FALLACY OF DEATH (short story)

+Chapter 2: Free-falling with Death+

+Chapter 2: Free-falling with Death+

"Submerging yourself to the possibility of death."

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"HEY. WHAT ARE YOU FIDGETING ABOUT?" Narinig ko ang sabi ni Death daw kaya sinamaan ko siya ng tingin.

"Abnormal lang ang hindi kakabahan kapag naharap nila ang isang Death wannabe!" Sigaw ko sa kanya at bumalik sa pagkakagat sa aking mga daliri.

"Oh, you are normal?" Gulat na gulat pa nitong sinabi pero kitang kita ko naman ang amusement sa kanyang mga mata! such a jerk!

"Hey look at me." Sabi niya pero umiwas lang ako ng tingin at inirapan siya. "Hey! Why are you ignoring me? Kanina lang, you were amused on how good-looking I am! Now, I give you the rights to stare at me, so take the opportunity!"

Sa wakas ay tinignan ko na siya dahil nakukulitan na ako sa paulit-ulit na pagkukulbit niya sa aking kanang braso. "Arrogant, egoistic, death-declared jerk!"

"Hey, now, stop calling me names. I like Death better." Sabi niya at umiwas ng tingin. "Well, what can I do. You should be hating me afterall." He murmured and I didn't get any of it.

Well, wala akong pakielam!

"Thanatos." Bigla kong nasabi pagkatapos ng ilang minutong dead air. Ewan ko ba, naalala ko nalang ang greek literature namin. Thanatos is the god of Death. And he said he is Death... So he must be the almighty Thanatos then? "You are Thanatos, right?"

"Spending your time stalking me in those books aren't you? But guess what, we don't really have names. Those are just mere imagination of mortals." Sabi niya at tumingin sa malayo. "And besides, who would like to talk about death?"

Oh, and pessimistic too.

"I'm not pessimistic!" Sigaw niya at ang nakakatawa pa, para siyang batang nagtatantrums dahil sa pagkadikit ng kanyang mga eyebrows at ang natural na pout niya!

"Tell me more." Sabi ko at umirap. Walang nag-salita sa aming dalawa ng nagpatanto kong kanina pa pala siyang nakatayo. 'Di ba siya napapagod?

"Well, no, to answer your question. But, I like sitting in your soft bed." Sabi niya at umupo sa kanang bahagi ng kama ko. "There, I feel better."

"Oo na, ikaw na si mind-reader at alam na alam ang gusto kong gawin mo!" Sabi ko sa kanya at kinuha ang book beside me. "Wala na tuloy akong privacy." Bulong ko.

"Well, I c-cant read your emotions. And your will. All I can read are the thoughts you say out loud inside your head." He tried to explain. Bago pa ako makasagot ay nagsalita ulit siya. "But, that is not the point of why I'm here."

Dahil sa sinabi niya, binaba ko ang book ko. "Then why? Kung hindi para kunin ako, then why?"

"I need you to be willing to die." Sabi niya at pumikit. "And to hate me."

"Okay? Loud and clear yung una. Kaso, yung ipangalawa? Why do I need to hate you? Sa tingin ko nga, hate na kita dahil kukunin mo na ako sa mundo." Sabi ko.

"No, not that. If you do hate me now, then you probably don't hate me enough." Sabi niya at bumuntong hininga. "Now, this might break some rules but... What do you want to do on the remaining days of your life?"

Napaisip ako dun. Is he planning to grant my wishes? Is he... a genie in disguise?

"Hey! I heard that! Don't compare me to a genie! Those blue... No feet, disgusting creature!" Sabi niya at parang nandidiri pa ang mukha niya.

"Oo na! Di ka na genie!" Sabi ko at binelatan siya. Nag-isip isip pa ako ang an idea pop out of my head. Tignan natin kung magagawa ba niya ito.

"I don't feel good on what you are about to wish."

"I want to fly!" Sabi ko sa kanya at inistretch ang kamay ko at pumikit. "alam mo ang feeling na lumilipad ka sa ulap at feeling mo ang free mo? Yung free falling kaya? I so love that feeling!"

"Flying is not that fun, you know." Sabi niya bigla. "But, if that is what you want then... Fine."

Bigla kong dinilat ang mata ko. Is he serious?! Gagawin niya talaga yun?!

"Yeah, but only for 5 minutes. Okay?" Sabi niya at wala sa sarili akong tumango. "Good. Now close your eyes."

Sinunod ko ang sabi niya at naramdaman ko ang pagbuhat niya saakin ng bridal style. Muntik ko nang ibukas ang mata ko kundi lang sa maauthoridad na sigaw niya!

"Nakakatakot ka talaga." Bulong ko sa kanya at sumandal sa chest niya. Hindi ko na muli sinubukan buksan ang mata ko. "Nakakairita!"

"Hey, if you don't want me to let you go, don't whisper bad things 'bout me." Sabi niya.

"Hey! Alam ko naman na di mo ako bibitawan eh!" Sabi ko sa kanya at inangat ang ulo ko para bumelat kahit na di ko siya nakikita. Narinig ko nalang ang tsk niya.

"Well it's true." Bulong niya.

Bago pa ako makapagisip ay naramdaman ko ang pressure ng pagbagsak! Sumigaw ako dahil sa takot kaya mas hinigpitan ko pa ang hawak sa kanya, ngunit, nung maramdaman ko ang flap ng wings at naramdaman ko ang pagangat namin ay tumigil na 'ko.

"Open your eyes." Sabi niya kaya inopen ko. Una ko napansin ang dark clouds and the city beneath it. Ang liit nilang tinignan at parang naka-slow ng motion ang mga sasakyan. And the next thing I notice is the full moon. Amazing!

Napatingin ako kay Death at nakita ko din siyang nakatingin sa moon. His eyes seems to glow and just these moment, his eyes doesn't look like pits. And I realized that the flap of wings earlier was his. A dark full wings that seems to blend in with the night sky.

"Ang ganda."

"I know."

"No. I mean, your wings." Sabi ko sa kanya. Sinubukan kong hawakan ang kanyang mga pakpak kaso umilig siya. "Sorry."

"It's okay... It's just that... My wings at the moment is fragile because... I was punished." Nanlaki ang mata ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Bago pa ako makasalita ay dinugtungan niya ang sinabi niya. "So you, I mean anyone, can't touch it." Sabi niya at bumuntong hininga. But... Walang nakakakita sa kanya diba? So how come if others will touch— "But that's not important." Bigla siyang ngumisi na parang demonyo kaya di na ako nakapag-isip, and the next thing that happen?

I was free-falling.

Death let me go and I feel like I'm plunging to death.

Oh my gosh I'm dying, I'm dying, I'm dying!

Wait, but I really am dying. Life and it's irony!

But, I was shock that I didn't shout or scream my lungs out. I felt fear, though. I felt like nobody will catch me if I reached the ground. Feeling ko, mag-isa lang ako. Is this what death mean that flying is not always fun? Kase... no matter how you think your wings will support you... there is a possibility that it will fail you?

Bago pa ako makareach sa groud, half way from my fall, I felt arms wrapped around my waist.

Death is hugging me.

"See what I mean? When you lose your wings to fly, you fall. And when you fall without anybody to catch you, you felt fear. You felt fear that the person you wish to catch you is gone." Sabi niya at mas lalo niyang hinigpitan ang yakap niya. And somehow, I empathized. "And I felt that."