SCIAS OF THE UNDERWORLD

SIX

Napakurap siya, sinusubukang intindihan kung anong ibig sabihin ng ginang. But it was clear as day. What the lady said didn't need her to think. Masyado lang itong nakakakabigla kaya hindi niya agad nakuha ang ibig nitong sabihin. But the moment the lady walked away and proceeded on selling her bracelet na para bang wala itong sinabi sa kanya, that she realized what the lady said. 

She pointed at the lady saka tumingin kay Juno na nakatingin din sa kanya. "Did she just say I am going to die?" she asked to which Juno only replied with a shrug. 

She scoffed and looked at the lady na abala na rin sa panininda. Akmang lalapitan niya ito nang harangin siya ni Juno. Her cousin shook his head at hindi siya makapaniwalang pinipigilan siya nito. 

"You heard what she said, Juno! Bakit mo ako pinipigilan? I'm going to talk to her." Akmang lalagpasan niya ang pinsan nang harangan na naman siya nito. 

"At ano namang pag-uusapan niyo? Kung paano ka mamamatay? Spare yourself some gruesome details and let's proceed with the tour." Akmang ilalayo na siya ni Juno doon when she stood firm on her spot. 

Her cousin sighed. "Sure ka bang pag-uusap lang ang mangyayari? Apo ka ni Milagros, Ally. Sigurado akong hindi lang simpleng pag-uusap ang mangyayari. I'm just protecting the poor lady from your violent urges--" 

"I don't have violent urges!" 

"--and bugbog-sarado ka na kay lola, what that lady is doesn't have any idea what she said earlier," saad ng pinsan habang pilit siya nitong nilalayo doon. Nagpatianod nalang siya at napagpasyahang huwag nalang pansinin ang sinabi ng babae sa kanya. Ngunit mahirap iyon isawalang-bahala. Ikaw ba naman pagsabihan na mamatay ka na? Sinong matutuwa doon? And Juno was right, hindi niya alam kung pag-uusap lang ang mangyayari. And besides, sanay na siya sa mga sinasabi ng lola niya sa kanya. Ang tanging hindi lang niya matanggap is to hear it form a complete stranger. 

"If you just let me punch her once. Can I punch her?"

"No."

"Break her nose, then?" 

"Definitely no, Aly. Alam mo, kadarating mo lang at mananapak ka na agad ng kapitbahay," saad ng pinsan saka siya kinaladkad papalayo doon.  

"Eh kasapak sapak naman siya! What she'll go around telling random people na mamamatay na sila? Eh mas mabuti na iyong ako ang makasapak kaysa ibang tao pa. Hindi ba?" 

Tumigil sa paglalakad si Juno at tiningnan siya. He looked resigned and so done. "Gusto mo bang masapak kay lola pag-uwi?" 

She crossed her arms. "Isusumbong mo ako?" 

Umiling isi Juno bago tumingin sa kung nasaan ang babaeng nagtitinda ng bracelet. "She knows our grandma, Ally." 

She scoffed. "No wonder they tell the same nonsense." She rolled her eyes at agad naglakad papalayo doon. 

Naramdaman naman niya agad si Juno na naglalakad sa tabi niya. She decided to not mind what happened earlier. Sa isip kasi niya, those people who are too devoted to their belief just needs understanding. Kaya naman she survived putting up with her grandma as much as how it appeared nonsense to her. But she refused to believe it. She refused to believe what they believe kahit pa pinipilit siya ng lola nila. 

"The view is too beautiful for you not to appreciate it," rinig niyang sabi ni Juno sa tabi and that's when she looked at her surroundings. At totoo nga, maganda ang paligid. Nasa isang plaza sila ngayon. The trees were trimmed especially for this occasion. Maraming puno sa paligid and they were adorned with lights and pretty lanterns hung on the branches giving the surroundings a warm ambiance. And she didn't even realize it's almost six in the evening. 

Kani-kanila lang ay alas kuwatro pa iyon ng hapon. Time really flies. Juno went to get some food kaya naman napagpasyahan niyang umupo muna sa isa sa mga benches na naroon. She admired the place. Matagal-tagal na rin siyang hindi nakabisita rito. She used to play there when she was still a kid. The vacant lot was huge and often, dito rin siya nagtatago kapag hinahanap siya ng lola niya noonpara pilitin na naman siyang mag-alay ng kung anu-ano. 

"Alaska?" said a voice and she muttered a curse under her breath. She hates being called Alaska. That's why nicknames were created. 

Lumingon siya sa pinaggalingan ng boses only to see a man. Matangkad ito. Itim ang mataas nitong buhok na halos tumatakip na sa mga mata. He has a good physique. But most importantly, kilala siya nito and yet she doesn't know him. 

Naglakad ito papalapit sa kanya at ngumisi. "Alaska, ikaw ba 'yan?" the man said when he got closer. Naningkit ang mga mata niya habang nakatingin dito.  

"Pasensya na pero...kilala ba kita?" tanong niya sa lalake. 

A look of disappointment passed his face but it quickly disappeared. "This is me!" 

"Who exactly...?" 

"Simon! Simon Freed. Do you remember?" 

Then everything dawned on her. Simon Freed. The one boy who would hide with her in this very same place. That one boy who would agree with her kapag sinasabi niyang hindi siya naniniwala sa mga diyos. Ito lang ang tanging naging kakampi niya noon. 

"Simon?" Tiningnan niya ito. Malaki na ang ipinagbago ng lalake. The last time they saw each other was when they were still elementary students. Nagtransfer kasi ito nung nagtapos sila g grade six. Simula noon ay hindi na niya ito nakita. Until now. 

"Yes, it's me! How have you been?" sabik na tanong nito. Hindi niya ito agad nakilala. At nang matingnan niya ito sa malapitan, saka niya narealize na si Simon nga ito. She once had a crush on him. Ngunit dahil nagtransfer ito, nawala na rin iyon. 

"I'm...I'm fine! Teka, kailan ka ba bumalik dito?" 

"Kahapon lang. Babalik rin ako next week sa syudad. Ikaw ba? Kailan ka dumating?" tanong ng lalake sabay upo sa tabi niya. She wasn't really expecting to see him but now that she already has, she couldn't stop the nostalgia coming back.

"Kaninang madaling araw lang. Babalik rin ako ako agad sa syudad." 

Tumango naman ang lalake. Nagtanong pa ito tungkol sa buhay niya at ganoon naman siya. Naalala pa nga nito ang mga pinaggagagawa nila noong mga bata pa sila. 

"You used to hide here when your grandma looks for you," sabi nito sabay tawa. She couldn't stop herself from laughing too. Thinking about it now, hindi niya mapigilang mapailing nalang. Those were their childish days. 

She was too immersed with talking to Simon na nakalimutan niyang kasama niya pala si Juno. Nagpalinga-linga siya sa paligid para hanapin ang pinsan ngunit hindi na niya ito makita. 

"Are you with someone?" tanong naman ni Simon. She knows he meant that question as a confirmation if she is sating anyone kaya naman tumango siya. 

"Yes. But I can't seem to find him. Nasaan na ba 'yon?" 

The plaza became much more crowded. Marami na kasing dumadayo at kumukuha ng litrato sa paligid. Se couldn't blame them. The place was picture-worthy. She stood to get a better look at her surroundings. Juno isn't someone who would just disappear without announcement.  

She looked at Simon who was also looking curiously at her. "Pasensya na, Simon. Pero parang kailangan ko nang umalis. I still have to look for my cousin." 

Nakita niyang nagliwanag ang mukha nito. "Oh. A cousin. Juno?" Tumayo na rin ito. 

"Yes. I think he already went home. Kailangan ko na ring umalis. Sige, nice to see you again, by the way," she said at akmang maglalakad na palayo nang hawakan siya nito sa pulsohan dahilan para mapatigil siya. She looked at his hands on her wrist. Agad naman nitong tinanggal ang kamay nito sa pulsohan niya saka ngumiti. 

"Will I be able to see you again?" tanong nito sa kanya. At sa totoo lang, hindi siya sigurado. She might be spending all her time in the house, taking care of her grandmother. 

But she smiled at Simon and said, "Let's see." Saka siya naglakad palayo. Making her way through the crowd. She could see familiar faces. Some even greeted her and indulged in small talks ngunit agad rin naman siyang nagpaaalam at naglakad pauwi. 

The wind was cold. Normal lang iyon dahil nasa tabing-dagat ang bayan nila. She's used to that kind of weather. She even used to swim in the sea at night dahil na rin sa kadahilanang hindi siya nakikita ng lola kapag sa gabi siya naliligo. Kapag umaga kasi ay agad siya nitong tinatawag at pinapagalitan. She never understood why her grandma doesn't want her to stay in the sea either. But she loved it. She used to love the cold. But now, she wished she brought a jacket para man lang panlaban sa lamig. 

Perhaps it was because she lived in the city for so long that her body was so accustomed to the weather there kaya ngayon, naninibago na siya. 

She sighed. "Sa isang linggo...siguro masasanay din ako," bulong niya sa sarili. Mabuti nalang at may scarf siyang dala. She wrapped it around her neck and continued walking. It was when she was at the foot of the hill that the wind blew harder dahilan para hawakan niya ang scarf na suot. She could hear the faint music from the plaza and the laughter and giggles of the people but her surrounding was eerily quiet. She couldn't even hear a single sound of crickets or frogs which she thought is somewhat strange. It was like she was enclosed in a bubble and every external sound was muffled and now she couldn't hear even the slightest noises. 

Ngunit binale-wala niya lang iyon at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. She was nearing halfway up the small hill nang magsimula na namang umihip ang hangin. The rustling of the leaves reverberated through the quiet surroundings. Hindi niya alam pero nanindig ang balahibo niya. The wind was harsher and colder and she felt someone looking at her. Kaya naman mas binilisan pa niya ang paglalakad. 

But she just made two steps when she felt--heard--something behind her. Bigla siyang nanlamig, hindi dahil sa malamig na hangin kung hindi dahil sa kakaibang presensiyang nararamdaman niya. She doesn't believe in stuff like that. She never believed those monster stories moms usually tell their kids before bedtime. She never believed they existed. If anything, she believes in balance. If she believed there were no gods, then there should be no monsters too. But at the moment, she let her belief prevail and she took a deep breath. Trying to calm herself down. She should not be panicking in the first place. 

She never should have gotten scared. What is she scared of? Hindi niya mapigilang isipin dahil iyon sa sinabi ng babae kanina. Na mamamatay siya. Somehow, thinking about it at the moment was kind of creepy. She should have asked when she'll die so she'll come prepared. But then again, it would be a lot creepier.

The wind blew again and the rustle of the leaves became more violent. She turned to look behind her ngunit walang naroon. What she felt earlier--that eerie feeling--ramdan niyang nasa likuran niya ito. But as she looked at the road behind her, wala namang kahina-hinala doon. She sighed. "What was I even thinking?" 

But then she turned around and before she could even react, a strong hand grabbed her neck and lifted her up easily. Nagpumiglas siya sa hawak nito ngunit mas lalo lang humigpit ang hawak nito sa leeg niya. Madilim ang paligid. Hindi niya masyadong nakikita kung sino ang nasa harapan niya ngayon. She was gasping for air but she continued to struggle to get away. In her mind, naalala niya ang sinabi ng babae kanina. Mukhang dito siya mamamatay. 

But she refuse. Hindi siya papayag. Kaya naman hinawakan niya ang braso nito, hoping to get it off her ngunit labis na lamang ang gulat niya nang maramdaman ang kakaibang braso nito. It was hard. It certainly didn't feel like human skin. Iyon lang ang naramdaman niya nang hawakan niya ito. 

She grunted as the stranger's fingers curled more tightly around her neck. She couldn't feel the ground. She couldn't believe someone managed to lift her up with only a hand. A lot of questions ran in her mind ngunit wala na siyang panahon para isipin ang mga iyon. What she mainly thinks about as of this moment was how to get away from the man and run away from him. 

So she moved her feet and tried to kick him. Natamaan niya ito ngunit wala namang naging epekto. Nanatili pa rin ang kamay nito sa leeg niya. And she is running out of air and or strength. Kaya naman, gamit ang buong lakas niya, sinipa niya ito sa tiyan but to her disappointment, wala man lang epekto ito sa lalake. She knows it's a man. 

But then she heard him grunt and a flicker of hope shone upon her. She tried kicking her again ngunit walang bisa iyon. Hindi na umaabot ang paa niya sa katawan nito. And then her hope was shattered and fear overflowed in her system the moment the man stepped into the light. Doon niya nakita nang hust ang histsura ng sumasakal sa kanya. 

It wasn't human. It certainly didn't look human.  

Then panic started to creep into her as she came to see what it looked like. And she could have sworn the creature was in delight as it saw her horrified face.

Maybe the lady was right. 

Maybe she was indeed dying today. 

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