Dream Slaughters 11 The Next Day

I woke up feeling swollen. Of course, I cried a lot yesterday so it is a given that my eyes will feel swollen. Kahit nga iyong ilong ko puno na ng sipon. My head hurts like h.e.l.l. Para bang may hang-over lang ako sa pag-inom ng alak. Pero wala naman akong ininom. It's just my tears falling.

Tinignan ko ang bintana. The sun is already up. Siguro mga alas otso na sa umaga. Maliwanag na sa labas at tuluyan ng asul ang langit. Last night, I remember it darker. Though, the stars are bright and the moon lit the place. Apprentice was sitting there playing a melody in his flute. He watched me as I fall asleep. He stayed there the whole time.

"That guy really did help me..."

Tumayo na ako sa kama. Sa unang pagkakataon naramdaman ko ang paG.o.d. I don't want to stand up. I want to stay here in my bed and cuddle myself. I will let my depression eat me. I will let the time suck everything until the time come. Pero hindi ko gusto mangyari iyon. Ang mundong ito ay naging parte na rin sa akin. I should treasure it even though it is very painful.

Pumunta ako sa lababo at nagmumog. Nasa gitna pa ako ng sariling ritwal ng may narinig akong tumawa. I look behind. n.o.body is inside the room, rather, the voices sre coming from below. I finished brus.h.i.+ng my teeth and changed clothes before going to the terrace to look for it.

The warm morning breeze greeted me. I walk unto the small path and looked down. There, down below, Apprentice is laughing. He was beside Aries who is having his daily nap. In front of them are three small kids. It looks like they are discussing something. I took a step back and stayed behind the wall. I hid myself as I watch him talking.

For some reasons I feel safe and comfortable whenever he is there. Kahit na minsan magugulat ka na lang at sumusulpot sa kahit saan, mararamdaman mo ang pagiging ligtas sa kanya. He is always been a stranger for me. Minsan nakakalito ang kanyang ugali. May mga oras na napakadaldal niya kahit ayaw ko siyang kausapin. May pagkakataon na kung saan sa sobrang tahimik niya di mo na mapapansin na nasa tabi mo lang siya. All those weird gestures and movements will always bring the mysterious aura beside him.

I didn't even know his real name.

I sighed. Aries opened his eyes and looked up. It looks like the dragon noticed me watching. Apprentice noticed Aries looking up so he followed. He saw me hiding. Apprentice laughed off and gave me a wave. The three kids asked him about something and eventually looked up. They joined Apprentice waving his hand to me. They are giving me a greeting.

Lumabas ako at k.u.maway sa kanila. Ngumiti si Apprentice. Hindi ko napigilan ang sarili kong ngumiti rin. Nakakahawa ang ngiti niya lalong lalo na ang malalalim na dimples. Nagmumukha talaga siyang gwapo. Wait... I just felt myself blushed for a while.

Apprentice mouthed some words I could not hear. He scratched his head trying to tell me something. He, then again, waved his hand as if he's telling me to go down. I just nodded and left the terrace. Mabilis akong tumakbo papunta sa hagdan pababa. It took me a long time walking down as my heart started to beat faster. That's the only thing that I can hear through out the narrow pa.s.sage – my noisy heartbeat.

My b.u.t.terflies started to flutter in my stomach again.

Pagdating ko sa dulo nakita kong k.u.makaway si Apprentice. The kids are already running away waving their hands. I slowly walk towards Apprentice and settled beside him.

"It's my first time seeing children," I said.

"Can't be helped. You stayed at the forest for a long time. You never have a friend," he added. He's referring to my stay at the forest together with the fairies.

"Yeah..."

Naglakad siya papunta sa tabi ni Aries at umupo. Sumandig siya sa malambot nitong tiyan. Umugong si Aries bilang pag-angal pero tumawa lang si Apprentice. He then patted the s.p.a.ce beside him wanting me to sit beside. I followed, though; let a small s.p.a.ce stay between us.

"I saw those kids playing on the riverside. I called them out and told them it's dangerous. Then after that they followed me here," he said. "They were shocked to see an isolated tower here."

"Is that so?" I just nodded. "Saan sila galing? Mula ba sa bayan?"

"Yep, they just wandered around the river and ended up getting near here."

I nodded. Pagkatapos wala ng nagsalita sa amin. I tried to look at him without moving my head. He's looking up feeling the breeze. Ngayon ko lang napansin na mataas ang buhok niya kaya may kaunti siyang braid na nasa may likod ng tainga. Mayroon din siyang tatlong butas sa tainga na tanging isa lamang ang nalagyan ng isang hikaw na bilog ang disenyo.Hindi ko tuloy maiwasang mamula. In closer look he really looks very handsome.

"Are there any problem?" Bigla niyang tanong. I flinched.

"Uh... Wala naman. Wala..." I obviously lied.

"Hey, you don't have to be defensive. I'm not a bad person," he pouted. Oh wow, that's cute.

"Oh no, I'm not," sinubukuan kong itago ang pamumula ko. "I mean... you saved me. I wanted to say thanks."

"I didn't save you. I only bring you misfortune," tumayo siya. He stretched his arms up. "I told you that this world isn't real. Anybody who will realize that will always get hurt. Sino ba ang hindi masasaktan kapag nalaman nila na ang mundong kinagagalawan nila ay hindi totoo?"

"Pero kahit alam mo na masasaktan ako sinabi mo pa rin. It must have hurt you a lot."

I heard him giggle. He did some stretching exercises.

"Alam ba ng mga batang iyon na nananaginip sila?" I asked.

"Nope, hindi ko sinabi sa kanila," he replied doing some sit ups.

"Pero bakit mo sinabi sa akin? Hindi ka ba nag-aalala na baka may sasabihan ako na mayroon akong nakilala na dream slaughter?"

"That would be funny..." He stood up straight.

"Why?"

"Because whatever I'll say to you... promises, dreams and secrets... You'll just forget everything anyway."

Bigla akong nakaramdam ng lungkot. He's always saying that phrase for some unknown reason. Magtatanong na sana ako ng bigla siyang tumalikod at humarap sa akin. He held his palms out and gave me a very warm smile. Dammit, I can't help but to blush.

"Those kids told me that there's a festival at the town right now. Want to go?" He asked.

"Eh?"

"Diba sabi mo na ngayon ka lang nakakita ng mga bata? Then, why won't we go to the town to see people. Hindi ka pa nakapunta sa mga pista diba?"

"Well, I guess..."

"C'mon, there's no harm to be happy," hindi na niya inantay ang sagot at hinablot ang kamay ko.

Biglang lumakas ang ihip ng hangin. b.u.magal rin ang oras. Nakita kong hinihila niya ako patayo papunta sa isang masayang lugar. Inilugay ng hangin ang buhok niya. Ang mga mata niya ay nangungusap sa bawat kislap. Ang ngiti sa kanyang mukha ang nagpatibok ng mabilis sa aking puso. Sa kaunting sandali, nagmukha siyang prinsipe na iniligtas ako sa mundong ito.