Elemental Tribes (On-hold)

Chapter 6: A Day of Remembering

Chapter 6: A Day of Remembering

"Ohh... hi there. Going for a walk?" Cheerah, who just suddenly was in front of the door when I opened it, said to me.

...

"Yeah... kinda." I said to her awkwardly. She looks so happy, and medyo nag-aalanganin akong magmukhang bad mood. Kaya... ngumiti na lang ako. She doesn't know what I've heard. So yeah... "I think I've gotta go now... you know. Magpapahangin lang, Cheerah." Nilagpasan ko siya at nagsimula na akong maglakad. But suddenly, may humawak sa aking braso kaya napatigil ako agad.

"Wait." I looked at Cheerah whose holding my arm.

"What is it?"

"How'd you know my name?" Nanatili muna akong tahimik bago siya sagutin.

"Narinig ko ang pangalan mo nung paralisado pa ako. I was very well aware of your voice. Ikaw yung kausap ni Master Tah back then isn't it? And you were the one who called the Leticels. That's how much I know." I answered honestly.

"Oh..." Binitiwan niya ang braso ko. Somehow parang nalungkot siya sa sinabi ko. Hindi man halata sa kanyang mukha, but I'm pretty sure that's how I saw it. "So, do you know how to get down from here? Magpapahangin ka diba?"

I looked everywhere. "Hmm... the ladder right?" I told her. Nakita ko bawat bahay at puno ay may ladder. Pero nakakataka, wala pa akong nakikitang gumagamit nun. Samantalang napakaraming bahay sa mga puno dito imposibleng walang gumamit ng ladder diba? Otherwise paano sila makakababa? Nalito ako when she suddenly smiled at me. Alam ko yung mga ganyang ngiti. Ngiti yan ng isang taong may pinaplano.

"DO you wanna go down the fun way?" Tanong niya sa akin. Sabi na nga ba may pinaplano siya. But seriously? The fun way?? Magba-bungee jump ba kami pababa? Yon lang naman ang naisip kong fun. Or baka naman may slide sila dito? Tinignan ko ulit yung mga puno at tanging ladder lang talaga ang nakikita kong paraan para bumaba sila. Kumunot ang noo ko.

"Are you sure there's another way down?" tanong ko. I don't see any other way to get down safely but the ladders. Anong gusto niya? Tumalon kami?

"Oo naman! Magtiwala ka lang sa akin. Nakakapagod kayang bumaba doon sa mga hagdan. Especially when climbing it." She said a matter-of-factly. "All you have to do is cling on to me. And you won't fall." Masaya niyang sabi. I just stared at her for a moment. Is she serious? At anong ibig niyang sabihin hindi ako mahuhulog? Is she saying na may possibility akong mahulog sa FUN WAY na sinasabi niya?! Aba, masaya ba yon!

"Uhh... I don't know." Nag-aalanganin kong sagot. Hinawakan niya ang dalawa kong kamay at bigla siyang nagmakaawa.

"Sige na. Try mo na please? Please? Please? Please? please???"

"U-uhh..."

"C'mon, Zee. Just try it. Just once. At pag hindi mo siya nagustuhan, kahit isang milyong ladders, ipapagamit ko sayo." How'd she know my nickname? And seriously, unlimited ladders? Grabeh naman to. Ayoko nun. Gusto ko lang naman mapag-isa ngayon. Then if it takes me to agree to this para magkaroon ng privacy, then yes, susubukan ko yang FUN WAY na yan.

...

"... Fine. Lezgedonwidit." I mumbled.

"Yey!" She said. Lumakad siya sa gilid ng platform then she looked down to see how far up we are. "Looks like we're high enough." Napataas naman ako ng kilay dahil doon. Bakit niya inaalam kung gaano kami kataas ngayon? Nagulat ako ng bigla niya akong hinawakan sa kamay at hinila niya ako palapit sa kanya. "C'mon, Zee. Look at the houses down there. Ang ganda diba?"