Chapter 02

"Hindi ba naging maayos ang tulog mo kaya nangingitim 'yang mata mo Lesa?"

Naibaba ko ang hawak kong kutsara at napanguso. "I'm not sure, I guess so... "

Nagtinginan si Mom at Dad habang nakakunot naman ang noo ni Grandma.

"Baka hindi ka komportable sa tabi ko—"

Taranta akong napailing ng paulit-ulit dahil sa sinabi ni Grandma. "I'm fine grandma, baka naninibago lang ako sa panahon. Naligo din kase ako kagabi kaya nanginginig ang tuhod ko, " pagdadahilan ko.

"Sinong tanga ang maliligo sa gabi habang malamig ang panahon?" tanong ni Mom at tumayo mula sa pagkakaupo saka hinaplos ang noo ko.

"Look at her, you've got a fever Alessandra!" Mother was glaring at me and went to the kitchen to get a clean towel.

Lumapit si Dad sa'kin at hinaplos din ang noo ko. Si Grandma nama'y inayos ang plato ko at pumunta sa kusina dala ang pinagkainan ko.

Nang makabalik ay dala ni Mom ang isang puting towel at palanggana na may lamang mainit na tubig. Grandma brought a medicine with her while Dad carried me and put me on the bed.

"Now, you've got a reserve beat to me because of how clumsy you are. You just took a bath in this cold weather, " Mom scolded me.

Dad looks worried and Grandma was preparing the medicine. "Catching a cold wouldn't make her die, you're overreacting." Grandma tried to calm my mother.

Napanguso ako. Hindi naman talaga ang pagligo ang naging rason ng sinat ko, kundi mismo ang nangyare kagabi.

After our eyes met, he just disappeared from my sight in just a glimpse. Mabilis akong lumabas sa bahay at tinakbo ang malamig na daan habang natatabunan ng umuulang snow ang daanan ko.

Nilibot ko ang paningin ko hanggang sa napilitan na lamang akong bumalik sa bahay.

I was sure that it was him, the man in my dream. He was real and our eyes met, it would be impossible if it's hallucination because the time that my eyes was locked into his, his eyes did the same too.

That was the reason why I haven't had a good sleep and had a cold because of walking outside in the middle of the night.

Kung kailan ay nakita ko na siya ay dinapuan naman ako ng sakit. I was so sure that it was him, but it's too unbelievable that I would met him here.

Is it a sign that I would encounter him?

and what the hell is he doing on the roof? He just disappeared after our eyes met. It was like I was dumped by that man.

"Don't get sick Alessandra." Dad looks really worried. His eyes were about to cry while holding my hand.

I smiled and crinkled my nose. "Dad, it's just a fever."

Napailing-iling siya.

"You're still sick, I want you to never get sick. Kung pwede lang na mapunta sa'kin ang sakit mo ay matagal ko nang tinanggap."

My Dad really is the most sweetest man in the world. He's too precious that I'm jealous to my mother, imagine marrying a man like my Dad.

"Don't worry Dad, I will kill this sickness and win. I'm a strong woman right?" biro ko upang bawasan ang pag-aalala niya.

Tumango siya at hinalikan ang noo ko. "My daughter is a strong woman! Right, I shouldn't worry. You're my daughter after all, " saad niya.

Biglang bumukas ang pinto at iniluwa si Grandma dala ang isang baso ng tubig at gamot.

"Alex, Cassandra needs you to fill the tank. It's running out of oil, " Grandma said and sat down on the side of the bed.

Dad nodded and went out from the room to help my Mom.

Grandma looks at me with a worried expression. "Why did I even let you take a bath, " saad niya sa malungkot na tono.

"Grandma, don't blame yourself. It's just a fever, " I tried comforting her but it didn't work.

Mas lalo lamang 'tong nalungkot at pinainom sa'kin ang gamot. Nang malasahan ito ay napangiwi ako dahil sa pait ng lasa, parang pinaghalong broccoli at ampalaya.

"Ano yan grandma?" nakangiwing tanong ko at mabilis na uminom ng tubig.

"Gamot sa sinat, mabisa yan. Kapag nagkakasakit ang grandpa mo ay pinapainom ko sakanya 'yan, gumagaling naman siya pagkabukas."

Hindi ko alam na gamot pangmatanda pala 'to pero kung mabisa naman, why not diba?

Umabot ang hapon ay nakahiga lamang ako sa kama habang ang tingin ay nakabaling sa bintana, hinihintay na bumaba ang araw mula sa pagsikat.

Nang makaramdam ng gutom ay bumangon ako at ramdam ko ang pag-ikot ng paningin ko dahil sa sakit ng ulo ko.

Marahan kong binuksan ang pinto at kita kong nakapatay lahat ng ilaw, sarado din ang mga bintana na para bang inabanduna ang buong bahay.

"Mom? Dad? Grandma?" I tried calling out their names but no one answered.

Nakaramdam na ako ng kaba at mabilis na binuhay ang ilaw ngunit ayaw gumana ng switch.

There's no way...

Mabilis akong lumabas sa bahay at bumungad sa'kin ang nagbabagsakang snow at malamig na hangin.

Tinahawak ko ang daan kahit nanginginig na ako sa lamig. Nang makarating sa lugar kung saan nakaparking ang sasakyan namin ay wala na ito.

Tanging ang malaking palatandaan lang ng Lake District ang nakalagay.

Iniwan ba nila ako? Bakit? Wala naman akong ginawang kasalanan.

Nagsimulang pumatak ang mga luha ko at napaupo na lamang dahil sa pagod at lamig. Bakit iniwan niyo ako dito?

"Meow."

Napatingin ako sa itaas at napaatras nang makita ang nakadungaw na ulo ng lalake, ang lalake sa panaginip ko.

"Meow meow, " said while looking at me.

Bumaba siya mula sa puno at lumapit sa'kin. He tilted his head like a dog wearing a curious expression.

"How come you're here?"

Napatanga ako nang marinig ang matigas niyang boses. Tila naging kabayo ang tibok ng puso ko, tinatakbo ang halo-halong emosyon.

"H-huh?"

"You just trespassed my dream and now you're here again, that old lady really want to pissed me off."

I left my mouth opened, unable to say anything. I don't understand him, what is he saying? He looks different from that dream—where I met him.

"Aren't you going back?"

Naitikom ko ang bibig ko at pinaglaruan ang daliri ko. "They left me."

"Stupid, it's a dream. You should go back, I don't want to see anyone trespassing my dream."

"Alessandra!"

Napabalikwas ako at hingal na hingal na napabangon. Napalingon ako sa nag-aalalang mukha ni Grandma habang hawak-hawak ang pulso ko.

Ilang minuto ko siyang tinitigan bago ako yumakap sakanya ng mahigpit. Nagsimulang pumatak ang luha mula sa mga mata ko sa pag-aakalang iniwan nila ako.

"Calm down Lesa, I'm here." She caressed my back.

It was a dream, it was a fucking dream. I thought that I was left alone, without that man I wouldn't be able to realized that it was a dream.

"Grandma, I've seen one."

Humiwalay ako sa pagkakayakap sakanya at pinahid ang tumutulong luha saka ngumiti. "I've seen a creature... A mystical creature."

He was rather true or magical, but one thing I'm sure about him.

He's mine in my dreams.