COMMON MIRACLE: Hector and Sophia's Story

PART 4

Hindi alam ni Sophia kung gaano na katagal siyang nakapamaluktot sa kama niya sa gitna ng madilim na silid. Pagkatapos nang pag-iyak niya kanina ay nagbukas lang siya ng cup noodles, kumain, at nahiga na. Dama pa rin niya ang gutom pero wala na siyang gana pang kumain.

Hindi pa siya nagtatagal na nakahihiga ay biglang bumuhos ang malakas na ulan na sinabayan pa ng malakas na kulog at kidlat. Dali-dali niyang kinuha ang earphone at nagpatugtog para hindi niya marinig ang malalakas at nakakagulat na mga kulog. Ngunit para talaga siyang pinaglalaruan ng tadhana dahil ilang minuto pa’y namatay naman ang kuryente.

Alas-syete pa lang ng gabi pero dahil sa sobrang dilim ng paligid ay pakiramdam niya’y napakalalim na ng gabi. Gusto niyang bumangon at maghanap ng kandila para magka-ilaw naman siya pero natatakot siya. Nakakagulantang ang bawat kalabog ng kulog at lumilikha ng iba’t ibang imahe ang bawat guhit ng kidlat.

Hindi. Hindi niya kayang lumabas ng silid niya.

Napakapit siya sa unan nang mariin ng isang malakas na kulog na naman ang pumailanlang sa paligid. Hindi nakakatulong ang earphone dahil naririnig pa rin niya ang tunog ng malakas na kulog. Nagtalukbong na rin siya ng kumot at mariing pumikit upang hindi makita ang nakakatakot na pagguhit ng kidlat.

“Tama na… Please… Tama na…” paulit-ulit niyang wika habang nag-uunahan na naman ang luha niya. “Ayoko na, please. Ayoko na…”

Isang malakas na namang kulog ang pumailanlang sa paligid at halos tumalon siya sa takot.

“Please… Please… Lord, kung nakikinig ka, please…” umiiyak na bulong niya habang isinisiksik ang sarili sa headrest.

Ilang minuto pa lang siyang ganoon ngunit para bang ilang oras na ang dumaan. Hanggang muli siyang mapapitlag nang makarinig ng malakas na kalabog. Hindi na iyon dala ng kulog. Pinahinaan niya ang music niya at pinakinggan ang paligid. May naririnig talaga siyang kumakalabog, tunog na para bang may kahoy na hinahampas.

Natutop niya ang bibig, Nanlaki ang mga mata kasababay ng pagkabog nang malakas at mabilis ng puso niya. Pinanlamigan siya ng katawan at tila nanlabo ang mga mata niya.

No!! Oh, please, wag naman sana!

Bago pa niya napigilan ang sariling isip ay kung ano-ano ng imahe ang rumehistro sa isip niya.

Paano kung may nakapasok na magnanakaw?

Paano kung alam nilang mag-isa lang siya sa bahay?

Paano kung hindi lang pagnanakaw ang gagawin nila?

Oh no! Please no!

Napatakip siya sa tenga nang madinig muli ang malakas na kalabog.

No! Please! No!

Mas lalo pang nadagdagan ang takot niya dahil nagsimula na namang kumulog at kumidlat.

“Tama na, please! Tama na!” umiiyak niyang sigaw na para bang may makakarinig sa kaniya at mapipigilan ang pagkulog at pagkidlat.

Tumigil ang kulog at bahagyang natahimik ang paligid. Nakadama siya ng pansamantalang kapayapaan na nawala kaagad nang maulinigan muli ang malalakas na kalabog. Akmang magtatakip muli siya ng ulo nang kasunod ng kalabog ay ang sunod-sunod na sigaw.

“Sophia! Sophia!”

Napakurap siya nang mapagtantong may sumisigaw ng pangalan niya at nagmumula ito mula sa labas ng bahay. Bagama’t natatakot ay bumangon siya at gamit ang flashlight ng cellphone ay naglakad patungo sa may bintana. Dahil sa lakas ng ulan at dilim ay hindi niya kaagad naaninaw ang labas. Kumurap-kurap siya at ng tila masanay ang mata sa dilim ay tumingin sa labas.

“Sophia!” dinig niyang tawag mula sa labas pero nilulunod iyon ng lakas ng ulan. Akmang tatalikod na siya at babalik sa kama ng biglang gumuhit ang matalim na liwanag mula sa labas. Sandaling nagliwanag ang paligid at ganoon na lang ang panlalaki ng mga mata niya nang mapagtanto kung sino ang tumatawag sa kaniya.

“Hector!” malakas niyang sambit bago dali-daling tumakbo palabas ng silid. Halos magkadarapa siya sa pagbaba ng hagdan hanggang makarating sa main door.

Madilim ang buong kabahayan at hindi sapat ang ilaw na nagmumula sa cellphone, ngunit hindi niya alintana iyon. Nagmamadali siyang tumakbo hanggang marating ang main door.

Binuksan niya ang pinto at gamit ang flashlight ng cellphone ay inilawan niya ang labas. Wala pang ilang segundo ay naglalakad na palapit si Hector sa kaniya, at ilang segundo pa’y nasa harap na niya ito at isang segundo pa’y yakap na siya nito.

Nakakulong ang katawan niya sa mahigpit nitong yakap at dama niya ang pagkabasa ng damit at katawan niya dahil sa pagyakap nito. Basang-basa ito pero nakakapagtakang napaka-init ng yakap nito. Dagling nawala ang takot, kaba at panlalamig ng katawan niya.

“Damn! I shouldn’t have left you,” she heard him hissed against her temple.

“H-Hector…” bulong niya sa dibdib nito ngunit hindi ito tumugon at sa halip ay niyakap lang siya nito nang mas mahigpit. “Basang-basa ka, baka magkasakit ka,” aniya at sinubukang tingalain ito.

“Hindi kita dapat iniwang mag-isa,” bulong pa rin nito at tinitigan siya sa mga mata. “Natakot ka ba?”

Gusto niyang sabihing hindi, na okay lang siya pero alam niya sa sariling hindi na niya gugustuhin pang mag-isa sa isang malaking bahay habang malakas na umuulan, kumukulog at kumikidlat. Pinili niyang magsabi ng totoo at marahang tumango.

Gumuhit muli ang matalim na kidlat sa langit dahilan para bahagya siyang mapapitlag. Naramdaman niyang humigpit ang yakap nito sa kaniya at dahil sa liwanag na dala ng kidlat ay nakita rin niya ng malinaw ang paglambong ng lungkot at pagsisisi sa mukha nito.

“I’ll live here, Sophia. No more buts,” he said firmly and she just nodded.

He squeezed her body against him, and she realized that it wasn't really hard to admit that she needed help, that she needed someone.

Binitawan siya nito, iginaya papasok at sinarhan nito ang pinto at tiniyak na naka-lock lahat. Hinuli nito ang kamay niya habang ang kabilang kamay ay kinuha ang cellphone na hawak niya at sabay silang nagpunta ng kusina.

“You didn’t get down to get emergency lights?” he asked as we walked around the kitchen.

“No,” she answered quietly.

Hindi ito nagsalita o kinastigo man lang siya kung bakit. Sa halip, tahimik na iniabot nito ang cellphone sa kaniya nang tumigil sila sa tapat ng isang cabinet. Binuksan nito iyon gamit ang isang kamay at mula sa loob ay kumuha ito ng isang malaking hugis parisukat na emergency light. Sinarhan muli nito ang cabinet gamit ang siko at habang hawak pa rin ang kamay niya'y naglakad sila patungo sa counter. Ipinatong nito ang emergency light at gamit pa rin ang isang kamay ay binuhay iyon. Bumaha ang liwanag sa kusina.

“Fine?” he asked gently.

Tumingala siya rito at hindi pa rin nagbabago ang ekspresiyon ng mukha nito. Sadness and regrets were written on it.

“I told you to leave, so it’s my fault,” she reminded him.

“Still, I leave.”

“Okay na ako. Hayaan mo na.”

Hindi ito nagsalita at sa halip ay lumapit sa kaniya. Tumaas ang kamay nito sa pisngi niya patungo sa gilid ng mata niya pababa sa pisngi niya na para bang may sinusundan itong linya. Kakatwang malamig ang palad nito sa unang dampi pero ng magtagal ito sa pisngi niya’y naghatid nang kakaibang init sa katawan niya.

“You cried.” His fingers rested at her cheek.

Pinili niyang manahimik at mag-iwas nang tingin mula rito.

“I shouldn’t left,” bulong muli nito at sa pagkakataong ito ay mas mahina at mas malungkot ang tono ng tinig nito.

“Hector, I’m fine,” her voice now firm as she swayed back her gaze at him.

“I’m sorry, Sophie.”

“If you keep on saying that, I swear I…I…” Tumigil siya sa pagsasalita dahil hindi niya din alam ang sasabihin. However, she has to say something and that’s when she let out a breath and speak, “Just stay here, will you?”

He nodded and gave her a tender squeeze at her hand.

“I’ll light up another one so you could bring it to your room.” His gaze looked down at her body but instantly glanced away. His face showed something different, totally different, making her frowned. “Sorry, I get you wet,” he added quietly, still not looking at her.

She frowned, and glanced down at her pale pink nightie. Her eyew grew wider when she realizes that because her nightie was wet. It’s sticking to her slim body and her black bra was showing. As if in cue, she tore her hand from him, cover her arms in front of her chest and turned her back at him while blurting out, “Oh my gosh!”

“Sorry, Sophie…” he said softly with a hint of shyness in his voice.

Heat hit her both cheeks all the while her whole body. Fear and cold was now a history, totally forgotten and totally burned down.

“I-It’s fine,” she uttered. “I’ll go change upstairs.”

“O-okay. I'll light up another bulb.”

Naramdaman niya ang paggalaw nito mula sa likuran niya at kasunod ay ang mahinang pag-ingit ng pinto ng cabinet. Not a moment later, another light flooded in the kitchen.

“Here,” she heard him said at her back. Ipinatong rin nito ang emergency light sa ibabaw ng counter.

“T-Thanks.”

“You think, you can go alone upstair?”

“O-Oo,” tugon niya. Nawala na ang takot niya sa isiping nasa bahay lang si Hector at hindi siya nito iiwan.

Pinuntahan siya nito sa bahay para tiyaking okay siya, kung natatakot ba siya.

Pinuntahan siya nito at wala itong pakialam kahit malakas ang ulan at nabasa ito.

Pumunta ito para samahan siya.

Hindi siya mag-iisa buong gabi sa malaking bahay na iyon. Hindi siya mag-iisa habang nagpapalitan ang malakas na kulog at kidlat. Makakatulog siya nang maayos at hindi niya kailangang isiksik ang sarili sa headboard o magtalukbong sa takot. Hindi siya mag-iisa kung sakali mang may pumasok.

Hindi… Hindi…

“Sophia…” his voice tensed, but she ignored him.

She nipped her lower lip to suppress the tears that beginning to hit the back of her throat. She suddenly crouched and shoved her face at her knees while trying to breathe in and out.

It hit her! It hit her!

“Sophia…” his voice was full of concern. She felt his hand at her side, fulling him to his front and without a word, she burst in tears.

“I…I…I'm…” she tried to speak but she can’t. She’s heaving, her body is convulsing as she cry.

“Sshhh... Sophie, just cry,” he murmured against her head. “You need to unload it.” He held her like a child and she cried and cried and cried, caused it hit her.

No. It smacked her, smacked her big time, making her shudder. She needed someone. She knew it, but she couldn’t accept the fact that she needed someone. She had to learn how to be independent; she had to learn to live all by herself, she had to learn to move on and she needed to do it all by herself.

Their family was once a pure, happy, and contented family. Not until her father died because of a heart attack. He’s fine and healthy, no signs of any sick, but then he died because of a heart attack.

And it’s too sudden, too sudden that it blew too much to her mother as well as to her. But her mother was too engulfed at her own blow; not thinking her own daughter, not thinking what damaged its done to her. Her mother was too busy mending her broken heart not thinking that her daughter’s heart was shattering into pieces as she watched her own father’s coffin being hauled in his grave, all the while watching her own mother killing herself in sadness.

Nana Sabel and Hector were there, but she needed her mother. She already lost her father; she couldn’t bear losing her mother too.

And that’s the moment she bowed to herself not to lean on anyone. She knew Nana Sabel would be gone and she’d ready herself to it. Hector left without a word, but it’s her who put distance between them.

And then, just forty-one days ago, her mother left her. She’s not ready, but she has to be. So she shut down herself and pretended everything’s fine, and that she’s going to be fine all by herself.

But now, she’s crying, heaving, body’s convulsing as she sobbed at Hectors wet but warm body. He held her tight, caressed her to make her feel at ease, murmured encouraging words, not to mention he ran at the middle of the heavy rain with thunderstorm and lightning striking around.

And it really hit her, smacked her, making her realize, she needed someone and Hector is there to be that someone.

Still crying, she lifted her head at him. “P-Please… Pl…Please… D-Don’t l…l-leave me…”

His face that once full of concern grew tender and his eyes warm at her. “No. I won’t. I’ll stay here as long as you need me,” he said softly and tucked her face at his neck. “Not gonna leave you again, Sophie…”

She cried again against his neck while gripping at his wet shirt.

She’s afraid that maybe one day Hector would left her too. But, she needed him now and she’d treasure this moment. She would hold onto his arms as long his at her side.