Chapter 3

I felt weird.

Parang pakiramdam na nakatulog ka ng sobrang tagal pero pagkagising mo, masakit ang katawan mo at nakakapagod? Ganyan ang nararamdaman ko kanina. I wanted to recall everything, but only that old streetlight are always in mind.

Pagkagising ko, nakarating na kami at nasa tabi ko lang si Mark na kanina pa tanong ng tanong sa akin kung kumusta na ba ang lagay ko.

“Gusto mong pumunta tayong hospital? Pwede akong mag-drive papunta dun.” 

I slowly let my lousy body sitted and leaned on the chair. I drank the water that Mark gave me. 

“ ‘Wag na, I'm now okay. I just can't explain why I felt like this... ” I told him what I felt earlier and he was just listening to me.

“It started when I saw that–weird old streetlight”

“Streetlight?”

I glanced at him, now wondering and confused. I awkwardly laughed, and told him to not worry about it.

He may not be too convinced about what I said, but I acted like it doesn't bother me anymore. We walked towards the cottage where our lunch was placed. Some are seafood, and I don't know how we can finish this. 

“Kael! Alam mo ba kung sino ang sumampal sa‘yo, kanina?” Josh asked me, while food is full in his mouth.

”Josh, stop talking while food is in your mouth!”

“Sino?” I replied full of amusement.

Josh grinned, while his eyes were on Alex who's now acting like she doesn't hear us.

When she saw Josh looking at her, she raised her brow and shouted at him, “What?!”

 “You are now having a crush on me, noh? C'mon! I can only treat you as my friends, I'm sorry!”

Ngumiwi si Josh sabay aksyon na tila nasusuka, ” Feeling talaga nito! Akala mo hindi sinampal si Kael kanina, ah! ”

Alex's eyes widened, and looked at me with an apologizing eyes.

” H-hey, I didn't mean to do that, noh! I saw on the internet that you should slap the person who's unconscious... ” 

I smiled at Alex when she half-pouted, and gave me a peace sign.

“ It's okay, Alex. Okay na rin naman ako eh.”

“ Lesson learned! Huwag masyado maniwala kung anong sabi ng nasa internet.”

“Yah, true ka Mark! But, if they will choose kung what should I believe, internet ba or si Josh. I rather believe in the internet!”

After we ate, pumunta muna ako sa lodge namin para makapag-ayos ng mga gamit. Sinamahan naman ako ni Mark to organize our things, while Josh and Alex are now splashing their body at the sea.

“Alam mo, minsan napapaisip ako na baka may something na ‘yang dalawa.”

I agree with him. Kahit minsan nag-aaway ang dalawa, I can see through their eyes that they like each other, but are also prideful. They can‘t even admit they really like each other.

“Hayaan mo na. Kung saan sila masaya, edi suporta nalang tayo.” I replied while putting my clothes at the cabinet.

”Eh ikaw, Kael? Have you already found happiness?” he asked, which made me stare at him.

“ I don't know. ” he nodded and sat at his bed.

“Mahirap talagang hanapin ang happiness natin, pero kay dali tayong bigyan ng bagay na magpapalungkot sa‘tin. ” he continued. 

I goggled at him, and let out a burst when he suddenly got serious.

”Hey, Mark? Are you serious? I can't believe you can actually talk like that, huh! ” his cheeks turned red and throw his pillow at me.

“ ‘Nubayan, sa labas muna ako. Pinapahiya mo lang ako dito,” he rolled his eyes and I put my hand to my mouth, preventing myself to laugh at him. 

Nang makalabas na siya ay pabagsak kong inihiga ang katawan ko sa kama. Hindi naman nagtagal ay biglang pumasok sa isipan ko ang nangyari sa akin kanina.

It really feels so weird, at parang ang nararamdaman ko kanina ay hindi na bago sa‘kin. It was like I felt it before.

To avoid thinking about it, lumabas na ako sa kwarto and join them playing at the seashore. Wala namang masyadong tao dahil pinasara muna ng parents ni Alex ang resort for us to enjoy all alone.

“HAHAHAHA! Bobo mo kasing lumangoy!” Josh laughed at Alex when she suddenly drowned. Malakas kasi ang current ng dagat, nadala yata siya at di na nakaabot sa taas ng tubig. Hindi naman namin napansin, at akala namin she's only joking.

“Josh! Muntikan na ngang malunod kaibigan natin, ganyan ka pa!” sita ni Mark kay Josh.

I called one of the staff to help us. I took a glance at Josh who's now staring at Alex, who is now pale and quiet. 

A second passed, I hid a smile when Josh went closer to Alex, hugging her with a towel covering Alex's. Pinapaalis pa siya ni Alex, pero mas hinigpitan niya pa ang yakap niya that made her stop complaining.

Hindi nagtagal ay pinapunta muna sila sa clinic to check Alex. Naiwan naman ulit kami ni Mark, and this gave me a chance to ask him about that old streetlight earlier.

Baka kasi may alam siya about it.

“Mark?”

“Hmm?”

“May alam ka ba tungkol dun sa streetlight?” I asked him while eating a slice of a watermelon.

“Huh? Saang streetlight?”

“The old one na nadaanan natin kanina.”

Umawang ang bibig ni Mark and hug his knees when the wind blows.

“ Ohhh, I remember my mom told me a story about that place. It's kinda sad,”

My brows furrowed and it gave me so much hope, hearing what exactly happened to that place.

“Can you tell me? I'm just curious, especially I felt weird when I saw that thing earlier, right? ” 

“Yahh, ”

“ Well, naalala ko na ikinuwento ni mama sa akin dati na yang lugar na yan or to be specific, iyang streetlight... May nadisgrasya na talaga diyan. Hindi ako sigurado kung sampung taon na ba ang nakakaraan o higit pa eh, basta sabi ay magkasintahan ang nadisgrasya doon. Buntis pa nga ang babae at mabuti nalang nadala pa sa hospital, kaya nasurvive yung bata. ".

“B-buntis ang babae? Saan ang anak niya ngayon? ” Nangunot ang noo ni Mark nang makita ang kamay kong nanginginig habang ang hawak ang basong tubig. 

“H-hindi ko alam eh…”

“Kael, okay ka lang ba talaga?” Hinawakan niya ang kamay ko sabay paglagay ng kamay niya sa noo ko.

“ I also don't k-know…”

I covered my mouth when I felt nauseous and dizzy. In a second, a loud and straight sound suddenly covers my ears. It was like what I heard from before! And again, a strange energy was like pulling me away. I felt my body was so heavy and thinking I kist stand, makes me feel like dying.

I can't hear any human voices besides these weird sounds in my ear. Yet, I can feel Mark's warm palm in my skin.

Wala pang isang minuto ay tila lumulutang ang katawan ko, pero may matigas at mainit na bisig sa likod ko.

A pain in my heart and a strange figure suddenly flashed into my mind.

She's a she. 

The woman is staring at me with tears flowing in her eyes. Her eyes speak for anger and sorrow. I wanted to talk to her, but I couldn't open my mouth. I force my hand to reach her, not until I can touch her face. A loud bang of a crashing vehicle replaced the straight line like sound from earlier.

“Kael...please be at peace.”

She whispered that made me wake up in reality.