OIKOS: AmaCon3

Shore Secrets 7

Drowning Memories

The following morning, Alden wakes up to the sound of the voices in the small house's living room.

Kris was shaking him awake because—he doesn't know actually. He's been tuning him off to hear who the early morning visitors are.

Until the memory of last night came back to him.

"Bro, panaginip ba lahat yun?"

"Oo naman! Kung ano man yang tinutukoy mo, oo panaginip lang yun."

"She has a tail, fvck! A goddamn tail, man!"

"Alam ko... At dahil alam mo na rin, bumangon ka na d'yan at naghihintay ang mga Lola sa labas."

"Mga Lola?"

"Ng sirenang hinipuan mo kagabi, ulol!"

Alden came out of his room terrified.

The three Lolas standing in the living room simultaneously turned their heads to scrutinize him from head to foot.

They look like a caricature from an old comics with their identical old fashioned dresses. Wrinkles and all.

Crones. Hags. Witches. They seem to fit the part.

"Ah, ikaw pala!" the one on the left said.

"Mukha namang mabait, Ate" said the one in the middle.

The one on the right sniffs, "Alam mo feeling ko, si Judas mukha ding mabait yun."

"Ah, good morning po mga Lola" he greets them. "Ano pong--"

One of the Lolas flicks a black pearl at him.

"Lulunin mo."

"P-po?"

"Kung may masama kang balak sa apo namin, kung balak mo ibenta ang storya sa periodico o kidnapin at ilagay siya karnabal, kahit isipin mo lang, walang ligtas na tubig para sa'yo."

"Lalamunin ka ng dagat, ilog o kahit batis na malalapitan mo. Kahit tubig sa poso na galing sa mga kabundukan, hindi magiging ligtas para sa'yo."

"Yan ang ibig sabihin ng bonggang pearl na yan."

They stared at him. Daring him to disobey.

He swallowed the pearl.

One of the Lolas' whispered something to Nanay, Kris' mother, who bowed and left the room, after patting him in assurance. Or probably maybe a 'good luck'?

"Nung unang pumunta ka sa amin, kinuwento mo sa amin ang panaginip mo tungkol kay Nidora."

"Ngayon sasabihin namin sa'yo si Divina si Nidora."

"Ang aming yumaong sisterette."

"At ikaw, Anselmo, ay ang kasintahan niyang dahilan ng kasumpa-sumpang buhay naming ito."

"Grabe ka naman Ate sa kasumpa-sumpa, miserable lang!"

"Sandali po..." napa-upo si Alden kalituhan. "Alden po ang pangalan ko, hindi Anselmo. Hindi ko po kayo maintindihan."

"Ang ibig naming sabihin, mamatay ka ulit pag di mo tinigilan ang apo namin!"

Napakunot ang noo ng isa sa mga Lola.

"Pero pwede rin naman ang apo namin ang mamatay. Naalala nyo, mga Ate, yung isang beses na anp-"

"Magtigil ka Isadora. Hindi ko hahayaang mangyari ulit yun sa apo ko."

"Hindi ko po talaga kayo maintindihan." Sabi ulit ni Alden.

"Eto namang si Ate Tinidora, ang labo mag-kwento. Ganito kasi yun—ay teka, pwedeng ma-upo naman tayo?" They took their seats.