Compilation of my submissions for the AMACon3 project. Stories posted here are also on the @Amacon_Writers book 3 for Team Cat Dog Rabbit.
For Richard and Nicomaine.
Ang banwa ng San Simoun ay may mga lihim na ibinabaon sa mga alamat at mga kwentong bayan. Nagsisilbi silang paalala sa mga nakakaalam at babala sa mga hindi. Ang matatandang lihim na ito ay minsang ginagawang pang-aliw sa mga dayo at bata. Sa paningin ng taga-labas, nagpapatunay lamang na sadyang mapamahiin talaga ang mga maliliit na bayang malayo sa kabihasnan-- 2017 na naniniwala pa rin sila sa malas, sa sumpa, at sa mga sirena.
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Kris was not kidding when he said his hometown, San Simoun, was off the map. It's literally off the map. Traveling to the small island had taken almost the whole day on a small boat. In the rain.
Sa di kalayuan, may napansin siya. There was a girl in the water watching their boat approach the island.
"Bro..." he pointed the odd girl to his friend.
Sinundan ng tingin ni Kris ang tinuturo niya at mabilis na nag-iwas ng tingin pagkakita. Tinapik nito ang kamay niya pababa. "Huwag mong titingnan, bro."
"Hindi nya ba kelangan ng tulong? Ang lakas ng mga alon o."
"Sabi nang wag kang titingin, pare." Madiin na pag-uulit ng kaibigan.
Napansin ni Alden na nakaiwas pa rin ang tingin ng kaibigan. Come to think of it, pati ang mga kasama nilang mga bankero kung hindi nakayuko ay sa kabilang bahagi ng dagat nakatingin.
"Bro?"
"Malaki na yun. Kaya na niya ang sarili niya."
"Kilala mo?"
"Hindi. I mean alam ko kung sino siya pero hindi talaga kami magkakilala."
"Ansama ng panahon, ba't yun nasa gitna ng dagat?"
"San Simoun na tayo, ser!" sabi ng bankero sa unahan niya. "Mas nauna pa natututong lumangoy ang mga tao dito kaysa maglakad."
He was going to look for the girl again when his friend caught his head. "Hop! Wag kang bastos bro, walang pantaas yun baka kung anong makita mo."
"You know you just gave me a reason to look again, right?" biro nya dito.
"Ulol!" There's a nervous cheer to his friend's tone.
Weirdness.
He gave it a few minutes. He waited until everybody in the boat is distracted when he turned to look for the girl again.
Dark hair and sun-kissed. Hair clinging to her shoulders. Only her head and her shoulders are visible above the waters. And yes, wala nga itong pantaas. The things that are not supposed to be seen are under the waters anyway; so hurray, modesty is preserved.
She paints a lonely picture. Alone in the rain in the sea. She looked lonely.
