Whispering Visions

Chapter 9: The Sudden Change in the Dream

The sound of pristine waters flowing into a nearby stream, birds chirping as they hover above, and a gentle blow of wind that delicately rattles the crowns of the trees-creating a charming symphony.

A leaf fell off a branch and slowly dropped lower, brushing softly on a familiar's cheek. He was sleeping peacefully, almost like a baby. He donned white satin long sleeves with gently flared ends at his wrists. He frowned; the falling leaf had clearly disrupted his slumber.

Wait...does it sound like I'm in the middle of a forest? Koen thought but already had a hunch of where he was exactly at the very moment.

He was in his dream again. And it was no ordinary dream; it was the dream that plagued him ever since he could remember, a dream that left an indelible mark on him-like a scar that was etched into his skin permanently.

Labag man sa kalooban ni Koen ay tumayo siya mula sa pagkakasandal sa malaking puno na nakaharap sa isang ilog na ubod ng pamilyar sa kanya.

Araw-araw mo ba namang napapaginipan. Sarkastikong isip niya. Gusto niya na tuloy isipin na nandito talaga siya nakatira at ang buhay na kinalakihan ay isang katha lamang ng imahinasyon niya.

Now, he sounds absurd and ludicrously crazy. Albeit, the idea of dreaming the same dream every day sounds crazier, but not in his case.

Agad-agad siyang nagtungo sa pinakasulok na parte ng gubat kung saan nagaganap ang parte ng panaginip niya na ayaw na sana niyang mangyari sapagkat ito'y nag-iiwan ng panghihinayang at walang katumbas na kurot sa puso niya.

If only I could see her face, just once, even once. Koen thought, almost pleading to anyone who might be hearing his plea right now.

"Whose face do you want to see? Are you seriously dreaming of a girl while we're doing our paired task? Are you freaking real?"

To say that he was utterly baffled is an understatement. He was shocked to his wits' end when he saw that annoying face in front of him. She was standing beside him while being hidden behind a tree.

"What are you doing here?" He asked and blinked repeatedly thinking that he must have just imagined it.

"Are you seriously asking me that? And I can't believe that you always talk whenever you sleep." Saad nito na nakapameywang pa sa harapan niya.

Mas lalong nalito si Koen. How? I don't understand! Isip niya habang matiim na nakatingin sa babae sa harapan niya.

She was wearing a white puffed dress with cherry prints all over it. Her hair was tied into a messy bun. He couldn't help but admire how pretty she was.

"Paano ka napunta sa panaginip ko?" Nalilitong tanong niya ulit sa babae na matalim na ang mga tinging nakapukol sa kanya.

Kahit sa panaginip, ubod ng maldita pa rin.

"Ano bang pinagsasabi mo diyan? Why do you always infuriate me?" Gigil nitong wika at naglakad papalapit sa kanya.

Dahan-dahang napaatras si Koen ng matandaan niya yung ginawa ng babae sa kanyang precious balls nung gabie sa club.

This girl is unpredictable, I don't know what she will do this time.

His back was now pressed against the trunk of the tree they were hidden. There was nowhere to run, and his feet were glued to their place, just like in all his other dreams, except, something changed this time.

"Alam mo, this is the only way for you to wake up."

Itinaas ng babae ang isang kamay nito at kita niyang papalapit na ito sa mukha niya. He tried to steal a glance at the woman in his dreams before this Aveline girl could wake him up.

***
He jolted upright when he felt a quick and painful slap on his cheeks. "Aray! Ano ba?" Angil niyang sigaw sa babae sa harap niya.

Agad namang parang binuhusan ng malamig na tubig si Koen ng makita si Aveline na nakasuot ng white puffed sleeves with little cherry prints all over it. She was donned in the exact dress, make-up, and hair that she just had in his dream.

What is going on? He thought as he began to freak out.

"Aray? Anong aray? Hoy, ikaw na lalaki, sabi mo sa'kin magmimeet tayo dito para simulan yung paired task natin, tas maabutan pa kita ditong natutulog. And worse, nanaginip ka na naman habang nagsasalita. Ang weird mo!" Talak nito at naglakad papuntang counter pagkatapos siyang irapan.

Mas weird ka! Papanong napunta ka sa panaginip ko.

He wanted to yell it to her but kept mum. He doesn't want to complicate things right now. What's happening with him is as complicated as it is already.

Napaigtad naman siya ng biglang padabog na nilagay ng babae ang tray nito sa table nila. Nakaharap ito sa kanya na galit na galit.

"Bakit ka ba laging galit ha? Are you seriously mad that you found me sleeping here? Well, Miss Aveline, the only reason I was asleep was because you were late for the time we agreed on. We're supposed to meet here at 10 in the morning. Lunch time na oh?" Wika niya at ipinakita ang oras na nasa screen ng phone niya.

The girl just rolled her eyes at him. "I did not agree with 10 am though. I have some errands to do, lunch time lang ako pwede, gets mo na?" Maldita nitong sagot habang sinisipsip ang iced coffee na order nito.

"Then, why didn't you tell me that? I assumed you were okay with the time I set kasi wala ka namang reply."

"Because I don't want to reply to you." Sagot nito na nagpaubos ng pasensiya niya.

God help me with this woman!

"You're being childish, you know. I know that you hate me, Aveline, the feeling's mutual, okay? But we are tasked to do this, can't you put aside your personal grudges towards me and just get on with this? How are we going to do the task if laging opposite ang pananaw nating dalawa?" He suggested to her, trying to be the bigger person.

Ilang minuto lang na nakatitig ang babae sa kanya, that made him think that something is odd with his face.

"No." Matigas nitong sagot at tuloy-tuloy na naglakad papalayo sa kanya.

Wala ng magawa si Koen kundi tanawin na lang ang papalayong pigura ng babae. Great! Just great! Another mystery that he has to solve. How the hell did the present Aveline able to enter his dream real-time?