Opposite

Chapter 17

"Kayo ho ba si Nicolas Ulas?"

The old man didn't speak for awhile, he was just staring at the two which even made them more nervous.

"Ikaw si Tyson Faulkner," he pointed the guy, "at ikaw naman ay si Harlow Parlemo," he pointed the lady.

The two both agreed to him.

"At kayo ho ay si Nicolas Ulas?" Tyson said.

"Ako nga."

When they heard that, their heart almost jumped because of happiness. Hindi sila nabigo at nahanap na rin nila ang kanilang pakay.

Nicolas let them enter his house after talking. Pinaupo niya ang dalawa sa kusina at inalayan ng maiinom.

The two however were just wandering their eyes all throughout the house. It was just small, but it was good. Lahat ng kagamitan ay gawa sa kahoy, maging ang mga tasa't baso. Katamtaman din ang temperatura sa loob.

When the old man was done offering them water, they drank immediately. Dahil sa pagod ay naparami rin ang pag-inom nila ng tubig.

The man even gave them foods because he knew they were hungry. Sino ba naman ang hindi mapapagod sa ilang araw na paglalakad? No cars. No vehicles. Wala ring kalesa. They were not used to it especially that they grew up in a city.

But all in fairness, the people of Heallven were kindhearted, maliban na lamang siguro kay Dukeh na hindi man lang marunong ngumiti.

While eating, Nicolas sat down in front of the two as he placed his two hands below his chin.

"Nakakatuwa't natagpuan n'yo rin ako," he said.

Mabilis na nilunok ni Harlow ang pagkaing nginunguya niya saka uminom ng tubig. "Actually nahirapan ho kami sa paghahanap sa inyo. Sa sobrang lawak ba naman ho ng Heallven ay sino ang madadalian? My gosh muntik na po akong mamatay-" walang preno niyang sabi. She was just stopped when she realized something. "Ay, patay na nga pala ako," she said.

The old man chuckled, even Tyson.

"Pagpasensyahan n'yo na ho itong kasama ko. Minsan talaga Hindi niyan alam ang sinasabi niya," Tyson giggled.

Harlow slapped him on his shoulder. "Hoy!" she shouted. "Kung anu-anong sinasabi nito. Huwag ho kayong magpapaniwala dito."

Tyson just continued chuckling.

"Sige, tumawa ka pa."

"Nakakatuwa naman kayong dalawa," sambit ni Nicolas.

Harlow gave him an awkward smile while Tyson was just giggling. When he didn't stop, she gave him again another slap.

"Siguro handa na kayo para marinig ang kuwento," the old man said.

That was just the moment that Tyson stopped tittering. He set his focus to the old man. ayon din ang ginawa ni Harlow.

Then, the old man started talking and telling the story behind their death. Halos hindi makapaniwala ang dalawa sa narinig. Totoo nga ang pinanood sa kanila ni Dukeh noon sa Plesingko.

"But how did it happen? We don't know each other. Paanong magkasama ho kami sa isang kotse at sabay na namatay?" Tyson asked.

"Oo nga ho. We're not even friends. Sa Plesingko lang kami unang nagkita," Harlow added.

"May rason kung bakit hindi ninyo kilala ang bawat isa."

"Ano ho?" the two asked in chorus.

"Hindi ko maaaring sabihin sapagkat hindi ko iyan trabaho. Ang tanging gawain ko lamang ay bigyan kayo ng impormasyon tungkol sa inyong kamatayan."

"Bakit ho ba kasi kapag namatay kailangan pa naming malaman lahat?" Harlow said. "Hindi ba puwedeng mamatay na lang tapos magising sa ibang mundo na walang naaalala kahit isa? Para sana hindi na ho kami nahihirapan nang ganito."

The old man smiled. "Batid ko ang ipinaglalaban mo, ngunit hindi ganyan ang sistema."

"Sorry for this, but I also thought that when someone dies, he or she would just have two possible destinations: hell and heaven," Tyson said. "Then why we are here in Heallven? Is this a purgatory?"

"Mayroon na bang patay na nagpaniwala sa isang bagay?" tanong ng matanda.

The two didn't speak. They knew it well, wala pang patay na nagpatunay ng anumang bagay.

"Pagkatapos ng inyong misyon, malalaman n'yo rin ang mga bagay-bagay."

"I thought I would go to hell when I die. What the heal," Harlow whispered.

"Ano 'yon, hija?" the old man asked.

"A-ah, wala po."

When they were done talking, they exchanged goodbyes. Tapos na ang misyon nila kay Nicolas Ulas at sapat na ang mga impormasyon na nalaman nila tungkol sa sanhi ng kanilang pagkamatay.

They both opened again the paper and read their second mission: "stay in Willow Village for a week and make friends."

They thought this would be the easiest mission for them since the people were kind. Ang problema lamang nila, maglalakbay na naman sila nang pagkahaba-haba upang makarating sa nasabing lugar.

They looked at the map to find where it was located. They felt a bit disappointed knowing that it would take them too much time to travel.

"Bakit ba kasi wala man lang sasakyan dito?" reklamo ni Harlow.

Tyson laughed.

"Anong nakakatawa?"

"Obviously this is a different world. Huwag kang mag-expect na kung ano ang nasa mundo natin ay meron din dito."

"Nyenyenye!"

Since that, they were both teasing each other. Habang nasa daan ay naglolokohan sila't walang tigil kahit pinagtitinginan na sila ng mga tao.

"May mga nagkakatuluyan sa ganyan," sambit ng isang lalaking napadaan lang.

Pareho namang napatigil ang dalawa sa narinig. They looked at each other and after some time, they laughed again. Ngunit mayamaya'y ang pagtawa'y unti-unting humina. They stared again at each other, then the atmosphere just went awkward.

"But what if it came true?" Tyson asked.

"A-ang ano?"

"Na magkatuluyan tayo."

Then, there was silence.

The trees that surrounded them dances and the cold air breeze touched their flying hearts.

Harlow was about to speak when she remembered the detective she encountered in their city when she was still alive. She felt sad not seeing him again. Hindi lang dahil sa paghihiganti, ngunit tila mayroon pang ibang rason.

However, there was Tyson. It was not impossible for her to fall in love with him. He was a perfect guy and a boyfriend material. Hindi na rin siguro siya puwedeng mag-inarte sa katangian ng binata.

"Why asking such question?"

"J-just wanna know..."

"Pero sa tingin mo ba may pag-asang maging tayo?"

"If we have mutual feelings, then why not?"

Harlow smiled.

"What's with the smile?" Tyson asked.

"Sorry, but I think that would be impossible."

Shattered heart.