The Golden Forest

Golden 43 : Numb

Numb

Sumampa ako sa aking kama at humilata. Sinundan ko ng tingin ang mga maliliit na ilaw na mistulang mga bituin sa kisame ng aking silid. Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata para matulog na. Agad ko din itong dinilat nang marinig ang dalawang beses na katok sa pintuan. Who would knock on my door in this time? It's almost eleven o'clock in the evening.

Imposible naman atang pupunta pa si Ate Asia dito sa kwarto ko ng ganitong oras. Tumayo ako at lumapit dito. Before I could open the door I heard a whispered.

"Maybe, she's sleeping already." Nagsalubong ang aking kilay nang mabosesan ang nagsalita.

Binuksan ko ang pintuan at sakto paalis na sana siya. Nakatagilid siya sa akin dahil sa pagtangkang pag-alis. Nakita ko ang gulat na gumuhit sa mukha niya nang makita ko.

"What the heck are you doing here, Kaevrint?"

Humarap siya sa akin at pinasok sa loob ng bulsa ng kaniyang pantalon ang kaniyang dalawang kamay.

"Nothing."

I raised my eyebrow at him. "It's eleven o'clock in the evening, Kavi. At ano nga ba kasing ginagawa mo dito? Didn't you left this house already?"

"I wouldn't be in front of you if I already left this house, wouldn't I?"

"Wag mo akong pinipilosopo baka anong gawin ko sa 'yo."

"The Goldens are all here." He said.

Nanlaki ang aking mga mata. Ano namang ginagawa nila dito?

"Anong oras kayo nagpunta dito? 'Tsaka ano nga kasing ginagawa niyo dito?"

"We arrived here at ten o'clock. And to answer your question why we're here, it's because Reina Mirella told us to be here."

What the heck? Kanina pa sila pinapapunta ni Reina Mirella dito, ah. Ano bang meron?

"Okay, and why are you knocking in my door?" I asked.

"Just wondering if you're already sleeping. But I guess your still awake."

"Siraulo ka ba? Anong trip mo sa buhay? I was about to sleep when you knocked. Kung hindi ka makatulog 'wag ka mandamay ng ibang tao, pwede?"

"You're not even a tao."

"What?"

"Just go back inside and sleep."

"How am I supposed to sleep if you ruined it? Inaantok na ako kanina pero ngayon hindi na dahil nga sa trip mo sa buhay mo na hindi ko malaman bakit nadadamay ako."

"You also ruined me, so we're even."

"What? Pinagsasasabi mo? Kulang ka lang sa tulog, kung ako sa 'yo matulog ka na."

"I was about to but you're ruining my sleepiness by just talking to me. Kaya hindi na rin ako inaantok."

"Oh, so it's my fault now?"

"I didn't say it was your fault. But, I guess, I did."

I scoffed. "Let me just remind you that you're the one who come here and the first who interrupted my sleep."

"Then, I guess, I'll just blame myself."

"Siraulo ka nga talaga." Bulong ko.

"Oh, that part was your fault now, not mine. Blame yourself for ruining my normal self." He said then walked away.

Pinanood ko lang ang likod niya na papalayo. He left while I'm here, looking like a statue. That guy is literally giving me a headache. He wouldn't obviously stop this game of him. Bumalik na ako sa loob. Isasara ko na sana ang pintuan nang may mapansin dito.

A sticky note. Kaparehas nito ang sticky note na nasa loob ng paper bag na pinaglagyan ng aking pagkain. Is this from him? No, that's so impossible. It's probably from someone else. Hindi lang naman siya ang nasa bahay na ito. Kinuha ko ito at binuksan.

|Goodnight, my golden.|

~~~

Narinig ko ang marahang pagkatok ng kung sino sa pintuan ng aking kwarto. I was too sleepy to open my eyes and check who it was. I wasn't able to give it a response. Nanatili akong nakapikit nang tumigil ang pagkatok. Minutes passed, I heard the door open. Pinatili kong nakapikit ang aking mga mata habang naririnig ang yabag nito sa loob ng aking kwarto.

It's probably just Ate Asia. She's the only one who has a spare key to my room.

Natigilan ako nang makaamoy ng pamilyar na pabango. Sa tingin ko ay naamoy ko na 'to sa kung saan. I felt a little shiver when I felt as if someone was looking at me. I felt more shivers when I felt that it wasn't just one person. They seemed to be more than one person. I can feel their stares.

I tried to open my eyes, pero nanigas ako nang hindi ko ito magawang idilat manlang. I felt a horror inside me. Sinubukan kong igalaw ang aking mga kamay, but I felt numb. Hindi ko maigalaw o maramdaman manlang ang buong katawan ko. Lalo akong binalutan ng takot at kaba nang makarinig ng mga maliliit na mga salita. Mga taong nag-uusap.

Pero kahit isa ay wala akong maintindihan. They seem to be whispering or something that I don't even understand. Minutes passed, and the little voices, na sa tingin ko ay mga nasa paligid ko lang ay biglang huminto. Then, it became clear. My hearing became clearer.

"She's here." It was a woman's voice.

Napabalikwas ako nang bangon nang maramdaman ang dalawang kamay na nakahawak sa balikat ko na tila inuuga ako.

"Faye," Kavi whispered. He's the one who keeps waking me up.

Napatingin ako sa aking kamay at nararamdaman ko na ito. Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata at napahawak sa aking ulo.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Hindi ko siya binigyan ng kahit na anong sagot at nanatili akong nakapikit. What was that?

"W-what happened?" I asked then looked at him.

"Ate Asia told me to come here and wake you up. But I kept knocking and you didn't open your door. So, I asked Ate Asia for your room's key. Then, I saw you, sweating and shaking. " He whispered the last words.

"What happened? Are you not feeling well?" Tanong niya at kinapa ang aking noo.

"I-I'm good. I-it's just a bad dream. I can't open my eyes, I can't feel my body, like I'm dead," I whispered.

***