The Abyss in Between

Alt 24: The Genius' Mind

"I've never been this fascinated," she started. Uminom muna siya bago muling nagsalita. "I mean, hindi naman sa hindi ako sanay sa groundbreaking discoveries. But this?" She looked at me, head to foot, nodding in satisfaction, "Is the best yet."

"Direstuhin mo na ako. How am I here? Saan ito? Is this your headquarters? Your lab?" I fired all the questions I can. Tinignan niya lang ako at bahagyang tumagilid ang ulo. "Hmm," she hummed, obviously not focused on what I'm raging about.

"Doktora, kung hindi ka magsasalita, then I'd like to leave."

That got her attention. Umayos siya sa kanyang pagkakaupo at tinignan ako. Halata ang pagtataka sa mukha niya. "What do you mean leave?" she asked. Her confusion can't be more visible. Now, I'm confused too.

"What do I mean? Gusto kong umalis dito. As in, aalis ako rito sa..." I stopped. Hindi ko alam kung ano nga ba ang lugar na ito. She hasn't said anything about the place yet. "...lungga mo," pagtutuloy ko. She's still showing that confused and shocked expression. Hindi ko alam kung magtataka ako o maaasar. She seems genuinely confused though.

I sighed. Gusto kong tanungin kung ano na naman ba ang nangyayari, but that would be so redundant. I've been to different places, troubling situations, and confusing moments. I don't think asking what's actually happening would help me.

Instead, I should look for a way out. Ganoon na lagi. Hindi na ako mag-aaksaya ng oras na alamin kung ano ang nangyayari. What happened, what's happening, or what can happen is out of my league. I can't control it.

"Saan ang daan palabas?" tanong ko sa kanya at tumayo na. Pinagpagan ko ang pantalon kong nalaglagan ng kaunting kalat mula sa ipinakain niyang tinapay sa akin. Tumingin ako sa paligid. Same old, same white.

Lahat ng nadaanan namin kanina mula noong inalis niya ako sa kwartong iyon ay puro puti. Even the room itself, white. No other colors. Ang tanging nagbibigay ng ibang kulay ay ang makinang na materyales ng mga kagamitan niya. Almost all of them are metal.

"But..." she whispered. I didn't pay attention. Ako na ang kusang umalis. Wala akong makukuhang impormasyon sa kanya. I have a feeling that this is a very hidden place and she doesn't want me to spread the location, thus the reason she's not saying anything.

Still, kailangan kong umalis. Hahanapin ko pa sina Krys. 

When I remembered her, I remembered what happened before I woke up. I was dreaming, alright. Pero hindi ko masasabing panaginip lang iyon. Doktora Kovie concluded that it was a bad, bad dream. It wasn't.

Masakit ang naramdaman ko. The pain of hearing that Aiden's dead, the pain of hearing the laughs around me. Everything felt real. Hindi basta panaginip lang. They were more of... memories.

Pero hindi ko maipapaliwanag kung paano ako biglang napunta sa lugar na ito. In that room, I woke up empty. Like an empty jar. Hindi ako agad na nakausap ni Doktora Kovie. I wasn't responsive to her. She said it's most likely because of the trauma.

What trauma, though?

Kanina lang ako nakalabas ng kwartong iyon. I've been there for hours. Tulala at walang masabi. Doktora Kovie has been taking care of me. Pinakain niya rin ako at binihisan. I'm very thankful for that. But I can't just disregard that my friends are not with me. I'm worried.

Kanina pa ako paikot-ikot sa lugar na ito ngunit wala pa rin akong makitang pinto palabas. Ni isang pinto ay wala akong makita. Come to think of it, wala akong nakitang kahit anong pinto sa mga nadaanan naming hallway. The only door I've seen was the door in my previous room.

It was a black, heavy-looking metal door. Parang sobrang higpit ng seguridad noon. It did, actually. The security had retina scanner, fingerprints, as well as her own voice. Ngayon ko lang naalala na ganoon ang itsura ng pinto roon. I didn't pay attention before.

Patuloy lang akong naglilibot at nilalakad ang puting mga hallway dito. Wala pa rin akong makitang pinto. The rooms are separated by hallways. But still, no doors. They were as open as Doktora Kovie's facial expression as she wait for me at the end of this hallway. 

Huminga akong malalim. I should calm down. Breaking down won't do me good in any way. I don't have any other options but to talk to her. She owns the place, for sure she knows the exit.

"I don't," she answered even before I asked out loud. "How are you answering my thoughts?" I sneered at her. Nagkibit balikat lang siya bilang sagot. Nagsalubong lalo ang kanina ko pang magkadikit na kilay. 

"Can you, for once, just answer me?!" I couldn't help but raise my voice. Hindi ako masaya sa mga nangyayari. Although I've been accepting whatever s**t life throws at me, I'm not happy with it. I just know I don't have any control over it. 

Pero ang ganito? Almost being like a blind woman running in circles, not knowing anything at all. At mayroon din ako ritong kasama na ayaw pa akong sagutin sa iilang katanungan. The irony of it is that it's also me.

Ngayon ko na lang ulit napagtanto iyon. That she's my... other self. Hindi ko na napansing dapat nga palang nagtataka pa rin ako na makita ang kamukhang kamukha ko. Maybe the slight differences made it better, adding our own flaws that differentiates us.

"You know, I really don't have any answer to you," she honestly said. Hindi ko alam kung paano ko nasiguradong nagsasabi siya ng totoo pero alam kong matapat siya. It's like we're connected.

"That's it!" bigla niyang sigaw. Nabalik ang atensyon ko sa kanyang ngayon ay nagpapabalik-balik ng lakad. Naririnig ko ang mga iniisip niya ngunit hindi ko 'yon naiintindihan. Her thoughts are so organized. Every though she makes, every details is complete.

Para kong nakikita ang iniisip niya. Halos navi-visualize ko na ang naiisip niyang mga formula, almost all of them are incomprehensible to me. I don't understand anything, but I am amazed, knowing that she's doing something like this.

At the end, her final answer looked to me as if it's a logo lit up by lights. Para iyong naka-kulay pulang mga letra at umiilaw pa sa taas niya. At ang isang salita roon ay mas maliwanag sa iba. It was like it's highlighted on purpose. 

Her eyes lit up simultaneous with my visualization. The happiness in her face couldn't be more evident than my astonished expression. Flabbergasted isn't enough to explain it. Ang nakita ko ay parang sining. Every word went by and still paired successfully. Parang planado ang pagpasok ng bawat detalye, ang mga pagkakamali ay mabilis na napapalitan.

I just saw the thoughts of a genius. And one word is prevailing them all.

Static.