Without Memories

Prologue

Prologue

My face was beaming as I went inside a big classic round hall. Its walls were covered with shelves filled with books of different genres.

Habang nililibot ko ang aking tingin sa kabuuan ng bulwagan ay pakiramdam ko'y kumikinang ang bawat libro na aking namamataan. Hindi ko tuloy alam kung saan ako magsisimula upang kumuha ng libro. Kung maaari lang ay hindi ako magdadalawang isip na rito na lamang manirahan. I would not mind living with just books around me.

Napadako ang aking mga mata sa rolling ladder na maaari kong gamitin upang makuha ko ang mga libro na nasa itaas na parte. Agad ko itong nilapitan at tiningala ang mga librong nais kong akyatin. There was a sign above the row of shelves, where I stood, that this row was contained with fictional romantic stories. It's the genre I love the most.

Without any hesitation, I found myself climbing up of the ladder that was slightly shaky. I stopped at the ladder's midpoint to navigate for books to read, when I felt the ladder got shakier even when I wasn't moving. Napakapit ako sa ladder bilang suporta, ngunit huli na nang maisip kong hindi naman ito nakakonekta sa shelves para maiwasan ko ang aking pagkahulog.

"Ah!" I horrifyingly screamed as I found myself falling, along with the ladder.

In a split of seconds, I already felt the hard and cold floor where I fell, as my head and back both suffered a great pain. I saw the books from the shelves starting to shake and fall, until the shelf in front of me that was about to crush me alive, but my consciousness came at the right time and pulled me out of the dream.

My head was throbbing and I was catching my breath, as I opened my eyes and woke up from the nightmare. Ang sinag ng araw na sumisilip sa nakaawang na parte ng bintana na hindi nakukublihan ng kurtina ay tumama sa aking mga mata kaya naman bahagya akong napapikit dahil sa pagkasilaw.

I sat down on the king-sized bed with white sheets and let my eyes wandered around the whole serene room. The room has a beauteous interior. Walls were painted with cream, white and a specific color between red and yellow in hue. All in all, along with the furniture, the room has a harmonious space.

But why am I here? How did I end up in this room?

Bahagya akong napadaing nang maramdaman ko ang muling pagsakit ng ulo ko habang sinusubukan kong alalahanin ang mga nangyari. Even though the throbbing was excruciating, I still tried to remember but I can't. Sinubukan ko ring alalahanin ang mga ala-alang baka sakaling maalala, ngunit wala akong nakuha. Ang tanging naaalala ko lang ay ang aking masamang panaginip.

I can't remember anything at all. I can't remember my name, nor anything related to me. I can't even remember how I look. I'm clueless about my own life and identity.

Nahagip ng aking mga mata ang salamin sa tukador. Agad naman akong nagsumikap na bumaba ng kama upang tumungo at makita ang sarili sa salamin.

I quietly stared at my reflection on the mirror.

I have an ample cherry lips and a natural pointed nose. My eyes were in a shade of light brown, that's also the color of my long wavy hair. I have a fair skin complexion that made my cheeks rosy even without any make-up.

But even though I've already seen myself in the mirror, I still wasn't able to remember anything about me. Para bang ngayon ko lang nakita ang sarili kong pagmumukha.

Napuno ng takot ang aking sistema. Unti-unti akong napaupo sa lapag habang pinipilit ang sarili na makaalala. Naramdaman ko ang pamumuo ng aking luha habang nag-iinit ang gilid ng aking mga mata.

Why can't I remember anything?

Sino ako? Ano ang pangalan ko?

Questions about my identity entered my mind like a whirlpool, leaving my mind in some kind of state of calamity.