Fictional (making some slight changes)

After Ending

After Ending

Ang storya, hindi basta-basta natatapos.. Hindi porket ending na, tapos na—hindi... Because not every ending is a goodbye, sometimes it's a new start.—yan ang sabi ni Mommy.

Natatawa nalang ako tuwing naaalala kong Mommy ang pinapatawag sakin ni Tita Mica.. I'm trying to call her Mommy pero hindi talaga kaya Tita nalang talaga.. She is a wonderful woman. Mabait, maalagain, mahilig magpatawa, at maintindihin—it's sad to know she don't have a husband anymore..

She gave me a gift—a necklace. Its pendant is pure Ruby stone that's shaped heart and a miniature key.. Sabi nya, the stone is the only one survived the portal. Nung umalis pala si Mico(when we bid a bloody goodbye) ay paggising nya ay nasa kamay nya na yung bato..

Sabi nya, without this I might get lost—yung tipong naglalakad ako tapos hindi ko alam nasa libro na pala ulit ako-or maging katulad ni Mico sa mundo ko, an invisible creature. The invisible part is totally fine but the 'no-touching' part is not. She gave me this din para advance wedding gift.. Sabi nya kasi may surprise daw sakin si Mico and since 'she can't shut up' na alam naman ni Mico-na okay lang daw..

Nagiimpake sila ng mga damit, gamit at kung ano-ano pa... They gave me time to get used to my weight. I feel heavier—nung una nagtataka ako bakit hindi lighter ang nararamdaman ko... Tapes narealize ko dahil yun sa difference ng mga mundo namin... This is the real world, my world is... I don't know. Lighter, I guess?

"Magingat kayo anak ha..."

"Opo..." naagaw nila ang pansin ko kaya napatingin ako sakanila. I realized, clueless pa ako bakit sila nagiimpake.. At kung nasaan kami.

At dahil nakatingin ako sakanila, tita probably felt my gaze and looked at me. "Yumi.." and then she looked at her son, "Mico.." ngumiti sya samin dalawa at, "Let's talk. I'll tell you a story—my story.."

Tumango kami ni Mico at naglakad kami pupunta sa terrace.. And my question about where we are was answered, I saw a field with trees, more trees than usual—and some flowers around the fountain down in front of this terrace.. We are in this place—"Nirvana."

"Nirvana?"

Tumawa sya ng kaunti, "Oo."

"Oh." tapos natawa rin, "It's a state of perfect happiness; an ideal or idyllic place... This place is so calm and segregated from the world so I named it Nirvana."

Ngumiti ulit sya, "I just realize." sabi ni tita Mica, "My story is kinda similar to yours."

"Talaga po?" tanong ko. She nodded, "Kind of. Pero hindi gaano at noticeable." Tumango ako, senyales na ikwento nya ang storya nya, "Okay, it's time for you guys to know."

"Mom?" napatingin ako kay Mico, "There was more in that story?"

Tumango si tita Mica,

"Unfortunately, yes." Sadness swam in her eyes, she looked down and leaned on the terrace and the wind blew, "Should I start telling my story?"

Tumango naming dalawa ni Mico, "Ang sagwa naman nito, ang tanda ko na tapos magkukwento pa ko ng love story ko." She laughed bitterly, "Anyway, hindi ko alam what's happening during and before that happened. Basta isang araw nanaginip ako, it was total darkest. I can't open my eyes. I can't move. But I am sure I'm surrounded by water. I heard faint voices. A woman's and ang boy's voice. He said, 'Kailan sya lalabas tita?' the woman laughed, 'malapit na.'  I heard a cute grunt. Just like how Mico grunt when he was a little boy. He said, 'I want to see her! Paglabas nya ba maglalaro na agad kami?'  then the woman said, 'No, honey, she's still fragile paglabas nya.' The boy replied, 'Then I'll protect her forever! Diba ganun yung ginagawa sayo ni tito?' she chuckled, 'So gusto mo syang pakasalan ganun?' the boy replied, 'Ha? Ano yun? Ah basta! Kung ano man yun, basta I'll protect her. I'll stay with her like Tito and you promised to do.'  I heard the woman's laughter, 'Sige sige, Paglaki nya papakasalan mo sya.' I heard the boy cheered and shouted, 'I will!' tapos nagising ako."