War of Hearts (Book 1)

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Living in the world of people

"I can't let you guys go out without knowing a little about the things that exist here in the world of people that we don't have in our world," pahayag ni Rovielyn sa aming lahat. Adrian and Crystal are still wandering around the house. I'm also confused and still wandering secretly about the things inside here in her house. I've seen some of these things in our world, but the designs here are different. At pakiramdam ko ay mas komportable iyon kaysa ang sa amin.

"We would love to," ani Adrian habang patuloy sa paglinga ang mga mata sa kabuuan ng bahay ni Rovielyn. Bumuga siya hangin bago dinala ang kanyang mga kamay sa kanyang mga beywang at tila ba ay puno siya ng problema habang tinititigan kaming tatlo na mga inosente sa mundong ito. Her eyes don't know what to do with us and how she will handle us as we stay here in the people's world.

"This," nag martsa siya at kinuha ang isang kwadrado na bagay at may mga pinta sa loob nito. It's her, standing in a place with mountains and I don't know where it was.

"We have that in our world," pahayag ni Adrian habang sinusuri iyon. Inagaw iyon ni Crystal sa kanya at hinawak-hawakan iyon. She's examining it little by little habang kunot ang noo nito at puno ng pagtataka sa bagay na iyon. I didn't talk. It's because I'm not sure what that thing is. We have a similar one in our world that looks like that, but it isn't small at all. It's very big, hanging on the wall. Isa pa, this was very clear unlike to us.

"It's a picture frame. Gosh, I can hear your thoughts," pahayag niya at mariin na pumikit pagkatapos ay ngumiwi. I totally forgot that she can read minds. Well, I don't care, "We don't have that in our world, Adrian." Dagdag niya.

Kumunot lalo ang aming mga noo at mas pinagmasdan iyon ng mabuti. Then what we have in our world isn't this thing at all? Muling bumuga ng hangin si Rovielyn at umiling-iling sa aming tatlo.

"Yes, Calida. Wala tayo niyan it's a picture frame and the one you're thinking that we have in our world isn't a picture frame. It's only a paint," binawi niya ang bagay na tinatawag na picture frame dito, "Heto ang frame, at ang larawan namang ito ang litrato," pahayag niya. Bumukas ang aking mga labi at manghang-mangha kaming tumangong tatlo. That's amazing. I can't believe they have this. It would be better to have this in our world too.

"How do you take this picture? Who's the painter?" Tanong ni Adrian at hinawak-hawakan pa ang larawan na iyon.

"He's not a painter. A painter paints what he/she wants. Here in this world, people use a camera to take good pictures without painting it. Unlike our world, to have a picture we need to be painted by our painters." Mahaba niyang pahayag. Wala sa sarili akong napatango. That means it's easier to have pictures here unlike in our world. We still have to pose and be a model until the painter finishes.

"What's a camera? Is that a picture frame as well?" Crystal asked in curiosity. Kunot noo kong tiningnan si Rovielyn at napaisip din ako kung ano nga ba ang camera niyang tinutukoy. I wonder what it looks like. We all eyed Rovielyn who's also looking at us unbelievably but the three of us were all waiting for her answer.

"I have never heard of that word before. Does that even exist?" Adrian asked. Mabilis naman akong nagkibit balikat. Bumuga ng hangin si Rovielyn at sandaling nag martsa paalis sa aming harapan at may kinuha. Pagbalik niya ay may hawak itong hindi kalakihan na bagay ngunit may bilog sa harap nito.

"This is the camera. There are different kinds of cameras. Basta lahat ng may bilog 'tulad nito, it's a camera. This one is the lens or the eye of the camera in order to see and capture a photo easily without painting it," pahayag niya. Mabilis na hinawakan iyon ni Crystal at manghang-mangha ang mga labi nito at nakangiti sa camera nilang tinatawag sa mundong ito.

"Lalabas ba ang litrato dito?" Tanong ko naman habang pinagmamasdan naming tatlo iyon ng mabuti. It's really cool. Why don't we even have this thing in our world? Edi sana ay hindi na ako nangangawit sa pag posisyon sa litrato sa amin hanggang sa matapos magpinta ang painter sa aming mundo.

"Here on the screen, but not printed like this one," pahayag ni Rovielyn at tinuro ang larawan sa picture frame. Kumunot ang noo ko at muli siyang nagtataka na tiningnan.

"How do you have this one, then?" I asked curiously. Nagsisimula na akong maguluhan sa mga bagay bagay dito sa mundo ng mga normal na tao. Mahinang tumawa si Rovielyn at napailing sa amin.

"You have to print it. They're using a machine to develop the pictures from this camera," aniya at tinaas ang camera sa kanyang kanan na kamay, "But there are some cameras where we can also take a picture and the picture will come out printed already, just like this one." Tinuro niyang muli ang litrato sa loob ng picture frame. Bumilog ang aking bibig at marahan na tumango. I'm really starting to be amazed about the things that normal people have here. Mukhang totoo nga ang sinasabi ng ilan sa amin na advance ang mga gamit na narito sa kanilang mundo at hindi tulad sa aming mundo na pahirapan pa ang ilang pag gawa ng ibang bagay.

How did they even create these things? They are powerless, and we are powerful. How come we can't build these things too?

"It's because they use their knowledge here, Calida. People are studying here. Well, we also study in our world. But we aren't studying about jobs or the future we want to have. We're staring about how to fight, how to make our power stronger, how to control it, and it's completely different from here, Calida. People are busy studying in order to have a bright future," mahaba niyang pahayag. Then, education matters a lot in this world. Does that mean that they don't know how to defend themselves when someone tries to kill or harm them?

"Yeah, not all of them. They can fight physically but they're powerless unlike us." Dagdag niya. Ngumiwi naman ako sa kanya. She keeps hearing my thoughts and I can't even keep a secret from her.

"What if a person here doesn't finish studying?" Adrian asked curiously.

"It's up to that person what are the techniques he or she will use in order to have a successful life in the future," pahayag niya at nagkibit balikat. Bumuga siya ng hangin at may ginawa sa camera na iyon, "Come on, I'll take you a picture." Tiningnan nila akong dalawa at tila ba ay nagtataka at nagtatanong ang kanilang mga mata. I can't believe they are asking me when I also don't know the things here in this world.

"Just pose like what we did there," pahayag ko sa kanila at agad kaming humarap sa camera at mas nagdikit-dikit pa.

"1,2,3, SMILE!" As Rovielyn counted we all made beautiful smiles and a light flashed like a lightning. Agad kaming naghiwa-hiwalay at mabilis na naglabas ng apoy ang aking palad. Adrian pulled Crystal behind us as he made a circle of water in his hand. Bumukas ang mga labi ni Rovielyn nang makita kami ni Adrian.

"Come on, that flash is normal. It won't harm you," aniya at umiling-iling siya at naupo sa sofa. Tiningnan ako ni Adrian at tila ba ay naghihintay ng aking senyales kung aalisin ba namin ang mga kapangyarihan namin. Bumuga ako ng hangin at kinuyom ang aking palad. The fire got alarmed inside my body. We were surprised at hindi ko alam na may parang kidlat na lalabas doon sa bagay na iyon. It's like lightning in the sky, "We're not a vampire to be scared in lights," ani Rovielyn at mahinang tumawa habang may pinipindot sa camera na iyon. Kumunot ang noo ko at mabilis na lumapit sa kanya nang makita ko ang larawan namin kanina sa camera na iyon.

Suminghap si Crystal na nasa tabi ko na rin ngayon at napapalibutan namin si Rovielyn na hawak ang camera. It's us, and I think the light that flashed from it was really a great help. It made the quality of the picture better.

"Wow, that's really fantastic," manghang-mangha na pahayag ni Crystal at tila ba ay hindi makapaniwala sa kanyang nakikita ngayon.

"Now, let's go there and explore the things in this house," pahayag niya at nag martsa sa loob ng kanyang bahay. Since we already know what's inside in this part of her house, "But before that, do you know what is this one?" She pointed to the rectangle shaped thing where we can see ourselves on it. It's reflecting us but it's dark unlike a mirror.

"Yeah, I know what it is!" Pahayag ni Crystal. Nagkatinginan kami ni Adrian at nagtataka na nilingon si Crystal na malawak ang ngiti at tila ba ay confident ito na talagang alam niya ang bagay na iyon.

"Do we have that in our world?" Mahinang bulong sa akin ni Adrian. Mabilis naman akong umiling. I'm not a mind reader. And I don't know what's running in Crystal's head right now about this rectangle thing in front of us.

"It's similar to a mirror," ani ko habang pinagmamasdan ang bagay na iyon. I'm trying to figure out what this thing is. Ngunit kahit ano pa ang gawin kong pag-iisip ay talagang hindi ko alam kung ano ang bagay na ito. We don't have this kind of thing in our world.

"Really, Crystal?" Tanong ni Rovielyn at ngumiti ng malapad.

"Yeah," desidido na saad ni Crystal.

"What is this, then?" She asked.

"It's a mirror," bumagsak ang balikat ni Adrian at napangiwi kay Crystal. Mariin akong pumikit at umiling. Yeah, that's what we have in our world. Technically, just because we can see ourselves on it right now, she will think that this is a kind of mirror. Mahina namang tumawa si Rovielyn at muling umiling-iling.

"Sorry, I just remember myself to the three of you when I don't know anything here as well," aniya at mahinang tumawa. She was alone when my mother sent her here. Does it mean that she learned on her own? She's brave for doing that. For succeeding to cope in this world where we don't even belong to. She's by herself and yet she figured out everything in this world.

"Anyways, this is a television or a TV. People use this to watch other people on this." Kinuha nito ang mahabang parang goma na tali at sinaksak sa isang bagay na nasa pader. Kunot noo ko iyong tiningnan. Ngunit maya maya lang ay bigla na lamang bumukas ang TV na tinatawag at may lumabas na tao. Agad kong hinawakan ang kamay ni Adrian na akmang maglalabas ng tubig. It's surprising because we're innocent and we don't know anything here in this world. But just like earlier, this thing will not harm us.

"Why are they there?" Ani Crystal at nilapitan ang bagay na iyon. Marahan pa niyang hinawakan ang mukha ng tao doon ngunit mukhang hindi naman iyon nararamdaman ng tao sa loob ng TV. Paano silang napunta doon? What kind of people are they? Do they also have a power at nasa ibang mundo rin ba sila?

"Maybe this thing is their world?" Adrian asked and examined that rectangle shape.

"It's normal. Using the camera you can also take a video just like that. They're normal, Calida. They don't have powers and they are not living inside this thing. It's their job here in this world and they are very popular," pahayag niya sa amin, "People call them an actress for women and an actor for men. It's the job for the people who are acting inside this," pahayag niya at matipid na ngumiti, "To use it, you have to use this wire and it's not a lace or what okay? It's a wire and this one, this is where you have to put it in order to make this thing work. There's a power here, electricity." Mahaba niyang pahayag.

"How come they created electricity?" I asked.

"I told you, they use their knowledge," pahayag niya at nagkibit balikat, "This one is the remote. You can control the television using this one," may pinindot siya doon at nag iba iba ang lumalabas sa TV. Nanlaki ang aking mga mata at gulat na gulat sa galing ng bagay na ito, "People are using this to remove their stress by watching," pahayag niya bago pinatay iyon. Pinindot lang niya ang pulang bagay sa tinatawag nilang remote at naglaho ang tao sa television na iyon. Pumalakpak si Adrian at bilib na bilib. Why don't we have this in our world?

"Follow me," nag martsa ito paalis doon at lahat naman kami ay sinundan siya. The three of us are wandering around. There are a lot of picture frames with different pictures on it. I'm really amazed with everything I'm seeing right now. I can't believe these things exist in this world. I live for many years in our world without knowing these things that these normal people have. Wala silang kapangyarihan gaya namin, but they are more than that by creating this amazing things.

"Iyong pinang galingan natin kanina, that's the living room. Heto naman ang kusina o kitchen ko," aniya at inilahad sa amin ang kusina niyang napakalinis. I'm aware of the kitchen. We have this in our world at may alam naman kaming mga gamit sa kusina. I saw the things we have but their kitchen utensils are better than ours.

"What's this thing?" Adrian asked and touched the square thing. Kunot noo namin iyon pinagmasdan. What's this thing again? I guess the things in this world are full of surprises.

"Oh, that's what they call a microwave," pahayag ni Rovielyn at may pinindot sa gilid sa harap ng bagay na iyon at bumukas naman iyon. Napapitlag si Adrian at nanlaki ang mga mata nang bumukas ang microwave na iyon. Bumilog ang aking bibig at napailing na lamang sa bagay na iyon.

"What's the use of this?" Crystal asked at mas sinilip pa ang loob nito. Kunot noo ko iyong tiningnan nang makita ko na parang may plato sa loob nito.

"Oh, they use that to reheat food," pahayag niya.

"Is this a microwave as well?" I asked and touched the other one that looks like a microwave too. But this one is rectangle shaped.

"Uhm, no. It's different from a microwave. That's what they call an oven. They use that in cooking also. Making bread, you know?" Aniya at nagkamot ng ulo. Bakas sa kanyang mukha na nahihirapan na siyang magpaliwanag.

"How about this one?" Nilingon namin si Crystal na may hawak na kakaibang bagay. It's like a kettle but this one is different. It's better than the kettle we have. Also, it has a wire just like the television.

"We use that to heat water, it's an electric kettle," pahayag niya. Tumango-tango naman kami. Everything that people created is helping people a lot to move in their everyday lives. Their works are easier with these amazing things.

"F*ck!" Naramdaman ko ang pag-init ng mga mata ko senyales ng pag-ilaw ng apoy sa aking mga mata nang bigla na lang sumigaw si Adrian. Mariin akong pumikit at kinalma ang aking kapangyarihan nang makita ko itong nasa harapan ng isang bagay na bumabagsak ang tubig.

"It's water?" Crystal asked at sinahod ang kanyang kamay sa tubig. Her lips parted as she touched the water. Umagos iyon sa kanyang palad at gumuhit ang malapad na ngiti sa kanyang mga labi.

"Are you using your water?" I asked Adrian while watching Crystal playing the water that's coming out from that thing. There's no way that they can make the water flow in here. They're powerless.

"Hell, no. I don't know where it's coming from," komento ni Adrian at nagtataka sa bagay na iyon. If not, then where is it coming from?

"Guys, it's normal. People build that too. There's a power supply and water supply here. The powers you have we have that here but not to the people but to the things. Like that, gripo 'yan. If you're going to wash your hands, use it. You can also take a bath in a shower like a rain. And fire?" She smirked, pagkatapos ay lumapit sa isang bagay at ilang sandali pa ay may lumabas na apoy doon. Nanlaki ang aking mga mata nang may lumabas nga na apoy doon.

"What the hell?" Ani Adrian. Natulala ako at maya maya pa ay nilapitan ko iyon.

"Hey, don't touch it!" Ani Rovielyn at pinigilan ang kamay ko na akmang hahawakan ang apoy na lumalabas doon..

"Did you forget that she's a fire herself? She will not be hurt by a fire," ani Adrian at mahinang tumawa. Rovielyn's lips parted. Tumaas ang mga kilay niya hanggang sa napagtanto nito ang sinabi ni Adrian. She totally forgot that we're not normal people. Tinuloy ko ang pagdaan ng mga daliri ko doon. I felt the heat, that's when I confirmed that it was really a fire.

"How come they created this?" Naguguluhan kong pahayag. Pinatay niya iyon at pinag krus ang kanyang mga braso bago siya bumuga ng hangin sa amin.

"In this world, science runs everything. They can make things amazing just like the few things you guys have seen," pahayag niya.

"Does it mean that people here can make fire in their bodies? O kahit ano pa na kapangyarihan namin?" Mabilis na umiling si Rovielyn kay Crystal na puno ng mga tanong ang mga mata.

"No, Crystal. It's only in the things. Unlike us, they don't have that power in their bodies. But you," tinuro niya si Adrian pagkatapos ay bumaling naman ito sa akin, "And you, water and fire run your bodies and their bodies here doesn't. We're still different from them, totally different. All they know, it's just a fantasy. But guess what? It really exists," mahaba niyang pahayag ang malapad na ngumiti. That's right. Even though they have these amazing things that I didn't know they have, we're still different from them.

We will never be the same.

Natigilan kami nang marinig namin ang pagkulo ng tiyan. Bumaling ako kay Adrian at mapaglaro siyang ngumiti sa amin habang hawak ang kanyang tiyan.

"I'm starving," pahayag niya.

Bumuga ng hangin si Rovielyn at mahinang tumawa, "Come on, I prepared food for all of you!" Nag martsa siya paalis at agad naman namin siyang sinundan. Huminto kami sa isang mahabang lamesa na maraming upuan. The dining hall in our kingdom is longer than this table. Naghain siya ng mga plato at kunot noo ko pang pinagmasdan ang mga kubyertos.

"It's not gold," I said.

"Of course. If you have a real gold here thieves will attack me," pahayag niya at mahinang tumawa bago nilagay ang mga pagkain sa gitna ng lamesa. Natakam agad ako nang malanghap ko pa lang iyon. Good thing we have this kind of food in our world.

"There are thieves here? Are they evils?" Crystal asked as we started to eat.

"What they do is bad. But the evils from the other kingdoms in our world are different. Those evils there doesn't have mercy," pahayag niya sa amin at sumeryoso ang mukha nito. Lahat kami ay tumango. They don't give mercy. If they see their enemies, which are us, they kill.

"Should we start looking for the two missing ones tomorrow?" Adrian asked and eyed me.

"It's not easy to find them in this world. You have to use your powers to track them if you want to find them quickly," pahayag ni Rovielyn sa amin.

"Use your water, Adrian. I might burn this world if use mine," pahayag ko sa kanya. That's not a joke. I can really burn this whole world if I use my power to track them down. I wonder who they are. Right now, they might be living all this time as normal people without knowing that they don't belong in this world.

"They are innocent, they don't know that they are not normal so don't surprise them, okay?" Rovielyn said. Umiling naman ako sa kanya at binaba ang mga kubyertos.

"In their entire life in this world, sigurado ako na tulad namin ay dumating ang oras na nagtaka sila sa mga sarili nila. I'm sure the power they hold appeared and I know their power wants to burst out of them and that's really dangerous. We don't know what their powers are, but if they fail to control it, they might kill a lot of people here." Mahaba kong pahayag sa kanila. They are still innocent and they don't know their real identities. One wrong move, this world is in danger. When their emotions went wrong the power inside their body might burst out and that's what we should get rid of. That's why we also have to find them.

"Not just that," ani Crystal, "The group of evils are here," pahayag ni Crystal. Hindi na ako nagulat pa nang sabihin niya iyon. I was expecting that they will come here as they also know that the Queen and King will send us here.

"What?" Gulat na tanong ni Adrian.

"That's why we have to be careful. I'm trying to teach you the things here in this world, because we don't know what will happen. Pwedeng nasa harap na natin sila, hindi pa natin alam. If they notice that you guys don't know the things here, they will easily find out that you're from the same world that they are," pahayag ni Rovielyn sa amin. Everything is getting worse. We can't move and make decisions recklessly. We have to think about every move we will make.

"This is dangerous," pahayag ni Crystal.

"It is," pahayag ko at bumuga ng hangin. Pakiramdam ko ay nawalan ako ng gana sa pagkain, "They are also in the same world as we are. Just like us, they are starting to move. Kaya kailangan natin magmadali, we can't waste time. It's either we did everything fast or they make their plan faster than us. We don't know their faces, we haven't seen them." Pahayag ko sa kanila. We have never seen the faces of the next generation of their kingdom. But I know that they are as well trained as we are.

"That's what makes everything dangerous, Calida." Ani Crystal at bumuga ng hangin. Ngayon pa lang ay nababalot na siya ng pangamba.

Tumango ako ng may naglalaro na ngisi mula sa aking mga labi. I pointed my finger in the air and a little fire appeared on it like a candle, "But they don't know us, either. They haven't seen any of us or even the two missing ones," mahina kong hinipan ang maliit na apoy sa ibabaw ng aking daliri at tiningnan sila, "The first plan, is to catch those two before they first catch them."

Their plan is to catch them as well to stop building up the hope of our kingdom. I can't let that happen. Because if it does? Our kingdom will be put in danger and all of our lives will be put in danger. We can't fail or lose.

"We have to find them as soon as possible," pahayag ko sa kanila.

"Remember, don't move differently. They might watching you," pahayag ni Rovielyn sa amin. I nodded. That's what we have to do. To act normal. We can't trust anyone around us, lalo pa at hindi namin kilala ang mga naririto. We don't know the faces of the enemies. They are dirty to play with so we must clean our way to surpass it.

"This is a hide and seek game," pahayag ko, "The first one to be found will be put its team in danger," dagdag ko at matiim silang tiningnan. They all nodded at me as they understood my point. We have to observe quietly in order to win this playful game.

After we ate dinner, maraming pinaliwanag si Rovielyn sa amin sa mga bagay sa kwarto. The shower she was talking about is like rain. Pati ang ilan niyang tinuro sa amin na mga bagay. Lahat iyon ay kakaiba ay hindi pa rin ako makapaniwala na may mga ganoong bagay dito sa mundo ng mga tao. I slept, but I woke up early. Madilim pa nang bumangon ako. Rovielyn already bought us clothes to wear dati pa at talagang inaasahan na niya ang pagdating namin. Lumabas ako sa akala mo ay bintana na lugar ng kwarto. May lamesa na maliit at dalawang upuan doon. I closed my eyes as I felt the fresh air hugged me and played with my hair. Tumingin ako sa kawalan at nagsimulang umulan lahat ng responsibilidad sa aking isip.

Time flies that fast. Ang araw na pinaplano lamang namin noon ay nangyari na. The day that we were all afraid came and happened. The future and the lives of our people are in our hands. One wrong move, and those lives will be ended by the evils. I don't know what will happen. Ang totoo ay may takot ako. Takot ako na magkamali. Dahil alam ko na sa bawat mali naming galaw ay ilang buhay ang magwawakas. Adrian's mother was persecuted by the evils. And I can't let them persecute my parents. I will never let that happen.

This world is so big. And yet we are playing hide and seek. But not a normal hide and seek. Because if one of us gets found, we're dead as meat.

"Calida," nilingon ko si Rovielyn na bigla na lang pumasok sa kwarto ko. Nang harapin ko siya at binigyan niya ako ng isang matipid na ngiti bago ako nilapitan.

"Hey," I said and flashed a small smile on my lips.

"Why are you up so early?" She asked, at tulad ko ay nanatili ang mga mata niya sa kawalan. Nagkibit balikat lang ako.

"Nothing," I answered.

"Did you know that I was also nervous since the day I was sent here?" Aniya habang ang mga mata ay nasa kawalan. I can see how hard she have been through in her eyes ngunit bakas din ang pangamba sa kanyang mga mata.

"I'm worried. Dahil alam ko Calida na hindi biro at madali ang lahat ng ito. The lives of the people in our kingdom are in our hands. At natatakot ako na mabigo tayo," pahayag niya at bumuga ng hangin, "I was here and I always over thinking. Natatakot ako araw araw at gabi gabi na baka pag gising ko ay bigla na lamang dumating ang araw na ito. And it happened, Calida," hinarap niya ako at matipid na ngumiti sa akin. Punong-puno ng takot at pangamba ang mga mata nito nang salubungin ko ang kanyang mga mata sa akin.

"The day we all feared came," pahayag niya, "In this battle, all of our lives will be in danger as we play this game of death. Even if we win, alam kong may buhay na mawawala," pahayag niya sa akin.

Marahan ko siyang tinanguan. That's what I also fear. It already started with Adrian's mother.

Bumuga ako ng hangin at tumingin sa kawalan.

"Let's play this game well, then."

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