SCIAS OF THE UNDERWORLD

TWO

The surrounding was dark but she was awoken by the continuous knock on her door. Hindi niya alam kung anong oras na ngunit alam niyang hindi pa oras para magising siya. 

She tried closing her eyes again to go back to sleep but the knocking on her door continued kaya naman inis siyang napabangon at napatingin sa orasan. Alas kuwatro pa ng umaga. She sighed. Alam niyang hindi na siya makakatulog pa ulit kapag nagising siya sa alanganing oras. 

She picked up her robe and wore it while walking towards the door. She looked through the peephole and figured it was her cousin, Juno. She closed her eyes firmly and took a breath before she opened the door. 

"What is it?" tanong niya rito. 

Juno was hesitant at palinga-linga ito na para bang hindi mapakali. 

"Ano bang problema?" tanong niya ulit at tumingin ito sa kanya. 

He swallowed hard before he said, "I have some news." 

"Did I win the lottery or something? That's odd. I don't remember betting on it." 

But her cousin didn't take the joke and still looked worried kaya naman napabuntong-hininga siya. 

"Come in," she said at akmang pipindutin ang switch ng ilaw nang pigilan siya nito. And it was when she felt his hands that she started to get worried. His hands were cold and he was trembling. Hindi niya alam kung anong maaaring dahilan niyon but she figured she has to make him calm down first. 

She has never seen Juno this scared. In fact, it was the first time she has seen him like that. 

"Ano bang nangyari?" tanong niya ulit sa pinsan niya. Umupo ito at halatang hindi pa rin mapakali. She went to the kitchen to get some tea para kahit papaano'y maibsan ang kaba ng pinsan niya. 

Juno was wringing his hands nang makabalik siya sa living room. Inilapag niya ang tasa sa harapan nito at saka umupo sa katapat na upuan. She crossed her arms at hinintay na maubos ni Juno ang isang baso ng tsaa bago ito napabuntong-hininga. 

"It's Grandma," panimula ni Juno. Pinagpapawisan ito. And with the mention of their grandma, alam na niya kung saan papunta ang usapan. 

"Juno, how many times do I have to tell you na huwag na pansinin si lola--" 

"Aly, hindi mo dapat isinasawalang-bahala ito. Our ancestors--" 

"Are dead," dugtong niya sa sinasabi ng pinsan. Napahinga nalang siya ng malalim. This isn't the first time that they've talked about their grandma. "And their traditions or whatever belief they have died with them. We are not, in any way, obligated to follow it just because it's what they believe, Juno." 

"But Aly--" 

"At ano namang gusto mong gagawin ko doon? She hates me at alam mo iyon, Juno." 

Hindi na niya maaalala kailan nagsimula ang pagkamuhi ng lola nila sa kanya. It was probably when she didn't pray when it was time for them to pray. There was a big festival and she found it more fun to play with other kids than to pray to the gods. Or perhaps it was that time when she drank the whole bottle of wine displayed on the small table. She didn't know it was an offering and just chugged the whole bottle. She remembered the words of her grandma at that time.

"Pagsisisihan mong hindi mo sila kinilala, Alaska. Pagsisisihan mo ang lahat ng mga ginagawa mo." 

Her grandma's always been very superstitious. Hindi niya kailanman nakilala ang mga magulang niya at hindi niya alam kung ganoon din ba sila. She and Juno were raised by their grandma. Both of her and Juno's parents died in an accident. Mga bata pa sila noon and all she could remember is her grandma telling them she will be the one raising them. She only remembered being sad. 

Wala siyang masyadong naaalala sa kabataan niya noon. All she could remember is that they often move. Ang sabi ng ina niya noon, her dad has another job at another city kaya kailangan nilang lumipat din. She never met her grandma until the funeral of her parents. 

"Mas malala na ito ngayon. She is hysterical. Kailangan mong pumunta doon. She is calling for you." 

She groaned inwardly. It's her summer vacation. Plano niyang matulog lang at wala siyang planong pumunta sa probinsya para bisitahin ang kanyang lola. All she would do is force her to do those rituals. 

"You know I have a job, right?" tanong niya sa pinsan. 

"Ang alam ko lang ay umalis ka doon," saad ni Juno at napapikit lang siya nang mariin. 

"Please, Al. She is going to kill me kapag hindi kita napapapayag." 

Her cousin was practically begging dahil kaunti nalang ay mapapaluhod na ito sa sahig. She thought about it. Kung uuwi siya doon sa probinsya, magtitiis siya sa mga ipapagawa ng lola niya sa kanya. And there is no way in hell that she will do them kaya ang mangyayari ay hahantong sa away ang lahat. Talagang hinding-hindi sila nagkakasundo ng kanyang lola. 

Ngunit pinalaki sila nito ng pinsan niya. Even though her grandma doesn't make sense sometimes, she gave them everything they need. Napabuntong-hininga nalang siya. 

"What exactly is happening to her?" tanong niya kay Juno. Ngunit tiningnan lang siya ng pinsan na para bang hindi makapaniwalang tinatanong niya ang bagay na iyon.

She gave him a look and pointed a spoon at him. "You woke me up at 4 in the morning and asked me to go to the province because our grandma called for me. May karapatan akong malaman ano ang eksaktong nangyayari. I have to be prepared, you know." 

Napailing lang si Juno. "She kept saying that the gods are coming. Hindi na siya natutulog. She kept on saying that she has to be awake when they come." 

Napasapo nalang siya sa kanyang noo. "Hindi ba't ganyan naman talaga siya? I mean, what changed?" 

"Mas malala ngayon, Aly. She's getting anxious and kept on mumbling things na hindi ko na maintindihan." 

She scoffed. "Now you feel how I felt before," saad niya sa pinsan. Ngunit hindi na ito sumagot. Tiningnan niya ito at kitang-kita niya ang paglabahala sa mukha ni Juno. Nag-aalala ito sa kanilang lola. At kahit siya'y kinamumuhian nito, hindi niya rin maiwasang mag-alala. Aside from Juno, ang lola niya nalang ang natitirang pamilya niya sa mundo. She doesn't have anyone else. 

"Fine," sagot niya. And Juno's face was lit with happiness the moment she said it. She sighed. "But I will be there for only a week. As you already know, umalis ako sa trabaho ko. So I should come back here and look for another one habang summer break pa." 

Juno continuously nodded na para bang nasisiyahan ito ng sobra sa desisyon niya. 

"Kahit na hindi sabihin ni lola, she misses you. I can tell," saad ng pinsan dahilan para magpakawala siya ng pagak na tawa. 

"She missed to torment me. I think that's what you mean." Tumayo siya at tiningnan si Juno sa mata. Kita niyang may gusto pa itong sabihin tungkol sa sinabi niya but he chose to close his mouth. 

"Pick me up tonight. 7 sharp," saad niya at kinuha ang mga tasa na walang nang laman. 

"Thank you, Aly," rinig niyang sabi ni Juno. Hinarap niya ito. 

"She raised us when our parents died. You don't need to thank me." Ngumiti siya sa pinsan at tinapik ang balikat nito bago ito tuluyang umalis sa kanyang apartment. 

Now that she's awake, might as well use the time to get ready. 

Hindi naman na siya makakatulog ulit. And somehow, nagpapasalamat siya kay Juno na ginising siya nito. 

She had a strange dream. Hindi niya maalala kung ano ang eksatong nangyari but she could clearly remember the feeling. Hindi niya maipaliwanag but those feelings...it felt like it wasn't hers ngunit ramdam na ramdam niya iyon na para bang sa kanya na rin. There is a feeling of urgency. Nervousness. Fear. All of it mixed together. 

Napasapo nalang siya ng kanyang noo. Gustuhin man niyang matulog ulit, naaalala lang niya ang panaginip niya. Particularly the words echoing in the distance as she was wandering inside her dream. 

Run. Prepare. So that when the day comes and they find you, you don't have to run anymore.

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