ISLAND ROMANCE SERIES: LAURA'S ETHAN

LOVER'S ISLAND

Eksaktong paglubog ng araw at pagkalat ng halong kulay dilaw at pula, kasabay ng pagbaba ng sinasakyang eroplano ni Ethan habang walang pag-aalinlangan niyang kinuha ang nag-iisang backpack na tanging dala niya papuntang ibang bansa na naglalaman ng walang iba pa kundi underwears, extrang phone, headphone, pitaka at laptop niya.

Typical boys, hindi niya ugaling magdala ng maraming gamit na katwiran niya, ay mabibili lang naman sa pupuntahan niya. For security reaons na rin, kaya hindi siya nagdadala ng karagdagang bags na hindi niya mabibitbit hanggan sa assigned seat niya sa eroplano.

Kadalasan kasi, kapag marami na ang bags na dinadala mo sa airport, hindi mo namamalayang may nailagay na palagang epektos sa bag mo, hulog victims, kung tinatawag minsan sa tv. Mga taong hindi sangkot sa kahit anumang illegal na Gawain pero nakitaan ng mga ebidensiya sa bag at na-frame up lang.

Bitbit ang kaniyang bag, nagsimulang naglakad si Ethan palabas ng airport at naghanap ng pluck card na pinaglalagyan ng pangalan niya.

Isang advantage pag nasa Asian countries lang ang punta mo, madali mo agad makikita ang pangalan mo sa bundok ng mga pluck cards sa harap.

Kasi kalahati nun, foreign letters ang nakasulat, at English names na lang ang pinakatitigan niya.

“Mr. Ethan Dominguez?”

Tanong sa kaniya ng isang kulay kayumangging binata. Nasa 16-19 pa lang ang edad, hula ni Ethan habang papalakad siya patungo rito at pinakatitigan ang hawak nitong pluck card kung saan nakasulat ang kaniyang pangalan.

“I’m Sali, your escort to Lover’s Island. Welcome to China, Sir. This way please. The private car will take you straight to the dock where a boat is all set to take us to the island itself.”

Binigyan niya lamang ng ngiti ang binata tsaka sinundan habang papalakad na ito papunta kung saan nakapwesto ang isang sasakyan. Pinagbuksan naman ni Ethan ang sarili ng pintoan at agad na pumasok at naupo sa backseat, habang pumwesto na rin si Sali sa driver’s seat at binuhay ang makina ng sasakyan.

“Sali, right?”

“Yes Sir.”

“We’re in China, right?”

Panigurado niyang tanong, at matingkad pa sa lumubog na araw naman ang gamit na tono ng binatang drayber sa pagsagot.

“Yes sir!”

“How do I put the question without sounding like a racist? So, what’s… how?”

“You mean, what is a black western doing in China? You can say the word black sir, it’s an appropriate word. But yeah, it goes way back World War 2, that’s what the ancestors has told. A soldier has come to China on World War 2 and married a maiden, her skin is as white as porcelain, her hands soft, and they fell in love. My Grandpa’s bedtime story.”

Napatango lamang si Ethan at muli ng nanahimik habang hindi nawawala ang saya sa mukha ng binate habang nagmamaneho. Pagkaraan ay binuhay ang radio at nagpatugtog ng musika na pumukaw naman sa atensiyon ni Ethan na nakatingin lamang sa labas ng bintana at tinatanaw ang mga taong naglalakad.

“Justin Beiber?”

Taka niyang tanong habang inaasahan ang isang Chinese pop song na kumanta sa radyo, pero sa halip, ay western music ang bumungad. Napatingin siya kay Sali habang nakangisi pa rin ito at nagpatuloy sa pagmamaneho pero sumasabay sa kanta.

“That’s a must play hit song for summer, Sir.”

“You must be a big fan of Justin Beiber.”

“Why not, Sir? Justin gets ton of girls. I barely have one on my fingers.”

Aniyang Sali sa wikang ingles, at kuha pa rin ang American accent kung saan ito tunay na nagmula.

Isang ngiti naman ang lumitaw sa mukha ni Ethan at tinignan ang suot niyang relo.

“Hey, Sali, can we drop by at any mall we can find. I want to buy my essentials.”

“Buckle your seatbelt, we’re headed off to the mall.”

“Cool line.”

Umani ng papuri ang binate mula kay Ethan habang pinalakasan ang volume ng musika.

Peaches

By: Justin Beiber

I got my peaches out in Georga (Oh yeah s**t)

I got my weed from California (That’s that s**t)

I took my chick up to the North yeah (Bad ass b***h)

I get my light right from the source yeah (Yeah that’s it)

“The island, is called the Lover’s island because of its geographical shape, noticeably taking the shape to that of a heart.”

Nagsisimulang magsalaysay si Sali habang papasok sila sa isang clothing store.

“A legend says, long ago, a fisherman went into the sea one early morning for a catch but was met by giant waves. It knocked down his boat, and while the waves has eaten him unconscious, he woke up at a strange land one day. It was floating in the sea out of nowhere, his boat wrecked, he had no choice but to spend the night and find himself a boat, sail back into the sea and return home.”

“And how many times have you told this to those you have escorted to the island.”

“Every single time.”

“I can sense that. So was the man able to find a boat and return home?”

“He did not find a boat, he built one. But he did not return home, he met a woman.”

Napahinto si Ethan sa pagkukuha ng summer shorts at binigyan ng tingin si Sali na binigyan naman siya ng isang malapad na ngiti.

“A woman lived on the island. And they fell in love. The man did not dare leave the island ever since. And from then, it was called, the matchmaker’s island. The island was meant for people to find their other half. But later when people invented aircrafts and they flew into the sky, looked at the island on an aerial view, they were meet with another incredible coincidence. The island’s shape, was heart. So from then, it wasn’t the matchmaker’s island, it was called, the lover’s island.”

“Nice legend.”

Yun lang ang naibigay niyang komento matapos mapansin na parang inaantay ni Sali ang kaniyang reaksyon mula sa kwento na parang batang atat ipatikim sa ina ang kaniyang luto.

Bigla naman siyang may kinapa mula sa bulsa at aktong iaabot ito kay Ethan na sinuri lamang ang bagay.

“It’s called the matchmaker’s stone. The island is known for its heart-shaped stone, they’re broken in half and are offered to every visitor who has not yet found their other half. When you take the stone, you receive the blessing of the matchmaker who owns the island, and in return, she will find you a lady before the day of your departure.”

Dagdag niya at napatawa lamang si Ethan habang nakinig sa kuwento ng kaniyang escort at tuloy ang paglalakad palabas ng mall.

“So you’re basically telling me, that this is not a lover’s island, but a dating island.”

“You’re given a choice to accept the matchmaker’s stone or not, it’s free will.”

~Pero hindi ko na din naman kailangang ibisita pa ng manghuhula para malamang you won’t be back even after 15 days, at isasangkala mo ang kompanya para lang manatili ka dun for another days.Ladies in there have sparkling skin, killer bodies and damn hot. I’mma tell you, you’ll miss the girls more than you’ll miss the place

~Anak, you’re in your late twenties. Hahayaan mo bang mamatay kami ng Papa mo ng hindi nakikita ang apo namin sa iyo? Tama na ang pagpapaka-enjoy and it’s time for you to settle down.

Nagmistulang bulong-bulongan ng mga guardian angels ang boses ng matalik niyang kaibigan at ng kaniyang ina sa loob ng kaniyang tenga.

“That’s a mere legend, unless you can provide me with scientific explanation how a mere stone can find me the right woman-

“Like I said, it’s a legend Sir. How about you keep the stone, nothing to be afraid of, there’s no explanation as to how it works as you say?”

Balik ni Sali sa kaniya ng salita at hindi naman siya nakapagsalita, bagkos dinampot ang bato habang nasa labi pa rin ng escort ang ngisi at ipinasok ito sa kaniyang bulsa.

Nagpatuloy ang pagkikwento ni Sali habang tahimik namang nakikinig si Ethan mula sa backseat hanggang sa nahinto nang muli ang kotse at nasa dock na sila kung saan kita agad ang isang maliit na yate na maghahatid sa kanila papunta sa isla. Habang sa kabilang gate as nakahilera ang di mabilang na mga taong nakapila para makaakyat sa isang Bangka, nadaan naman sila sa kabilang gate na maliit lamang ang mga tao, at sa gate ay nakalagay ang tatlong letrang nakasulat ng CAPSLOCK, V.I.P.

Habang nasa laot sila ay pansin ang paglaki ng mga alon na humahampas sa yate habang bumabalik sa kaniya ang kwento ng escort.

~Some legend says, a fisherman went into the sea one early morning for a catch but was met by giant waves. It knocked down his boat, and while the waves has eaten him unconscious, he woke up at a strange land one day.

Nice!

Malayo layo rin ang isla mula sa siyudad, at kalahating oras ng paglalakbay sa laot bago tuluyang nakita ang kabuoan ng isla sa malapitan. Mahina pa siyang kinabig ni Sali na hindi kailanman napagod sa pagbibigay sa kaniya ng background sa lugar.

“Do you see that tiny cave, Sir?”

Ani nito sabay turo sa mabatong bahagi ng isla na nahihiwalay na at nagmistulang isang maliit na islang katabi ng lover’s island.

Hindi kalayuan sa isla, pero hindi rin ganoon kalapit para malakad mo lang.

“Some guests say that they do see the matchmaker at some nights sleeping on the cave, sometimes taking a swim on the shore near it. The owner had given that particular area of the island as a respect to the said matchmaker on the legend whom everyone believes is still there.”

“And the man is nowhere to be seen?”

“The fisherman, is a human being, the woman, is a-

“Let me finish it for you, a goddess?”

Putol niya sa bata, pero binigyan lang siya ng natutuwang ngiti ni Sali.

“She was a mermaid. Never gets old, only the man aged, and she remained to be the most beautiful woman than he had ever seen his whole life, until his last breath.”

“And she’s waiting for him to be born again so they could again write their love story, yeah?”

“You’re a bad poet, Sir.”

Natatawang turan ni Sali. Tila napahiya naman siya na nakangisi lang habang nakatitig sa maliit na kuweba.

Alam niya namang walang katotohanan ang mga sirena, kaya alam niya na agad na hindi totoo ang kuwento, pero napahanga siya sa kung paanong umayon ang hugis ng isla sa kuwento nito, maging ang kuweba na hindi basta-basta matatagpuan sa bawat islang makikita mo sa buong mundo.

Napukaw ang atensiyon niya ng may nakita siyang patalon na sumisid sa dagat mula sa kwebang tinuturo ni Sali wala pang minuto ang nakakalipas.

“Now I definitely have to be seeing things.”