CASSIAN'S POV
I thought it was just a house. One house, but turns out, there were three or more behind it. Hindi naman talaga siya bahay kung mamasdan mo. It was shabby as you can see. With no proper roofs.
Plus, it was located out of nowhere so I was pretty suspicious.
Habang papalapit kami ni Karina sa bahay ay medyo kinakabahan ako na hindi ko mawari. I got this uneasy feeling lingering inside me. Paranoid na siguro ako dahil sa sitwasyon namin.
Hindi mawala sa isip ko ang sinabi ni Logan tungkol sa mga Vuldus. They were in Sahara, he said. And I'm pretty sure we're in Sahara. Hindi lang ako sigurado kung malayo o malapit ang Flavia dito. I need a map to be able to know.
Karina and I, we've been walking for miles now. Malapit na akong maawa sa babae eh. Although, panay ang reklamo niya, panay din naman ang lakad niya. At ngayong nakakita na kami ng bahay, ayoko namang sabihin sa kanya na umalis na lang kami at magpatuloy sa paglalakad.
The square house stand in few acres. Medyo malaki kung ikukumpara sa ibang bahay sa Pinas. Pero halatang matandang bahay na ito.
Sira-sira na ang dingding maging ang pintuan at bintana. I doubt kung may nakatira pa dito. But we need to try.
"Tao po! Tao po!" biglang sigaw ni Karina.
Napakamot ako sa ulo. "Yeah as if they'll understand you," sabi ko.
The woman scrunched her face. "Eh ano ba dapat? 'Hello! Is anybody here?!' I'm pretty sure they will not understand english either!" patuya niyang sabi.
Bumuga ako ng hangin bago bumaling sa bahay na sa kung anong dahilan eh bukas ang pinto. O mas tama siguro sabihing walang pinto. "But at least we can start with that. English is the universal language anyway," sabi ko sabay sigaw ng "HELLO! IS ANYONE HERE?!"
At first walang sumagot sa 'kin. Katahimikan lang. Pero mayamaya nakarinig ako nang kung anong ingay mula sa may likuran ng bahay at ilang sandali pa ay sumilip ang matandang lalaki. At kapag sinabi kong matanda, I mean, sobrang tanda talaga. Siguro abot setenta (70) ang edad o higit pa. Sobrang kulubot ang balat sa mukha at payat na payat.
He was wearing a worn-out white thawb, arabic man's sort of clothing which tells me he's a muslim.
He looked like a deceased man, the difference is that he's still breathing and standing and apparently talking.
"Min 'anat? (Who are you?!)" he said.
Karina suddenly launched herself onto me. Halatang natakot siya sa itsura ng matanda.
"Hello Sir!" bati ko. Hindi ako sigurado kung naiintindihan niya ang wikang Ingles pero umaasa akong oo. I don't want to talk in Arabic.
Palitan kaming tiningnan ng matandang lalaki. Halatang pinag-aralan ang itsura namin.
"Can you please help us? We've got lost in the desert. And we don't know any way to the nearest town. We just need a place to stay at least for tonight. Please." I said.
The old man peeked behind us. Siguro tinitingnan niya kung may kasama pa kami. Iginala niya ang paningin niya sa desyerto bago muling ibinalik sa amin. For some reason, there's a hint of uncertainty on his eyes. Para bang natatakot siya na patuluyin kami.
"Tomorrow," sabi ng matanda bago lumayo sa pintuan para patuluyin kami. "Only tomorrow, no more. No more go away after," aniya sa hirap na english.
Nagliwanag ang mukha ni Karina. "Thank you! Thank you, Sir!" anang babae at nauna na siyang pumasok sa loob ng bahay. Napailing na lang ako.
Lumingon ako sa desyerto. Malapit nang sumapit ang dilim at wala pa rin akong ideya kung nasaan kami.
BINABASA MO ANG
Sands of Serendipity
RomanceKarina Trevino, a bratty supermodel, and Cassian Ahren Aquinas, a heartbroken man, find their paths crossing at a wedding. Their unusual tension is fueled by Cassian's indifference towards Karina's charm. Fate takes an unexpected turn when they end...
