✔ Through Alternate Realities

Capitulum 17

Alt + RLT  

That's the only thing she looks forward to at the end of the day. 

Alam niyang hindi pa siya kumakain mula pa kaninang umaga, pero hindi na ito mahalaga. Ang mahalaga ay makaalis na siya dito sa reyalidad niya at makasama si Evan.

Sa dalawang buwan na niyang paggamit sa code, hanggang ngayon ay namamangha pa rin si Mel sa mahika nito. Hindi niya maintindihan. Bakit hindi  pinahihintulutan ni Tadhanang gamitin ito ng mas maraming tao? Why do they need to keep this a secret from humanity, anyway?

Kung mas marami siguro ang nakakaalam nitong computer code, baka mas marami nang nailigtas mula sa depression.

Everyone wants to escape his or her reality.

Everyone, including Mel.

Ilang sandali pa, nahanap na ang kanyang sariling nakatitig sa Eiffel Tower. She was standing on a balcony with a robe around her figure. The aroma of freshly baked croissants and eclairs wafted in the streets below. Natatanaw rin niya mula rito ang sikat na Seine river.

The twilight sky only added to the romantic ambiance.

'I always wanted to go to Paris. Sinong mag-aakalang may alternate reality rin palang natupad ang pangarap ko.'

Napangiti na lang si Mel nang maramdamam niya ang pagyakap ng dalawang bisig mula sa kanyang likuran. She instantly leaned into the touch.

Nakakatuwang isipin na kilalang-kilala niya ito. Somehow, here, Mel memorized every inch of this man's body.

Even in the most intimate ways.

"I wish we could stay here forever, Mel."

Mahinang sabi ni Evan. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her shoulder. Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Mel. Noon niya lang naramdaman ang singsing sa kanyang daliri. Sa hindi malamang dahilan, para bang unti-unti niyang nauunawaan ang sitwasyon. Her counterpart's memories are telling her the facts in this reality: bagong-kasal sila ni Evan at napag-desisyunan nilang mag-honeymoon dito.

Everything was perfect in this reality.

Maya-maya pa, naramdaman niyang hinimas ni Evan ang kanyang tiyan at marahang hinalikan ang kanyang pisngi.

"One day, we'll buy a house around his area. We'll raise our family here... Iyon ang matagal mo nang pangarap, 'di ba?"

Hindi niya napigilang maluha.

'Kung pwede lang sana akong manatili rito, Evan.'

And this is what she hates most about travelling to alternate realities. Darating talaga sa puntong ayaw mo nang umalis sa isang reyalidad. Masakit sa pusong pangaraping manatili sa alternate reality na ito, sa katauhan ng isa pang Mel.

Because no matter how much she wished she can stay here forever, Mel knew she can't.

She can't be happy here.

Kaya nang nagpaalam si Evan para maligo, agad na kinuha ni Mel ang kanyang laptop at muling ginamit ang Alt + RLT.

Yes, she can now skip realities and travel from one alternate reality to another using any laptop or computer. Kahit nasaan pa siya. At ang kinaganda pa nito, sa ilang beses na niyang paggamit ng code, she already mastered this. Nakakayanan na niyang piliin ang reyalidad na gusto niyang puntahan.

When the white light engulfed her, ipinikit ni Mel ang kanyang mga mata at inisip ang mga senaryong ipinapakita nito sa kanya.

She focused on a thread---the alternate reality she wanted to go to---and let the vortex take her there.

Everything happened in a blink of an eye.

One moment, she was sipping a cup of tea in the queen's courtyard. Sa alternate reality na 'to, si Mel ang reyna ng England habang si Evan naman ang hari. They were already in their early forties. Mayroon na rin silang mga anak (to her amusement, their eldest son's name was Prince Evan II!). At kahit na isang arranged marriage ang nangyari, bakas sa mga mata ni King Evan ang pagmamahal sa kanya.

In another reality, isa namang hardinero si Evan at businesswoman naman si Mel. Naabutan niya itong nagtatrabaho sa kanyang hardin. Pinagdalhan pa niya ito ng tubig, pero dahil sa kanyang heels, kamuntikan pang matapilok si Mel. She was about to crash face first on the muddy ground if it wasn't for Evan's assistance. They stared into each others eyes and blushed.

The next reality was a bit different from the rest. Dito, pareho silang detective agents ni Evan at kasalukuyan nilang nilulutas ang isang kaso. Dahil nanggaling sila sa magkaibang agency, hindi nila maiwasang magtalo sa maliliit na bagay. Just then, she found themselves being chased by a heartless serial killer in the deserted streets of New Eastwood.

Every alternate reality was a bit different from the other.

Mel witnessed her life with Evan from different perspectives and different points in time---from beginning, middle, and end.

Pero sa lahat ng reyalidad na 'yon, ramdam niya pa ring may kulang. Hindi niya pa rin nagawang maging "masaya" talaga, sa kabila ng katotohanang nakakasama niya si Evan.

And maybe it's because of the fact that she knew all those Evan's aren't really hers.

Mel weakly traveled back to her reality, something she discovered she can do. It was a bit more exhausting, pero wala rin naman siyang choice, 'di ba?

She had no choice, ever since she pushed him away.

Bumigat ang kanyang pakiramdam.

Lalo na noong sinalubong na naman siya ng katahimikan ng kanyang apartment.

Mel felt lonelier.

Partly because she's not with Evan again, and partly because Link wasn't here.

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