Outsiders

3. Lobsters

"Impokrita! Ibalik mo yan!"

"Bwiset na bata! Balik dito!"

"Stop right there, you filthy vulture!"

"ARTEMIIIIIIIS!!!"

Ang ingay nila hahahaha. They sound like spoiled brats. Then those wretched Guards started chasing me.

Tumalon ako pataas ng isang stall na may leather covering. Guess I lost them. I went further, hopping from stall to stall, ignoring the furious screams of the people handing out goods beneath me.

Bata palang ako ng mamatay na si Mama. I didn't even know her name. All I know is that ang nagpalaki sakin, si Manang Yona, ang kumadrona ni Mama. Sabi ng madami, malas daw ako. Puti ang buhok. Asul ang mata. Malamig ang balat.

Kahit naka puting sweater na ako, ang lamig parin. Yep, snow in Arthuros. Gosh, kahit once a year lang ito, sinusulit ko na rin, lalo't kahit malamig, hindi naman ako nanginginig. It's like I enjoy the cold.

I took my bonnet off, shoved it into my sling bag, prepped against my skin-tight black jeans and let my long hair flow freely in the wind, almost concealing my scarf. Lahat na ata dito sa Palawan kilala ako dahil sa buhok na 'to. I bit onto one of the garlic breads I stole. Yep, stole.

Sa sobrang kumplikado ng pagkagawa ng mga batas sa Council, pati bigayan ng libreng pagkain, may sistema na rin. Bunch of crap.

Lahat ng pamilya, bibigyan ng supply ng pagkain araw araw, from morning to evening. Pero yung ibibigay lang ang pwede kainin. Not like this bread I stole, which is for the famous peeps, like the Guards, those who make famous architectures and stuff like that. Not commoners like me. They make us live on rice and other plain food alone. I'd rather die, actually. Hanggang sa natuto akong mangupit.

Who cares about those Guards? They'll never catch me. I might as well be an assasin. Kaya nga wanted ako dito eh. But, again, the hell do I care?

The sun was setting so I headed home. Wala nang Guards sa baba na naghahanap, kaya dahan dahan akong bumaba gamit ang mga grills sa bintana nung building na inakyatan ko.

"Grabe ka na Art, sumesexy ka kada araw ah!" Sabi sakin ng nagiisa kong kaibigang si Krane, na pauwi galing eskwelahan.

"Nako, nagpapakalibog ka na namang manyak ka hahaha. O heto, nakakuha ako ng uniform na hindi pa gamit, diba napunit yung sayo?"

"Nagnakaw ka nanaman? Sabing wag ganun! Pag may kailangan ka lumapit ka lang samin, alam kong may maitutulong kami."

Right. I remembered that he was one of those kids whose parents were unthinkably famous. I looked down at my bare, dirty, and bruised feet. Ang pangit nila. Parang napansin ito ni Krane, at agad syang nagsalita.

"Sorry. As long as my parents find a way, we'll take you in. Magiging kapatid kita. Ayus yun diba? "

With this white hair? Ang layo ng resemblance bro! But at least he cares. I looked at him with a hint of hope in my blue eyes.

"Thanks, Krane."

I walked beside him, his eyes on my hair, which he had so much fascination on.

He's the only friend I have, aside from my white snow otter, Ramba. Our story goes way back. Bata palang kami, walang gustong kumausap sa amin, at lagi kaming tinuturing na basura, kahit kilala ang mga magulang nya sa paggawa ng pinaka-matibay na kable para sa mga cable car.

But why does no one speak with him too? Dahil sa mga braso nya na nakapag-undergo ng isang ispesyal na mutation since birth. His grandfather was a scientist who experimented with his daufhter when she was young, and when Krane was born, his arms had black and white feathers all over the underside. Hindi lang iyon, may kakayahan din syang igalaw ang mga braso nya ng napaka-bilis upang makalipad sa maikling mga distansya. Not a single person doubted a human's ability to fly without mechanical assistance since then. Kaya ang ipinangalan sa kanya ay Krane, isang reference sa extinct na ibon na Crane kung tawagin. Hindi lang sya ang nagkaroon ng mutation na ganito, madami rin daw, ngunit bumibilis lang ang paggalaw ng braso nila at hindi nagkakaroon ng feathers, ayon sa balita.

We were both special, and that was the reason we became friends.

Me, with my white hair, pale, cold skin, and sapphire blue eyes.

And him, with his wings. Even with those, artistahin sya. I had a crush on him when we were both 15. But all of that is now buried behind, deep in the snow. We treat each other as siblings now.

Habang naglalakad, binigyan nya ako ng isang sako na may mga gumagalaw na bagay sa loob.

"You have this huge aquarium with a big, island-looking rock inside, right?"

Tumango ako. Our house was an abandoned mansion, so of course we had space for one. Everything's free. Take it or leave it, that's how things go.

"Why'd you ask?"

"Lobsters yan. Pinalaki namin sila, pero yung iba dyan immature pa. Just put them in the aquarium and let them grow. You'll have dinner every night. Just promise me you won't steal the food that's supposed to be in other families's hands these two month, ok? Balita ko kumokonti na ang naibibigay na pagkain sa mga pamilya eh."

I nodded. I caused that much trouble, huh. Regrets. Regrets every single day. I ruffled his black hair and pinched his left cheek. We both laughed and his fair skin blended with my pale skin under the moonlight.

I walked towards our house, watching him pass by towards his, which was just a few more buildings ahead.

"Alagaan mo ah!"

I nodded and waved goodbye at Krane, as I entered my house.

Ba't basa?

I stood in place as fresh blood soaked the underside of my feet.

Hindi ako makagalaw. Lahat ng nakikita ko ngayon, hiniling ko na masamang panaginip lang. My feet were rooted to the ground as the sack of lobsters fell from my shaking hands. Tiny icicles formed on the blood as it froze from where I stood towards the dead body of an old, innocent woman where the blood oozed from.

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang dapat kong maramdaman.

Takot ba, dahil sa mga maaaring mangyari na sumunod?

Inis ba, dahil sa taong gumawa nito?

Lungkot ba, dahil mag iisa nalang ako?

Mamamangha ba ako dahil sa ganda ng yelo na nakaporma sa dugo galing sa mga paa ko?

Maguguluhan ba ako dahil sa hindi ko alam kung paano ito nangyayari?

O matutuwa ba ako dahil sa magulong klase ng kalayaan na nakamit ko ngayon?

Whatever the case, I lost one of the people most dear to me. Ano nang gagawin ko ngayong patay na si Manang Yona? Titili nalang ba ako ng parang batang walang muwang, katulad ng ginagawa ko ngayon? I heard footsteps. Probably of my neighbors, just to see what was up. I looked at Krane, who was beside me, dumfounded, with his arm on my shoulder, his eyes pinned to the old woman lying on the floor with open, lifeless eyes, her body now frozen.

I hate lobsters.