World of Dream

Chapter 9

I feel like I can't trust this old man, that's what I can read base in his face. Nauna na siyang maglakad, pumasok siya sa isang kuwarto. Nag alinlangan pa akong sumunod sa kaniya. It's for the cat's sake. Sumunod ako sa kuwartong pinasukan ng matandang lalaki.

"Here is the first aid kit." Lahad nito sa isang box.

Tinanggap ko ito. Inilapag ko ang pusa sa isang upuan. "Salamat po."

Agad kong binuksan ang box at ginamot ang sugat ng pusa. Narinig ko ang hakbang ng matanda papunta sa pintuan. Sana nga ay lumabas na siya dahil kinikilabotan na ako rito. I'm not comfortable with this old man. But what he did is different from what i am expecting, he closed the door in this room. s**t! What am I gonna do? This is my always line.

I ignored him and continue treating the cat. "Paano ka napadpad dito?" Tanong nito at nakita ko sa peripheral vision ko na palapit siya sa akin.

Bakit ba kasi hindi natapos ang panaginip ko? Paano ko nito malalaman kung ano ang susunod na mangyayari sa akin? I need to know what will happen through dreaming so i can prevent if something bad will happen to me. But what now? I didn't finish my dream last night!

"I'm sorry for bothering you, Sir. I will pay you if we meet again." Nakayuko pa rin ako habang ginagamot ang pusa.

"Bakit hindi na ngayon?" Ngumiti ito. I remember someone from his smile. The thief! His smile and the theif smile is somewhat alike.

"Po?" Gulat at lito kong saad.

I just stare at the cat who is resting now. The old man approach me. Agad naman akong tumayo dala ang pusa. Nasa harapan ko na siya ngayon. He sniff my neck.

"You smell good." Umatras naman ako palayo sa kaniya.

Umiwas ako sa kaniya at nilayuan siya. "I will now go, Sir. Thank you." Lumapit ako sa pintuan para buksan.

I can't open it. Did this old man locked it? "You can't open that. Just come back here."

The man is sitting in the sofa while staring straight at me. I turned to him. "Can you open the door, sir?"

"Why not? Come here first."

"I need to go home now."

"Don't worry, it will be quick. Don't be stubborn if you don't want to get hurt."

Naghanap ako ng pwedeng ihampas sa matandang ito. But there's nothing here, it's just the cabinet and the sofa. I tried to open the door again. f**k! It cannot be open.

The cat situation is so poor in my arms so I put her down. This cat needs to rest. Nakita ko ang aking sling bag, tumingin ako sa matanda na nakatitig parin sa akin. Lumapit ako sa kaniya at inihampas sa kaniya ang aking sling bag.

"Ouch!" At napamura siya. "You really want to get hurt huh?" Tumayo siya at lumapit sa akin.

Umaatras naman ako hanggang sa napasandal nalang ako sa pintuan at walang maatraasan. I just sat on the cold tiles while my tears flowed. What did the guy do? Hinila ng matanda ang aking braso para patayuin.

Nanlaban ako ngunit malakas ang matanda. How strong this old man? He's too old, maybe around 70's or 80's. I don't know, but the man inside my dream is much younger than this old man so why is he more old now? Outdated ba ang panaginip ko?

He pushed me and made me sit on the sofa. I kicked him and run towards the door. Ininda niya ang sakit ng pagkasipa ko sa kaniya. I hit the bull's-eye huh? Pinihit-pihit ko ang doorknob ng pintuan ngunit ayaw talagang mabuksan. Will i break the window? How? Lumapit ako sa may cabinet at naghalukay ng pwedeng pamukpok sa pintuan o pambasag sa bintana.

The first aid kit box! Where is it? Nasa taas ng cabinet ito. I can't reach it. Ang hirap naman kasing maging maliit. I need to take that so I can get out in this house. Tumalon talon ako para maabot ito. Hindi ko namalayan na nakalapit na pala ang matanda sa akin.

"What are you doing?" Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko.

"Help!!" Sigaw ko.

"There's no one here." He said.

I kicked him again. Pero hindi siya tinablan, kinuha niya ang tali sa cabinet at itinali ang dalawang kamay ko.

"Please help!!" Sigaw ko ulit.

"Can you stay quiet?" Galit na sigaw nito.

I kicked him hard again because he was tying my legs. Nagtagumpay parin siyang itali ang aking mga paa.

"Asshole old man!" Sigaw ko sa kaniya.

"Wala ka ng takas ngayon. You don't need to escape, just stay quiet and follow my order." Tumawa siya.

Pumikit nalang ako ng mariin at pinabayaang tumulo isa-isa ang aking mga luha. While closing my eyes I heard the door sound as if someone is trying to open it. I had a little hope, i'm hoping that someone will save me from this bad old man hands.

"Who's that?" Tanong ng matanda.

Walang sumagot, dalawang beses nang tumunog ang pintuan kaya bumaling na ako roon. Someone is trying to open the door but not through keys. Someone is harshly opening it, and I hope whoever it is will help me. When it opened I saw the familiar face of the guy. Why is he here?

He's in the province isn't he? Is he following me? Lumapit siya sa matanda at hinila ito palabas ng kuwartong kinaroroonan ko. I can't stand because of my situation. That old man tied my hand and foot. He's a big kind of an asshole! How can I get out of here? Where is that guy? Did he leave already? Does he have no plans to help me?

"Why the hell are you here?" Tanong ko sa lalaki habang tinatanggal niya ang tali sa aking paa.

He didn't answered me. "Are you following me? You are in that province right? Why are you here now?" Mahaba kong saad.

Ang gulo! I really don't know what is happening. "Ano sa tingin mo ang pinasok mo?" May kasamang galit na sambit niya.

"I asked you first. What happened to my dream? Did you do something?"

He muttered a curse. "Iyan talaga ang tatanungin mo?" He closed his eyes tight like he is frustrated because of what's happening. "Isipin mo nalang ang sarili mo."

"You did it, didn't you?"

"Stop talking about nonsense. Can't you just think about yourself?" He said frustratingly.

The tie in my hands and foot are now removed so i can move freely now. Nagmartsa siya palabas ng kuwartong iyon. Agad kong kinuha ang pusa at ang aking sling bag.

I followed him. "Can you go home alone?" Tanong niya at lumingon siya sa akin pagkalabas namin ng bahay na iyon.

I just stared at him. He groaned. "Are you okay?" Lumapit siya sa akin.

Nanginginig ang aking mga kamay habang hawak hawak ang pusa. "I'm fine." Sagot ko nalang para matahimik na siya.

"Where did you get that?" His voice is calm now.

"Ito bang pusa?" Saad ko.

"Obviously." Iniwas niya ang kaniyang paningin. "You're trembling." He pointed out.

I don't know, if i got traumatized or what. "It's okay." Namamaos kong sagot.

"I said as much as possible we need to stop that dream." He suddenly talked about the dream.

"You already did. Why don't you just let me deal with my dream on my own?" I rolled my eyes at him. This guy is losing his mind.

He didn’t know how important my dream was. My dream is really helping me everyday. And what did he do? He just stopped it. How can i return that kind of dream?

"I didn't do anything. Give me that cat." He said. He whispered something but I didn't heard it.

"No. This cat is mine, from now on." Sagot ko at itinago ang pusa sa aking braso. Nauna na akong maglakad.

I need to go home. "Don't be stubborn. Give me that cat. You're hand is trembling, the cat will fall." He snatched the cat from my hand.

"Don't hurt my cat. She has a wound." I informed him.

"Where is your house? I will take you there."

"You don't need to. Give me my cat so I can go home, alone." Diniinan ko ang huling salita.

"You're so stubborn that's why this is happening to you."

"Tsk." Umirap ako sa kawalan. Sumusunod siya sa akin, hindi ko namalayan na pati pala ang sling bag ko ay dala na niya.

While we're walking, I remembered something I want to know. "How did you get here?"

"You don't need to know." He said reminding me of his answer when we first met.

"That's your always line." Hindi ko na alam kung pang ilang irap ko na ito sa kaniya.

"You can't understand even if i tell you."

"Don't treat me like a child."

He shook his head. "You're not the one who can understand me."

"Who?" I asked curiously and stopped walking. I looked at him.

"Just continue walking so you can arrive in your house."

I rolled my eyes at him again for million times. I continued walking almost running. Sana makarating kami sa bahay agad, nangilid ang aking mga luha. What is the problem of these tears? Nang nakarating kami sa gate ng aming bahay ay hindi ko alam ang aking gagawin.

Shall I invite him into our house? What if my parents are here? "Dwylle! Open the gate." Tawag ko sa aking kapatid.

Buti nalang at lumabas siya agad. "Hi ate! Who are you with?" Tanong niya agad habang binubuksan ang gate.

Bumaling ako kay Gail. He return my cat to me. "Hi kuya!" Walang hiyang bati ng aking kapatid.

Ngumiti si Gail sa aking kapatid at binati ito pabalik. What? Did he just smile? He just smiled right now! He smiled at Dwylle. Natulala ako sa kaniya. This is my first time seeing him smile. Gail smiled for the first time! s**t! I'm ready to die now!

"Pasok po muna kayo. The meryenda's ready." Ngiting ngiti si Dwylle.

I cannot believe these two! Hindi ko alam na may mas i g-gwapo pa pala si Gail! Mas gwapo siya kapag ngumingiti, sana palagi nalang siyang nakangiti 'di ba? Wait, what Twyla? What did you just say? I thought you already want to forget him? You don't like him anymore right? f**k this!

"Inihatid ko lang ang Ate mo." Gail seems friendly to my sister.

"Thank you. You can go inside first before leaving." Sabi ko.

Parang ang rude ko naman kasi kung hindi ko siya a-anyayahan, nakakahiya din naman. He helped me after all and i haven't thanked him. Bahala siya d'yan! He is friendly to Dwylle but when it comes to me, he's rude? Ano naman kung gano'n, Twyla?

"Sige na, Kuya." Pilit ni Dwylle.

"It's okay if you don't want to. Baka may gagawin ka pa, pasensiya na sa abala." I smiled fakely at him. "And, thank you again."

"Sure." He said. Pumasok na siya sa aming gate.

I really can't understand him. Agad akong pumasok sa aking kuwarto. Naiwan sa sala si Dwylle kasama si Gail. Naglinis ako ng aking katawan bago bumaba para magmeryenda.

"Bakit mo iniwan ang bisita mo? Nakakahiya ka." Bulong sa akin ni mommy habang pababa ng hagdan.

"Hindi mo sinabing may bisita ka pala. Sana nakapaghanda ako." Dagdag pa niya.

"It's okay, Mom. He's not important."

"Who's not important? Puntahan mo nga doon." Tulak sa akin ni mommy.

My dad is in abroad. Mommy is the only one here. Pagkapasok ko sa sala ay ini-interview ni Dwylle si Gail.

"Are you my sister boyfriend?" Tanong nito na ikinagulat ko.

What is this kid talking about? "No." Gail shook his head.

"Friends?"

"No. We don't know each other." Ngiti nito sa aking kapatid.

Unti unti akong lumapit sa kanila. Siniko ko agad si Dwylle. "Stop it." I whispered to her.