Opposite

Chapter 15

Sabi ng iba kapag namatay ka, dalawa lang ang puwede mong puntahan, langit o impyerno. Sabi naman ng iba, kapag namatay ka, maaari kang mabuhay muli sa ibang pagkatao o iyong tinatawag na "reincarnation."

Ngunit, bakit may Heallven?

Harlow didn't imagine a world like this would be existing. All she thought was she would go to hell when she dies, pero nagkamali siya ng akala. Sabagay, sino nga ba namang taong lumipas na ang nakapagpatunay na ng isang bagay?

"So totoo nga 'yong sinabi ni Dukeh? N-na patay na ako?" Harlow said.

The woman just nodded.

A tear was forming in Harlow's eyes, hanggang sa hindi na niya napigilan at tuluyan nang tumulo. At first, she couldn't believe she died already. Ni hindi rin niya matanggap. Paano na ang mga pangarap niya sa buhay? How would she continue doing her passion?

Now it all made sense. Gaya ng kausap niyang babae, namatay rin ito kaya nahinto siya sa pagiging guro.

But no, paano na ang mga magulang niya? Panigurado, nagluluksa na ang mga iyon. How would she explain everything if she was already gone on Earth?

Actually, she was not afraid of death, she was just afraid of what the people she left would feel. Ni hindi niya pa nagawa lahat ng gusto niyang gawin sa mundo. Marami pa siyang gustong bilhin, pero wala na. She would still have been married, pero wala na rin. She would still supposed to be spending her time with her friends and family.

Paano na?

Indeed, life is too short, so live your life to the fullest. Think of now as your last day so you could do your best.

"Pwede ba akong maging multo?" Harlow asked.

The woman chuckled. "Hindi," she answered. "Hindi naman talaga totoo ang multo. Kapag nakatapak ka na sa Heallven, hindi ka na maaaring bumalik sa mundo ng mga tao."

"But I want to see my friends and family," she cried.

The woman held her hand. "Makikita mo rin sila ulit," she smiled.

"Really?"

"Oo, kaya huwag kang mag-alala. Sa ngayon, magpahinga ka muna at bukas ay magpapatuloy ka na sa iyong paglalakbay."

Harlow smiled and concurred with the woman's statement. She went to the room the woman told her, at doon ay nagpahinga siya.

The room was good fortunately. Hindi masyadong mainit at hindi rin masyadong malamig. The trees on the outside were giving her fresh air, kaya mabilis din siyang nakatulog, at dahil na rin sa pagod.

But before she could sleep, she thought of one thing. "Kapag ba namatay ulit ako rito sa Heallven, saan naman ako mapupunta?"

When she was done taking a rest, she prepared herself for her journey. Pagkagising na pagkagising niya ay inasikaso na niya ang mga dapat asikasuhin, binasa na rin niya ang ilan sa mga misyon niya. Napabuntong-hininga na lamang siya pagkatapos dahil sa tingin niya ay hindi niya basta-basta magagawa ang mga iyon.

When she was done preparing herself, she gave gratitude to the woman who helped her. The woman however, gave her things she would be needing during her journey.

Harlow was so grateful of meeting the woman. Marami na itong naitulong sa kaniy. How she wished they could meet again, pero hindi naman iyon imposible.

"Mag-iingat ka, ha?" the woman told her.

"Yes, thank you," Harlow answered. "Ikaw rin, mag-iingat ka dito."

The woman thanked her.

Harlow took a deep breath before she could even walk away. She didn't know what would happen during her quest, so she had to remain strong. Kung tutuusin, sanay na rin naman siya sa mga gan'to dahil gabi-gabi siyang lumalabas noon para maglibot sa buong siyudad.

While walking, Harlow was observing the people and the village. Mukhang mababait naman talaga ang mga tao at matiwasay ang buong lugar, hindi gaya ng sa dati niyang mundo. Ngunit, hindi siya puwedeng magpakampante dahil hindi niya pa lubusang kilala ang Heallven.

Before she continued walking, she sat down on a tree and opened again the folded paper so she could review her mission.

"UNANG MISYON. Iyong hanapin ang tahanan ni Nicolas Ulas upang mabatid ang sanhi ng iyong pagkamatay. Mayroon ka lamang tatlong araw upang gawin ang misyon na ito," saad sa papel.

Actually, she had read it for how many times, pero paulit-ulit niya pa ring binabasa baka sakaling makaisip siya nang mas madaling paraan upang mahanap ang nasabing Nicolas Ulas.

Isa pa, she really wanted to know more on how did she die. Hindi niya pa naman nakakalimutan ang pinanood sa kaniya ni Dukeh, pero marami pa siyang katanungan kung bakit.

Isa pa, if she was dead already, it also meant that Tyson was dead as well. Ang ipinagtataka niya lang, sinabi sa kaniya ni Dukeh na patay na ito, so did that mean he was sent to another world again?

When she planned to continue walking, she drank some water and stood up. Hindi naman siya pinagpapawisan sapagkat maraming puno sa mundo ng Heallven. As aforementioned, the world is not that hot and not that cold, it was like a tropical world.

"Ate, excuse me," Harlow said to the woman who was sweeping on the side of the road. "May itatanong lang po sana."

"Ano 'yon, hija?"

"May kakilala po ba kayong Nicolas Ulas?"

"Pasensya ka na, hija, ngunit hindi ko kilala ang tinutukoy mo."

"Ah, sige," Harlow said "Salamat po."

She continued walking again and asked random people about Nicolas Ulas, but they were just saying the same answer. Kahit kanino siya magtanong, wala nakakakilala sa kaniyang hinahanap.

When she was tired, she took a rest again. Mas mahirap pa pa lang maghanap ng Nicolas Ulas kaysa maghanap ng taong sumusuway sa patakaran ng isang siyudad. She didn't even know how wide the Heallven was. May mapa siya at mukha nga iyong malawak, ngunit hindi pa rin siya sigurado kung gaano kalawak. Ngunit kung puntahan iyon lahat ng mga mamatay, ibig sabihin, sobrang lawak din ng mundong iyon. But she only had three days to find that man. How could she possibly do that?

After some time of taking some rest, she continued her quest. Nagtanong pa rin siya sa mga tao, ngunit wala siyang nakuhang impormasyon. She was slowly losing hope, but she just continued. Walang mapapala sa pagsuko.

On her way, she saw a man she thought was holding a paper. Nakatalikod ito sa kaniya kaya hindi niya makita ang mukha, ngunit malakas ang loob niyang may makukuha na siyang impormasyon dito. She walked near to him and touched him slightly on his shoulder.

"Manong," she said. "May kakilala po-"

She was stopped when the man turned around her. She was so shocked that she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"T-tyson?"