A World Beyond Ours

f o u r

louise claire vernon

"...paano kung may mahanap kang mas maganda sa akin, more attractive than me, iiwanan mo na ba ako?" tanong ko sa kanya.

"Claire, I won't leave you. Kahit magkaloko-loko na ang mundo, I'll stay with you forever," sabi niya.

"Promise?"

"Magkamatayan man," he said smiling at me. "I wouldn't leave you for the world."

* * * * *

I woke up with my face wet. Why am I crying?

I remember being brought back to this room, the room I tried to escape from, with the guy carrying me all the way. May dumating na dalawang babae, after a short while, one wearing a high ponytail, and the other, in a bun. Kinausap ng lalaki ang dalawang babae, at maya-maya, binigyan ako ng babaeng naka-bun ng isang gamot na kakaiba ang amoy at mapait ang lasa. Sa sakit pa rin ng ulo ko, wala na akong nagawa kundi sundin ang utos ng babae na inumin ang gamot at itulog ko na lang ang sakit.

"Nightmares?" tanong ng isang boses mula sa harap ko.

Tumingala ako, and saw the guy earlier. He's standing on the balcony, looking at the sunset, his back facing me.

Napatigil ako. His back seems familiar. He seems so familiar, but I can't remember how.

It brings me back to a while ago. When my eyes met his while he was chasing me, it felt so wrong that I was running away from him. It felt like the headache was there because I was avoiding him. It felt like it was there for a purpose.

Bumaba ako ng kama at dahan-dahang naglakad patungo sa kanya, since I noticed na walang kwenta ang takbuhan siya. He looks so familiar that he seems like he's a dream. Dahan-dahan akong naglakad dahil baka isang guni-guni lang siya; na baka he's a mirage that'll fade.

"Are you okay, Claire?"

I stopped. He looks at me, the sunset forming shadows on his face. As our eyes met, a sense of familiarity overcame me.

"Paano mo nalaman ang pangalan ko?" I asked him, taking a step back.

He seems taken aback by my question. Lumaki ang mga mata niya na para bang na-realize niya na may ginawa siyang mali.

"A-Are you okay, Miss? No side effects mula sa gamot? Are you f-feeling dizzy?" he asks as if avoiding my question.

"How did you know my name?" I asked, giving emphasis on the question. "Do I know you?"

He said nothing. Tinignan lang niya ako na para bang may gusto siyang sabihin gamit ng mga mata niya. Parang gusto niyang iparating ang isang bagay sa akin.

Natigil lamang ang titigan namin nang nagbukas ang pinto.

"Kamahalan, may problema po ba? Narinig ko ang boses ng binibini kaya't pinapasok ko na ho ang sarili ko. Pasensya po." Tumungin ang lalaki sa bagong pasok na babae. I remembered her voice from before. Siya ang babaeng kasama ng nagpainom sa akin ng gamot.

"A-Ah, wala naman, Marina. Maayos ang lahat."

"Sigurado po ba kayo, kamahalan?"

Nakatingin pa rin ako sa kanya habang kinakausap niya ang babae.

Kamahalan?

"Pwede ka nang umalis, Marina. Ako na ang bahala rito."

Lumabas ang babaeng nagngangalang Marina, and once again, were alone.

* * * * *

*nose bleeds*
Nakakaloka ang Tagalog. Ang deep.