The Eclipse

PROLOGUE

The roaring thunder made my eyes grow wide. It just pulled me from my nicest sleep. 

I found myself sleeping at the bus stop in the middle of the night. How did I end up here? What’s going on?

I stood up and watched the teardrops of the sky. Looking around, I familiarize myself more with this place, sakaling makilala ko. And what I saw is the  place where I spent my whole childhood days—ang Charity Orphanage.

Wait, what?

I opened my umbrella—with confusion playing inside my mind—saka nagdesisyong tumawid sa pedestrian lane in front of me para puntahan ito sa kabilang kalsada. My eyes are focused looking at it as if ito lang ang nakikita ko. 

Kusang huminto ang mga paa ko sa center island dahil baha ang kabilang part ng kalsada. At the same time,  I saw someone walking towards the gate of my old home. Basang basa ang palda niya at balabal na nakatalukbong sa kanya, yet she care not at all.

Inilapag niya ang basket na dala niya sa gate ng ampunan, then opened it. Humakbang ako nang kaunti sa kanang direksyon at sinilip ang laman ng basket na 'yon, pero inilapit niya ang mukha niya dito na parang nginungudngod sa loob. 

Mas na-trigger tuloy lalo ang interest ko. 

When she removed her face from it, she wiped it then stood up. Tumakbo siya palayo ng ampunan na ikinataka ko. Pero nang ibaling kong muli ang mga mata ko sa basket, it grew wide. 

For I just found a baby inside. 

"Ale!" I shouted but she kept running, "Ale, ‘yung baby niyo! ALE!" I kept shouting but she seemed unbothered. I attempted to run towards the child, until a huge truck passed by on the road. Sinaboy nito sa’kin ang tubig baha na dinaanan nito kaya—

.
"Pffft!" my whole face, especially my eyes and mouth, was washed by floodwater. Buwisit. 

Pilit kong dinura ang tubig at kinuskos ang mga mata ko. It’s painful and awful at the same time. But then I noticed, parang wala namang basa. Kinapa ko pa ng paulit-ulit ang buong mukha ko to double check before I started to open my eyes. Doon ko napagtantong baka panaginip lang ang lahat, 

Nakaupo ako ngayon sa upuang kaharap ng isang lamesa, wondering what I am doing here and how I slept here. I’m more puzzled regarding this white shirt I’m wearing, printed with a doll’s face na nagbabalat na. Pagtaas ko ng braso, may butas pa sa bandang kili-kili.

Nilibot ko ang mga mata ko sa paligid—puro mga bata. The confusion grew more within me as I tried to figure out what’s going on. But then a mirror in front of me reflected what I look like.

Teka—how come I look like a child?

Hindi ako makapaniwala. All I see is the 12-year-old me. Kinapa-kapa ko pa ang sarili kong mukha at baka nananaginip na naman ako pero nararamdaman ko ito. Bakit ganito ang hitsura ko?

I looked everywhere. Dito ko lang napagtantong nasa loob na ako ng bahay ampunang napanaginipan ko lang kanina. Wooden tables, plastic chairs, walls vandalized with crayons—how is it possible that I’m here?

Charity Orphanage was burned when I was 17!

"Hoy.”

I was startled hearing that behind me. Napalingon ako dito at laking gulat ko sa kung sino ang bumungad sa’kin—si Elenor. 

She's the girl who used to bully me when I was young. Her gaze is making me shiver. I can't believe I'm seeing her now.

She put a tray of food in front of me. "Tira-tira ko na 'yan. Kainin mo. Total, asal tuta ka naman."