MGA PAKIWARI AT PAGMUMUNI-MUNI (An AlDub Collection of Poems and Short Stories)

Alas-Tres

Day 3 of AMACon Oikos Drabbles. Inspired by sereace's The Call. This is for her. And for kathartickat - for indulging my twisted mind. And for JaninnaBautista - just because.

//

"MAINE!"

He screamed into the night as he woke up, tangled in his sheets, drenched in cold sweat, his hair sticking to his forehead.

Fuck!  Panaginip na naman. Tangina. Bakit ba ayaw mo akong tantanan?! Ano bang gusto mong iparating?!  Ma, tulungan mo naman ako...

He checked the clock on his bedside table.  3AM.  Again.

Tangina.  Alas-tres na naman.  Palagi na lang alas-tres ng umaga.  Gabi gabi na lang.  Putangina!

He stood up and removed his shirt to change into a new one. 

Para ano pa?  E hindi na rin naman ako makakatulog nito.  Pero what the hell - bahala na.  Kailangan.  Maaga na naman bukas.

He sat on his bed and took his phone, swiping it up and seeing her face as his wallpaper. 

Mahal na mahal kita.  Pero shet - tatawagan ko ba?  Baka tulog na.  Pero hindi rin - insomniac yun eh. O text ko na lang kaya?

*ding-dong*

He looked up from his phone, frowning.

Sino naman kaya ito?  Tangina hindi ito nakakatuwa ha.  Alas-tres na kaya. 

He walked towards the front door, peeped through the peephole and promptly opened the door wide.  For her. 

"Maine..."  He embraced her tight.  "Anong ginagawa mo dito? Alas-tres na!"

"RJ..."

Shit.  Bakit parang takot na takot 'to?  Nanginginig pa.  Hindi kaya...?

They both went inside his condo, her grip on his shirt, tight.  He sat down on his sofa with her curling on his lap.

"Maine, anong problema?"

Tangina - eto na nga yun.  Sinasabi ko naman sa iyo - lubayan mo ito!  Ma... Ma, please... Tulungan niyo ako.  Ngayon ko kailangan ng lakas niyo.  Hindi ko ito kayang mag-isa...

//

Fuck - is this the right thing to do?  Dapat hindi ako dito dumiretso.  Leche naman kasi.  Bad dream lang yun, Maine.  Grabe ka maka-react.

She closed her eyes and tried to calm her racing heart.

Bad dream lang.  It's all a bad dream...  Breathe in... Breathe out... Breathe --

TANGINA!  BAD DREAM LANG BA YUNG MAY BIGLANG DUMAGAN SAYO AT BIGLANG HINDI KA MAKAGALAW AT MAKAHINGA! NI HINDI KA MAKASIGAW!  TAPOS ANG UNA MONG MAKIKITA E KULAY PULA NA MGA MATA!

*ding-dong*

Andito ka na.  Wag ka ng mag-isip ng kahit ano pa.  You're safe here.  You're safe with him.

The door opened revealing him.  Revealing how wide awake he already looked and how it seemed like he couldn't sleep as well. 

"Maine... Anong ginagawa mo dito?  Alas-tres na!"

"RJ..."

Shit - pano kung isipin niyang nababaliw na ako?  Pano kung isipin niyang para lang akong tanga na nagpapanggap?  Bakit ba kasi dito ka pa pumunta?  Dapat tinawagan mo na lang si Dean o kaya si Coleen.  Mas mabu --

"Maine, anong problema?"

She looked at him, her grip on his shirt, tight as she realized that she was already on his lap.  She looked at him.  And realized that he would understand.

"Ano kasi..."

//

Peste!  Tangina!  Bakit ba kasi kailangang ipanganak ako sa pamilyang may nakabantay na demonyo?!  Putangina lang talaga!  Ma...  Please... Alam kong naririnig mo ako...  Diyos ko - kailangan ko ng lakas at tibay...

"Maine, sabihin mo sa akin ang totoo - may bumabagabag na ba sayo?  Lalo na pag ganitong mga oras?  I won't judge."

Hayop kang demonyo ka!  Hindi ko hahayaang kunin mo sa akin ang babaeng pinakamamahal ko ngayon tulad ng pagkuha mo sa nanay ko!  Hindi ko hahayaang saktan mo ako tulad ng ginawa mo sa ama ko!  TANGINA MONG HAYOP KA - MAGTUTUOS MUNA TAYO!

"RJ...  Simula ng naging tayo last week - every night na lang akong nagigising ng parang hindi makahinga at makasigaw.  Usually around this time nga.  Hindi ko maintindihan.  Hindi ko rin alam kung bakit."

She explained, her hands wringing, tears about to fall from her eyes.

SABI KO NA EH!  HAYOP KA TALAGA!  IKAW MAY KAGAGAWAN NITO!  Humanda ka talaga sakin - tangina...

He embraced her tightly, kissing her forehead hard.  "Don't worry, mahal.  Andito lang ako.  Akong bahala sayo."

//

She felt his arms around her.  And suddenly - all felt all right.  With him.

Sabi ko naman sayo, Maine.  Mahal ka nito.  See?  Naiintindihan ka niya.  He probably knows what you're going through exactly.  Diba nasabi niya sayo dati na may supernatural thing sa father's side niya?

She suddenly shuddered.

Fuck - but what if yun ang reason kung bakit ako biglang binabangungot ng ganito?

NICOMAINE!  DON'T YOU DARE THINK THAT WAY ABOUT HIM!

He's a good man.  He loves you and he cares about you.

//

I would die for you before I let that fucking demon touch a hair on your head.

//

He would die for you as you would for him.  Don't fret anymore.