That Golden Boy: Collection of Random Short Stories

52: WHAT DOES HAM & CHEESE TASTE LIKE?

It was November 13th, around 4pm, when the sky was steadily dark and tiny droplets of water sprayed upon wrecked houses, there stood a young woman named Aria whose face was weary and exhausted.

The school ground's deserted, making her feel nervous as there's no trace of anybody whom she can approach, nor fellow students to call. She ascended the marble staircase in a four-storey building and made her way along the corridor with its whitewashed wall and dun-colored classroom doors, alone.

"Tao po..." she knocked twice the conference room but no one answered. "Tao po..." she repeatedly said but still, a single voice not happen to come from inside so she initiated to open it herself.

Tanging impit ng paggalaw ng pinto at marahang paghinga niya lamang ang maririnig, kasabay ng paghampas ng malamig na simoy ng hangin nang makita niya ang mga kaklaseng nakaupo sa kaniya-kaniyang ayos ng upuan. Nakatalikod ang mga ito sa kaniya't tila hindi natitinag sa kaniyang presensya.

"H-Huy... Anong meron? Bakit nandito kayong lahat? Hindi pa naman nagbabalik-eskwela hindi ba?" she remarked but no one dared to respond. Each of her classmates looked like statues staring at wet laptops and crumpled papers.

She walked towards a braided girl who supposed to be her best friend as she easily noticed its figure. She tapped its shoulder, caressed its hair and moved closer towards its face, then agony started to swallow her existence.

Pikit ang mata ng babae, namumutla ang buong katawan nito't nangingitim na rin ang mga labi. Hindi alam ni Aria ang gagawin, napahawak siya ng mahigpit sa kaniyang dibdib at nagsimula na ring bumilis ang kaniyang paghinga. Ni hindi niya nagawang makasigaw nang may marinig siyang kaluskos sa labas ng silid.

Saka rin lamang niya napansin na lahat ng kaniyang mga kaklase'y tila malalamig na bangkay na prenteng nakaupo't may mga laso sa leeg. Ilang beses siyang napalunok sa mga nasasaksihan, na sa isip-isip niya'y isa itong bangungot na gusto na niyang takasan.

Tears bursted out from her eyes as she moved closer again to her best friend. White-faced and lips sealed, she gently manuevered her hands along the red ribbon attached to its neck.

"PULL TIGHT TO LOOSEN" she mumbled as she reads a phrase engraved upon it. Just like what it commands, she nervously pulled it tight to loosen its grip on her friend's neck but later on, its head fell down and rolled slowly across the muddy floor but there's no blood dripping underneath.

She gasped, she could not help herself. And the next thing she knew, there's an old lady ejected from the door, wearing a velvet red cardigan which complements her ruby-like earrings and emerald green pendants patched through her golden necklace.

But she didn't notice those things except that the old lady is blindfolded. "Do you want some ham and cheese sandwich, dear?" It exclaimed but no words escaped out of her mouth due to extreme shock and fear.

"Do you want some ham and cheese? Don't be shy... C'mon, give it a try," it said once more as Aria seemed to be speechless still.

"Gusto ko na pong makaalis rito... Tulungan niyo po kami, yung mga k-kasama ko—"

"Tikman mo muna ito hija..." Sa kagustuhan niyang makaalis roon ay siya na mismo ang lumapit at dahan-dahang isinubo ang isang hiwa ng sandwich na korteng pa-tatsulok nang walang pag-aalinlangan.

Nagsimulang bumigat ang buhos ng ulan kasabay ng pagbigat rin ng kaniyang pakiramdam. Mariin siyang napapikit at sa pagbukas ng kaniyang mga mata'y naroon na sa isang sulok ang matanda't abala sa pagpa-plantsa ng isang piraso ng papel.

"Anong lasa hija? Nagustuhan mo ba?" saad pa nito habang nakapiring pa rin. Hindi na nagawa pang sumagot ni Aria nang unti-unting kumalabog ang dibdib niya sa sakit.

Agad siyang napahandusay sa malamig na sahig hanggang sa naramdaman niya na lamang na may kung anong tali na ang nakasabit sa kaniyang leeg.

Unti-unti siyang nanghina. Hindi niya inaasahan na ganoon ang lasa ng pagkaing ini-alok sa kaniya ng matanda, mapait at tila nabubulok na.

Nanigas siya sa kinasasadlakan at maya-maya pa'y unti-unti na siyang nalagutan ng hininga.

The old woman reached down the ribbon hanging on Aria's neck and in no time, her head fell and started to keep rolling down the marble floor just like of her best friend's.

She's one of those people who might survive from the typhoon few days ago. But in her case, fate played a trick on her from the thought that knowledge will serve as one of her weapon to conquer everything.

She was deceived, and I know that kind of feeling from being manipulated by something, by someone you believe for...

because Aria is me.

PLAGIARISM IS A CRIME. 
@jay.destro
Photo credits to the real owner.