The world of the dead

People say that I am weird because I don't talk to them. I don't socialize. I have no friends. And that they saw me talking to myself. If only they know what's happening to me. I've tried asking my mom countless times of what's happening to me and she would answer over and over again... "Anak, you should get some rest. It's just your imagination because you don't get enough sleep or maybe...we should go to the doctor, it must be a side effect of the surgery..." Yeah, right. How I wish it's just a side effect of the surgery and this will just eventually vanish in time but it isn't. We consulted a psychiatrist and I feel like, even her doesn't believe me but then I need someone to talk that will listen to me. "I've gotten myself into an accident a year ago, I woke up and I couldn't see anything. It was dark and I could only hear voices. And that's when I found out that I lost my vision..." Dr. Robles creased her forehead as if wanting to hear how I am able to see her right now. I chuckled that turned into loud laughter that filled in the four corners of the office. "Doc..." She smiled a little. "Will you say that I am losing it if I tell you that... there's a man standing next to you?" Her smile vanished. "People say that I'm crazy, ganoon rin ang tingin mo sa akin 'di ba, Doc?" I rested my head on the chair when she didn't answer. "No." Her answer broke the silence. Napabangon ako mula sa pagkakasandal at hindi makapaniwalang tiningnan si Dr. Robles. "Do you have any medicine that can treat this?" I asked, pointing my head. "I don't think you are, Lia. And I want you to know that I am always here to listen. You can come here anytime if you need someone to talk to." Of course. That's what a psychiatrist do, they listen to your story and prescribe you a medicine. Speaking of, she opened her drawer and took a bottle of... sleeping pills? I really need that. I should at least sleep and forget for a moment. Tumayo ako mula sa pagkakaupo at naglakad palapit sa mesa niya. Kinuha ko ang bote at isinilid sa bulas ng suot na jacket. "You probably notice these dark circles," I muttered. "Thanks." Tumalikod na ako at naglakad na para lumabas. "Your dark circles is the evidence that you're tired. You need to take a rest, Lia." It has been two days and I didn't see a single ghost since yesterday. I'll just make a fool of myself if I say that it's because I am having enough sleep, thanks to the pills, but it's not. It'll probably show up later at midnight. Hindi sila nagpapakita sa akin sa mga petsang may 9 at 0. Is that a rule in their world? Thanks to that rule, tho. Tapos na ang klase ko ngayong araw at patungo na ako sa pinagtatrabahuan kong convenience store. Drica immediately remove the vest when she saw me entered the store. "Hi, Lia!" Bungad niya sa akin. I nodded then took the vest she removed. "Ang aga mo ngayon ah," Aniya habang inaayos ang buhok at naglagay ng liptint sa labi niya. Sinulyapan niya ako at agad ngumiti. "May date kami ngayon ng nobyo ko," Saka siya humagikhik. She's naturally talkative. Laging nakangiti sa akin at kinakausap ako kahit hindi ko naman pinapakitang interesado ako sa mga sinasabi niya. "Ang aliwalas ng mukha mo ngayon, mabuti 'yan. Bagay sa'yo." Aniya nang nakangiti. Tumango ako at tipid na ngumiti. Pinagpagan niya ang damit na suot at isinukbat ang sling bag. "Mauna na ako, Lia. Bye!" Paalam niya saka kumaway at tuluyan nang lumabas. Napakunot-noo ako nang makitang may sumunod sa kaniyang lalaki. I brushed it off, thinking na baka nagkataon lang. Hindi naman ganoon karami ang mga bumili sa mga nagdaang oras kaya naisisingit ko ang paggawa ng asignatura. Ala-una pa ang tapos ng trabaho ko at lagpas alas-onse palang ng gabi. Umalis muna ako ng counter para piliin ang mga malapit nang ma-expired na paninda dahil kumalam na rin ang sikmura ko. While I was busy checking the products, the bell rang signed that somebody entered the store. I put the basket down and went back to the counter. "Welcome, Sir!" I greeted the customer who was busy looking around. I was startled when he started walking towards me. Nakakunot-noo at tila nagtatakang nakatingin sa akin. "Are you looking for something, Sir?" I asked. He was looking around the store so I assumed that he's looking for a specific product. He didn't answer me. Nagpatuloy lamang siya sa paglalakad patungo sa akin. "Y-You..." He murmured with disbelief evident on his face. Halos lisanin ng kaluluwa ko ang katawan ko nang makitang tumagos ang lalaki sa counter. I tiredly looked up the wall clock. 12:05. It's back. I can see it again. "You can see me?" He asked with disbelief. And that's when I notice his eyes. I can diffentiate them from human by looking at their eyes. I don't see any reflection in it. The temperature then started to cool down. Nagsitaasan ang balahibo ko sa lamig. The bell rang, again. May pumasok ulit, hindi ko na sana papansinin sa pag-aakalang isa nanaman itong kaluluwa nang mapagsino ko ito. Drica? Tulala siyang naglakad na parang wala sa sarili. Namumugto rin ang mga mata na tila galing sa mahabang oras na pag-iyak. I slowly walked towards her, ignoring the ghost who kept on calling me. "Do you know her?" I heard it asking me. Tumikhim ako para makuha ang atensiyon ni Drica, na ngayon ay nakaupo na sa kainan na nakaharap sa labas, pero hindi man lang itong kumibo. "Drica?" I had to call her name to notice me, and finally she looked at me with those swollen eyes. "What's wrong?" I gasped when her tears started to flow like a river. "Wipe her tears!" Mariin akong napapikit bago tiningnan ng masama ang lalaking pilit kong iniignora. Come to think of it, I think I saw him somewhere. Napatakip ako ng bibig nang maalala. Siya 'yung nakita kong nakasunod kanina kay Drica! It was a ghost? "I know it's shocking to see me in tears," Napatingin ako kay Drica nang magsalita siya. I sat next to her to listen, at least this time. "He's dead..." "W-What? Who's..." "M-My...boyfriend is dead..." Sambit niya at muling humikbi. "My love..." Napasulyap ako sa nagsalita at nakita ang lalaking malungkot na nakatingin kay Drica. Is he her boyfriend? "Naaksidente siya..." Her tears then again burst. "Lia..." She whimpers painfully. "Reico is dead...anong gagawin ko?" "Si Reico...what was he's wearing when you saw him?" I asked. Drica faced me teary-eyed. "Why? Importante pa ba 'yan ngayon?" I don't know. I just have to confirm. I didn't answer, instead I looked outside to avoid her sorrowful eyes. "Black... It's a black button down shirt paired with his black jeans. I don't know why you're asking about---" "He's here." I answered, cutting her sentence off. I can feel her gaze but I chose to avoid it because I know that she would think that I'm crazy. I shouldn't have told her, I should think about what she's feeling right now rather than upset her. I then coughed a bit for the awkwardness to disappear and stood from my seat. "I'm sorry about that, Drica...J-Just pretend that you didn't hear it." I said. "Hm, I should get you a drink..." I went to the fridge to get her a drink when I heard that guy spoke. "Drica likes you...she talks about you often that I would even get jealous about it." He said then laugh a little probably trying to hide his pain. "I'll left this world soon and when that time comes kindly tell her that I love---" I faked coughed continuously to make him stop talking. Mabilis akong naglakad pabalik kay Drica para ibigay ang inumin. She glanced at me and settled her gaze on the bottle of drink. "I'm hurt..." She started talking, still fixed her gaze on the drink. "I feel like I'm being shattered like a glass being thrown on the ground, Lia..." She continued while sobbing. I didn't know what I should do so I just listened. "Alam mo bang lagi kong naririnig na usapan ng mga bumili na kakaiba ka..." I was in awe for a sudden change of subject. "Kailan man ay hindi ako naniwala tulad ng paniniwala nila tungkol sa'yo...I would never think that you're crazy..." Then she looked up to me with her sobbing face. "Naririnig niya ako 'di ba? Nandito pa ba siya, Lia?" Saglit akong naguluhan dahil sa sunod-sunod niyang mga tanong ngunit agad ko rin napagtanto ang ibig niyang sabihin. She believes in me. Sa unang pagkakataon may naniwala sa akin. I didn't know what I should react but I nodded as an answer for her questions. That's when she started to wail painfully. That guy, Reico, tried to hug Drica to console her but failed to even touch a bit of her. Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili at agad na lumapit kay Drica para yakapin siya. "I love you, Reico...and I'm sorry... everything's my fault...I shouldn't have force you to see me today..." Drica said, crying. "No, I'm sorry because I left you... I'm sorry because you have to be in this state because of me... I'm sorry, My love..." Reico answered as if She can hear him. I tapped Drica's back lightly before I spoke. "He isn't blaming you, Lia...In fact he's also hurt right now," I said. "He's also hurting because you are hurting..." Mas lalo lamang naiyak si Drica. "No! Why does it have to be him!" She wailed. "My love, this is no one's fault. Please stop torturing yourself..." Reico. "Mahal na mahal kita..." Ani Drica na parang kinakapos sa paghinga. It was my first time seeing it. That guy, Reico, was slowly vanishing into the thin air. "Mas labis ang pagsinta ko sa iyo, Mahal..." Reico said while smiling as if accepting his fate. I have never helped any ghost. Drica's boyfriend was the first one and seeing him vanish was quite melancholic. Definitely, It was severely painful when Drica find out that her boyfriend was dead but I know that what I was seeing was a different kind of pain that, for sure if Drica witnessed, she would remember it her entire life. Naisip kong, ang mga mata ba na ito ay isang biyaya upang matulungan ko ang mga katulad nilang lisanin ang mundo nang mapayapa o nangangahulugang hindi ko dapat pinapanghimasukan ang kakaibang mundo para hindi ko masira ang balanse ng dalawa? ...