Beyond

Chapter 2

“I should go now,” paalam niya. He sounded so heavy. But something inside my chest was heavier than what he's feeling right now.

Bago pa man siya tuluyang makalabas ay tinawag ko siya. Tumigil siya ngunit hindi lumingon. “I'm sorry, Elis.”

He left. Without even saying anything. It's not as if I'm expecting him to say “Thanks for ruining Nathalie's life.”

Pero iyon nga ba ang nangyari? I don't even know how the hell did I end up being here.

Ano nga ba ang dahilan ng lahat ng ito? Pakiramdam ko ay nanakawan ako. Nawala sakin ang lahat sa isang iglap, even my life. And what's worse is the idea that I'll live a life that is not even mine and that starts tonight... or today.

My nightmare just began.

Ngunit iyon ay kung wala akong gagawin upang makabalik kung saan ako nararapat. I can't let this things happen, not ever. But I don't freaking know what to do, where the hell would I begin, and who on this dimension would help me?

I'm not Nathalie. I'm Natasha Vil from the Physical Dimension. Hindi ako nabibilang dito. My life is there and nowhere else.

I want to go back now but... “It's just fucking impossible...” I breathed. And then I decided to spend the remaining hours for a sleep before the sunrise.

--

A knock on the door woke me up.

Naggising agad ako dahil hindi naman malalim ang tulog ko. I frowned, wrinkles on my forehead took its place while my eyebrows met each other on a furrow.

Hindi ko na-lock ang pinto, so who did?

Mahigit isang minuto rin akong nakahiga sa kama bago ako tuluyang bumangon. Pakiramdam ko ay lutang ako ngayon, ang dali kong mawala sa huwisyo.

“Mag-a-alas otso na, you're already fifteen minutes late,” bungad ni Elis pagbukas ko ng pinto.

Napatingin ako sa soot niya and I was like scrutinizing him.

‘Nice outfit...’ sa isip-isip ko. Mukha siyang presentable sa soot niya. Faded jeans and a grey t-shirt, simple pero bagay sa kaniya at ang linis niyang tingnan. I looked down only to find out that he's wearing a white rubber shoes.

“Late for what?” My voice sounded so tired and no hint of interest at all. Pinanliitan niya lamang ako ng mata.

“Nat—”

“Hindi ako si Nathalie, Elis,” seryoso at may diin kong sabi. He just looked at me.

“I know. Let me finish first.”

I shrugged my shoulders and let him talk.

“Natasha, right?” Tumungo ako. “Nathalie is gone and you're here. Dress up, we'll go to the lab.”

Gusto kong matawa sa sinabi niya. “Why the hell would I go to that lab? I won't.”

“Please,” wika niya. “Stop acting like you're not accountable for all of this shit. Because you are and I will have to find out soon.” He took a deep breath and said, “I'll give you 30 minutes, I'll be waiting down there.”

Nakatitig lamang ako sa kaniya habang naglalakad palayo, pababa sa hagdan, at hanggang sa hindi ko na siya makita.

I clenched my fist. “Fuck everything right now.”

I shut the door with force and it created a loud bang. Muli kong pinagmasdan ang kabuuan ng silid. Still my room but... something is just different.