The Dream Catcher

Tumakbo ako ng mabilis, pero kahit anong bilis ng aking takbo tila ba bumabalik lang ako sa kinaroroonan ko. Hindi ako maka alis. Dahan-dahang binabalot ng dilim ang aking kinatatayuan, sobrang dilim, hindi ako maka galaw, hindi ako makahinga. Isang nakakabinging katahimikan. Ipinikit ko ng mariin ang aking mga mata sabay ng pagtulo ng mga luha nito.. Napabalikwas ako ng tayo habang hinihingal na para bang hinabol ng aso. I roamed my eyes around, I'm in my room. Thank God panaginip lang lahat ng 'yon. Sweats kept dripping from my forehead, sobrang lamig ng kwarto pero heto ako at naliligo ng pawis. I took my phone to check the time; 11:11 pm. Ibinaba ko na ito at tumayo para pumunta sa banyo saka naghilamos. I stared at my reflection habang pinipilit alalahanin ang napanaginipan ko but I can't seem to remember it but still, the fear continued to linger in my body. Everything felt so real. Napabuntong hinga nalang ako and shrugged my thoughts off. That was just a nightmare Paige. Since hindi na rin naman ako inaantok, nag timpla nalang ako ng kape para tuluyan ng mahimasmasan, besides ayaw ko rin muna matulog. I'm still scared. Binuksan ko ang tv saka nanood ng adventure time to keep my mind out of that nightmare. You know how some people who usually watched horror movies tend to watch comedies or cartoons before calling it a day to replace the scary thoughts with funny ones? Yup that's what I'm doing right now minus the horror movie nga lang Makalipas ang ilang episodes unti-unti na akong dinadalaw ng antok, pilit ko itong nilalabanan but I failed and that's where I fell into a deep slumber I slowly opened my eyes and blinked a few times before realizing where I was. Panicked rushed within me. Bakit nasa dagat ako?! f**k I need to get out of here. Help! Someone! I wanted to swim pero hindi ako makagalaw and then I saw her, my bestfriend standing at the seashore, watching. Gusto kong sumigaw pero walang boses na lumalabas rito. Please somebody help me! I cried and cried. Unti-unti nang tumataas ang tubig hanggang sa ilong ko, No, no no! "Yesha help me!" I screamed pero wala pa ring boses. Nakatingin lang siya sa'kin habang unti-unti na akong nalulunod. I took a deep breath bago tuluyang lamunin ng tubig. Nahihirapan na akong huminga pero bago pa man ako tuluyang malagutan ng hininga nakita ko kung paano binalot ng itim at tila ba naging anino ang bestfriend ko. Minulat ko ang aking mga mata as I gasped for air. Another f*****g nightmare and that was the worst. It's been so long since I dreamt about that, bakit bumalik. Hindi ko namalayan na umiiyak na pala ako. I curled myself and sobbed remembering that dreadful day. "it's not my fault, it's not my fault" I chanted repeatedly to calm myself down when my phone suddenly rang. Kinuha ko ito to check the caller's ID. It's Lizzy, my friend. Gusto kong patayin ang tawag but I know kapag ginawa ko 'yon mag wo-worry lang siya so I inhaled deeply before answering the call. "Hey, finally you're awake!" Lizzy said from the other line. I checked the time, 11:11 pm na pala. It's lunchtime "Yeah, I kinda slept late" I didn't lie tho, late din talaga ako nakatulog dahil sa panaginip na 'yon. "Soo are you free today?" she asked. I wanted to say no kasi I'm not in a good state but I think seeing her would help. "Of course, it's sunday anyway so I'm good to go." she giggled and I can visualize her smiling. "Perfect! Let's meet at the usual spot, 1 pm. I'll see you there!" We hung up after the talk. Napa buntong hinga ako ulit. Siguro dahil na rin sa stress kaya sunod-sunod ang masasamang panaginip ko and I think talking it out with Lizzy would definitely help since she was my therapist before. I just took a quick shower, got ready and left. Since malapit lang naman ang cafè, nilakad ko nalang para na rin mag unwind. Patawid na sana ako nang may nakita akong matandang babae na pinupulot ang mga gamit niyang nasa sahig. Someone might've bumped her pero wow ha pinabayaan lang talaga. I saw how the other's just walked passed her. Seriously? Nasaan na ba ang humanity? Napairap nalang ako. Nilapitan ko ang matanda at tinulungan siya. "Maraming salamat iha." the old woman smiled at me and so I smiled back "Walang anuman po, una na po ako. Ingat po kayo ha?" paalam ko bago tuluyang maglakad paalis. Nilingon ko siya para i-check pero laking gulat ko nang bigla na siyang nawala. I shook my head, ang bilis naman atang maglakad ni lola. I went inside the cafè and saw Lizzy sitting at the corner. She waved her hand as soon as our eyes met. "Heyya, how are you?" tanong niya pagka upong-pagka upo ko. "I'm doing good, ikaw ba? Happy wife?" I chuckled as I asked her that. "Naman! Adam treats me well." I saw how her eyes changed, kulang nalang mag heart eh. "Dapat lang no, bubugbugin ko siya kung hindi" we both laughed at my remark. Lizzy got married a year ago, she also quitted her job since mag fo-focus na siya sa magiging pamilya niya, buti na nga lang din bago siya mag resign naging okay na ako but I think I'm going back to square 1 again. I sipped my coffee habang nakatingin sa labas, weather's good. "Oh my God, have you seen the news?" Lizzy asked, while staring at her phone. "What news?" I asked, curiosity eating me. "May pang limang case na ang namatay dahil daw sa bangungot" I creased my brows and took my phone out para tingnan ang balita. "Nightmare" I said almost a whisper but Lizzy still heard it. "Yeah, ang weird lang na pareho lang sila ng cause of death. If dalawa siguro I'll take it as coincidence but 5? I don't think so. Baka hindi talaga nightmare." Lizzy stated "That's... odd" sumandal ako habang patuloy na binabasa ang news "Why? Are you having one?" I was taken a back from her question, but there's no point in hiding it anyway. "Yeah, kagabi lang. It happened twice." I saw her gasped lightly "How bad?" She asked, concern and worry was visible in her tone. "It's about my past." Lizzy held my hand and gave me a smile "It's alright, you're already doing good. I want you to still follow our procedures back then when you were having that nightmares okay?" I nodded and we dropped the topic-- more like I dropped the topic. I do want to talk about it to ask for her help but seeing how happy she is right now? worrying her would be the least thing I wanted to happen. I'm no longer her patient, I just want her to be at ease and to be happy with her future family. Kaya ko 'to, babalikan ko lang kung anong ginagawa ko dati everytime it haunts me. We didn't stay long, Lizzy got a call from her husband and she needed to go home. "Oh and by the way Paige, I suggest you buy a dream catcher. I know it's just a myth pero wala namang mawawala if you try diba? It'll help you with your nightmares." Lizzy said before leaving I don't believe in dream catchers so I disregarded her suggestion and went straight home. Hindi naman siguro ako mananaganip ng ganun kasama ulit. I just need to do my meditation to relax my body and mind. "Paige! Help me!" I stood frozen seeing my past self just staring at my bestfriend while she was drowning. Eyes wide open, mouth's ajar and shaking. I know what's gonna happen next, I shifted my gaze and ran as fast as I could while tears streaming from my eyes. Pero biglang nag iba ang lugar na tinatakbuhan ko, I looked back and all I see are trees, tall trees to be exact. I'm in the forest. Dammit how did I get here? I scanned my surroundings and something caught my attention, isang malaking anino na naka tago sa isang puno para bang tinititigan niya ako, napaatras ako habang nananatiling naka tingin rito. At sa bawat atras ko ay unti-unti siyang lumalapit, nanindig ang balahibo ko nang makita ang buong katawan nito na siyang nag udyot sa akin na tumakbo ulit, I kept looking back and God he's chasing me. I screamed and screamed pero para bang walang nakakarinig sa'kin. Sa bilis ng takbo, hindi ko namalayan ang isang bangin I tried grabbing twigs to save myself pero nahulog pa rin ako, bago pa man lumapat ang katawan ko sa lupa nakita ko kung paano naglaho ang anino na parang abo.