Waking up in Another World

Chapter 2: Waking up in Another World (II)

Celine's POV

"PUTANGINA?! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS PLACE?!"

May ilang tao na napatingin sakin na nagtataka tapos yung iba ay parang natatawa pa at naweweird-an saken. Pero anyway, ang weird din ng damit nila...

Pero putangina? anong meron? di ba nasa kwarto ako? the hell, why am I here?

Tumayo ako at saka inilibot ang paningin ko. Puta naman, nakakahiya to ah? ampanget ko pa man din pag bagong gising.

Nasa gitna ako ng plaza ba to? or market? ewan basta parang isang street siya sa isang town tapos ayon nga mukhang market? kasi andaming vendors sa gilid tapos madami ding customers.

"Okay ka lang ba hija?" an old woman asked me.

Medyo nagtaka ako kasi pointed yung ears niya, pero tumango ako. "What is this place?" I asked confusedly.

"Kanina ka pang nakahiga sa sahig, hija... di mo ba alam kung nasan ka?" takang tanong din niya.

I immediately felt embarassment throughout my whole body kase... PUTANGINA?! KANINA PA AKO NAKAHIGA DITO SA SAHIG?!?!

Shocks, nakabukaka pa man din ako pag natutulog ano ba naman yan! tapos wala pa man din akong kumot na suot. Baka nagahasa na pala ako dito kanina pa di ko lang namamalayan, charot.

My face turned red and the old woman pulled me towards the side of the street. "Dito tayo mag-usap hija, delikado diyan sa gitna dahil madaming dumadaan na mga merchants" sabi pa niya kaya napatingin ako dun nga sa pwesto namin kanina.

My eyes widened as I saw a wagon with a dragon pulling it? What the hell?!

Bale parang usual lang din siya na kalesa sa Pilipinas pero imbes na kabayo, dragon ang nahila? pero wala naman silang pakpak, di ko lang talaga sure kung dinosaur ba tawag don o dragon. But, what the hell is this place? as far as I know, dragons doesn't exist.

"N-Nasan po ako???" I asked the old woman beside me.

"Andito ka sa Rigella, the capital of the empire of Eclein... by the way, you can just call me Cera, anong pangalan mo hija?"

My eyebrows creased when I heard the name Rigella at Eclein? meron ba non sa Pilipinas? parang wala naman.

"You can call me Celine po, but what do you mean Rigella? what part of the Philippines is that place located?" I asked.

Ngayon, noo naman niya ang kumunot at tiningnan niya ako ng nagtataka. "Philippines? there's no such place in here... san ba yon, hija?"

What? di nila alam yon? weird...

"Uhmmm, nevermind po but can I ask you a question?" I know it's a stupid question since I'm already asking pero di naman siguro ako babarahin neto.

"Sure, ano yon?"

"Bakit po pointed yung tenga niyo? and why are there dragons in here? di ba di sila nag-eexist?"

"Huh? anong sinasabi mo hija? dragons already existed for the past million years up until now. And to answer your first question, it's because I'm an elf"

"Elf?" I asked. Di ba sa mga video games lang yon? at sa fantasy stories?

She nodded at me and looked at me surprisingly, "So you didn't know that elves and dragons existed? san ka ba nanggaling hija? even children knows that dragons co-exists with humans, and it's a basic knowledge to know that there are different types of races here"

My mouth gaped, and confusion is written all over my face. I thought they're just created by humans' imagination. I mean, dun sa pinanggalingan ko wala namang ganon. What the hell? where am I? am I dreaming?

"Lola! tara na daw po sabi ni mama!" a kid in a distance shouted. Napatingin kami doon at napangiti yung matanda.

"Sige na, mauna na kami, Celine... It's nice meeting you" sabi niya na humarap pa sa akin.

I thanked her and then bade her goodbye as I watched her figurine disappeared into the crowd. What the hell now? ano na ang gagawin ko?

I don't know where to start, besides I'm penniless. Actually 20 pesos na lang ang nasa bulsa ko. Yung suot ko kasi ngayon eh yung pambahay ko nung bumili ako ng ulam nung isang araw.

Since, mabilis ko lang siyang nasuot, I decided to wear it again... sayang naman kung di ko susuotin eh mabilis ko lang naman nasuot. So ayun nga, may natira pang bente sa bulsa kaya sa ngayon, 20 pesos lang ang pera ko.

"Miss, bibili ka ba?" tanong ng nasa likod ko. I turned my attention to the man who's I think is already 30 - 40 years old behind me.

Napatingin ako sa paninda niya at puro prutas iyon. May mansanas din don tapos mga saging tapos meron ding ibang prutas na di na ako familiar.

"Magkano po ba?" I asked.

"10 pounds, 1 kilo"

"Ha?" takang tanong ko. 10 pounds? The hell? ano yun? 10 pesos ba yon?

"Ang sabi ko 10 pounds, 1 kilo na yon... ano bibili ka ba?" he asked impatiently. Aba ang kapal ng mukha neto ah? siya pa ata naiinis saken.

Inilabas ko ang bente sa bulsa ko at saka hinarap sa kanya. "Is this enough?" I asked since I'm already starving. Baka naman pede na yung bente, kasi gutom na din talaga ako.

"Ha?! ano yan? pinaglololoko mo ba ako?!" nakakunot na noong sabi niya.

"Chill, aba galet na galet ka diyan"

"Pano ba naman, ayan ang ibabayad mo! para saan ba yan? di mo ba alam ang 10 pounds?!"

A realization suddenly hit me and my mouth parted slightly. Does that mean that this place and the place that I'm used to has different currency? think of it as countries. Philippines has peso as its' currency while the United States has dollar as its' currency.

And this place has pounds as it's currency? what the hell does that even look like? and what is the equivalent value of 10 pounds in peso?

"Kung wala ka lang din namang pambayad, pwede bang umalis ka sa harap ko? you're blocking my stall from the customers' view" masungit na aniya niya kaya napakunot ang kilay ko. Mabulok sana ang mga prutas niya, ang kapal ng mukha. Mukha naman siyang dila ng gagamba.

Umipod ako sa pwesto ko at doon ako pumunta sa isang space kung saan walang nagtitinda. What now? I don't have any idea what to do... besides I'm hungry that's why my brain can't function properly.

I slapped my face really hard hoping that I would wake up from this nightmare. Ouch! ansaket... mukha akong tanga dito na sinasampal ang sarili ko.

Does that mean all of it is real? everything around me is real? the hell? so why did I woke up here? may kung ano bang lagusan sa apartment ko papunta dito? but I've been living there for months, that seems too impossible.

I drew a sharp breath and closed my eyes. Think... I need to think properly.

"Miss, are you okay?" someone beside me asked. She has an angelic sweet voice that's why I turned my attention towards her.

She looks like a normal child to me, unlike the old woman earlier, her ears are not pointed.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine... why did you asked?" I said awkwardly. She must have seen me slapping myself, and that's too embarrassing.

"I-I saw you slapping yourself earlier... and you look hungry that's why I brought you an apple" she said.

Napatingin ako sa hawak niya at iniabot niya sa akin ang isang mansanas. How sweet of her...

"Hehe, t-thank you very much!!!" I said and took the apple from her hands. Mahihiya pa ba ako eh gutom na ako?

"You're welcome... babalik na po ako don ah? my mom must be looking for me"

I thanked her again and bade her goodbye. Oh my goodness, she's so adorable and kind.

I looked at the apple in my hands when I remembered something... Pano kung may lason to? charot.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the little kid's kindness but I suddenly remembered Snow White.

Even though it is just a fantasy story, I can't help but think, what if it's also poisoned. I mean, there are elves here just like what the old woman said, so what if there are also witches?

But bakit naman niya ako lalasunin? I mean di naman niya ako kilala di ba? she won't gain anything if I died, right?

Anyway, I just shook that thought off my head and decided to bite off the apple.

Hmmm, matamis siya tapos juicy din. I chewed the apple that I bitten and slowly swallowed it. It may seem weird but I'm quite nervous.

I waited for a few seconds but nothing happened, I guess it's not actually poisoned. I'm just overthinking...

I suddenly collapsed on the floor and people began to rush beside me.

.

.

.

.

Charot lang, it's a prank!!! wala talagang nangyari sakin at di talaga ako natumba. Walang nangyaring ganon HAHAHAHAHHA.

Anyway, it seems safe naman that's why I ate the apple until my hunger fade out slightly. Slight lang kasi gutom pa rin ako.

Lumingon pa ako sa paligid ko and everyone's minding their own business. It's quite noisy here too because there are lots of people in here.

I decided to roam around to see if I'll get any clues on what is this place when I saw a big signage in front of me.

'Town of Rigella'

-The capital of Eclein Empire-

My eyebrows furrowed when I saw that name again. Rigella? that's weird. Even if I'm not that good at countries and its' capitals, I'm pretty sure that I haven't heard of that place before.

Lalo na ang Eclein Empire, does empires even exist? as far as I can remember, wala talagang mga empires sa Pilipinas. So what the hell is this place.

"Tabi! Tabi!" sigaw pa nung nasa likod ko kaya napalingon ako. May isang wagon na dadaan sa direksyon ko at ngayon ko lang napansin na nasa gitna pala ako ng daan.

Nanlaki bigla ang mata ko at tila naestatwa ako sa kinatatayuan ko. Mamamatay na ba ako?

Someone suddenly pulled me to my right kaya natauhan ako at tumama ako sa semento. Aray, di manlang ako sinalo... pero wait, may nababasa akong ganto sa w*****d.

Yung iniligtas yung babae ng isang lalaki na gwapo tapos nagkatuluyan sila sa huli. Shocks, baka gwapo tong humila saken?

I raised my head to the man who saved me and I suddenly erased that thought. Nevermind, that won't happen.

Isa siyang matandang lalaki na may makapal na balbas tapos may sigarilyo pa sa bibig. "Are you really that stupid to stand in the middle of the road? di playground to, hija..."

I just apologized and he just hissed. Taray... mukha namang feminine wash.

Tumayo na ako at saka pinagpagan ang suot ko. Tumabi na din ako sa gilid at saka naglakad-lakad nalang pero lumayo na talaga ako sa daan.

While walking mindlessly, I just found myself in an alley wherein no one is around. It is also quiet in here and the alley is also shady so it's not that hot in here.

I walked and walked but I actually don't know where am I... nasa Rigella pa ba ako?

Biglang may bumuga sa mukha ko na usok ng sigarilyo kaya napa-reklamo ako, "Ano ba yan, ambaho naman ng hininga, ang kapal ng mukhang bugahan ako!"

Napalingon ako sa nagbuga non at nakita ko ang isang matandang lalaki na may makapal na bigote at maraming tattoo. He also wore a kerchief and he had a scar on his right eye.

Nanlaki ang mata ko nang ma-realize ko kung gaano nakakatakot ang itsura niya... the f**k? napa-sabi pa man din ako ng mabaho ang hininga.

"Sinong sinabihan mo ng mabaho ang hininga, ha?!" medyo inis na tanong nung lalaki. Nakaupo siya kanina sa isang barrel and take note, he also has his acquiantances which is also seated on the other barrels.

"Boss, ikaw ata ang tinutukoy niyan..."

Malamang, siya talaga... sino ba ang hampaslupang bumuga sa mukha ko?

He smirked at me and I felt goosebumps all over my body. Oh my goodness, he's so creepy... no offense but he really looks like a r****t. Plus, there's three of them that's why I'm at a disadvantage here.

They encircled me, blocking my exit route. What the hell are they planning to do on me? don't tell me they'll r**e me? ew, no way.

"Alam mo... you're quite ugly but you can suffice" naka-ngising sabi nung boss nila sakin. I frowned upon hearing his opinion but the last three words sent shivers down my spine.

What the f**k? so they're really planning to r**e me? kadiri...

"Ew, kung tigang ka na pwede ba wag mo ako idamay? nakakarimarim kasi" nakangiwing ani ko. I imagined him on top of me and it's really gross. The hell? why did I even think of that? that's one of the most disgusting thing in the world.

"Hmmm, mukhang palaban ang isang to boss ah?" the other one muttered.

Sa totoo lang, nakakadiri sila... why would they even do that?! yes, I'm quite afraid but all I can think is that it's so disgusting. Like the hell? gaya ng sinabi niya, panget ako kaya bakit pa nila ako rarape-in?

"So let's start, shall we?" sabi pa nung isa na mukhang butanding.

They walked towards me and his two acquiantances hold my arms. I resisted but it's futile because they're gripping my arms tightly.

"TULONGGGGG!!!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

No one responded that's why I repeated screaming.

"It's pointless... this is an abandoned area that's why no one is around" nakangising sabi nung boss nila.

Well, I gave up... ansakit na ng lalamunan ko pero wala pa ding naresponde. r**e na r**e na ang buhay ko dito ah, tapos wala manlang akong knight in shining armor.

Bakit sa w*****d lang merong ganon? andaya naman...

They tackled me into the ground and his two acquiantances gripped my arms tightly while pinning it to the ground.

Their boss stretched my legs and I can't help but plead to him. "I-I'm very sorry... p-please d-don't do that to me" sabi ko habang nanginginig ang boses ko.

He just smirked but he continued what he was doing. I'm wearing a short kaya di niya ako nasisilipan but he's so close in pulling my short when I noticed a man on my left side walking towards us.

I suddenly felt a slight hope within my heart. Finally, my knight in shining armor has arrived...