The Heart of a Madman (HORROR STORIES)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

I am deeply elated. Birthday ko na kasi. Everything was coming into plan, magkakaroon ng party para sakin kung saan magkakasama kami ng mga kaibigan ko sa bahay.

It is going to start within 1 hour. Nagsisidatingan na ang mga guest at ilang mga kakilala ko. Si Joshua, Max, Jade, Dod, marami sila. Nakahanda na din ang mga pagkain bale mga tao nalang talaga ang hinihintay.

The room was flooded with bright hues of blue and violet. Tarpaulins bearing my name and birthdate was hanging in the middle. Naka arranged na ang buong room, mayroong pagkain sa sides. Spaghetti, carbonara, fruit salad, graham balls, all the typical handa stuff. A table beside my banner was alotted specifically for gifts that my friends would hopefully give me. Well, I am eighteen.

Naupo na ang mga kaibigan ko roon sa mga plastic chairs at nagsimulang magkuwentuhan. I asked them about the design and they gave positive affirmations.

"Ang ganda kaya!" sabi ni Audrey.

"Nakaw, magaya nga pag nagpaparty din ako." dagdag ni Kale at tumawa ang lahat.

Their laughs brought joy to my day. It was one of the things that I want to see. You see, hindi naman ako iyong tipong makasariling tao. I want to see people smile kahit na nasasaktan na ako deep inside.

Maya-maya pa ay dumating na ang ilan. Halos mag tetrenta na kami ngayon dito and I am fairly confident that the room would hold out. Actually isang ballroom ito, the one that dancers waltzed in. It was that big kaya alam kong kaya iyon.

"Nagdadalaga na ang anak ko." nagulat ako ng biglang may humawak sa balikat ko. Si Mama.

Nagbibiro siya na parang iiyak. Alam kong hindi seryosohing tao si Mama and she would neever cry about something like this. She thinks that life just goes on and we should just let it be.

"Ma, naman eh." natatawang sabi ko trying to cover up my surprise.

"Nagulat ka lang eh." sabi niya sabay tawa. "Anyways, magayos ka muna du  sa kwarto. Ako na bahala dito." she said reassuringly.

May tiwala naman ako kay Mama and I know that she knows all of my friends. Lalo na ang mga ka-close kong sina Audrey at Kale who were my bestfriends the longest.

Tinanggap ko naman ang offer niya at nagpasiyang bumalik muna sa kwarto ko. Kahit sa pagtayo-tayo lamang sa entrance, greeting guests was hard. Sinong mag-aakala noon?

I passed through the big wooden doors of the room, it made a soft creak as I opened it. It was a bright and sunny Saturday morning. The sun shone brightly in the sky above almost blinding my sight. I quickly evaded it and entered my house.

Walang tao roon sa pagkaka-alam ko. Ang yaya naman ay naroroon rin sa ballroom kung saan nagaayos rin siya ng mga utensils and plates roon. She was also the one who prepared the food kaya malaki ang pagpapasalamat ko sa kaniya for the hard work.

Nagtungo na ako sa room ko. I waa befuddled to see such a sight. Mayroong isang box na nakapatong sa kama ko. It was wrapped in a pink ribbon and cool ang design.

Weird. Ang alam ko lahat ng gifts ay dapat nasa ballroom. Napaisip ako. Paano kaya kung sinadyang pinapunta ako ni Mama dito para masurpresa ako. Oo tama, iyon siguro iyon.

Nilapitan ko ang box at tiningnan kung meron bang letter. May pink na ribbon at nung tinagilid ko yung box, there was a note attached to it.

'Enjoy'. That's all that there is to it. Wala man lang nakalagay na kung kanino man nanggaling yung gift. With increasing curiosity, ninais ko nang buksan yung box.

I carefully unwrapped it from its ribbon. Elegante ang pagkakatali at isang hugot mo lang ay natanggal na. I opened it and bumungad sa akin ay isang manika. It was judging by the size of it, half my height. I propped it on my bed at inihiga ito. It was beautiful. Gusto ko ng ganito simula pa nung bata pa ako pero wala lang talagang pera sa Mama noon.

Inilagay ko muna ang manika sa isang tabi, sa bedside table ko. It sat there staring blankly at me. It had red frizzy hair. Freckles on its cheeks and its skin was pale white. Its black eyes wide. Only black. For a second it felt creepy to have it in my room but I dismissed the thought. More salient matters are needed to be attended to. Kailangan kong bumalik sa ballroom. Marami na sigurong tao roon.

It was a fun day. Maraming bumati sakin at nagsaya kaming lahat. Naubos ang pagkain and I got to see all of my friends. Everything went in my favor, I got to enjoy my eighteenth birthday perfectly.

Feeling restless, nagtungo na ako sa kwarto ko for sleep. Saktong nakita ko si yaya na ipinasok ang mga gifts na natanggap ko. It was a big heap and a heavy one, I'm sure. Balak ko sanang buksan ang lahat ng iyon kinabukasan na pero nauna nga lang. Then remembered the doll.

"Ate, nakita niyo po yung manika dun sa bedside ?" tanong ko kay ate.

"Oh, Ma'am--manika po ?"

"Opo, yung may red na buhok." I described the doll for her.

"Ay wala po Ma'am eh." umiiling na sagot niya.

That's weird. Ang alam ko, nasa bedside table ko lang inilagay yun and Ate would have definitely  noticed it.

Nung nagpaalam na siya ay pumasok na ako sa kwarto. It really wasn't there. Weird talaga. I made the effort to find her pero wala talaga siya. Wala sa closet, under the bed, behind the door, she wasn't anywhere.

Giving up, at gusto na din mamikit ng mga mata ko, isinantabi ko nalang ang paghahanap at ipagpapatuloy bukas.

I slept.

Then I was in my room again. Everything was so dark. Walang kailaw-ilaw pero may isang maliwanag na bagay mula sa malayong part ng kwarto. Iyon lang ang ilaw na meron doon sa buong kwarto and propped on a chair was the doll, sitting placidly. I felt chills, ngayon ko lang napansin kung gaano ka-creepy ang manikang iyon. It sat there lifelessly pero parang aakalain mong buhay.

Then the impossible happened. It moved. Hindi ko alam pero parang gumalaw talaga siya nung mapatingin lang ako sa gilid ko. Maybe my mind is going paranoid. Pero I'm sure I'm not mistaken. Gumalaw talaga siya. Her hand that once placed on her lap was now touching the chair.

I stared at her for minutes but nothing was happening. I decided to lie down. But then I heard footsteps and I suddenly had the urge to look again, just to assure myself that she didn't move.

There it was. Not on the chair but on the floor. Mas lalo akong kinilabutan. Every hair on my skin stood on end. Ang ginawa ko nalang ay nagtalukbong ng kumot ko at naghintay. Then the sounds of footsteps emerged once again. Ngayon ayokong tumingin, pero kitang kita ko ang shadow niya mula sa kumot. Gumagalaw sa gilid ng kama hanggang tumayo sa harapan ko.
Shadow lang ang nakikita ko, pero parang nakikita ko na ang buong pagmumukha niya. Her lifeless eyes, black ebony eyes.

Only then did I realize that she was upon me, slowly peeking under the sheets. Until I could almost see her eerie eyes staring at me.

I awoke with a jolt. Suddenly maliwanag na ulit but I'm still in my room. Wala na sa harapan ko ang manika and wala na rin ang upuan na inupuan niya. Light diffused all over my room, casting shadows on the windows.

Feeling relieved, I sat up. I scanned my room at nakita ko nanaman siya. She was beside me all the time. Alam kong hindi ko siya nilagay doon at alam kong wala siya kagabi. Inunahan na ako ng takot ko at napatakbo papalabas, slamming the door right behind me.

Saktong pagdating ko sa kusina ay naroon si Mama. She saw me panting and out of breath kakatakbo.

"Anong nangyare sayo ?" tanong niya.

"Ma'am nakita niyo na po ba yung manika niyo ?" dagdag ni Ate habang nag sasaing.

"Mama." I firmly said once I regained my breath.

"Manika ? You're too old for that, ah..." sabi ni Mama.

Nagtaka ako. "Hindi ikaw naglagay sa kwarto ko nung manika, Mama ?"

"Hindi. Bakita naman, eh ang laki-laki mo na." natatawang niyang sambit.

For once in my life, I got the feeling that I don't want to go back ever again in my room, knowing that a doll would be waiting for my arrival.