"Teka, ibig sabihin nito may iba pang dimensyon bukod sa Land of Dreams slash Nightmares at sa Waking World?"
Cornelia couldn't help but ask. Tutal, ilang minuto na rin naman silang naglalakad sa disyerto at sinimulan na rin naman ni Dave ang topic kanina. Siguro nga na-bored na ito kaya napakwento na lang. Either that, or he's really a talkative person deep down.
His eyes momentarily landed on her, a brown so dark that she had almost mistaken them for black.
'Or maybe his eyes are really black?'
If only Cornelia could get a closer look.
Maya-maya pa, sinagot na ni Dave ang tanong niya. "I wouldn't call it 'dimension', actually. Noong nag-aaral pa ako, palagi akong tinatama ni Sandman sa paggamit ng terms dahil baka raw mapagpalit ko sila... But it's more like a 'plane' in between the Land of Dreams or Nightmares and the Waking World. Ang tawag namin sa plane na ito ay ang 'Realm In Between' or simply 'Realm'. Dito ako malayang nakakakilos para manipulahin ang mga panaginip ninyo at panoorin ang Dreamscapes."
Earlier, Dave already explained (or at least gave her an overview) of what these Dreamscapes are. Pero dahil masyado na ring technical ang mga sinasabi nito kanina, wala na siyang matandaan bukod sa ang Dreamscapes daw ang access o "bintana" ng Dreamcaster para panoorin ang panaginip ng mga mortal.
Just then, she realized something.
"Kung magkakaiba naman pala ang Waking World, sa Land of Dreams/Nightmares, at sa tinatawag ninyong 'Realm In Between', bakit kita nakita noong gabing 'yon? Shouldn't you be observing my Dreamscape without me knowing?"
Indeed, there are boundaries!
Ang sabi ni Dave, ang Waking World ay ang mundong ginagalawan ng mga mortal, where their conscious mind is. Kung ganoon, kung nasa Realm naman pala si Dave noong gabing 'yon, why was she able to see him? May barrier dapat sa pagitan ng Waking World at Realm In Between.
For the first time since they started to play this questioning game, Dave looked unsure---in fact, Dave looked as unsure as he was the first time they've met! At katulad ng sagot na natanggap niya noon...
"Hindi ko pa rin alam, Elia. Kaya nga nagulat ako noong nadiskubre kong nakikita mo ako. In reality, you shouldn't even be talking to me right now," Dave answered, quickly masking his worries. Mukhang ayaw rin niyang ipahalata ang epekto nito sa kanya.
Ano ba ang consequences nito?
Cornelia thought about it, pero wala rin talaga siyang maisip na dahilan. Wala namang "iba" sa kanya! She's just a normal art student who's silently hoping to get out of the Eastwood Central University with a degree. Pero sana talaga nakinig siya noong sinabi nilang mas madaling makapasok sa ECU kaysa makalabas. Sa sitwasyon nila ngayon, hindi na niya alam kung makakapasok pa ba siya ulit.
A prick of pain made her flinch, causing her to let go of his hand.
"Malapit na ba tayo sa destinasyon natin?" Cornelia didn't know how long she'll be able to act like the cut didn't bother her. Kung anumang lugar ang Oasis, naga-assume na lang siyang may medical supplies na available doon.
"Just a five-minute walk away. Kaya mo pa ba?" Dave asked, eyeing her wound in curiosity. Alam rin kaya niyang pwedeng mag-iwan ng totoong sugat ang nightmares ng ibang tao sa kanya?
"Kaya pa naman. L-Let's just keep walking... Wala rin naman tayong---"
A ripping sound stopped her.
Bago pa man siya makapagprotesta, namalayan na lang niyang binabalutan na pala ni Dave ng tela ang kanyang braso. She stared in disbelief as he efficiently wrapped the wound, working as if he did this a thousand times already.
Nang matapos ito, agad na nag-iwas ng tingin si Dave at nauna na sa paglalakad.
"Come on, we need to get that treated."
Cornelia smiled, now noticing his exposed right arm after he ripped the sleeve of his moss green dress shirt.
'Maybe he's not so bad, after all.'
*
"Wala pa si Cornelia? Malapit nang magsimula ang klase."
"Baka na-late lang...?"
Sa huli, wala nang nang-usisa pa. Bumalik sa kanya-kanyang gawain ang mga estudyante habang hinihintay ang kanilang propesor. Sa kabilang bahagi ng kwarto, kanina pa tahimik na nakikinig sa kanila si June. He was in the middle of his occasional sketches, but something about the conversation he overheard made him lose his concentration.
'Kahit kailan, hindi pa nale-late sa klaseng 'to si Cornelia.'
Other students might miss that tiny detail, but not him.
Not when he practically watched her from afar ever since their high school days. Siguro nga nagkataong pareho sila ng kurso, pero aaminin naman niyang sinasadya niya minsang magkapareho sila ng class schedule. It was harmless, of course. There's nothing wrong about it, especially since Cornelia doesn't even know he exists.
It works out just fine, since June doesn't want to make his existence known to her, as well.
'And it should be kept that way. Ayokong makagulo sa mga pangarap niya,' isip-isip ni June at ibinalik ang kanyang atensyon sa kanina niya pa dino-drawing.
It was another strange sketch, one that he'd surely keep tucked inside an old book with the rest of the others.
"The T. rex and the girl who almost got bitten by it."
Lame title, he knows. Kahit kailan naman, hindi niya alam kung paano bibigyan ng titulo ang mga obra maestra niya (kahit na sketch lang naman 'to). But just like what it suggests, the shades of his charcoal pencil brought life to the scene where the dinosaur's mouth hovered over the girl, who was lying on the grassy ground of a tropical rainforest.
June added a little detail to the girl's expression, capturing her moment of fear.
"There."
Hindi niya alam kung saan niya nakuha ang ideya na 'to, but it was as if his hands had a mind of their own.
Wala na siyang nagawa kundi itabi ang kanyang sketchbook nang pumasok na ang kanilang art teacher, with Cornelia being absent throughout the session.
---
BINABASA MO ANG
✔ Dreamcaster
Fantasy"I am a Dreamcaster." "But you don't have any dreams?" "Does it matter?" He challenged. She glared back. "It does." After his mentor's retirement, tuluyan nang pinandigan ni Dave ang kanyang mga responsibilidad bilang isang Dreamcaster. As someone w...
