A Close Second

Fifty First

Hello!

Happy Halloween! Or rather belated Halloween.

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I looked around and just found myself in a room.

Madilim, with a window high above me, illuminating a part of the place even though it was still dark. It seemed to be a cellar or some sort. Walang kalaman laman yung kwarto, save for a plate of food and a bottle of water sa gilid.

Where I was, I didn't exactly know. I wasn't familiar with it, but it gave me a bit of chills. I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck raise up a little when I heard sobs in the far corner.

"Mama."

I didn't know where I got the courage, but I crept cautiously, not knowing kung ano ang sasalubong sa akin. The sobs were heartbreaking, almost helpless. My eyes adjusted as I went nearer all of the crying.

A little boy sat there, a dark blue collared shirt and tan shorts. He looked decent really, save for the disheveled hair and the splotched face. Halata ang mga takot sa mukha niya.

"Mama?"

Nakatayo lang ako sa harapan niya when he looks up, the little face reflecting someone I know all too well.

"How long do you think he's been like that?"

Napatingin ako sa tabi ko only for me to stare at another familiar face.

It was strange, to see myself standing like that and not mirroring me. Nakatingin lang ito sa batang Keith Andrew na nakaakap sa mga tuhod niya. I remembered the last time I saw her, wearing the same dark clothes that she was wearing.

"Who... who are you?" tanong ko.

She slowly turns at me, her face pale and eyes dark while her dark straight hair framed her face as it flowed down until her shoulders. Her face displayed a sinister smile that made the hairs on my arm stand.

"Why, Beatrice? Don't you recognize who I am?" Tanong nito sa akin.
"What?"

Lumapit siya sa akin, and I automatically step back, a little scared.

"Don't you recognize yourself, Courtney?"

I jolt awake with that.

Ang lakas ng tibok ng dibdib ko at nararamdaman ko ito habang hinihingal. Napatingin ako sa relo sa wall, seeing it being 3:34 in the morning. Inabot ko ang tumbler ko ng tubig sa bedside saka naman uminom ng tubig mula dito para pakalmahin ang puso ko.

It wasn't really a new thing that I get these dreams.                      

Simula nung aksidente, it was a collective of odd dreams, most of the time was just me wandering around unfamiliar places, some being chased. There were times where I would wake up na sobrang pawisan as if I was thrown underwater sa sobrang pawis. I barely get to sleep at least 4 hours a night because of it.

Ramdam ko parin ang kaba ko sa panaginip na nakuha ko. I reached over my phone by the nightstand and checked my messages.

3 messages received.

Thea Andrea

Ate B, will you come through? Jacob misses you na.

It has been 4 months since the accident and to tell the truth, there was a lot of things that had changed.

Naging madalang na rin ang pagbisita namin ni Keith Andrew kay Jake na kung dati dati ay sobrang dalas. You'd say that people eventually moved on from the whole thing.