Chapter 1: Nightmare

CHAPTER 1: NIGHTMARE

I was anxiously awakened from lying down because of a bad dream. A nightmare that always visited or hunted me every time I closed my eyes, and I felt like it was so real. I felt like the scene I was dreaming about really happened. But I know that it was very impossible because there was no such thing like it — a magical world.

I wiped my face with my palms out of frustration as I sighed heavily. I calmed myself first before reaching for a glass of water on the table on the left side of my bed, and drank a little to feint.

Hindi ko alam kung bakit palagi kong napapanaginipan ang senaryong iyon. Paulit-ulit. Isang linggo na akong binabagabag ng panaginip na iyon. And don't get me wrong, huh? I'm not one of those who believed in magic because that wasn’t really true. It was just that . . . that dream was really confusing the hell out of me. 

There were four strangers around me — in pain, struggling, chasing their breath, and almost dying as I consume the vital energy from my body for survival, for escape, and for the cessation of battle and the destruction of a place I have never been, but the place really seems familiar to me. I felt like I had already been to that place. But it was really impossible. I mean, there was no such place like it. There was no magical world where magic exists and magical creatures who were using magic to live their life. They weren't real. They were just written in a book — just a fictional one.

I shook my head to get rid of those thoughts that keep bothering my mind. Pagkatapos niyon ay tiningnan ko ang alarm clock ko na nakalagay naman sa kabilang table ng bed ko kasama ang lampshade na tanging nagbibigay ng ilaw sa buong kuwarto ko. And as soon as I saw the time I suddenly felt goosebumps. It was twelve-midnight already, I mean again.

Palagi kasi akong ginigising ng panaginip na iyon sa ganitong oras. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, but it's been seven days since I started dreaming about it. I didn't know why. I don’t know how it started. Ang natatandaan ko lang ay nagising na lang ako isang gabi dahil sa panaginip na iyon. Lumuluha ako sa hindi ko malaman na dahilan. Nasasaktan ako, at pakiramdam ko ay kilala ko rin ang mga kasama ko sa panaginip na iyon, pero hindi ko maalala kung saan ko sila nakita — well, I didn't know if they were really human because they had powers, and that place was very different from this place — the Earth. I was like in a magical world where magic and fantasy were real, and just like them . . . I also had a magical powers in my dream.

For me, it was amazing, but at the same time, confusing. I mean . . . why do I feel like it was real? I couldn’t explain why, but I also felt happy about it because I was also dreaming of having magical powers back then — when I was still young, and I would use it to save everyone, just like what a superhero always does.

Hanggang sa makarinig ako ng tatlong malalakas at mabilis na katok sa pinto ng kuwarto ko. At dahil wala ako sa tamang wisyo ay halos mapatalon ako sa gulat.

Mariin akong napapikit, at huminga nang malalim.

"Nakakagulat naman! Kaloka! Whoever that is, he or she will be the cause of my death!" mahina at sarkastiko kong sabi sabay kamot ng ulo ko.

"Green!" malakas na sigaw ni Mama sa labas habang pilit pinipihit ang door knob na naka-lock.

Sa tinig ng boses niya ay bigla akong nakaramdam ng kakaibang kaba. Ngayon ko lamang narinig ang gano'ng tinig niya. Kakaiba. Parang natatakot siya at nagmamadali.

"M-Mom?" Dala ng pag-aalala ay mabilis akong bumaba sa kama ko at lumapit sa pinto para pagbuksan siya.

Nang mabuksan ko ito ay tumambad sa akin siya na nakabihis na ng panlabas na kasuotan. She was wearing fitted and tattered sky blue jeans, paired with plain white v-neck shirt of penshoppe, and two-inch melon-color of wed sandal. Her long black hair was tied in a high and elegant updo causing her beautiful and childish face to appear even more. 

Well, honestly, on her looks, she was like my older sister because she doesn't seem to be getting older even though she's 39-years-old already. So did Dad. Well, palagi kaming napagkakamalang magkakapatid kasi parang magkakasing-edad lang kaming tatlo dahil ang babata ng itsura nila. And I didn’t know what are their secrets were.

"Mag-empake ka! Bilisan mo! Dalhin mo lang iyong mga importanteng gamit mo! Wala na tayong oras. Dalian mo!" halos pasigaw niyang sabi dahilan upang mapa-atras ako nang bahagya dahil sa gulat. Kakaiba ang kinikilos niya ngayon. Balisang-balisa siya.

"M-Mom . . . k-kumalma ka! A-Ano ba'ng nangyayari? Tumahan ka nga. Wait, nasa'n si Daddy?" kinakabahan kong sabi at tanong sa kaniya.

"Wala na akong oras para sagutin pa iyang mga tanong mo, Green. Gawin mo na lang ang pinapagawa ko sa iyo. Your Dad is already in the car. He is waiting for us, so you need to hurry up!" malakas at mabilis niyang sambit, but I just stared at her for a moment out of curiosity, instead of doing what she wanted me to do.

"M-Mom!" Hinawakan ko sa magkabilang balikat niya para pakalmahin, at saka kunot-noo na tinitigan. "Hindi kita maintindihan. Ano ba talaga ang nangyayari?" Fear could be heard in my voice, but I was just trying to calm myself because my blood pressure might rise again causing me to faint again. I was avoiding that from happening because I didn’t wake up right away for some strange reasons I didn’t know. 

Natahimik lamang siya. Hanggang sa marinig namin ang malakas na pagtawag ni Dad sa amin mula sa baba. Pinapababa na niya kami, at gaya ni Mom ay mapapansin din ang takot sa tinig nito.

"We need to go . . . " Agad na hinawakan ni Mom ang pulsuhan ko, at hinila ako upang sumunod sa kaniya. Hanggang sa tuluyan kaming makababa rito sa ground floor ng bahay.

Hinanap ko si Dad sa paligid, pero hindi siya makita ng mga mata ko.

Hanggang sa matigilan kami ni Mom dahil sa malakas na sigaw ni Dad mula sa labas. Pagkatapos niyon ay ang malakas na pagsabog na nagmumula rin sa kung saan ang kinaroroonan niya.

"P-Phoenix!" malakas na sigaw ni Mom sa pangalan ni Dad.

I felt like my heart skipped a beat, and dread flooded in my face, as well as with Mom. Makikita sa mukha niya na parang tinakasan siya ng kulay, at napaawang ang mga labi niya sa gulat.

In just a couple of minutes, biglang bumakas ang main door ng bahay at iniluwal si Dad na may mga sugat na sa mukha at ilang parte ng katawan niya. Marahil ay dahil iyon sa narinig naming malakas pagsabog dahil punit-punit din ang puting damit niya na may stains na ng kaniyang sariling dugo. Pero ano ba iyong sumabog? Ano’ng nangyayari?

Naguguluhan at natatakot akong napatingin kay Dad.

"Sa kusina tayo dumaan!" sigaw ni nito habang tumatakbo palapit sa amin ni Mom.

Fear was written on his face as he approached us. While I was still confused by what was happening. But because of the loud explosion we heard, I could do nothing but follow what he said. 

Agad kaming tumakbo ni Mom papunta sa pinto ng kusina. Pero bago pa kami tuluyang makalapit ay bumagsak sa harap namin ang pinto. Napatigil kaming tatlo, at kalaunan ay napaatras nang may makita kami sa labas na isang tao na naglalakad palapit sa amin. He was wearing a black cloak with a hood but I could clearly see his or her red eyes that screamed danger. His presence was strange. It was so terrifying that I even felt goosebumps.

Dali-daling pumunta si Dad sa harap namin ni Mom habang patuloy kami sa pag-atras. Hanggang sa maramdaman kong wala na kaming aatrasan pa, kaya mas lalong gumapang ang kakaibang takot sa aking katawan.

"D-Dad . . . W-Who is that?" I asked in confusion. My voice was trembling in fear, and my knees began to shake.

He didn't respond to me. So, a short-term silence reigned between us. And suddenly, my heart started to pound faster as the red-eyed person wearing a cloak continued to approach us.

"I-Is she or he g-going to kill u-us?" I asked nervously as Mom held my hands tightly. Ramdam ko ang panginginig at lamig nito marahil ay dala rin ito ng pinaghalong kaba at takot na nararamdaman niya.

Hanggang sa may lumabas na itim na usok sa mga kamay ni Dad. "Lumayo kayo nang kaunti sa akin," aniya at saka lumipad patungo sa nilalang na naka-cloak. Pero nagulat na lang ako nang bigla itong naglaho sa kinatatayuan niya.

And the next thing I knew that happened was I was now running away from our house without Mom and Dad by my side. Nagpaiwan silang dalawa upang harapin at kalabanin daw ang nilalang na nakasuot ng cloak. Gaya ng kakaibang nilalang na iyon ay may mga kapangyarihan din na lumalabas mula sa kamay nina Mom and Dad.

At isa lang ang malinaw sa akin, hindi sila tunay na mga tao, and I didn't know what exactly who they were or what I call them because I was still confused by what was happening. Pero ang mas nakakapangilabot pa ay hindi gumagalaw ang lahat ng mga tao at sasakyan na nadaraanan ko sa pagtakbo. Parang tumigil ang paggalaw ng oras, at kami lang nina Mom and Dad pati na rin ang nilalang na sumugod sa bahay namin ang nakakagalaw sa oras na ito.

Gusto ko ring umiyak ngayon sa mga nangyayari kasi hindi ko kasama sina Mom and Dad, at alam ko kung ano ang mangyayari pagkatapos nilang magpapaiwan, pero walang lumalabas na luha sa aking mga mata, dala na marahil sa takot ko. At ayaw ko mang isipin ang mga bagay na ito, pero . . . hindi ko alam kung makikita ko pa sila pagkatapos ng gabing ito. Pero wala akong ibang magawa kun'di ang magpatuloy lang sa pagtakbo hanggang sa mapansin ko na madilim at masikip na ang daan na tinatahak ko.

Hindi ko alam kung nasaan na ako ngayon, at kung gaano na kalayo ang natakbo ko, pero ang gusto ko lang na mangyari ngayon ay makalayo sa panganib kahit na hindi na kaya ng hita at ilalim ng mga paa ko dahil nakapaa lang ako ngayon at paniguradong may mga sugat na dahil ramdam ko na ang hapdi nito.

Sa pagmamadaling makaalis ako kanina ay wala na pa akong panahon para hanapin pa kahit ang tsinelas ko lang. Kaya tinitiis ko ang sakit nito, pero binigo ako ng hita ko.

Natumba ako at nasubsob sa magaspang na sahig. Hanggang sa may maramdaman ko na may kakaibang presensyang lumalapit sa akin. Katulad ito ng presensya ng nakakapangilabot na nilalang na nakasuot ng cloak at may pulang mga mata kanina na sumugod sa bahay. At kung ang nilalang na ito ay ang sumugod sa aming bahay . . . where's Mom and Dad now?

"N-No!" I tried to shout, but I just stuttered because my voice was trembling.

Pinilit kong tumayo mula sa pagkakadapa, at nang makatayo ako ay nagpatuloy ako sa pagtakbo. Hanggang sa tuluyan akong mawalan ng balanse. Kusang dumulas ang katawan ko, pero mabuti na lang ay may nahawakan akong parang ugat ng puno, kaya mahigpit akong napakapit do’n.

"B-Bangin?" I asked myself, almost whispering when I realized where I had slipped.

My eyes were becoming hazy and misty as it flowed through my mind about what might possibly happen to me when I let go of the vein I was holding. This is definitely my end. I didn't think I would survive this one. 

"Help!" malakas na sigaw ko, at mas lalong hinigpitan ang pagkakahawak ko sa ugat. "Somebody help me!" I shouted again as tears slipped away to my cheeks.

What I could only do right now is to bawled in tears. I still don't want to die or even die like this. No one would know if I died here. Even my parents, they will never know about this. But I hope they are just okay right now.

"M-Mom! Dad!" I didn't know if they could hear me, but I still tried because my hands were trembling now, and my hands were already sore. I'm already losing my grip. I couldn't hold it anymore. And when I didn't see any hope that I could get out of here, I smiled bitterly and let go of the roots I was holding on to. 

I felt my body rushing from towards the bottom part of the cliff. So, I slowly closed my eyes and felt the breeze of the cold wind.

So, is this really my end now?

I felt my body rushing towards the bottom of the cliff, and when I opened my eyes for the last time, I saw a light coming closer and closer to me. 

And before my body slams on the cold and rough ground, that light first hits my body. And that was the last I saw before I completely fainted.

When I woke up, the first thing that dawned on me was the blue sky. Bahagya pa akong napapikit nang mariin nang masilaw ako sa liwanag. At nang muli ko itong imulat ang aking mga mata ay nagulat na lang ako nang may tumambad sa harapan kong isang lalaki.

He was tall, and had grey blonde hair, and intense grey eyes as well. There was no expression on his face. But his aura was saying something else that I couldn't figure out. Though I couldn't sense danger from him, his presence screamed authority and it became alarming.

“S-Sino ka?” I asked in confusion. At nang maalala ko ang nangyari sa akin bago ako magising ay agad akong napa-atras nang bahagya dahil sa takot.

“A-Are you t-the one with a red-eyed, wearing black cloak?” I didn't know why I asked this to him, but he just stared at me blankly as if he hadn't heard my question.

Hanggang sa ilang sandali lamang ay may maramdaman akong matulis at mainit na bagay na bumaon sa likuran ko.

Napadaing ako sa sakit, at napansin kong na-alerto ang lalaking nasa harapan ko. Ilang sandali lang ay naramdaman ko na lang na bumibigat na ang talukap ng aking mga mata, kaya pahiga akong natumba. Hanggang sa tuluyan na akong mawalan ng malay, at bumagsak sa damuhan.