The Third Chaos

The Hold

Chapter 2─The Third Chaos

"I-I warned her, I did, really... believe me, I tried. B-But she didn't listen to me t-tapos sinaraduhan  niya pa ako ng p-pinto. N-Natakot ako, k-kaya umalis ako, naghanap ako ng bagong matutuluyan." I said, defensively

"W-What do you mean? Anong sinabi mong nalama─ sa kwarto ko na lang natin 'tong pag-usapan," she suggested before wiping her tears off. She held my wrist and walked me to her room. "Wala pa akong ka-roommate kaya you're free her─"

"A-Actually, Phoebe, dito rin ako natulog kagabi, mukhang magka-roommate tayo."

"Is that so? T-That's great."

Sinabi niya sa'king magbibihis lang muna raw siya sa comfort room na nasa labas tapos saka namin pag-uusapan ang lahat ng nangyari. It's kinda err... awkward? We're not close actually, kasi nga I never made friends with anybody. I prefer to be alone and I used to ignore anyone. 

She spent almost half an hour sa C.R., mukhang naligo pa. Nang nakabalik na siya, agad-agad niyang ini-lock ang pinto at natatarantang bumalik sa kama.

"A-AC, nakakalungkot talaga kasi umalis na kami sa apartment na iyon. I think that was a wrong decision. " she started.

"W-Why? What do you mean?" I asked. Her eyes were teary again.

"Nang gabing umalis kami sa apartment, m-may nangyaring hindi maganda," napanganga ako nang tuluyan na siyang umiyak at humagulgol. She continued speaking between her sobs. "Bumabyahe kami noon papuntang Pampanga nang biglang nagising kami nang may narinig kaming parang niyuyuping lata, parang 'yong sasakyan namin. Hanggang sa bumagal ang sinasakyan naming kotse ni papa at unti-unti ng huminto."

"T-Tapos?" Horror ba 'to? B-Baka nasundan sila ng kaluluwa raw.

"Syempre, nagtaka kami kasi, bagong bili pa lang 'yong kotse ni papa. Ang sabi niya baka hindi pa raw 'yon nako-kondisyon sa mahahabang byahe. B-Buk.. bubuksan na niya sana  pinto para lumabas nang... nang biglang... biglang humarurot'yong kotse namin ta's sigaw lang kami ng sigaw hanggang sa bumangga na 'yong kotse namin sa poste."

"D'yos ko..." I trailed off.

"A-AC, hindi ko alam'yong gagawin ko noong mga oras na 'yon. Dasal lang ako ng dasal hanggang sa paggising ko nasa ospital na ako." Mas lumakas pa ang pag-iyak niya. "W-Walang natira sa'kin, AC. Wala. Nawala sa'kin'yong pamilya ko."

Nagulat ako sa huling sinabi niya. She's now homeless and she has no family left. Alam kong masakit 'yong maaga akong iniwan ng mga magulang ko. Wala akong natatandaang mukha nila. Pictures lang. Ang dami kong paghihirap na naranasan sa kamay ng pamilyang kumupkop sa'kin kung pamilya't pagkupkop nga ba ang maitatawag doon.

But, I think she's more pained. Masaya sila't buo ng pamilya niya tapos biglang nawala silang lahat, walang natira. Bata pa 'yong mga kapatid niya. I may know her situation now but I will never understand how she feels. Kahit pa sabihin natin na I'm gifted with enhanced senses and I can feel that she's so down right now but, it's her who would really know how painful it was.

"I... I don't know what to say," I said. I tried to hold her shoulders that's why she ended up hugging me.

"I have a confession to make but first, promise me, you won't laugh," she said. I gave her a what-are-you-talking-about look. "You would probably think that what I'm about to say is craziness and total stupidity, so, please just hear me first, alright?"