Unexpected Escape

Chapter 1 - The Book

It was Tuesday. The sun is greeting the house by peeking at the slightly opened window. I thought the window was closed before I sleep last night. Maybe, I just forgot to close it.

Kinuha ko ang aking laptop sa ibabaw ng aking kama. Tila dahil sa pagbababad ko sa pagre-review kagabi ay naiwan ko sa aking tabi ang laptop ko habang ako ay natutulog.

Owing to the situation, we can't go to school for now because the cases of the contagious virus is constantly rising up until now.

"Good morning class," rinig kong bati sa amin ng aming propesor mula sa earphone na suot ko. Everybody fixes their cameras as we heard her and so was I. "Let's wait for the others to join to our google meeting, okay?" she added.

The meet remains standby but after five minutes of waiting, my fellow students started to join the meeting so our professor decided to start the discussion.

"Arrector... pili," our professor simply explained but I don't know if I am right from what I have heard from her since my signal isn't that stable and the other line seems to be choppy. Even sometimes, I unexpectdly left the meeting due to the unstable connection.

After the last subject, I can't grasp anything that my professors discussed. I don't even know if this semester becomes productive for me but for my averse goal and dream, I will still continue and reach the peak of success for my parents.

After the tedious discussions, I quickly read and review what I jotted down on my notes but I was taken aback as Kylo, my pet dog, jumped at my lap, wagging his tail while spinning around.

Marahan kong ibinaba ang hawak kong ballpen sa ibabaw ng aking study table. "Gutom ka na ba?" tanong ko sa kaniya habang marahang hinahagod ang kaniyang malambot na balahibo.

He jumps out of my lap and grabs my pants with his little teeth. I feel like he wants me to follow him so I gradually stand from my seat and make a crunching sound as I stretched my arms.

"Wait me, Kylo!" I said while making my walk into run.

It was already sunset but I still didn't grab any food to fill my empty stomach even before the meeting started since eight in the morning. I barely eat since I don't want to miss important meetings and topics from the discussion. We also do not have any break because all of my subjects today are all synchronous.

While following Kylo, I never thought he will bring me here in the kitchen, maybe reminding me that I should have grab a food to eat. To be honest, I am pretty losing weight because of this set up of online class.

I massaged my eyes, not because there's something get inside my eyes but it is slightly aching maybe because of constantly pinning my eyes onto the monitor of my laptop since morning. I can pretty feel myself to faint or sleep temporarily. I badly want to sleep right now for me to compensate also of how many days of my eyes not able to sleep peacefully because I badly need to pass the final exam. Yeah, my mom and dad are constantly scolding me everytime I had a single mistake from the exam so I badly have to do good at school.

Kylo and I ate our dinner for the meantime. Hindi ko na naman maiintay pa sina Mom and Dad gayong alam kong busy sila sa kanilang mga trabaho kaya't lagi na lang silang umaga kung umuwi sa bahay. That is why, Kylo is the only one I am with inside this huge house. Madalang ko na rin silang makita rito sa bahay kaya't tila sanay na rin ako sa ganitong ambiance ng bahay. They sometimes locked themselves inside their room once they have that 'work-from-home."

Mom is an architect while Dad is a doctor. They both graduated with Latin awards so maybe that is why, I am so soaked in studying for every detail of the discussions. Well, I can't do anything though for they have said it was for my future, yet, this isn't the profession I want to pursue. I want to be a writer... if that is a kind of profession.

Matapos naming kumain ni Kylo ay nagtungo na kaming muli sa kwarto ko.

I read what was written from my notes. I don't know if something is sinking in inside my head because my eyes badly want to shut right now and wish to sleep. Muli kong binasa ang nakasulat sa notes ko pero parang hindi na kaya ng aking mga mata pang ipagpatuloy ang pagre-review.

I massaged my eyes and slightly shook my head to help wake up. I can feel the soreness between my eyes and maybe, I might sleep upon my study table without even realizing it. If I only can drink a cup of coffee...

Isang malakas na ingay ang nagpagising ng aking dawa kaya't halos mapatalon ako sa aking kinauupuan nang dahil sa gulat. I gaze at it to where the startling sound came from.

"You startled me!" I exclaimed, catching my breath. I stationed my right palm against my racing chest and sigh after I stood up.

I peered at the thick book that accidentally fell from the mini bookshelf inside my room. I don't know where did this book comes from. The fact that it is too old and its book cover is somewhat faded due to maybe of how old it is, I am sure I don't have this kind of book piled in my shelf.

"What are you doing, Kylo?" I sluggishly asked him while he's spinning around the thick book.

I was about to get the book from the floor but Kylo jumped upon its book cover. "Kylo," I called to make him leave out of the book but he didn't budge. Para bang hindi niya ako naririnig o tila hindi niya lang talaga naiintidihan ang aking mga sinasabi.

I mentally rolled my eyes as I think of that. I get the book from him but the book is too heavy. I can't pull it off from the floor and I even can't move it even an inch.

Did Kylo gain weight too much?

"Kylo, please!" I favored him, tired. After a minute, I have decided to go back from my table but I find Kylo jumped out from the book. "Finally!" I sighed and fixed my hair blocking my eyes.

As I was about to get that thick book from the floor, it is seriously heavy. It is like something is pulling it, that's why I can't unfasten it against the ground.

"Did you spill some glue here, Kylo?" I asked him waiting for his nod or reply but as what I expected, he didn't make a minimal noise or a single move.

I sighed as I bend my knees widely. I even climb my t-shirt's sleeve up believing that it might help me to be stronger to unfasten the thick book from the floor but I was startled after I removed the book from the ground effortlessly.

I loud thud was created after my back was in contact with the cold floor. Kaagad na napakunot ako ng aking noo gayong hindi ko maintidihan ang nangyayari.

"What happened?" I looked at the thick book from my hand, wide-eyed, wondering about what has happened. "Why does I can't pull this a while back?" I asked myself while my eyebrows narrowed.

I sighed. "Maybe I am just too sleepy right now that is why I am so delusional," I told to myself.

I pinch both of my cheeks to wake me up and shook my head off to remove this sleepy eyes of mine. I abruptly stand up from the ground and put the book in the sorted out book shelf. Before I resorted myself to my study table to review again, I stretched my arms and tried some jumping jacks to help me wake up.

Napabagsak na lang ako ng aking balikat. Tila hindi naman nakatutulong ang ginagawa ko. Siguro ay iidlip na lang muna ako kahit saglit.

I sank my head between my arms resting against my table and gently close my eyes.

"I think, it is not bad to pause when you are tired. But, if I chose not to wake up, will someone wake me up?"

To be continued...

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