Recca: The Outsiders

"Saan tayo?" Maanghang tanong ni  Aetna may pagkahalong pagtataka. Inilibot ko ang aking paningin at tila panaginip lang ito.

"Uy! Dragon ba 'yon? Tsaka ayun pa oh! Ang dami nila pero hindi sila cute." Biglang tanong ni Debby. Tiningnan ko ang tinuturo ni Debby at masasabi ko ay 'di nito kamukha ng mga dragon na nakikita ko sa pinapanood ni Debby na cartoons.

"Woah! I love this. It feels like dream." Straight english na sabi ni Ronin. Nakakamangha ang lugar nito at parang sa dreamland ko lang ito.

"Di naman siguro ito naka-project or something, right? You know, we just entered na storage room and now we're here na already."  Maarteng saad ni Chela. Ang conyo niya talaga kahit kailan!

"I hate this. This is not funny anymore. Can someone explain this joke?" Naiinis na ako. Di ko alam kung paano kami nandito. Baka optical illustion, hallucination, or any trick.

"This thing should have a scientific explanation, Willia. Maybe we traveled in other planets because of the storage room na isang capsule or machine pala?" Copernicus said while roaming his eyes. This is really weird.

I can see a dreamland of fantasy. Magical things are all around. From walking trees, flying enormous dragons, little person that flies around that I think it's a fairy, and I could even see a floating castle infront of us. Where are we? Don't tell me we are already having a mental or eye disorder. We should visit a psychiatrist once that we could get out in this weird and peculiar thing.

"Waah! Sino kayo?" Biglang may sumigaw pero 'di namin makita kung nasaan siya. I think it's invisible or maybe lumilipad kasi 'di namin makita.

"Sino 'yan? Please don't give another prank naman because I'm takot na already." Takot na conyong sambit ni Chela. Maging ako ay natatakot na rin dahil 'di ko alam kung saan kami ngayon. We are new in these thing and we don't know what to do.

"I think I found who shouted. He's right in front of you Aetna." Kinakabang sabi ni Ronin. Dahan-dahan siya lumayo kay Aetna na katabi niya kanina na ngayo'y katabi na si Debby.

Agad akong lumingon kay Aetna at hinanap kung sino 'yon. Wala akong makita sa harapan ni Aetna. How come na nasa harapan niya si Aetna kung wala naman siya? Don't tell me he's a small or flying creature?

Seconds after, nanlaki ako nang makita ko ang nasa harap ni Aetna. He's a small person. Around 12 inches ang laki niya. I think this is a dwarf?

"Aetna, don't panic and even shout. It will make the situation worse if you'll do--" 'di na natapos ni Debby ang sasabihin niya ng tumili ng malakas si Aetna at patakbong lumapit sa'kin. Bigla kaming nabalot ng kaba nang maramdaman namin ang malamig na simoy na hangin. I can see smoke is scattered in this area and I don't know if this is dangerous. I can see the small thing is still standing there and I don't know what would be his reaction. Medyo malayo kami sa kanya ng ilang metro.

Nagulat ako nang humarap siya at tumatakbo papunta sa'min. Medyo maliliit ang mga hakbang niya sa pagtakbo kaya agaran kaming umatras na mabilisan hanggang sa tumatakbo na kami. Medyo maputik ang daan at maraming gumagalaw na halaman kaya't maingat pa rin kami sa kakatakbo. Tumingala ako sa likod ko at  nakita ko na tumatakbo pa rin ang maliit na creature. Nanguguna si Chela at Debby na nasa harapan namin habang kami naman ni Copernicus ay nasa huli.

"Just focus infront. Baka madapa ka." Sambit ni Copernicus na seryoso sa kakatakbo at bakas sa kaniyang mukha ang takot rin.

Makalipas ng ilang segundo ay napatigil kami sa kakatakbo ng 'di malamang dahilan. I think we're paralyzed by someone kasi kaming lahat maging ang maliit na creature napatigil rin sa kakatakbo.

"Don't scare them Tim." Malamig na boses ng babae ang nagsalita. Lumabas siya mula sa left side namin kung nasaan may maraming halaman at puno. Parang sanay na siya sa gubat na ito.

Nakaramdam ako ng takot at ang puso ko ay parang sasabog na sa sobrang kaba. Rinig na rinig ko ang mabilis na tibok ng puso ko. Namumuo rin ang mga butil ng pawis sa mukha ko at nahihirapan na rin akong huminga dahil sa pagod.

Inaatake ako ng asthma! Ba't ngayon pa? I'm breathing hard and it feels like anytime from now it'll be harder for me to catch oxygen.

"Relax and find you're breathing pattern." Copernicus said with a touch of concerned tone.

"Are you all fine?" Humarap siya sa'min. "Oh! I think not." Ngising sabi niya nang dumapo ang mata niya sa'kin.

She's white as snow that is paired with a shoulder-length black hair. Her face has a pair of red round eyes with thick black eyebrows. She has a very pointed-nose and thin pink lips. Mukhang kasing tangkad niya si Debby na nasa 6 feet at ilang taon siyang matanda siya sa'min. Her long red dress is paired with a black cloak.

"Here let me help you feel warm." The girl said and I didn't understand what she means. Takot pa rin ang naghahari sa puso ko ngayon. This place is peculiar so we can't trust anything around us except ourselves and my friends.

After a few seconds, a large ball of orange fire is on her hands and she's playing it. Warm atmosphere is on the air and fear is wrapping on my heart.

-cassielli