Waking up in Another World

Chapter 7: Embarking on a Journey (III)

Celine's POV

"Before you leave, I have something to give you..." Sam said and she took out something from her pouch. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang makita ko ang mga coins na naka-supot at saka ako napatingin sa kanya.

"Here, take this. It's not that much but I guess it can help you for atleast a week, that's 100 pounds" nakangiting ani niya na inabot pa sakin yung supot.

I shook my head immediately, "N-No, I can't take that. Y-You've helped me so much and I can't bear the thought of receiving any amount from you. You've already helped me and that's already more than enough for me"

"Ano ka ba? minsan lang naman to HAHAHAHHAHA. Besides, you'll need money on your journey, it's hard travelling without any money in your pocket. Besides you're not certain if you can actually find someone who gives a quest so it's better if you take it" she said and winked at me. She shoved the pocket full of coins in my hand and I smiled awkwardly. Shocks, nakakahiya.

"Uhmmm, t-that's too mu---"

"Shhhh, I insist. If you're worrying that I don't have any money left, don't be. I still have my savings" she said and giggled. "Now, be careful Celine! remember my warning! bye!!!"

"T-Thank you very much, Sam" I said and hugged her. Di ko din alam but I felt the urge to hug her. She treats me as her real friend and I'm glad to know that.

"You're welcome, if you need anything I'll just be here. Have a safe trip, bye!!! bye din, Chubby!!!"

"Maraming salamat ulit!!! see you soon, Sam!" I said and I bade her goodbye.

I also waved my hand as I slowly walked away from her house. People in here has too much hospitality. They're so kind for letting me in even though I'm a stranger. I'm so glad knowing that there are people like that in here or else, I could've died already.

By the way, Chubby is actually sitting on my shoulder. Para siyang agila sa position niya pero ganon ang gusto ata niyang pwesto eh so I just let him be. Besides, di naman siya mabigat kaya di din ako nangangalay.

Sam told me that my next destination would be towards Cresthill, a town outside the forest. Medyo malayo siya dito sa Norbury Village kasi nasa labas na siya ng forest. By the way, sobrang laki pala talaga nitong forest na to, pinakita kasi sakin ni Sam ang mapa tapos kalagitnaan pa tong village na to.

According to her, I should also head northwest if I wanted to continue my track.

Ito daw yung pinaka safe na way kasi nandito yung pathway mismo so di ako malilito, besides di daw siya masyadong madamo kaya safe ako sa mga ahas at kung ano-anong insekto.

Naglakad na ako papunta dun sa may pathway. Napalingon pa ako sa village at saka napangiti. I'll miss this place, especially Sam...

I started walking as I took a deep breath. Now this is actually where my journey begins!

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"Puta, pagod nako!" sigaw ko pa habang nakaluhod. Puta, di ko alam na ganto pala to kalayo.

Nasa kalagitnaan pa rin ako ng gubat pero di ko na kaya. Ubos na din lahat ng pagkain na binigay sakin ni Sam kasi nagutom ako.

I took the water bottle and drank from it. I'm so thirsty! I didn't know that walking could be this exhausting. Nag-jojogging naman ako dati pero ba't pagod na pagod ako dito?

Napalingon pa ako sa paligid at wala akong makitang tao. Well, it's quiet in here but I can still hear the chirping of birds.

I sat on a lodge and I called Chubby. He's now walking kasi di ko na kayang buhatin pa siya sa balikat ko. Nung una lang pala siya magaan.

Kinuha ko yung towel sa bulsa ko at saka pinunasan ang mukha ko. Kumuha din ako ng pamuyod at saka ko ipinony tail ang buhok ko.

I gave Chubby a piece of cat food, bigay lang din to sakin ni Sam bago ako umalis, di ko nga lang alam kung san niya binili.

Chubby slowly ate the food tapos nagulat ako ng kagatin niya yung isang piraso tapos ihinarap saken.

"B-Binibigay mo ba saken yan?" tanong ko pa.

Chubby meowed and left the food in front of me. "Di ako nakain niyan, jusko di ako pusa" natatawang sabi ko pa habang hinahaplos ko ang balahibo niya.

Napalingon ako sa paligid incase na may dumaang tao. I don't know but it seems that we're lost. Hehe, anlawak kasi.

Tumayo pa ako para makita kung may tao pa ba sa paligid, kasi medyo matataas yung d**o. Oh my gosh, bakit wala?

Antanga ko talaga, dapat pala hiningi ko nalang kay Sam yung mapa. Nagmamagaling kasi ako, akala ko madali lang kasi mukhang di kalakihan sa mapa tong gubat, though, malaki naman talaga siya mukha lang simple dun sa mapa ang layout niya.

Wala na din sa daan namin yung pathway, di ko alam kung bakit. Hehe, charot, natisod kasi ako kanina tapos di ko alam na pa-slope pala yung lupa kaya ayon napagulong ako hehe.

We got out of track dahil sa katangahan ko. Luckily, di naman maputik don kaya di nadumihan masyado ang damit ko.

"Are you done, Chubby? tara na, baka abutin pa tayo ng gabi" I muttered before going back to my feet. Nag-stretch din ako ng kaunti pampa-motivate lang.

I started walking and Chubby just followed. That's what I like the most about him, he's obedient, at the same time independent. Di siya laging nagrerely sakin di kagaya nung ibang pusa na gusto lagi buhat ng amo nila, when I said that I can't carry him he walks. Isn't he quite smart for a cat?

Lumingon lingon pa ako but it's futile. No one is actually around. I can't also hear anyth---

"WAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!" naputol ako sa pag-iisip ng bigla akong makarinig ng malakas na sigaw. I looked at Chubby and he just looked back at me. I nodded to him as a sign that he should follow me and I started running towards the direction of the scream.

I hid near the bushes and I saw a kid, specifically a male kid and a hound is in front of him. The hound looks like a dog but it's bigger and their fangs are sharper. Thus, they also look scary and wild since there is a saliva gushing out of their mouth.

"Grrrrrrr!!!"

Oh my goodness, anong gagawin ko? surely, I can't let the kid die so how the hell can I help?

Isa lang naman yung hound kaya siguro kaya ko naman? charot, takot ako sa aso. But I think kaya ko naman siyang i-handle kahit papaano until the kid escape. I took a wooden stick and a pebble incase something happens.

But wait, the hound looks familiar... where did I seen them???

Shocks, oo nga noh? that's one of the creatures that Sam warned me to stay away with, and she also showed me a picture of them this morning. They're vicious and they devours their pray piece by piece.

But she told me that they're actually not living in here so it's safe. Sabi pa nga niya, nakaseparate daw tong mga hounds na to and they can be rarely seen on this forest so why the hell is he here?

The hound positioned its legs at tatalunan na sana yung bata kaya lumabas na ako. Hinigpitan ko ang hawak ko sa bato at saka ko iyon ibinato dun sa aso.

"H-Hoy?! dito ka!" sigaw ko pa sa aso at napalingon naman ito sa akin. Pulang pula ang mata niya kaya medyo nanindig ang balahibo ko. Puta? they're actually this scary? well they already look scary but seeing them actually is on a different level.

The hounds eyes stared at me and I felt sudden goosebumps around my body. Nanigas din ako sa kinatatayuan ko ng mas humaba pa ang ngipin nito at saka mas bumuka ang bibig.

Bakit naman galit na galit? my goodness, napabato lang naman ako, parang sinasadya ko ah?

"RUN!!!" I shouted at the kid who's just standing there frozen. Napalingon ito sa akin ng nanginginig pero di pa rin siya nagalaw sa pwesto niya.

Ano ba yan? magpapabigat pa yung bata? intense na moment na to gusto pa niya buhatin ko pa siya?

I looked at Chubby and motioned the kid. It's as if I'm mentally telling him to help the kid run away.

Chubby just stared at me and it's as if he's assuring me if I can handle it. I slowly nodded at him and motioned the kid's direction, and I'm glad that he followed.

Chubby ran towards the kid and using his paw, he touched the kid. Mukhang nagulat naman yung bata pero tumakbo na papalayo si Chubby at mukhang bumalik na sa ulirat yung bata kaya sumunod siya dito.

"GRRRR!"

Nang marinig ko iyon ay napalingon ako at puta?! nakatalon na yung aso tapos dadambahan na ako. Dahil sa gulat ko ay kinuha ko yung stick tapos hinawakan ko yon with both of my hands at saka ko iyon isinangga sa ngipin nung aso.

Dahil sa bigat niya eh natumba pa ako at nakapatong siya sakin but I still manage to hold him off because I'm stopping him from biting me using the stick.

Wahhhh!!! natulo na yung laway niya sa mukha ko. Kadiri, taena... mukha akong naliligo sa laway.

Medyo nanginginig pa ang braso ko kaya medyo naooverpowered niya ako but, I can't die here...

I gathered all of my strength to push back the dog and when the dog is out of balance, I kicked him in the chest hardly kaya tumalsik siya papalayo.

The dog groaned in pain after hitting his back at the tree. I immediately regained my composure at muntikan pa akong matumba dahil sa sobrang panginginig ng tuhod ko. Puta, please makisama ka muna sakin ngayon mga tuhod ko.

I immediately grabbed all of the sticks around me that I can carry at bumunot rin ako ng d**o. Baka sakaling makatulong.

The dog got into his feet again and its' eyes are now glowing intensely. Oh my goodness, may mas ilalala pa pala ang nakakatakot niyang itsura.

Sumugod na naman sa akin yung aso at sinaboy ko sa kanya yung mga hawak kong d**o, hoping that it can distract him.

But it's pointless. The dog didn't even flinched or fazed. Oh my gosh, akala ko may silbe yon wala pala.

I quickly held the stick like a sword and pointed it at him. I can't say that I'm skilled in swordsmanship but I have tried it before.

The dog tried biting me but I dodged it. Hinampas ko siya sa ulo pero walang effect.

Pinagkakagat niya ako habang nalapit sa akin kaya paatras lang ako ng paatras habang naiwas tapos hinahampas ko siya sa ulo pag nakakita ako ng chance.

Naramdaman kong malapit na akong tumama sa puno sa kakaatras kaya hinampas ko ng malakas yung ulo ng aso at puta, nabali yung stick pero medyo bumaon naman yung ulo ng aso sa lupa kaya I grabbed the opportunity at saka ko siya inapakan sa ulo at saka ako nag-backflip pagilid kaya napunta ako sa ibang direksyon para di ako macorner.

Before the dog recovers, I immediately kicked his face pero bigla niyang kakagatin sana yung paa ko pero maigi nalang nailayo ko kaagad.

Ganon ulit ang nangyari, kinakagat niya ako habang nalapit tapos ako eh naiwas lang habang naatras pero nagulat ako ng biglang itaas niya ang paw niya at lumabas doon ang kanyang matatalas at mahahabang kuko.

Ihinarang ko yung stick but he just sliced it through kaya medyo napanganga ako. The f**k?

Parang katana ang ginamit niya dahil nahiwa agad yung stick. Putangina? anong magagawa ko dito?

Pinagkakalmot naman niya ako ngayon and I tried to dodge but he scratched my arm. May lumabas na konting dugo doon but tolerable naman so I just continued dodging.

Naubos na din ang mga stick na hawak ko na isinasangga ko dahil lagi niyang nahahati. Shocks, pano ko kaya to matatakasan?

Di ko napansin na may root pala ng puno sa likod ko kaya nagtaob na naman ako. Putangina naman, out of all moments ngayon pako nagtaob?

My back hit the hard ground and I grunted in pain, "Ouch!"

Biglang tumalon sa ere yung aso at iipod na sana ako pagilid ng biglang may isang mabilis na di ko maexplain na parang force na ewan, ang dumaan tapos biglang nahati yung ulo ng aso. As in nagseparate yung ulo at katawan nung aso dahil don sa kung ano man yon.

What the f**k?!