Between Two Worlds

Chapter 3

I thought I'm dead after what happened earlier. Even my inner thoughts still haunt me about the incident. It seems like a semi-trauma but I can still manage my thoughts to think nicely.

"Hey! Wait for me!" I shout at his back. Hindi ko alam kung may sayad ba 'tong si Robert dahil bigla-bigla na lang akong hinila papalayo sa kinatatayuan namin kanina pero may tiwala ako sa kanya. He saved my life twice. Una sa gutom at pangalawa ay kanina.

Green light to dark blue light means there is something odd in the situation. There are only two colors to change available which is green light to dark blue light whereas, green light to yellow light means something good will happen and we are lucky that it alarmed us so that we take the opposite direction. He grabbed me tightly until the light went back to green light but before it returns to its normal state, we felt the ground quaked.

"Damn!" he cursed between his breathe. Lumingon ako kung saan siya nakatingin at nasaksihan ko ang malaking batong gumugulong patungo sa aming direksyon. It was fast as if it would devour us by its hardness.

The next thing I knew is that he grabbed me again. We dive against the soft grass pressing my head on his chest.

Nang tuluyan nang makalayo ang malaking batong halos patayin kami ay saka lamang ako nakahinga nang maluwag. "Hey, are you alright?" he said still hugging me. Hindi ko siya matapunan ng tingin dahil ang awkward ng posisyon naming dalawa. Nang mapansin niya ang aming posisyon ay mabilis na kumalas siya sa kanyang pagkakayakap.

Napakamot ako sa batok. "Hm..." I hummed, can't construct the sentence I want to say.

"T-thank you!" "Sorry!" we said in unison. Nakagat ko ang aking labi. Tila walang magsalita sa aming dalawa.

"A-are you okay?" he said breaking the defeaning silence between us. "S-sorry!" he stuttered.

Hindi ko siya tinapunan ng tingin bagkus ay humiga na lang ako sa damuhan dahil sa pagod. I just let the air kiss my wounded skin. Tila ba may ibinubulong sa akin ang hangin.

Tumingin ako sa kulay abong langit. I never thought that he would go this far with me. Since the day we met, he always saved me and took care of me while me, I'm just a heavy burden to him. I think, I should treat him as nice as he treats me.

Honestly, I never thought that a stranger like him would treat me like that but this time, I should turn back what he did to me.

Tumayo ako sa pagkakahiga at hinanap ko kung nasaan siya. Inikot ko ang aking tingin ngunit hindi mahagip ng aking mga mata ang kanyang pigura. Where did he go? Did he just left me in the middle of nowhere? Pinagpagan ko ang aking damit at sinimulan ang paglalakad.

"Robert?!" pagtawag ko sa kanya pero tila iniwan niya na ako. "Robert!" pagtawag kong muli sa kanya pero wala pa rin akong marinig na boses mula sa kanya.

Kinuha ko ang tracking radar mula sa bagpack ko. Grandpa gave it to me before I went here but Lolo didn't tracked me para kung sakaling mawala ako ay mahahanap niya ako. How cruel he was? He said that it was my parent's first invention so I cherish this the most.

Naramdaman ko ang kaunting luhang pumatak mula sa pisngi ko. I really missed them so much. Even remembering them also pains me because I was there, seeing them covered with blood and the the only thing I can do is to cry onto my Lolo's chest that time.

To be honest, Lolo told me that I should be independent. Dahil sabi niya, kapag namatay siya, ako na ang hahawak ng laboratory pero tumutol ako roon. I want to live a normal life and I still want to live my life with him. His cruelty is just to save me from my fears and yeah, I love his cruelty.

Makalipas ang ilang sandali ay pumukaw sa akin ang isang tunog kaya't napatingin ako sa hawak kong radar. There's a red dot simultaneously blinking in the screen of the radar. I followed it but it was just a big trunk of acacia tree. Maybe he knew it. I bugged him when we are hugging a while ago. I mean it's not totally a hug but I call it a hug.

"Robert, I'm sorry to make you feel awkward with me," I said, maybe enough to be heard in my periphery. "You saved my life even though you don't know me well. Sorry for being rude. I really mean it!" I sincerely said in the whispering winds. Hindi ko alam sa sarili ko pero napaluha na pala ako.

The rain poured down rapidly. It gives comfort of what I did lately. Maybe rain is the punishment yet it comforts me because at least the rain understands me.

I sat down on the tree trunk hugging my two knees together. I let out a heavy cry and beneath my sobs, I abruptly heard the sound of the radar underneath my feet. The dot is moving towards my direction.

I felt his presence in front of me. I looked down. "I'm really sorry, for being burden to you," I said within my sobs. I can't even give him a stare directly in his eyes because I felt the embarrassment in myself.

I sensed that he put his left knee on the ground. I held my head up to see what he was doing. Then, I was surprised when he patted my head.

"That's okay, but on one condition," he said.

I gently lift my head. "W-what condition?" I confusely asked. This is what I hate the most—having a debt of gratitude. But why am I feeling like I should do what he is asking? Maybe because I really owe him a lot and made him mad? Aish, this feeling is so awesome like your feeling doesn't match with your idea.

"I think I should delay it for now. Baka mas maganda ang kalalabasan ng kundisyon ko kung ipagpapaliban ko muna ito sa ngayon," he told me before he smiled. What was that smile? Is it a smirk or a sarcastic one? Unlucky me, I don't have those contacts. Maybe I should consult grandpa for lending me such thing.

"O-okay," I said with a hint of confusion.

He gradually stands up. Pinagpagan niya ang tuhod na kanina ay nakatuon sa damuhan habang ako ay basang-basa dahil sa ulan.

"Let's go!" he said, lending his palm towards me. Inabot ko iyon at dali-daling tumayo. Baka ano pa ang sabihin nito sa paghawak ko sa kamay niya. Aish, what was I thinking? Pinagpagan ko ang parte ng likod kong nakasandal sa puno pati na rin ang pababang parte nito.

"So where we are heading now? Do you have your bird's eye view bug? I think it will help us to escape here."

"H-how do you know about that?" he aked me.

"Just because," I told him.

"I-I see." I thought, he will fire me another question but I think he doesn't want my explanation. I think he removed his contacts because he is thinking too deep so I'm pretty sure he can't read my mind. Lucky me.

Well, to be honest, it saw him had that when we first met that one night and I think, it has camera to be able to see the whole area where we are.

Owing to the situation, he threw the bug up and get the holographic tablet inside his bag.

I went near him to see what was in there. I'm pretty sure we will be in our respective houses for the next day.

"Damn!" I tripped off and I never saw it coming. How clumsy am I? Luckily, he grabs me from my wrist to stop me from falling. Tinulungan niya akong tumayo nang maayos.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Y-yeah, but the tablet." Tinuro ko ang tablet na lumilipad sa himpapawid. Tumingin naman siya sa gawi kung saan ako nakaturo.

We seem like a frozen human, waiting the tablet to land perfectly in a good spot but I think, we are all messed up.

Itutuloy...