Meeting the Peculiars

FOUR

"Ano may pasok ka ba o wala?," I stopped from finding my phone though it was impossible and stared at my parents who were still inside my room.

I looked at them apologetically. "Err. I have," I answered.

"So now you know how to be absent in your class Shana?," my dad asked again as he put both of his hands inside the pockets of his black trousers. He is indeed controlling his patience to me.

I drifted my gaze to mom hoping that she would take my side but she just placed her right hand to her waist.

I sighed. "N-No. Masama lang po talaga ang pakiramdam ko kagabi Pa that's why I-I woke up too late today."

And I lied again.

I have no choice.

My parents wouldn't believe me if I tell them that I've gone to another world. They will just send me to mental hospital if that happens.

"How about now? Okay ka na ba?," mom asked without any trace of madness.

My alibi worked.

"Y-Yes," I replied.

"That's good. Just drink your medicine just to make sure that you'll get totally alright," she instructed and was about to leave the room.

"Wait ma! Bakit nga pala kayo nandito? Diba may mga pasok din kayo?," I asked which made them stop from walking.

My dad chortled. "Didn't I tell you yesterday that we'll be having our business trip for one week?" he answered.

I hit my forehead using my palm. I was too consumed with what happened on the other world. "O-Oh yeah. Nakalimutan ko. Sorry. Enjoy," I said and beamed at them.

They just shook their heads.

"Take care okay? Andiyan naman si Manang Mila para magluto at maglinis para sayo. Just message us if there's something wrong," my mom said and they both left the room.

Message?

How will I do that if my phone was still there in Peculiaris.

I pulled the swivelling chair in front of my study table and sat to took a rest.

Muli kong tiningnan ang relo ko at gumagalaw na ulit ang mga kamay nito. It means that I came back here for real – alive.

What was just happened?

That was indeed beyond real.

So talagang totoo sila Mandy na marunong bumasa ng isip, si Frank na mukhang oso, si Angelica na mukhang anghel, si Garry na mukhang goblin, si Tamara na puno ng tattoos, yung higanteng lalaki na hindi ko man lang nalaman ang pangalan at si Sycharias na muntik nang pumatay sa akin.

I turned the chair around before resting to my bed.

Those things that happened back there transported back to my mind as I kept my eyes focus on the ceiling.

I never expected in my life that I would have experienced to travel from one world to another.

In fact, I didn't imagine that there's another world just for unique persons.

And now I found myself smiling.

Siguro nga baliw na ako.

I shouldn't feel like this most especially when I almost got slayed by a one-eyed man.

Are there more of them?

Only their house was what I saw in Peculiaris.

Are there still more houses or even stores in their world?

Who is Eric?

As more questions flashed inside my mind, my eyelids started to feel heavy and let myself swallowed by the soft and cozy texture of the bed.

"Don't tell me you're planning to go back there Amanda?," Frank asked to Mandy who was walking from one place to another.

Frank and the rest of them except to Sycharias were sitting on a black leathered couch as they were focused on Mandy's feet.

What's happening?

Is this a dream?

But how come I'm also here with them?

How did I managed to be here behind the red flowery curtains?

Mandy stopped from walking and faced the peculiars."Wala namang masama hindi ba? I can go there whenever I want and she can go here whenever she wants as well."

They all shook their head and didn't answer Mandy.

I can go here whenever I want?

Is this what she's talking about?

Me, hiding in these thick curtains in order to not get seen by them?

"What's that bulking in your pocket?" 

I also looked at Mandy's pocket in her dress. She inserted her right hand and reached for the thing.

"What's that?," Tamara asked.

I want to see her face actually but I can't because the curtains where I was hiding was behind them.

Kaya ang mukha lang ni Mandy ang nakikita ko. She was quite shocked upon hearing Tamara's question.

Baka dahil ang hawak ni Mandy ay obvious na cellphone. My phone to be exact.

"Are you sure you do--S-Sorry. That's what you called cellphone Tamara," the giant- man answered and I saw that she just nodded as an answer.

Maybe it was her first time to see a phone but how come?

Hindi kaya ito ang dahilan kung bakit nandito ako?

I was back in Peculiaris because I need to get my phone from her?

I guess so.

Dahan-dahan kong iniusog ang kurtina para makalakad papunta kay Mandy. Siguro naman hindi nila ako nakikita kasi pan –

"Hi Shana!" – or I'm wrong.

The peculiars that were sitting turned back their heads which made their mouth automatically gaped.

I forcefully moved the curtains in front of me and I suddenly got back to my room wide awake.

I rose from my bed and brushed my face using both of my palms.

Don't tell me that was also real.

"Of course it was real Shana!," I uttered in a rise tone of voice.

I saw my phone and they saw me as well.

Ibig sabihin totoo y'on?

Pero bakit kaya hindi man lang nagulat si Mandy nang makita niyang nand'on ako hindi kagaya nila na Angelica na hindi makapaniwalang napunta ako ulit sa mundo nila?

What is really happening?

Paano ko nagawa 'yon?

Am I also peculiar just like them?