A/N: This chapter contains a piece of Linked Souls chapter 53 and Shattered Souls chapter 7. You can reread the said chapters after niyong mabasa ito para mas maintindihan niyo. Thank you and enjoy reading!
Chapter 12: Remembering
"I am happy to see you again, Oscar."
Ilang sandali akong hindi nakakibo. I had to remind myself that I was in another delusion. This woman was not real. She's made up for me.
I took my time and roamed my eyes around. We were standing in the middle of the meadow with nothing around, but various flowers bloomed from the ground. The wind was playing with my hair. Everything felt real.
"You look so different from the last time I saw you," I heard her chuckle. Napalingon ako sa kanya. Siya naman ngayon ay nakatingin sa malayo. She was smiling.
"Then I barely remember the last time."
I swallowed. "What am I doing here?"
She refocused her eyes on me. Tiningnan niya ako bago natawa. Yumuko siya para pumitas ng kulay dilaw na bulaklak. It looked like a sunflower.
"Don't you like this place anymore?" she asked, a bit disappointed.
I watched her take each petal off of the sunflower. She was muttering something. Napangiti siya nung malagas ang huling talutot ng bulaklak.
"Let's have some drink?" she asked.
I blinked once and we disappeared from the meadow. Nasa loob na kami ng isang maliit na kubo. Nakaupo ako habang si Astra ay nakatalikod sa akin at nagsasalin ng alak sa dalawang baso.
"We could have had a better life," she whispered.
Humarap siya sa akin saka pinatong ang baso na may alak sa harapan ko. Saka siya umupo sa tabi ko. Pinanuod ko siyang uminom sa alak niya.
She sighed. Makahulugan ang buntonghininga niya. Nakatingin siya sa malayo at tila may iniisip. Napailing pa siya.
"You are not real," I reminded myself.
She's just in my head. We are both in my head.
"Bakit ang tagal mong dumating?" dinig kong bulong niya. Saka siya bumaling sa akin. May lungkot na hindi mapagtanto sa boses niya. "Nagugutom ka na ba? May karne pa. Gusto mong initin ko?"
I shook my head. Inabot ko ang alak na sinalin niya para sa akin saka uminom. Naramdaman kong gumapang sa lalamunan ko ang alak. I could feel the moment, as if I was not in a delusion.
What am I doing here?
No. I am in another delusion. That means there's something about this. I have to play along. Iyon lang ang tanging paraan para makalabas ako.
I cleared my throat. "I think I am hungry."
"Sure. Magpapadingas lang ako," aniya.
Tumayo siya saka lumapit sa lutuang kalan de kahoy. Naglagay siya roon ng mga panggatong. Pagkatapos ay tumayo siya saka lumingon sa paligid na animo ay may hinahanap.
Napatingin ako sa posporo sa harapan ko. Kinuha ko 'yon saka lumapit sa kanya. Imbes na iabot ay yumuko ako para ako na ang magpadingas.
"Salamat..." dinig kong sabi niya.
Habang inaayos ni Astra ang karne na isasalang ay siniguro kong hindi mamamatay ang apoy. Even the heat from the smoldering woods, I could feel it in my face.
"I was really worried you wouldn't meet me here again. Pero kung sakali mang hindi ka na nga bumalik, mas nanaisin ko na lang ding manatili rito kahit mag-isa lang ako. Ayoko nang bumalik pa."
