Secret Within Me | (On-going)

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Then suddenly, biglang may humawak ng balikat ko which gave me goosebumps. Ngayon lang ako nakaramdam ng ganyang klase ng takot...

Palapit ng palapit...

"Oy hali ka na!" Si Reign lang naman pala.

"Sandali lang, meron pa akong kukunin sa locker, is it okay?"

"Sure! Samahan ka namin para diretso na tayo sa library" ngising sabi ni Rouge na halatang excited.

We went down stairs at diretsong naglalakad sa hallway. May students pa sa labas, some of them are waiting for their service at ang iba at nagpapractice ng sports.

Nang nakarating na kami sa locker ko, inopen ko yun at kinuha ko ang books para ireturn sa library. We went up again at dumiretso sa pupuntahan namin. I can see students na nagpapaiwan sa kani kanilang club rooms, mga officers lang naman. But all I can hear is just our foot steps.

As we enter the library, I went to the librarian's table to return my borrowed books while my friends are finding a spot and some of them are looking for a year book or something na may kinalaman about sa history ng school.

I was about to sit when I saw a weird dark silhouette behind the shelves. But I didn't mind it, baka meron lang students na nag s-stand by doon. Timing naman at dumating na ang twins dala dala ang mga iba't ibang year books. Isa isa namin itong binuksan.

After an hour siguro ay kitang kita na ang pag set ng sun which nagre-reflect sa window. Its golden rays shines so beautifully pero sign na ito na kailangan na naming umuwi dahil kami nalang pala ang hinihintay ng librarian. Tinulungan namin ang mga kambal sa pagre-return ng mga kunuha namin para pamakuwi na kami kaagad.

"So guys, let's call it a day! Tomorrow naman siguro if okay lang sa inyo, masaya pala pag ganito HAHAHA!" Masayang tugon ni Rogue.

"Orayt!!"

"Sige"

"Sure! Oh so paano na yan, una na ako ha? See you all tomorrow! Ingat" Leigh waved goodbye hanggang sa umalis ang bus na sinasakyan niya.

Nagsi-uwian na din ang mga kasama ko but I prefer to walk kasi dadaan pa ako sa isang lugar.

***

"Hi dad, kamusta ka na?"

I can hear the sounds of cicadas around.

"Oh, well, its been a year na pala dad. I missed you so so much!"

"Did mom visited you here already? I can see that you received a bouquet of Lavender and Daisies. Your favorite." Patuloy lang ako sa pagsasalita.

"Sayang nga di ako nakabili, kakagaling ko lang sa school kasi dad." Then umupo ako sa isang bench na may malaking puno.

Tanging liwanag ng mga street lamps ang nagsisilbing ilaw dito sa lugar. Still, I can see some souls of the dead. More like lost souls. Those who seek either justice or revenge.

Where am I you may ask? I'm here, in a gloomy place, in a Cemetery. Visiting my dad who died, almost 1 year na. He was shot by a gun, as far as I can remember, he was shot 4 times. Isa sa ulo, in his heart, and dalawa sa shoulder niya.

I was with him when that gruesome accident happened. Dad was driving dahil sinusundo niya ako sa school every afternoon when 2 men riding in a motorcycle near the car's window.

Akala namin wala lang kasi normal lang naman sa mga motorcycle drivers na minsan napapalapit sila sa isang sasakyan, minsan naman napapalayo. But we're wrong, they shot Dad who's in the driver's seat near them. At nasa backseat ako.

Blood splattered at nawalan ng control si Dad sa pag mamaneho, namantsahan pa ang white uniform ko.  And last thing I remember, dahil sa loss of control ni dad, nabangga ang sasakyan sa isang street lamp. And then, they shot Dad again to secure that he's dead. Na injured din ako, my head bumped in the broken window of the car.

Almost 3 months ang stay ko that time hospital. Also got a trauma because of that traumatic event na ako pa mismo ang naka saksi. Then week after the accident, mom told me na dad was already dead when we were rescued. In short, dead on arrival. We were all mourning that time, cannot believe na wala na si Dad. After the funeral, halos di na ako makakakita dahil sa laki ng eyebags ko. Balik hospital din ako for some consultation. Still I can't accept it. Jane and friends always visited me, trying to console me para naman gumaan ang pakiramdam ko.

"Gusto ko nang makalimutan ang halat...Dad" Hindi ko na naiwasang umiyak. Tears starts to fall. I can't stop it.

Patuloy akong humikbi when someone hand me a handkerchief.

"Can I sit?" I just nod.

"Sorry nga pala ha, nabasa ko tuloy ang panyo mo"

"It's fine. I bet you're here, visiting someone?" Tanong niya

"Yes, my dad who died last year" I said sabay turo sa lapida.

"Oh sorry, stop crying, oh! look above the tree" tinignan ko naman. Fireflies.

"It's beautiful" that's all I can say. I'm speechless. "It reminds me of Dad, he's always smiling brightly, like these fireflies do, flying brightly yet why do they need do die so fast"

He remained silent.

"Nga pala, what's your name? I saw you crying kasi, so I went here."

"I'm Sofia. Sofia Esmeralda Fallarco."

"What a nice name, I'm------" may tumunog na phone, I guess sa kanya yon.

"Oh sorry, better go na, hinahanap na ako ng Mommy ko eh" then lumakad siya papalayo to get his bike.

"WAIT! You didn't tell me your name yet--" mahina kong sabi.

"It's ------" Hindi ko na narinig ang sinabi niya dahil natatanaw ko na siya sa malayo.

I guess it's a 'see you next time, hoping that we'll meet again'.

~•~