"Dapat pala nag-magic ka na lang ng kotse."
"Sana kanina mo pa sinuggest 'yan," he replied.
"Hindi mo ba pwedeng gawin? Or perhaps include some engines on this camel's back?"
What the heck?
"Nahirapan na nga ako kaninang mag-imagine ng camel, pagi-imagine-in mo pa ako ng camel na may engine sa likod? And no, I'm too damn drained to even create a rock out of sand."
"Sungit."
Dave glanced at Cornelia, who was leisurely seated on the back of the camel. Ilang oras na silang naglalakbay sa disyerto at mukhang naiinip na rin ito. As for him, he got off the creature half an hour ago and decided to walk instead.
Dalawang rason: una, dahil natuklasan niyang sumusunod rin sa kanya ang buhangin sa Land of Nightmares so the place doesn't attack him (oo inatake kanina ng buhangin si Elia, quicksand everywhere), at pangalawa, naiilang siyang sakyan ang nilalang na 'yon.
How could anyone go anywhere riding a freakin' camel?
Cornelia called him dramatic, pero ano pa bang ine-expect nito? Wala sa training niya ang maglakbay nang ilang kilometro sa disyerto!
'This is one of the many reasons why I don't stray too far from the palace,' he thought.
Sinulyapan niya ulit ang mapa sa carpet. Kung tama ang direksyong tinatahak nila, dapat ay makikita na nila ang tuktok ng palasyo. Dave rolled the carpet and slung it over his shoulder, craning his neck to get a clearer view of the sandy landscape.
"The palace should be right over..."
Maya-maya pa, nakita na niya ang pagkinang ng pilak na bubong nito.
"There!"
Tumingin naman si Cornelia sa itinuro niya. "Saan?" Nang 'di niya ito mahanap, she grabbed the rolled carpet on his shoulder and used it as a telescope. Bago pa man makapagprotesta ang Dreamcaster, she finally spoke, "Ang akala ko ba sabi mo gold and white ang colors ng palasyo ni Sandman?"
Dave almost forgot that he filled her in on the details earlier. Dahil mamamatay na sila sa boredom at uhaw, naikwento niya rito ang hitsura ng palasyo sa Land of Dreams.
When they neared the palace, he mirrored her confusion.
Dahil malayong-malayo ito sa inaasahan niyang hitsura ng kinalakhang niyang tahanan. Although the infrastructure was a replica of the one in the Land of Dreams, imbes na ginto, kulay pilak ang mga tore nito. They glimmered under the artificial light, reminding him of the silver door knob on the door Cornelia accidentally opened. Imbes na puti (na paboritong kulay ni Sandman), the walls were painted ebony black. The golden dragon ornaments outside the door were also replaced by demon heads carved in black marble.
'The Land of Nightmares really is a negative version of the Land of Dreams,' Dave noted and tried to open the door. Bumaba na rin si Cornelia mula sa camel at sinamahan siya. Walang kahirap-hirap na bumukas ang pinto.
The air smelled like burnt flesh and aged leather.
Nothing about this place feels like home.
"Sa tingin mo ba may evil version din si Sandman dito?"
Dave hesitated. "Unlikely. Sa mga nabasa kong libro dati, iisa lang ang Sandman na tinutukoy nila. Nobody mentioned the existence of another Sandman or any other version of him. He's absolute, plus he's already retired."
"You mean 'dead'?"
"...."
That didn't seem to put her at ease.
"Paano kung ikaw naman ang may evil version?"
Hindi na nakaimik si Dave. Gustuhin man niyang i-reassure si Cornelia na imposible ring magkaroon siya ng evil version, hindi rin siya sigurado kung paano ang mga batas sa Land of Nightmares. And then there's that incident with the evil Megara. Sa reaksyon nito kanina, para bang hindi siya nagulat nang makita si Dave. Does that mean that they already know each other because they've met in the Land of Dreams?
Or does she know another, evil, version of Dave here in the Land of Nightmares?
'Iisa lang ako?'
Nang mapansin niya ang pag-aalala sa mukha ni Cornelia, he tried to smile and shrug off the idea. He took a step inside the familiar yet foreign palace and urged her inside.
"Iisa lang ako. You don't have to worry about anything, Elia."
Kahit pa mukhang napipilitan, tumango ang dalaga at sinundan na rin siya sa loob.
Gusto naiyang isipin na tapos na ang mga aalalahanin sa ngayon, pero may isang problema pa pala siyang kailangang alalahanin.
"WELCOME HOME, MASTER DAVE!"
---
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...
