The One Who Remembers

Chapter 0: Gepella

Winston slowly opens his eyes. Everything fizzles out from blurriness to total clarity. He touches his throbbing head, still tolerating the pain.

"The hell..." mura niya nang mapapikit siya sa sakit ng ulo niya. Parang naalimpungatan siya mula sa masarap niyang tulog. Pagkatapos mawala ng konti ang sakit, tumingin siya sa kaniyang paligid.

Bookshelves. A lot of bookshelves.

Bumangon siya at naramdaman ang lambot ng carpet na kaniyang nahawakan. Lumingon-lingon siya muli at napagtanto niyang nasa loob siya ng isang library.

He was about to feel relief until he realizes that he doesn't even know this place. 

Tumayo kaagad siya sa taranta at hindi mapakaling hinanap ang cellphone niya sa kaniyang mga bulsa. Nang wala na siyang makapa sa bulsa niya, doon niyang napagtanto...

"Fuck." Yes, he's fucked. "No. Let's calm the fuck down." he heaved a sigh  as he touched his chest.

"Inhale... Exhale... Inhale...", he chanted repeatedly while observing his surroundings. The atmosphere of this library is oddly nostalgic, like one straight from a dream. He's in a hallway with the walls being a set of gigantic bookshelves that goes all the way through in the horizon. Its end is nowhere to be seen, it's unreachable at this point. Everything is colored by the shades of light blue, making everything look cold. Dust that are glowing in blue.

He looks up ahead and he can only see light. Hindi mapigilan na maisip ni Winston kung patay na ba siya.

"Wala naman akong ginawang masama. I've been a good bitch my entire life." he said to himself which made him giggle for no reason. At least he's calm down.

"Wait, I don't know where the hell am I so let's think what happened." he touched his chin and roam his eyes to the bookshelves.

Ano bang ginawa ko? Nagrereview lang ako para sa quiz bukas then...

Then...

That's when it hit him.

"Am I dreaming?" he asked himself. He immediately pinched his cheek real hard. He can feel the pain from his pinching. "Ano pa bang pwede..." he wondered. He checked his clothes. He's still wearing his usual white polo with his red neck tie. "Naka-uniform parin ako."

That's when he thought, "Nateleport ba ako? Or nag-lulucid dreaming ako?"

He looks back ahead and saw that the light begins to fade and something from it emerges. It looks like a door.

"Wala choice kundi itry lahat." he started pacing towards the door. Hinarang niya ang mata niya kula sa liwanag gamit ang kaniyang siko.

"Ano bang meron sa liwanag? Bida bida amputa." he cussed but at the same time, he knows something about it. What else can he do?

He tried to sniff himself. "Yeah, I definitely need a shower. Di pa ako nakaligo kanina." he said to himself and he noticed something in front of him.

"Is it just me or... humihina yung liwanag?" he asked himself. He went silent for a minute, thinking why would that be? He stopped his tracks earlier so him going near wasn't the reason. That's where it hit him.

"Maybe I need to remember how did I got here?" he monologues as he touches his head once more, now enlightened. "Worth a try."

How did he got himself in this situation?

He was studying for a quiz, he didn't took his clothes off yet and he definitely didn't shower yet. His phone is nowhere to be found too.

He hummed as he twirl his back towards the light. His eyebrows creased and his eyes staring down at his own shadow.