June felt himself being pulled out of reality.
His entire body was buzzing with energy, with whatever that man did to him. Pakiramdam niya tinatangay siya sa ibang dimensyon, malayo sa Eastwood. Hindi rin siya makahinga nang maayos. For a moment, it felt like his chest was being weighed down by something, squeezing his lungs in a tight space.
'Anong nangyayari sa'kin?'
June finally gasped for air.
Napaupo siya't agad na hinanap ang misteryosong lalaki. Pero imbes na isang abandonadong eskinita, bumungad sa kanya ang isang malawak na disyerto. He paused and studied his surroundings.
"Paano ako napunta rito?"
He gazed up, only to be welcomed by the artificial sunlight. June, still confused, tried to shield his eyes before it blinded him. Nang mapagtanto niyang nakasalampak pa rin siya sa buhanginan, nanghihina siyang tumayo at pinagpag ang kanyang pantalon.
That's when he spotted several stones embedded in the sand.
Pinulot niya ang isang emerald at pinagmasdan ito. But before he could even get a proper look, someone spoke from behind him.
"I wouldn't mess with those stones if I were you. Hindi mo dapat pinapakialaman ang mga panaginip ng ibang tao."
Nang lumingon siya sa kanyang kaliwa, nakita na naman niya ang misteryosong lalaking nagdala sa kanya rito. As much as June wanted to demand answers from him, pakiradam niya hindi magiging madali ang negosasyon niya rito. Not when this bastard has the power to bring him to an unknown realm with just pince of magical sand.
'This is crazy.'
Nonetheless, June doesn't plan to let his guard down.
"Mga panaginip? Are you saying these gems contain human dreams?" He decided to play along. Pero sa kabila ng kanyang biro, hindi na umimik ang lalaki at nagsimula nang maglakad papalayo.
"Sulitin mo na ang limitado mong oras dito, mortal. I could only be so generous. The Land of Dreams is the best place to find answers to your questions."
Sa isang kisapmata, naglaho ang estranghero.
June was left alone, even more confused than ever. Land of Dreams? Nasisiraan na nga siguro ng bait ang isang 'yon. Dumako ulit ang mga mata ng aspiring artist sa emerald. This time, he felt a bolt of electricity surging through his fingertips. Images started flashing before him.
Natataranta niyang hinagis papalayo ang bato.
"A-Ano yun?"
Nababaliw na rin yata siya.
Maya-maya pa, napansin na ni June ang palasyo sa 'di kalayuan. The white walls and golden tear-shaped roofs called out to him like an Arabian dream. Namalayan na lang niyang tinatangay na siya ng mga paa niya rito. When June finally reached the front door, he was surprised to see it was already open.
"Hello?"
Walang katao-tao sa loob. Napapitlag ang binata nang mag-isang nagsara ang dambulang pinto sa kanyang likuran. Kabado niyang inilibot ang kanyang mga mata. Ano namang mga sagot ang makukuha niya rito? June carefully made his way to an adjacent room with several bookshelves and a low wooden table. Must be the receiving area for guests.
'Sino namang maninirahan sa isang palasyo sa gitna ng disyerto?'
Something caught his attention.
June saw a limp cactus in its pot. Lalo siyang naguluhan. Nang lalapitan na niya sana ito, biglang tumayo ang cactus at tinitigan siya.
....tinitigan siya? Ng cactus?
Damn.
Everything in his life is now officially messed up.
"WAAAAAAAAAAAAH! SINO KA?! INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT!"
June almost stumbled back when the cactus started screeching. Napatakip siya sa kanyang mga tainga, hindi alam ang gagawin. "I-I'm sorry for intruding, pero dito ako dinala ng lalaki kanina! Hindi ako masamang tao!"
Huminto sandali ang cactus.
"Masamang tao o mabuting tao ka man, tao ka pa rin at ang Land of Dreams ay hindi para sa mga tao! Kapag nalaman ito ni Master Dave..." It paused, as if remembering something. Maya-maya pa, para bang nanlata ulit ito. Doon na rin napansin ni June na para bang ilang araw nang 'di nadidiligan ang halaman.
So when he spotted a watering can near him, he carefully took it and watered the weird talking cactus.
Nag-angat ng tingin ang cactus, but it didn't complain.
"Ako nga pala si Coco."
"June."
June replaced the watering can and sat in front of Coco. Hindi siya makapaniwalang kinakausap na niya ang isang nagsasalitang cactus. He sighed, 'baka nabagok ang ulo ko kanina sa eskinita at nagkaroon pala ako ng brain damage.' Yes, that's probably the most plausible explanation as to why this is happening to him.
"Coco, nasaan ako?"
Coco frowned, as if contemplating to whether or not answer him.
"Land of Dreams, sa palasyo ni Sandman."
Sandman?
June wanted to as A LOT of questions now. Paano siya nakapunta rito? Ano ang Land of Dreams? Nasaan si Sandman? Sino ang tinatawag niyang 'Master Dave' kanina? Pero sa kabila ng lahat ng ito, iisang tanong lang ang nangibabaw sa kanya.
"May nakita ka bang dalaga rito? She's about my age, usually wearing her hair in braids with Cornelia flowers. Matagal na namin siyang hinahanap..."
Coco tilted its cactus head to the side, as if remembering something.
"SIYA YUN!"
"N-Nakita mo siya? Kilala mo si Cornelia?"
Coco nodded, almost too eagerly.
"OO AT 'DI KO SIYA GUSTO! HMPH!"
Okay...? Mukhang may personal na inis ang cactus na 'to kay Cornelia. Pero sa kabila nito, hindi maitago ni June ang kanyang saya. Para siyang nabunutan ng tinik sa dibdib sa nalaman niya, his hearted started beating rapidly.
"Nandito ba siya ngayon?"
Coco shook its head.
"Wala siya rito. Kasama niya ang Master Dave ko sa ibang lupain."
"D-Did your master... ?"
Natawa si Coco. "Kidnap her? HAHAHA! No, no, no. Master Dave would never do such a thing! Ang babaeng 'yon ang kusang sumama kay master."
June felt his heart drop. All this time, Cornelia was with someone else? Ilang linggo na siyang nawawala sa Eastwood... Ilang gabi na silang hindi makatulog nang maayos... Ilang beses nang nabigo si June sa paghahanap sa kanya, but he never stopped. Dahil iyon ang totoo: kailanman, hindi siya huminto sa paghahanap kay Cornelia kahit na hindi siya kilala nito.
Kahit na hindi siya kailanman naging parte ng buhay ng dalagang ilang taon na niyang hinahangaan mula sa malayo.
Hanggang sulyap lang talaga.
'Stop it, June. Ang mahalaga ngayon ay buhay at ligtas si Cornelia,' he reminded himself. This isn't the time to be selfish, not when he already spent a better part of his life selflessly painting her on canvas.
"Nasaan sila ngayon, Coco?"
Pero hindi siya naging handa sa sagot nito...
"That's the problem! Nasa Land of Nightmares sila ngayon."
---
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...
