All a Dream

Chapter 9: Comeback!

"We are not just sisters, Athena... We're twins"

"WHAT?!" TEKA HA, NAGUGULUHAN AKO EH...PA'NO NANGYARI 'YON???"

"Athena...Noong pinapanganak tayo ni mommy, something happened.. Basta ikaw, naligtas ka...Ako..hindi"

"Wait lang, Althea ha. Naguguluhan talaga 'ko sobra."

Hindi ako mapakali sa nalaman ko. Pa ikot-ikot akong naglalakad habang nakatingin sa baba at kinakamot ulo. Hindi ko namalayan, may pumapatak na palang mga luha sa mata ko.

"Althea...? Bakit? Bakit ngayon lang kita nakilala? Bakit ngayon lang kita nakasama? Ano nangyare? Bakit ako lang naligtas, hindi ikaw?"

Ang daming tanong sa utak ko...

"Alam ko tinanong mo na yan sa sarili mo kung bakit ngayon mo lang ako nakilala, Athena. Nakikita na kita noon pa man. Nakikita ko na kayo dati pa nila mommy at daddy everytime na magkasama kayo."

"Pero bakit nga kasi ngayon ngayon lang kita nakilala, Althea?? I want to know. Please, please tell me!"

Hindi talaga ako mapakali. Gustong-gusto ko malaman bakit ngayon ko lang siya nakilala at hindi dati pa.

"Do you still remember the spot na kung saan nag collapse ka outside the school, Athena?" She gently asked

"Oo, tandang-tanda ko pa yun. What about it??" I immediately asked

"That's the spot where I exactly died." Sinabi niya 'to habang may luha na pumapatak sa kanyang mga mata.

"ANO???"

"Yes, you heard me clearly. I existed before, but in only just a short period of time. Patay na ako, Athena. I was born on January 1, 2005, at exactly 2 am. I'm older than you in 5 minutes, sis. I died at 2:37 in the morning. I'm buried at La Fueldo cemetery near a big tree. Dad buried me.

Wala akong masabi. Nagsilakihan mga mata 'ko habang nagsisi tulo naman ang mga luha noong nalaman ko ito.

"I've been watching you grow older, ever since. But I never got the chance to visit you in your dreams. Noong nahimatay ka sa spot na 'yon, sa labas ng school mo, ayun yung naging tulay para makapasok ka sa mundo ko at para magkasama tayo. After that happened, we were then connected. "

"All my life, I've been saying to myself that I want a sister. I want a sister who'll play with me, bond with me, tease me, fight with me, love me... Dati ko pa sinasabi na gusto ko ng kapatid..Hindi ko alam meron pala talaga ako...So ito ba yung ayaw sa'kin aminin nila dad and mom...?"

"Yes, Athena. Ito yung tinatago nila sa'yo dati pa"

Tumalikod ako ng tingin kay Althea. Wala na'kong nasabi pa noong nalaman ko na ang tinatago sa'kin nila mommy...

"I asked you where you live before..You said you live in obscurity...Why?

Bigla ko naalala kaya bigla ko natanong...

"You want to know why I live in obscurity? Because nabuhay ako na walang nakaalam ng nangyare sa'kin, Athena. Walang nakaalam na may kambal ka bukod kay mom, and dad pati 'yung mga nurse at isang body guard. Even our grandparents, cousins, aunts, or other relatives in our family. Hindi nila alam na nabuhay ako. Hindi rin kasi sinabi ng mga nurse sakanila. I'm just a nobody, Athena." She said in a serious tone, looking directly into my eyes habang lumuluha siya.

"No no no...Don't say that!"

I hugged her so tight....

"Even though I just met you a few days ago, you are the best person I have ever met in the whole world. You mean a lot to me, Althea. Simula noong nakilala
na kita, you made me the happiest girl. I felt genuine happiness because of you, sis." I said while hugging her with teary eyes.

"I love you so much, Athena. The moment na unang beses kang nakapasok sa mundo ko, napaka saya ko sobra that time. Kaya napansin mong magdamag akong naka ngiti. Iniiisip mo pa nga ang weird ko, hahahaha" tugon niya

"So kaya pala naka ngiti ka the entire time"

Now I understand why she was always smiling when I met her for the first time...

"Pero bakit...Bakit hindi mo sa'kin 'to sinabi una palang?" I suddenly asked

"Kasi may ka-palit, Athena..." she seriously whispered habang tumutulo ang kanyang mga luha.

Bigla nalang akong nakaramdam ng sobrang pagkaba...

"Ha? Ano ka-palit? What are you talking about?" I questioned

"Na if tell you the truth, I will be gone forever in your dreams, Athena. You won't see me again. That is the consequence...." She looked down.

After she said that, I felt like a thousand knives stabbed me in my back.

I'm looking at her with teary eyes....

"No...No, you're lying! Hindi yan totoo, diba? Tell me HINDI!" I shouted

"I'm sorry, Athena. I'm so sorry!" she hugged me

"This can't be true. Please don't do this to me. Please! I want to be with you forever!" I begged while crying at her shoulder, hugging her.

"BAKIT MO PA KASI SINABI? SANA HINDI MO NALANG SINABI, ALTHEA?!" I shouted

"I had to, Athena. I can't take it any longer knowing that it's almost always stuck in your head and that I can read your mind. You deserve to know the truth, Athena. Ayokong tumanda ka nang hindi nalalaman." She added while hugging me so tight.

"No..Please.." was all I said...

"You won't see me ever again, Athena But my spirit will always be with you, and I'll forever be in your heart. Do not forget " She added

Althea starts fading away. She starts vanishing pa onti-onti habang yakap-yakap ko siya...

"ALTHEA, NO! PLEASE STAY!"

I begged and begged pero patuloy pa rin siyang naglalaho...

She put her cold hand on my face...

"It's time..I will always love you, Athena. Til "we meet again" She said it softly and with a smile.

"I love you, Althea Gabriella Thompson"

I said my goodbyes while tears fell from my eyes, wearing a smile.

Sumama na siya sa hangin....

Napaluhod nalang ako.

I went outside the hotel and followed the flow of the wind.....

"ALTHEA! COMEBACK!"