who were suddenly in the middle of a quarrel. My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, trying to figure out what their words meant.

Sinong bata? Ako ba?

"Erelah, umakyat ka na muna sa kwarto mo at magpahinga," biglang utos ni Papa.

"Maghuhugas pa po ako—"

"Sige na, anak. Alam kong pagod ka pa mula sa byahe."

"Pero.... "

Kumurap ako at sumimangot. Bubulos pa ako, eh!

Kinuha ko ang plato ko at tumayo na sa upuan upang ihatid na ito sa lababo. Pagkatapos ay bumalik ako sa lamesa at marahang humalik sa pisngi ni Papa bilang paalam.

"‘Wag po kayong mag-aaway," I reminded before I waved my hand at them.

Hindi naman gano'n karumi ang buong kwarto dahil tinulungan ako nila Papa maglinis kanina. Tanging ang kama ko na lamang ang nilinis ko bago ako pumasok sa banyo at naglinis ng katawan.

I was only wearing a bathrobe when I went out of the bathroom as to why I nearly hugged myself when the cold breeze blew from the open window. My forehead creased and I slowly walked closer to shut it close.

I remember locking it before I went inside the bathroom to take a quick bath. Bakit bukas ito?

I was about to turn my back when I noticed a tiny ball of light hovering and gradually moving near the entrance of the eerie forest. My eyes widened as it slowly turned bigger and more vivid. The sparkle of its brightness almost strained my distance and the path of the forest lit up. I stooped down when I noticed that it was deliberately entering the forest and fading from my view. But I surely wasn't in haze when I saw how it formed into a human-size before it ran away!

I gasped and flinched in dread. Kumakabog ang puso ko na akala mo'y tumakbo ako nang malayo, nakalimutan nang kumalma. I palmed my face, and my hand rested to cover my gaping mouth as I try to comprehend what I witnessed, convincing myself that maybe I am just excessively worn out that I'm having delusions!

Nag-angat ako ng tingin at halos mawindang nang makitang bukas na naman ang bintana! Sa puntong iyon ay hinihingal na ako sa tensyon at takot. Dali-dali akong lumapit at sasarhan na sana ito noong umihip na naman ang hangin. But this time it was stronger, that it almost pushed me in whichever direction it was advancing at. Mahigpit akong napahawak sa bintana noong mapansing malalaglag na ako! I felt a force from my back that caused my grip on the window to loosen. It was too late when I realized I was already falling from the shutter and was to hit the ground below!

Tumili ako at napapikit nang mariin dahil alam kong babagsak na ako sa lupa. However, what I rather felt was the coldness of the water until I was completely submerged underneath it! I promptly swaggered my hands and feet and started to swim in fear that I'll slump to the very bottom! When I reached the surface, my eyes instantly roamed around the area and noticed that I was at the center of an extended river. My hands moved in accordance with my hastened instinct, my adrenaline rush is at its pace of survival to save me from drowning.

I immediately lifted myself out of the water and climbed up when I reached the border, panting and gasping for air as my whole body ventures the distance that I paddled. Napasinghap ako noong matusok ang aking kamay sa matulis na bato sa akmang pagsandal dito. Pinahiran ko ang aking luha at nanlalaki ang mga matang inilibot ang tingin sa paligid, mahigpit ang kapit ko sa kamay kong dumudugo dahil sa sugat na natamo.

Bakit ako nandito!?

Tanging ang liwanag lamang ng buwan ang nagbibigay kalinawan sa paligid ngunit nasisiguro kong nasa gubat ako. At sa unahan ko ay ang malawak na lawa kung saan ako nahulog kanina. I could only overhear the noise of the insects and the stream of the lake before me. The towering trees and meadows ahead of me prevented my eyes to further examine the entire area. Yinakap ko ang katawan ko noong makaramdam ng lamig mula sa bulong ng hangin na siyang dumagdag sa takot na nararamdaman.

Kumunot ang aking noo at umawang ang labi. Paanong nandito ako? Hindi ko maintindihan…

"Ah..." I whimpered softly when the cut on my hand stirred for attention. I looked down at it and studied its depth.

Bakit nangingitim?

Suminghap ako at dali-daling lumapit muli sa lawa para linisan ang sugat na humahaplos na ang kirot sa aking balat. I keened when I felt the searing ache in my wound when I submersed my hand in the water. It was as if something was penetrating it that I quickly removed it from the lake in awe of damaging it further. Although, the sight of my wound slowly sealing and patching up petrified me. My eyes widened in friction, unable to soothe myself from the forecast that just happened before me!

"Who are you?"

I heaved and quickly shifted my head where I heard the voice of a man, deep and profound from my perception. I squinted before I widened my eyes to wander them clearly. Yet, I only deceived myself as the uncanny sight of the forest greeted me instead.

Napalingon ako sa kaliwa noong may mapakinggang munting kaluskos mula roon. Tumigil ang aking mga mata noong may mapansing anino mula sa likod ng puno, nakatayo at nagtatago.

"No mortal is conceded by the nymphs to enter Delisle. More so, bath in Baliol River."

"S-Sino ka?"

The man moved slowly, humaba ang leeg ko sa pag-asang makita pa siya ngunit nabigo lang muli ako. Nonetheless, something rather caught my eyes. A red-ache shade that's abstruse and fixed, staring at me intently.

"Affirm your intention, human. Before I slay you."

Napasinghap ako at munting napaurong sa takot. Umiling-iling ako at itinaas ang isang kamay upang pigilan siya sa akmang paglabas sa likod ng puno!

"S-Sandali! Hi-Hindi ko alam k-kung paano ako nakapunta rito!" natatarantang paliwanag ko. "N-Nahulog ako sa bintana n-ng kwarto ko tapos... t-tapos biglang nandito na a-ako... "

"What fool will believe your reasons?"

"T-Totoo ang sinasabi ko!" depensa ko pa. "H-Hindi nga ako m-makalapit kahit sa bukana lang n-ng kagubatan, pumasok pa kaya!?"

Gumalaw ang aninong binabantayan ko kaya't agad kong nalaman na lalabas na ang aking kausap na lalaki. Akma akong hihiyaw noong parehas kaming natigilan dahil may napakinggang kaluskos mula sa kanan namin. Nanlaki ang aking mga mata noong may namataang lima o higit pang kalalakihan na may bitbit na sugpo ng apoy, tila mga naglalakbay! Dali-dali akong tumayo at akmang sisigaw na upang humingi ng tulong noong muling maramdaman ang isang hampas ng hangin na dinala rin ako! The next thing I knew, my back was already leaning on the tree where the guy was and he... is pinning me against it.