Running Away From A Riego | SPG

Kabanata 3

Nagising ako dahil sa sobrang lamig na nararamdaman sa katawan. Nang inimulat ko ang aking mga mata ay nakita ko ang isang hindi pamilyar na lugar. I was lying on the bed of sand. Napa-aray ako dahil sa sobrang sakit ng ulo ko.

Where am I?

Heaving a deep sigh, I tried to tilt my head and touch my forehead. There was a faint of blood on my hands. Nang mapagtanto ko ang nangyari, biglang rumehistro sa utak ko ang nangyari.

“Hindi, panaginip lang yun, Ame. Ano ka ba! Panaginip lang yun. Panaginip lang yun...” Kung may makakakita man sa’kin dito ay masasabihan na akong baliw nito dahil sa kakausap sa sarili. “Oo naman, panaginip lang yun, Ame. Kalma ka nga.”

I tried to calm myself down. But no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that it wasn’t a bad dream. That it was real and that I saw how my family died right in front of my eyes, tears began to fall on my face. “Panaginip nga sabi yun, eh,” inis kong asik sa sarili at pinunasan ang mukha gamit ang malamig kong braso.

Napatingin ako sa paligid at nakitang nasa tabing dagat ako. Ganoon pa rin ang damit ko. Walang pinagbago. Sinubukan kong tumayo at pumunta sa dagat baka sakaling makita ko si daddy o mommy o si Benedict, ang nakababata kong kapatid, na nagpapalutaw-lutaw sa dagat. Nagbabaka-sakali….

“Mom! Dad!” I shouted and I think nakita kong nagsiliparan ang mga ibon sa sanga. Walang tao sa islang ito maliban sa’kin. There’s a forest in front of me. Kailangan mo lang akyatin ang naglalakihang mga bato sa gilid ng dalampasigan. And you’re good to go for haunting. That’s my conclusion.

Hindi ko iyun pinansin at sinimulang lumangoy upang mahanap ang pamilya ko sa dagat kung saan kitang-kita ko ang mga debris ng eroplano. It’s too far but I can still see it. There are woods and steel everywhere. Or that’s what you call, hindi ko mabatid dahil sa sinabi ko nga, malayo ito sa kinaroroonan ko.

“Hey!” Narinig kong sigaw ng kung sino at nang tumalikod ako ay nakita ko ang isang shirtless na lalaking tumatakbo sa’kin. I saw how the woods fall on the sand from his hands. Sa tingin ko’y galing ito sa kagubatan at gagamitin ito to set a bonfire.

“Are you a native here? Can you help me? I just…I just wanted to find my family…” sigaw ko sa kaniya habang ang tubig dagat ay nasa baba ko na.

He dive and swam just to get near at me. Agad niyang kinuha ang bewang ko at isinampa ang katawan sa balikat. “Get off of me! I wanna find my family!”

“No, it’s too dangerous!” sigaw niya pabalik. Nag-uumpisa nang tumulo ang luha ko dahil sa sakit na nararamdaman. “Please…” pagsusumano ko sa kanya. I sniffed while I felt how his muscle on the biceps flexes as he walks on the shore.

Ibinaba niya ako at lumanding ang aking puwetan sa malambot na buhangin. Wala na akong lakas pa na ibuka ang bibig at tinignan na lamang ang kaniyang mukha. He doesn’t look like he live here.

He’s more like a city boy. Not in an island like this.

He has dark eyebrows and curly brown hair. He’s shirtless and I could see his defined and toned chest. Para bang palagi itong nagwo-work out. Or maybe that’s because he is used to work in an island? I’ve seen in movies that boys in the island has a lot of work that’s why their bodies are mature.

Nararamdaman niya yata masyado akong napatitig sa kaniyang katawan kaya siya nagtanong. “May dumi ba sa katawan ko?” Funny, people usually asked ‘May dumi ba sa mukha ko?’ instead of ‘May dumi ba sa katawan ko?’

Imbes na sagutin ang kanyang tanong ay tinanong ko siya. “Where are we?” I asked, looking at the place. The sun is already out and it’s starting to dim.

“We’re in an island. Hindi ko alam.”

“Bakit hindi mo alam?”

He sighed and pick up a small wood to play with his hands. “I’m a survivor too…”

Agad nanlaki ang mga mata ko sa kanyang sinabi. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”

He forced a small smile. “It’s okay. Ilang araw ka ding natulog.”

“How long?”

“Hmmm, two days I think. Are you hung – “

Before he even finish the sentence, we heard a growling sound. How embarrassing, it’s my frigging stomach! I bit my lips and smile. “Yeah, I think so.”

Tumayo siya at may kinuha sa isang kulay puting nakabalot na kung ano. I saw him getting a mushroom. Napangiwi ako nang makita itong inilalagay niya sa stick. “Puwede ba yang makain?” tanong ko. I know this is not the right time para mag-inarte, pero kasi…

“Yup. This mushroom is edible. I find it on woods. Let’s start a fire.” Tumango na lamang ako sa kanyang sinabi at tinulungan siyang mag-umpisa ng apoy gamit ang mga nakuha niyang kahoy.

While looking at him, he seems like the person na kahit may zombie apocalypse man sa Pilipinas ay kaya niya pa ring mag-survive. He was rubbing the two stones to create a friction that produces a fire.

Iniyakap ko na lang ang mga binti ko habang tintignan ang sumasayaw na apoy sa harapan. Kumain kami ng mataimtim at hindi na nag-usap pa. Crickets are chirping around us, probably from the forest.

“This is… good and delicious.” Nakangiti kong komento sa kanya habang kumakain. He didn’t say anything and claps his hands bago tumayo.

“Where are you going?” taka kong tanong.

“I’m going to find a blanket for us this night.”

My cheeks reddened. Though alam kong para lang naman ito sa ikabubuti naming dalawa, hindi ko mapigilang maging green-minded. Oh my gosh, Amethyst Virgo Buenaventura! Napaka-ano talaga ng utak mo, no!

He jogged back again towards me and found a banana leaf. “Sorry, ito lang ang nakita ko.”

I nodded to acknowledge his effort. “Okay na yan…” sabi ko.

He went back to sat again across me. Nasa gitna namin ang bonfire. Malamig pero naiibsan ito dahil sa ginawang bonfire ng estrangherong ito.

“So…” I started. “Can we introduce ourselves formally?”

“Go on.”

Extending my arm, I introduced my complete name. “I’m Amethyst Virgo Buenaventura. You can call me Ame.”

“Lemuel,” matipid niyang sagot at kinuha ang kamay ko. He only shake my hand, for like, one second only and then get it back. Ang suplado naman nito!

“Ilang taon ka na?” curious kong tanong.

“22,” tipid niya lang sagot.

“Hindi mo ba tatanungin kung ilang taon na ako?”

“Ilang taon ka na?”

“I’m seventeen.” Again, sobrang suplado! He just nodded at me and continues to eat.

We never talk after that and he sleeps on the sand. Nakaka-guilty nga eh dahil iyung nakuha niyang banana leaves ay para sa’kin lang pala iyun. He’s a gentleman, huh.

Nangingiti akong humiga sa buhangin at ginawang kumot ang dahon ng saging. I thought it would bring me comfort but I woke up freezing to death and teeth grinding.

Sobrang lamig ng gabi, isama mo pa ang natuyo kong damit. Mukhang magkakalagnat pa ako nito at this rate. I extend my arms and tried to touch Lemuel’s shoulder to let him know my state. He was asleep. I knew it even though the night was dark.

One touch on his shoulder and I felt him move. “L-Lemuel…L-Lemuel,” nanginginig kong bulong at naramdaman ko ang haplos niya sa aking noo.

“Damn, ang lamig mo…” he whispered. Kalmado pa rin siya, huh?

Hindi ko nagawang magsalita at kinuha ang kanyang kamay galing sa noo ko. I clasp it both of my hands upang maramdaman ang init ng kanyang katawan. He saw what I did.

“Can you hug me?” I asked, still breathing hard because of the cold.

He looked like he’s not going to do it. “Please?” I pleaded because at this rate, I’m going to freeze to death if we’re embarrassed to do it!

“This is to save your life. Here we go…” He said and he suddenly pulled me towards his bulky chest. Agad kong naramdaman ang init sa kanyang katawan na para bang nalalalatay ito sa mga ugat ko. I heard him sighing. “Does it work?” he asked.

I just nodded and hug him tighter. I felt like I was safe inside of his embrace. Parang nakalimutan ko sandali ang lahat ng problema ko, tinalikuran ko ang realidad na wala na akong pamilya dahil sa plane crash.

Bigla, nag-umpisa na namang kumarera ang luha ko. I sniffed and Lemeul’s hooded eyes found mine. “Are you still cold?” bakas ang pag-aalala sa kanyang boses.

I shook my head. “Okay na ako…”

“Then why are you crying?”

“It’s just…I miss my family. They died on the plane crash.”

“I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“You don’t have to say sorry. Hindi mo naman yun kasalanan…”

“I’m sorry that you lost your loved ones.” He said it too gently that it’s starting to piss me off. “No, it’s not your fault. Kung sino man ang may kasalanan, hindi ikaw iyun kundi ang piloto.”