The Island Man [M2M, SPG]

II

I WOKE UP for a second time, ngunit hindi na ako nakahiga sa buhanginan. Malambot na tela na ang aking hinihigaan. Soft and layered. Nagpagulong-gulong pa ako rito at ibinaon ang aking mukha. Almost feels like a matress, but the thing is, it smells like the earth. Parang hindi nilabhan ng isang buwan.

Bumangon ako mula sa pagkakahiga at nahanap ang sarili sa gitna ng kagubatan. I can't recall any memory of how I got here, but it is surely better and safer than the open beach. I felt a sudden ache in my legs. May mahapding sugat akong nararamdaman. Isiniwalang bahala ko muna ito upang suriin ang paligid.

The hell! Bakit ba kung saan-saan nalang ako napapadpad. I know it's absurd, but am I performing a teleportation without my knowledge?

Yumuko ako upang tignan ang aking mga binti. Nagulat ako nang may nakita akong nakadikit na mga dahon. Somebody tried to cure my wounds. Thankfully, may ibang tao pa pala dito maliban sa akin!

Because of curiosity, sinubukan kong tanggalin ang dahon upang makita ang kalagayan ng aking binti. I am surprised to see a large wound that already healed, leaving a scar.

I scratched my head and yawned because I just came from sleep. Kung sino man ang may gawa nito, sobra akong nagpapasalamat. My condition that time was close to being hopeless, and then whoever this saviour, I'm sure he or she has a pair of angel hands that saved me in a brink of death.

Huminga ako ng maluwag at sinubukang hanapin kung sino man yung taong ito. I have never seen any person around, so I shout to call whoever it is.

“May tao ba dito?!” sigaw ko. No reponse. Did it again... Still no response. Nagpatuloy nalang ako sa paglalakad.

Then I heard some footsteps from behind. Dried leaves were stepped on with crunchy sounds. I smiled for myself.

Mukhang siya na nga ito.

I turned to see that person, but to my surprise, hindi pala tao ang masasaksihan ko, kun'di isang halimaw. A tiger with a stare that cleary states it has been hungry for days. Based on the looks of it, the tiger is very ready to jump anytime and eat the flesh out of me.

I, having no survival skill, did the most stupid thing I could ever (and only) do. Sumigaw na parang babae. Sinubukan kong tumakbo pero dahil masakit ang paa ko ay agad akong natumba sa lupa.

Another near death experience, huh? But this time, for sure, matutuluyan na ako.

Napapikit ako ng mariin. I just accepted my fate and waited for the tiger to bite me off. Hindi ko naramdaman ang pag-atake nito.

I heard squeals of pain, as if the wild animal is dying. Napadilat ako at nakita kung paano patayin ng isang matipunong lalaki ang hayop na walang kahirap-hirap. Sinakal hanggang sa malagutan ng hininga. Hindi pa siya nakuntento. He was holding a stick with a sharp end. Tapos tinusok niya ito sa mata ng hayop.

Sinigurado niya na patay na ito.

With blood splattered on his bronze skin, the man slowly walked towards me. He is intimidating me with his serious look. My face went pale. He is a lot scarier than the tiger.

He examined me with his sharp green eyes.

"Ayos ka lang?" tanong ko sa lalaki.

Hindi siya sumagot, sa halip ay tumalikod at nagsimulang maglakad palayo sa akin. Sinuri ko ang kaniyang buong katawan ngunit wala naman akong napansin na kahit isang sugat. Pinulot niya sa tabi ang dalawang patpat na may nakatuhog na tig-isang isda. He can catch a fish. How amazing. This man can survive in this harsh environment. He is really the king of the jungle!

Hindi ko alam kung paano siya kakausapin. I doubt that he could understand whatever I am going to say. Nagsasalita ba siya ng Ingles? Eh, Tagalog?

Hopefully we could talk and I would be able to thank him for saving me for a the second time. Kaysa bumalik sa telang pinaghigaan ko kanina, sinundan ko nalang siya sa kaniyang nilalakaran.

Bahala na nga.