SOME DAYS

PANGALAWA

****IKALAWANG KABANATA****

            He can't take off his eyes at the boy in front of him, the boy, on the other hand was looking at him with confusion.

     This can't be...

     He rubs his eyes callously thinking if he would do so, mawawala na ang hallucination nya. He recalls what he did before going here. And the last thing he did was to smoke a cigarette with Xavier. It's not even a marijuana. Pero parang bakit High sya?

     Tumalikod sya at huminga ng malalim.

     Am I dreaming? Yes, this is just a dream and he need to wake up immediately. He closes his eyes and slightly press his forehead. Magkaka-migraine ata sya. Huminga muna sya ng malalim bago humarap sa nilalang na nasa loob ng kulungan. Hoping once he turns to it, wala na ito.

     But when he turned around, the kid was still there. Is it real? He needs to find out.

     He dug the key card on his pocket. He was about to swipe it on the cage's lock but stopped when he remembered something. "Do you bite?" He asked.

     "Huh?" Tanong nito na parang mas clueless pa sa kanya.

     "I'm asking if do you bite?"

     "I can bite...?" he answered, sounded unsure.

     "I mean, will you bite me if I go there?" Turo nya sa loob ng kulungan nito.

     "Why would I bite you?" He asked back.

     "Good, cause I'm going inside, don't do anything funny or else I'll put a bullet on your head." He threatened him then he continues to swipe the key card. Once it has opened, he reached for his gun on his side and aimed it at the boy that's now in front of him.

     Now, the boy looked scared and was about to cry. His chin started to tremble.

     "Turn around." Utos nya na sinunod naman nito.

     The boy was on his knees, his back in front of him.

     At katulad ng kanina pa nya gustong gawin, he touched the boy's furry ears on top of his head. They were brown and it feels silky and velvety under his palm. He forgot what's the situation and fondled him some more that made the boy mewl beneath him loudly. He pulled his arm back when he heard him mewl and he moved backward.

     They were fucking real... They were, indeed fucking real.

     "You are real... How in the world you're fucking real?!" He exclaimed.

     "Are... Are you going to hurt me, Sir...?" He asked in a small voice.

     "You can turn around now." Utos nya dito. "Kumpleto ka ba sa anti-rabies?" He asked in his mother tongue.

     "Huh?"

     "I'm asking if you have been vaccinated for anti-rabies?"

     "I don't know..."

     "How in the world you exist?" Tanong nya sa sarili dahil wala din naman syang makukuhang sagot mula sa bata sa harap nya. Mas matatanggap nya pa kung babae nalang yung nasa loob ng kulungan eh pero hindi. Napabuntong-hininga ulit sya. How can he tell Xavier this?

     He heard something growled. It was the kid's stomach tanda ng gutom na ito.

     "Sir... Can I have milk...?" His eyes pleading.