June couldn't believe his luck.
'Or the lack of it, thereof.'
Nang malaman niya kaninang nasa ibang dimensyon sina Cornelia, agad siyang nag-imbestiga sa loob ng palasyo. Coco was against him rummaging through the already scattered books, but it's not like he has a choice. Kaya habang nagrereklamo ang cactus kanina, isa-isang binasa ni June ang mga aklat at journal na pinakaiingatan ni Sandman.
"HOY! Magagalit si Master Dave kapag nalaman niyang---"
"But he isn't here, is he?" June simply asked, still reading the wornout covers. "At kung gusto nating magkaroon ng tsansang maibalik si Cornelia at ang master mo, we need to learn more about what's happening here."
"There's nothing to learn! Ang Land of Nightmares ay isang parallel, negative version ng Land of Dreams. They co-exist!"
Sandaling natigilan si Coco. Maya-maya pa, nagsalita na naman ito, mas kalmado na ngayon.
"Pero kinalkal na 'yan dati ni Morpheus... He even ripped out a page from a book of prophecies!"
"Morpheus?"
"Yung matangkad na kulay asul ang buhok! He's a demi-god! Matagal na silang may alitan ni Master Sandy at ngayon si Master Dave naman ang binubully niya."
Naalala bigla ni June ang lalaking nagdala sa kanya rito. He knew that bastard wasn't human, but knowing that he's a demi-god is ten times worse. Hanggang ngayon, palaisipan pa rin sa kanya kung anong hihilingin nitong kapalit. He felt sick just thinking about it.
'Dahil kung gusto niya akong patayin, sana kanina niya pa ginawa,' isip-isip niya.
Nang mahanap na niya ang sinasabi nitong libro na naglalaman ng mga propesiya, kumunot ang noo ni June sa hitsura nito. Compared to the other old books that looked like they've been here forever, this one looked like it's been kept in good condition.
He flipped through the pages, not understanding the language used.
"Nawawala ang page 34."
"Yan din ang sinabi ko kay Master Dave! Nawawala! Nawawalaaaaa!"
June wanted to badly to cover his ears right now. Agad niyang isinara ang libro at lumingon kay Coco, "Paano mo sila nakausap?"
Natahimik si Coco at pasimpleng bumaling sa direksyon ng bintana.
"Ang ganda ng araw 'no? Mukhang maraming Vitamin D---"
"Coco, paano mo sila nakausap?"
"B-Bawal kong sabihin.. Masyado ka nang maraming nalalaman."
"Please," June pleaded, sitting in front of the plant. "Kailangan nating magtulungan kung gusto natin silang mailabas sa Land of Nightmares."
Dahil dito, mukhang napaisip sandali si Coco. Maya-maya pa, tinuro na niya ang bolang crystal sa sahig, 'di kalayuan sa kinalalagyan ng paso niya. June understood, his heart racing as he approached the crystal ball.
'Cornelia...'
Because as screwed up as everything is, if June were to be honest with himself, she was his top priority.
In fact, Cornelia is his only priority.
Nang mahawakan na niya ang crystal ball, biglang nagliwanag ito. Tila ba may abuhing usok na umiikot sa loob, unti-unting nagpapakita ng mga imahe. June held his breath as the smoke slowly cleared up, showing him a barren desert with white marble houses. Para bang abandonado at matagal nang sinira ng panahon ang mga bahay na ito.
Suddenly, June saw a glimpse of her back.
"Cornelia...?"
Pero bago pa man niya makuha ang atensyon ng dalaga, June was forcefully dragged backwards. Napasigaw sa pagkabigla si June, nabitiwan ang crystal ball. A loud crash erupted from the palace as it smashed onto the floor. Maging si Coco ay nabigla sa mga pangyayari.
"Time's up, mortal."
Morpheus' voice called from somewhere.
"What? N-No! Please, nahanap ko na si Cornelia, kailangan ko siyang kausapin, kailangan ko siyang tulungang bumalik---!"
June woke up.
Hinihingal man, natataranta niyang sinipat ang kanyang sarili. Maya-maya pa, napabuntong-hininga na lang siya. The bits of sand on his shirt was enough to prove that what happened was real. "That's a relief," he told himself. Nang libutin niya ng tingin ang kanyang paligid, doon niya napagtanong wala na pala siya sa eskinita.
Hindi niya alam kung bakit siya nakabalik sa kanyang kwarto. Nakaupo pa siya sa harap ng kanyang study table, as if he just fell asleep while working on a project. Kung tama ang hinala niya, malamang kagagawan ito ni Morpheus, ang demi-god na nagdala sa kanya sa Land of Dreams.
And now the question remains: is he a friend or a foe?
Parang dumami lang ang mga tanong niya dahil sa kanyang mga natuklasan. At nang dumako ang mga mata ni June sa papel na nasa ibabaw ng desk, nanlamig ang kanyang katawan.
It was another sketch he unconsciously drew earlier this evening. At first he didn't even pay any attention to it, pero nang mapansin niya ang pamilyar na mga bahay na gawa sa marmol at ang dalagang naglalakad sa gitna ng disyerto habang nakatalikod sa kanya, something finally clicked.
Binalingan niya ang halos umabot na sa isang daang larawan na wala sa sarili niyang iginuguhit nitong nakaraang mga linggo, all with the same faceless girl as the subject of his artworks.
Mahinang natawa si June, hindi makapaniwala sa hiwaga ng sitwasyon.
"Matagal ko na palang alam kung anong nangyayari kay Cornelia."
Oh, the irony.
---
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...
