The Unseen Familiar

Prologue

The Unseen Familiar

Every night, she found herself standing in the same place - sa isang hardin ng isang hindi pamilyar na bahay. A garden filled with vibrant, colorful flowers of every kind, their petals swaying gently in the cool night breeze. In the center stood a sturdy, wide garden house, its wooden beams weathered yet strong, almost as if it had been waiting there for centuries. Pero lagi siyang nandoon, nakatayo sa malayo, watching it in silence.

In the brilliance of sunlight, she saw him. A faceless figure, distant yet strangely familiar, standing inside the garden house. There was something magnetic about him, like an invisible thread pulling her closer, kahit hindi niya alam kung sino siya. Her heart thudded in her chest as she tried to make out his features, pero tila lagi itong nababalot ng anino, a mystery hidden just out of reach.

She didn't know his name, never even saw his face, pero alam ng puso niya na he was someone important, someone na parang kilala na niya noon pa man. Her heart recognized him, kahit hindi niya maintindihan kung bakit.

One night in her dream. This time, it's different. Habang nagmumuni-muni siya sa harap ng rumaragasang alon ng dagat, she let the cool breeze and the rhythmic sound of the waves calm her restless mind. Sa kanyang pag-iisa, nakatanaw siya sa malayo, iniisip ang mga bagay na tila nawawala sa kanyang buhay.

Then suddenly, may lumapit na lalaki. He was quiet at first, standing beside her as they both watched the waves. Hindi niya alam kung bakit, pero may kakaibang kalmado siyang nadama sa presensya nito, as if his silence was as comforting as the sea.

"Madalas ka bang pumunta dito?" tanong ng lalaki, ang boses nito'y mababa at kalmado, halos dinadala siya sa ibang mundo.

"Kapag kailangan kong mag-isip," she replied, glancing at this faceless man and finding warmth in his gentle presence.

As the nights passed, they found themselves meeting by the shore, sharing stories and quiet laughter. Hindi nagtagal, naging magkaibigan sila. The more time she spent with him, the more she realized how kind he was-always looking out for her, making sure she was okay, caring in a way that felt genuine and rare.

For a fleeting moment, she felt the urge to confirm his identity-to reach out and touch his face, to uncover the mystery hidden behind the shadows. Akala niya may makikita siyang kakaiba - a hint of a smile, a glimmer in his unseen eyes. Her hand trembled as it moved closer, hoping to finally break the barrier between them. But just as her fingers brushed the edge of his face, bigla siyang nagising.

Now, as she walked through her ordinary days, hindi niya maiwasang magtanong sa sarili: Was he real? Naririto ba siya, somewhere close, waiting to be found?

This is a work of fiction names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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