✔ Through Alternate Realities

Capitulum 21

"EVAN, hindi mo ba nakikita? You're already hurting her!"     

"How the fuck can I hurt her when she doesn't even know, Link?" Tumalim ang mga mata nito sa kanya.

Napapailing na lang siya sa ikinikilos ng lalaking 'to. Kakatapos niya lang kaninang magpunta at mambabae sa isang alternate reality, at may gana pa talaga siyang dalhin ang "Constant" niya dito! Link glanced at Evan's phone, just in time to see a text message from Pia.

He scowled. "Ubos na ang mga taon mo, Evan. Baka naman gusto mong ayusin ang relasyon ninyo ni Mel? It doesn't hurt to be a little faithful just this once before you die, you know."

But Evan wasn't listening to him.

Kinuha na nito ang susi ng kanyang kotse at naghanda para sa kanyang pag-alis.

Link cursed under his breath.

"Alt + RLT isn't suppose to be used for selfish reasons! Binalaan ka na ni Tadhana..."

Bakit ba kasi natuklasan nito ang tungkol sa specialized computer code? Wala sanang magiging gulo kung hindi lang aksidenteng nagpipindot sa kanyang laptop noon si Evan nang may kinakalikot ito sa settings. Yes, it was all just a damn accident when he suddenly pressed Alt + RLT a year ago! Kaya nang ma-trace ito ni Tadhana, agad niyang pinadala si Link para kumbinsihin itong tumigil.

But Evan didn't listen.

With no other choice, he was assigned to regulate his travels, snapping him back to his own reality.

But Link was fed up with his cheating habits. Pati si Mel ay nadadamay! Damn.

Noong gabing 'yon, walang-ganang lumingon sa kanya si Evan. A smug look on his face. Kung alam lang sana ng mga tao ang sungay na itinatago ng isang 'to...

"You wouldn't understand, Link. Sinabi mo na rin noon, 'di ba? I'm just the same as the others. Sa isang milyong alternate realities, I am still Evan. Hindi ka na dapat nagugulat sa mga ginagawa ko. Ganito talaga ako. Besides, Mel is the same as the other Mel's. She's not unique, so why would I hesitate to cheat on her? Mukha namang mahal na mahal niya ako."

Link glared at him.

"You're a fucking bastard!"

Ngumisi lang si Evan at tuluyan nang lumabas ng bahay nila.

Tandang-tanda pa rin ni Link ang gabing 'yon. Ang gabing tuluyan nang namatay si Evan sa isang car accident. Nakakatawa. Paiba-iba kasi talaga ang paraan ng pagpatay ni Tadhana kapag naubos na ang oras ng sinumang gumagamit sa code. Siguro natunugan niyang masama ang ugali ni Evan, kaya isang ten-wheeler truck ang dapat sa kanya.

Suits him right.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang si Link. Bumalik ang lungkot sa kanyang mga mata.

"Your boyfriend in this reality is an asshole, Mel."

Nakatitig lang siya sa lapida ni Melinoe. Ilang araw na niya itong dinadalaw mula nang mailibing siya rito. At sa mga araw na 'yon palagi niyang napapansin ang mga bulaklak galing sa kanyang mga kaibigan. Today, Pia left a bouquet of daises on her grave. Kani-kanina lang naabutan niya pa itong umiiyak habang kinakausap ang patay na niyang kaibigan.

Link heard the regret in her voice.

'People regret a lot of things they could've prevented.'

Lumuhod siya sa libingan. His eyes still glued to the cursive letterings carved on marble, absent-mindedly running a finger on her name.

"Rest in peace, Mel... Until we meet again."

With another sigh, Link stood up and felt the cold breeze against his skin. Ipinikit niya ang kanyang mga mata at hinayaang hilahin siya pabalik ni Tadhana sa reyalidad na pinanggalingan niya.

He needs to go home.

And when Link opened his eyes again, he saw her sitting on the edge of her bed, reading a book. Nang maramdaman nito ang kanyang presensiya sa silid, agad siyang lumingon.

Her eyes sparkled with adoration.

That smile melted him.

"Link! Bakit ba parang kabute kang pasulpot-sulpot bigla? Mabuti na lang talaga wala akong sakit sa puso. Tsk!"

Mahinang natawa si Link at naupo sa kanyang tabi. He caressed her cheek and she instantly leaned into his touch.

"Hindi ka pa ba nasasanay sa'kin, Mel?"

Yes, this is his reality.

Lingid sa kaalaman nina Evan, sa kabila ng pagiging officer ni Tadhana, nanggaling din sa other reality si Link. Sa reyalidad na 'to,  Evan didn't even exist. In this reality (NO-01011000, to be exact), magli-limang taon na silang magkasintahan ni Mel. They've been high school sweethearts. It was a smooth relationship and they never kept secrets from each other.

Err... Well, maybe Link is a bit guilty with that.

Dahil hindi alam ng kanyang Mel na officer siya ni Tadhana at nakakapaglakbay siya sa alternate realities. Wala siyang kaalam-alam sa mga nangyayari. At wala na siyang balak pang sabihin dito ang kanyang sideline.

He'll do anything to keep her happy, and in every alternate reality he visits, he finds himself loving her even more.

Even when her other versions of Mel loved someone else.

"Link?"

"Hmm?"

Nakatitig lang sa kanya si Mel. Nakakunot ang noo nito.

"Bakit parang malungkot ka? Aren't you...happy with me anymore?"

"Of course, not! Mel, 'wag na 'wag mong iisipin 'yan. You're my happiness..."

'Kahit pa hindi kita nailigtas sa ibang reyalidad.'

Natigilan si Link sa kanyang naiisip. Ngayon lang niya napagtanto kung ano ang tunay na bumabagabag sa kanya. Suddenly, he understood. It leaves a scar, indeed. All those memories he had with the other Mel flooded his mind. Kumirot ang kanyang puso. Para bang nadala niya ang mga bagay na dapat niyang iniwan sa reyalidad na 'yon.

It's  haunting him.

Link felt uneasy.

Even when Mel suddenly snaked her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Link kissed her with so much longing that his heart ached with the thought of losing her. Marahan niya itong hiniga sa kama at nagpadala sa tindi ng emosyong nararamdaman niya; sa pagsisisi, takot, at pagkasabik.

He kissed his Mel.

But at the back of his mind, the other Mel's question still lingered...

"Link, sa tingin mo ba pare-pareho lang ang mga tao kahit na nabubuhay sila sa alternate realities? I mean... Are we the same person but with different versions or are we different persons bound to only one version?"

It won't be the same again.

No...

Mel is Mel, right?

One Mel is the same as the others.

Pero sa mga sandaling ito, hindi na niya alam. Naguguluhan na siya. Sa isang milyong alternate realities, iisang tao lang ba sila? Iisa lang ba ang mga Mel na nakikilala niya?

'Oo, iisang tao lang sila, Link.'

Iisang tao lang dapat sila.

He desperately wanted to believe this.

Because even when he knew he was kissing his Mel's lips, Link couldn't help but feel like a cheater.

Because he didn't know if he was now in love with her...

...or with her, in that other reality.

---

Your death left an empty space
a tragic conclusion to our story;
but I shall find you, again and again...
through alternate realities.

THE END.