Light and Shadow 2: Call of the Unknown

Light and Shadow 2: Call of the Unknown

I woke up in the middle of an eerie forest, and I felt like the atmosphere was heavy with danger. I felt uneasy for some reason, and every minute, a potential threat as chills ran down my spine. It was unsettling, until suddenly, I heard a woman’s voice…

“The time has come…”

It was like an echo and a whisper simultaneously, yet I heard it. I frowned as I looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice. Nagsimula akong kabahan at kilabutan habang humahakbang ako patungo sa hindi ko alam.

“The time has come…”

She repeated the phrase, her voice echoing in the eerie woods. Nagtaka ako sa narinig, but I couldn’t understand what she was trying to say, yet it resonated deep within me. A knot formed in my throat, and I could not speak.

“You have to go back…”

Her words danced on the wind, haunting me until they faded into the silence once more. I looked around until I mysteriously felt a presence behind me. Dahan-dahan akong humarap, yet I was taken aback by the sight of a beautiful woman before my eyes.

She was like a goddess: a goddess of the forest, and I couldn’t help but be mesmerized. Then she smiled, making her even more beautiful. However, as I gazed into her eyes, I felt a strange force slowly enveloping me, almost drowning me in its unfamiliar power.

Huh? Ano ‘yong pakiramdam na ‘yon?

I was only pulled out of this trance when I heard her gentle voice. “It’s time to go back to your realm…”

I was speechless hearing that, especially when I found myself facing a mirror and looking at the breathtakingly beautiful woman before me. My mouth hung open in astonishment as I realized it seemed to be my own reflection.

Until I saw the lady again behind me through the mirror before she said, “Time to go back to your realm now, Your Divine Majesty…”

Bigla naman nagbago ang kapaligiran at nakita ko na lamang ang sarili kong nakatanaw sa isang magandang sibilisasyon. I am standing on a cliff overlooking a civilization that resembled a magical land.  Below, I could see unique structures, pure white with gleaming gold linings.

Mayroon din akong nakikitang mga bagay na lumilipad, ngunit ang mas ikinamangha ko ay nang makakita ako ng mga kaiibang nilalang sa himpapawid. Napaawang ang labi ko bago muling tumingin sa ibaba upang pagmasdan itong muli.

I suddenly realized I was in a world of magic, yet the scenery before me felt strangely familiar. As I pondered where I might have seen this place before, I sensed a presence behind me. I turned to look, and my jaw dropped at the sight of the creatures standing in front of me.

There were seven of them: a white phoenix, a winged unicorn, a nine-tailed fox, two extraordinary-looking black and white cats, a winged white and gold lion, and finally, a massive black and blue dragon behind them.

Hindi ko magawang gumalaw habang nakatingin sa kanila at mula sa aking kinatatayuan, ramdam ko ang malakas at mabigat nilang presenya. I couldn’t understand why I felt this way towards them, as if they were more than just ordinary creatures.

“We are coming soon… we will meet soon… our child.”

*** 

Hindi ako nagising ng aking alarm at muntikan pa akong ma-late! Kaya mabilis akong kumilos at hindi na nga ako nag-agahan pa dahil male-late na talaga ako kapag kumain pa ako. Kaya naman binaunan na lang ako ni Mimi na nagtataka kung bakit late akong nagising.

Dahil sa weird na panaginip na ‘yon!

My school was nearby, within walking distance from our house; I sometimes rode my bike, but I usually walked. But right now I am riding my bike to get to my school in time. I knew Mimi and Nana were confused about my lateness; it had never happened before!

They knew I always went to bed early, and even though I wasn’t a morning person and hated waking up early, I was never this late! Safe naman akong nakarating sa school ko at buti na lamang at wala pa ang teacher namin sa room kaya nagtungo muna ako sa CR.

Pagkarating ko ay tinanggal ko ang jogging pants na suot ko na nakailalim sa aking skirt. I also combed my hair and spray some pabango on my body. Once I was sure I looked presentable, I headed to our classroom as if nothing had happened.

It’s Wednesday, and the flag ceremony is held every Monday. Every Wednesday, our first subject was with Miss Ong. She’s masungit and strict, and one of the things she hated most was students being late to her class.

Kaya gano’n na lang ang takot kong ma-late sa kaniya, dahil once na na-late ka ay hindi ka na makakapasok dahil I-lo-lock niya talaga ang pinto ng classroom. Nakakatakot mag-absent sa kaniya dahil every period namin sa kaniya ay may activity and once you missed it, hindi ka na niya pagbibigyan.

Unless you have a valid reason.

Pero magaling siyang magturo, kaso math subject nga lang. Pinaka-ayaw kong subject, pero buti na lang at naiintindihan ko ang lessons at pumapasa ako sa kaniya. Nang dumating si Miss Ong ay tumahimik pa sa tahimik ang room, hanggang sa mag-umpisa siyang magturo.

Wala namang bago sa araw ko ngayon, kaya after my last morning class, I headed home, since it had been announced yesterday that we would only have a half-day today. I was grateful for the half-day, though, because I planned to sleep all afternoon.

I would be home alone again; Mimi and Nana were busy with work.

Pagkarating ko sa bahay ay nagpalit na ako ng damit bago kumain. Hinugasan ko na rin ang aking pinagkainan bago ako umakyat sa kwarto at natulog. But the moment I fell asleep, I once again dreamt that strange dream, and it continued for weeks.

Since then, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it was more than just a normal dream.

***

A few weeks after…

“They’ve found you! They’re coming to get you!”

“Be careful! You’re in danger!”

I shot upright in bed, my heart pounding against my ribs as I took a deep breath. I’ve been having strange dreams lately: first, the lady was telling me to return… but return to where? Second, a scene that resembled a wonderland.

Third, the seven extraordinary creatures, telling me that they are coming and we will meet soon. And finally, the same lady again, but this time, instead of urging me to return, she was giving me warnings, and she looked deadly serious.

Kaya hindi ko mapigilang kabahan.

Those dreams are the same dreams that have haunted me for nearly a month now. Yet still, I can’t fathom its meaning, which leaves me baffled and unsettled.  Especially that lady’s warning. Oo, halos isang buwan na ang nakalipas simula nang pumasok ako sa office ni Mimi.

Isang buwan na ang nakalipas ng basahin ko ang lumang libro na misteryosong nawala, at makita ang isang napaka-gandang envelope sa ibabaw ng lamesa ni Mimi. I couldn’t help but think that these strange dreams begand after I read that mysterious book.

Every word, every sentence I read from the book still lingered in my mind. Bagay na nakapagtataka dahil isang beses ko lamang ‘yon nabasa. Kaunti na lang ay kumbinsido na akong hindi lamang ordinaryong libro ‘yon.

Imposible man, ngunit malakas ang aking pakiramdam.

Bumuntong-hininga ako bago napagdesisyonang maligo na dahil may pasok ako ngayon. Sinubukan kong kalimutan pansamantala ang panaginip ko, but this time, my dream was different. It left me with an ominous feeling.

I couldn’t shake the fear that arose from remembering the strange lady’s warnings. I wanted to tell Mimi and Nana about it, but I was afraid of worrying them. Bumuntong-hininga ako bago tumingin sa salamin, ngunit nagulat na lamang ako sa nakita kong repleksyon.

Pareho ito sa nakita ko sa panaginip ko!

My face is different: everything is different, and it’s exactly like the reflection I saw in my dream! It’s far from my real appearance as I am seeing an ethereal beauty, a goddess-like beauty. Ngunit hindi ko naman mapigilang mapakunot ang nuo.

Hinawakan ko ang aking pisngi habang pinagmamasdan ang aking repleksyon mula sa salamin. Who… is she? She’s so beautiful… she’s like a goddess… ito ang unang beses na nangyari ‘to simula nang mapaginipan ko ang babae na ‘yon.

My attention was abruptly drawn away from the mirror as my alarm suddenly blared, startling me. I silenced my alarm bago binalik ang tingin sa salamin. Ngunit ang nakita ko na lang ay ang tunay kong repleksyon at ramdam ko na lang ang mabilis na pagkabog ng dibdib ko.

Geez. That’s terrifying.

***