Freed's Playroom [R-18]

Play-II

"Your wishes...will be his command."

***

His New Play

    NAKIPAGSABAYAN si Annie sa hiyawan ng kanyang mga barkada nang magsilabasan ang mga macho dancers at pinunit ang kanilang sando na suot. Hindi naman siya nagpatalo kina Gret nang pumaharap sila at nagtapon ng papel na pera habang nagsasayaw sila.

    It's the third consecutive nights that Annie has been going to Men's Bar and she's enjoying it. Nang magkapalitan sila ng paningin ng isang macho dancer ay bumaba ito ng stage at kaagad siyang nilapitan. Napakagat sa labi si Annie nang hapitin siya nito sa kanyang baywang at isayaw. Nalipat ang spotlight sa kanila at nagsipaghiyawan ang mga kababaihan habang nanonood sa kanila. Binuhat siya ng lalaki kaya naman napakapit ang dalawang hita niya sa baywang nito habang hinahaplos ng lalaki ang kanyang pang-upo.

    "Go Annie!" says Gret who is always supportive of her. Her loud laugh and excitement proves that she's drunk and she's getting hyped. She isn't the usual girl parties at bar and she wouldn't even have the guts except for now. So she drank until she's drunk because she wants to go all out and forget everything temporarily. It was effective but when the alcohol wears out, everything would go back and including the pain that's torturing her heart.

    Being drunk is just escaping for a while but being broken stays for a longer time.

    Matapos maihatid si Annie ni Gret ay napadausdos siya sa shaig nang makapasok siya sa loob. She couldn't see the messed up slippers on the door which was usually fixed by Ethan. There is no light on the kitchen which Ethan left turned on when she comes home late at night. When she stood up and heads towards the kitchen after turning on the lights, she saw her cup of coffee on the table, still unwashed ever since this morning. She tends to forget to wash it because she was always in a hurry to go out for work. But Ethan would always clean it up and there's a dinner ready on the table.

    The house looks empty. It's quiet...and lonely.

    Nang binuksan ni Collen ang ref ay tubig lang ang nakita niyang laman. There are cooked foods inside the Tupper wares but all of it is spoiled. Nilabas niay ito at tinapon ang laman sa basura.

    Iniiwasan niyang mapatingin sa sala, dahil maalala niya lang na naro'n si Ethan habang nanonood sa TV. Madalas niya itong datnan na nanonood ng basketball habang nagtutupi ng mga nilabhang damit.

    Every corner of the house reminds her of Ethan.

    How do you live on without the person who used to be a part of your life?

    How do you forget when you're betrayed painfully?

    How do you let go when you're still in love?

    Ilan lang ang mga ito sa mga tanong na bumabagabag sa kanyang isipan nitong mga nagdaang araw.

***

    PANAY ang hikab ni Annie habang nasa harapan ng vending machine dahil hindi siya makapag-decide kung coke ba o kape ang kanyang bibilhin upang buhayin ang umaga niya. Her work is just about to start but she's already tired.

    Nang makarinig siya ng mga yabag at boses at napalingon siya at nakita niya si ang ang dalawa niyang kasamahan sa department at ang kanilang boss na si Freed kaya naman inayos niya ang kanyang tindig at ngumiti sa kanila nang mapatingin sila sa kanyang gawi.

    "Oh!" napahiyaw naman bigla si Annine nang biglang tumunog ang vending machine. Paglingon niya ay ang dami na nitong biglang nilabas na canned coke at napagulong sa sahig ang iba.