Wicker's phone dings as he's sitting on a chair and a hot coffee on the table in front of him. He doesn't feel like doing anything when he woke up early. This is an actual day for him to sleep.
He checks his phone.
Catherine:
I am sick worried about you. Nasaan ka ba talaga, babe? Did you blocked me? Hindi na kita matawagan. If you read this message, reply asap!
Wicker immediately dropped his phone of the table, leaned at the chair's backrest and throw his head back. He sighed with a muted groan.
Kahit naman sino ay mag-aalala sa kanya ng sobra. Catherine was his girlfriend for almost a year. Palagi silang magkasama noong nasa Bellmoral pa siya. She misses him for sure. Sinanay niya siguro masyado ito kaya ay ganoon na lang kung hanap-hanapin siya.
This is the only message he had read out of forty seven other texts. Hindi niya rin mapapansin na tumatawag ito sa kanya dahil totoo ang sinabi ni Catherine, he blocked her. Alam na alam ni Wicker ang ugali ng girlfriend niya, hindi ito titigil at hindi niya tatantanan ang pananahimik nito. He just wanted some space and life adjustments, was it hard to obtain?
Kapag sinagot niya ang mensahe nito at hinayaang tawagan siya . . . katakot-takot na naman ang pangungulit na aagwantahin niya. Ngunit paano kung magtampo at magalit itong muli sa kanya?
Sa huli ay pinagbigyan na niya. He replied to her text and unblocked her.
As soon as he did that, an immediate call came in no time. Agad-agad na tumunog ang cellphone niya.
He answered it with shoulders down.
"Babe, why took you so long to reply on my messages? I am always waiting for your texts. Nasaan ka ba talaga? Let me know so I could go over there to meet you!" Catherine said as her voice is getting louder and louder. Wicker could hear the conviction in it.
"I'm really okay, babe. I said don't mind me. I am just collecting the broken pieces of myself in a place where we never have been. Huwag mo na akong alalahanin, okay? Just give me more time," he just said. He doesn't know what alibi to say. Para siyang tanga na kung ano-ano ang sinasabi.
"I'm just so worried about you. Hindi ka naman ganyan dati, ah. Palagi tayong magkasama kahit saan ka magpunta. I know there's something going on and I know Olly knows where you are. Noong tinanong ko siya last time parang hindi siya makasagot ng diretso sa akin. Please, babe, sabihin mo kung nasaan ka para mapuntahan na kita asap. Miss na miss na kita . . ."
"Catherine, babe, I know it's hard for you to not know where I was. Bigyan mo pa ako ng oras. I'll meet you soon, okay?" mahinahong sagot ni Wicker. He doesn't want to make Catherine felt the tension in his voice. Naiinis na kasi siya.
"Okay, okay. Balitaan mo agad ako, ah. I love you . . ."
He just said okay and ended the call.
Imbes na makapagpahinga siya ngayong sabado ay ito naman ang iniisip niya. He doesn't want to go anywhere. Wala rin naman siyang kasama. Maraming magagandang lugar na maaari niyang puntahan sa Fawnbrook, kaso paano kung maligaw siya at isa pa, wala siyang ideya kung saan ito pupuntahan.
He heard his dad from the living room. Nagsusuot ito ng makapal na coat at inayos ang kwelyo nito. Ilang sandali lang ay lumabas na ito ng pinto. His father is going to his work for sure. Palagi naman siya nitong iniiwan. Paano kung may pinupuntahan pala itong ibang lugar? Paano kung ang mga suspetsa niya nitong mga nakaraang taon dito ay tama? He needed to know what it is. Kung tama ba talaga ang lahat ng hinala niya rito.
BINABASA MO ANG
Strange Voices of the Dead
Mystery / Thriller"I feel more than infinite with you." When Adrian died, Annara, a student library assistant, began hearing ghostly voices. Later in life, she meets Wicker, who resembles him, and this changes everything, making her realize that those strange voices...
