A World Beyond Ours

t h r e e

louise claire vernon

"Sino siya?" tanong ng isang pamilyar na boses malayo-layo mula sa akin.

"Pasensya na po, kamahalan, ngunit nahanap lang po namin ang binibini na nakahiga sa hardin," sagot ng isa pang boses na hindi ko kilala.

Ang sakit ng ulo ko. It feels like I fell from a hundred feet, and hit my head. I feel like dying.

I stretched my arms na parang the last time I used them was an eternity ago. What the hell happened--?

"Kamahalan, parang nagigising na po ang binibini!"

Ano daw...?

Biglang dumilat ang mga mata ko at umupo when I realized that I'm not alone, which I immediately regretted because of the pain after.

My head is spinning. I tried to suppress the pain, and tried to focus on whatever is in front of me.

The room I'm in is unfamiliar. It has a feel of olden times. Parang nasa panahon ako ng mga Kastila gaano man ka-moderno ang designs.

I'm on a bed with white and gold covers na para bang mayayaman lamang ang meron. The walls are white, and the floor is dark brown. There's an open glass doorway in front of the bed leading to a terrace, letting light and the breeze from outside enter. I hear wave-like sounds from outside. Malapit ba ako sa dagat?

May isang bedside table on my right side, with a bouquet of stargazers on a white rectangular vase. Beside the vase is a glass of water.

I immediately reached out for the glass of water dahil parang tuyong-tuyo ang lalamunan ko mula sa tulog.

I was in the middle of drinking when someone spoke.

"Gusto mo bang magpakuha pa ako ng tubig, binibini?"

I froze.

May lalaki akong kasama sa isang kwarto. Isang lalaki.

I slowly turned my gaze sa kung saan nanggaling ang boses, with the glass still on my lips, and there sitting on a black recliner was a guy.

Noticing my sudden stop, he asked, "Binibini, ayos ka lang...?"

Kapansin-pansin ang pag-iiba ng timpla ng mukha niya nang makita niya akong diretsuhan. Para siyang nakakita ng multo. It's as if he saw a lost memory resurfacing.

With no second thoughts, I ran.

A glass breaking sound came from where I was kung saan nahulog ko ang baso.

"Binibini!"

Lumabas ako ng pinto, and I entered an unfamiliar corridor.

The walls are maroon and white with gold prints. The corridors are wide, and the ceiling is high. May malalaking bintana with red curtains. Para akong nasa isang palasyo.

I kept on running hangga't makarating ako sa isang ballroom-like space. Sa laki ng building na 'to, I don't think mahahanap ko ang labasan agad-agad. I turned left and headed straight for a door, hoping for it to be the exit, but I was greeted by another corridor just like the last one.

"Binibini! Sandali! Mga guwardiya, itigil niyo siya," rinig kong sigaw ng lalaki mula sa kwarto na nasa likod ko. Ano bang kailangan niya?!

May tatlong guwardiya na humarang sa daanan ko. I looked back, and for a moment, my eyes met his.

A world-destroying headache suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I feel like my brain is being squished by my skull. Then, I fell on the floor, a hand on my head trying to stop the pain.

Dali-dali akong pinuntahan ng lalaki at nagdadalawang-isip pang hawakan ako na para bang I'm a delicate porcelain doll na with one touch ay mababasag.

"Kayong tatlo! Kumuha kayo ng doktor," utos ng lalaki sa tatlong guwardiya sa harap namin.

"Pero kamahalan, baka akto lang 'yan! Baka nililinlang niya lang tayo at saktan ka--!"

"SUNDIN NIYO ANG UTOS KO," biglang pagtataas ng boses ng lalaki.

"O-Opo, kamahalan." Wala nang nagawa ang guard at sinunod ang lalaki.

Naiwan kaming dalawa sa gitna ng hallway. He pulls me closer to him gently, trying not to add more pain. Ipinatong niya ang ulo ko sa shoulder niya which helped. He wraps his arms around me, and he whispers soothing words in my ear, lessening the headache.

I should be protesting because this is invading my personal space, but with this headache, I am nothing. My eyes are getting blurry as every second passes dahil sa sakit ng ulo ko.

"Mawawala rin ang sakit. Don't worry," bulong ng lalaki.

"S-Sino ka?" hirap kong tugon.

"Shh. That doesn't matter now. Now, you need a doctor." Hinaplos niya ang buhok ko. "Mawawala rin ang sakit, I promise, love."

* * * * *

*gagging noises*
Yuck.