Opposite

Chapter 13

If Heallven was a dream, Harlow didn't want to wake up anymore.

She continued wandering her eyes all throughout the place, until a woman came near to her. The woman was holding a basket filled with fruits. Maganda ito at disente.

"Kakalabas mo lang ba sa Plesingko?" tanong niya.

"Uhm, yes? What's this place by the way?"

"Hindi ba sinabi sa'yo ni Dukeh?"

"No," she answered. "Ang gulo niyang kausap."

The woman giggled. "Magulo talagang kausap 'yon, pero kung ako sa'yo, bumalik ka muna sa loob," she said. "Oh siya, marami pa akong kailangang gawin. Mag-iingat ka!"

The woman left her with a smile. She smiled back, awkwardly. Nagduda siya sa sinabi ng babae. May kailangan nga ba talaga siyang malaman?

In order to answer all questions inside her mind, she decided to knock on the door of Plesingko. But before she could even do that, nilibot niya muna ang kaniyang paningin sa kabuuan nito.

The Plesingko was just a small building, like a house. Kung pagbabasehan ang sukat niya sa labas, nakapagdududa na ang lugar na iyon. When she was inside, nakarating siya sa iba't ibang parte ng lugar. The walls were changing their formations every time they were having a game. May kakaiba talaga sa lugar na iyon.

The walls outside, by the way, were painted with Van Gogh's Stary Night. Napaka-angas nito sa labas. Litaw na litaw talaga ang ganda nito sa buong lugar.

When Harlow was satisfied enough with what she had seen, she walked towards the door. She was just about to knock when it was automatically opened. Pagbukas n'on ay una niyang nakita si Dukeh na nakatayo pa rin sa counter, walang ka-emo-emosyon.

"Oh, nagbalik ka," he said.

Harlow was about to step forward her foot when she thought of something. "Kapag ba pumasok ako ulit dito, makakalabas pa ako?"

"Tingnan natin."

She inhaled and exhaled. She doubted she would not be able to get out anymore once she entered. But what she could do? Marami pa siyang gustong itanong. Marami pa siyang gustong malaman.

"Bahala na," she whispered.

As soon as she stepped forward his foot and entered the place, the door automatically closed. Dumiretso siya sa counter at hinarap si Dukeh nang buong katapangan.

"Nasaan si Tyson?" tanong niya.

"'Yan ba ang dahilan ng pagbabalik mo rito? Para hanapin siya at nang makasama mo sa pag-alis?"

"Dukeh, please stop answering me indirectly," Harlow said. "You're getting into my nerves."

Dukeh didn't respond.

"Nakita ko na ang labas at may babaeng lumapit sa akin, may hindi ka pa raw nasasabi sa'kin tungkol sa Heallven at tungkol sa Plesingko na ito. 'Yong totoo, ano ba ang lugar na ito? Bakit gan'to? I mean sobrang kakaiba, hindi ko maintindihan."

"Gusto mo ba talagang malaman ang totoo?"

"Oo!"

"Harlow..."

She could feel her heart jumped when Dukeh said her name. Sobrang bilis na ng t***k ng kaniyang puso dahil sa kaba.

In the counter, a screen popped up. There was confusion in Harlow when she saw the people shown in it.

"Uhm, Tyson..."

"Yes?"

"About death..."

"What about it?"

"'Di ba noong first encounter natin, you told me you believed you'll go to hell when you die?"

"Yes."

"But are you afraid of death?"

"No."

"Then are you're afraid of your destination?"

"Hindi rin. Why?" Tyson looked at her.

"Well, I'm just-" Harlow turned away her gaze from Tyson, then her eyes just grew bigger when she saw something coming. "Tyson!" she shouted. "Look at the way!"

Harlow's eyes widen when she saw the next thing that had happened. The car was hit by a truck and the two people riding in there were badly wounded.

"T-that's me and T-tyson..." she said, still couldn't believe.

"Siya ngang tunay."

"B-bakit kasama ko s-siya? Do I know him?"

"Magkakilala kayo."

"P-pero wala akong maalalang Tyson n-na kakilala ko. Unang beses lang na nakita ko siya ay dito sa loob ng Plesingko, t-then why? Teka hindi ko maintindihan."

Dukeh didn't respond.

"Saka bakit ganyan 'yang nasa video? In-edit mo ba 'yan? Dukeh, sumagot ka naman, please. Naguguluhan na ako," she cried.

"Kung hindi mo maalala ang mga pangyayari, huwag mong pilitin. Darating din ang araw na maiintindihan mo ang lahat. Ngayon, pagtuunan mo muna ng pansin ang paglalakbay mo sa Heallven dahil kahit anong paliwanag ko sa'yo, hindi mo talaga maaalala ang mga bagay-bagay."

Harlow was crying still when Dukeh brought out the tokens. Inilapag niya ito sa mesa, saka siya nagsalita.

"Tanggapin mo na ang mga tokens na ito dahil magagamit mo ito sa iyong paglalakbay."

Hindi pa tinatanggap ni Harlow ang mga tokens nang may inilabas muli si Dukeh. Isang mahabang papel na nakarolyo.

"Naglalaman ito ng mapa ng Heallven at ng mga misyon mo. Nandiyan lahat ng mga kailangan mong gawin, wala ka nang magiging katanungan pa."

Harlow held the paper and was about to open it when Dukeh stopped her. She was told by him not to open it yet hanggang hindi pa siya nakakalabas muli sa lugar.

"Binabati kita sa iyong katapangan at determinasyon. Sa muling paglabas mo sa Plesingko, hindi mo na ako makikitang muli at hindi ka na rin makakapasok pa rito."

"Puwede bang hinay-hinay lang? Ang dami ko pang gustong itanong."

Dukeh expressed hesitation.

"About sa video, what does it mean?"

"Sabi ko naman sa iyo, nasa papel lahat ng iyong mga katanungan. Paglabas mong muli rito, malalaman mo ang kasagutan."

Harlow was so interested and excited knowing the truth, so she immediately said goodbye to Dukeh and went outside. Pagkalabas niya ay ibinulsa niya muna ang mga token, saka ibinuklat ang papel.

In the paper, she saw first the map of Heallven. Bukod doon ay marami pang mga nakasulat. Ngunit bago niya basahin ang iba, hinanap niya muna ang kasagutan sa kaniyang katanungan patungkol sa video.

Dahil may kalakihan ang papel, nahirapan siya sa paghahanap. She thought she failed so she flipped the paper. Sa kabila ng papel ay may malaking tatak ng "Welcome!"

Ibinaba niya pa ang kaniyang paningin hanggang sa mamataan niya ang isang maikling liham. The letter seemed to be offered by her.

Harlow,

I congratulate you for showing your everything in Plesingko. You did a great job, and I guess you're now ready to take the next step.

But before that, I know you're wondering about the video that Dukeh showed to you. What's the meaning of that? Is that all because of an amnesia if why can't you remember a thing? Sort of.

But let me tell you, you are now in Heallven so that means you have your new life already. Heallven is not hell nor heaven. In your journey, you will know more.

Take it or not, Harlow, you are dead — a living dead.

Yours Truly,

Harra Granta

After reading the letter, Harlow's eyes got bigger. Nag-unahan sa pagpatak ang mga pawis niya. Dahil sa nabasa, nagkaroon pa siya ng maraming mga katanungan na hindi niya maibigkas.

She didn't want to believe it, but was she really dead already?

A living dead?