9 Chapter 9: High-Pitched

The internal battle between my fear and hesitance, and my hunger for the truth--the hunger for the truth won, and also sleepiness. I was not able to withstand lack of sleep and eventually gave in to the pull of nature. I also felt so cold and the comfortable bed made me doze off almost immediately.

Unlike the first travels, I felt something warm igniting in the pit of my stomach. It feels like that warmth is fighting the cold and the emptiness within, that I always feel whenever I travel. But the breeze is unusually colder this time. I could not fathom the significance of the elements that occur in the first part of this dreams--that is one of the reasons I seek for answers.

My eyes fluttered open in a marsh. My lower extremities are submerged in the murky water while the other half of my body is resting in my back—in a zigzag grass-like vegetation. I immediately stood up when I felt more discomfort. The water feels thick and does not smell nice. I could still feel the remnants of the thick water in the sole of my feet as I take a steady stance.

I stopped looking after myself when I saw a few bubbles forming and coming under the water. I was curious but immediately felt spooked when I saw something floating and starting to appear in the surface of the water. I gasped in shock when a creature’s image started forming inside my head. I lower my head to have a better view and was rendered motionless when both of our eyes met. I blinked and its eyes did not. Its pupil has a different color—yellowish and rusty with a bit of grey.

Not thinking twice and petrified, I bolted like the fastest runner in a marathon. I did not look back and ran faster when I hard the sloshing of the water as if someone—or something just got out of it. I heard a faint snarl that made my bones chill.

I ran and ran until I feel like my knees are about to give up. I saw a bark of a tree sitting in a distance. I went there and took a rest. My lungs felt heavy. My chest rose and fall vigorously. I inhaled and exhaled slowly and continued until I got the right rhythm, more relaxed and calmer.

As I do that, my eyes landed on where my feet are resting. The bark of the tree is under a big and wide tree. The land is covered with grass and different kinds of ferns. I also noticed that trees are everywhere with overgrown vines and moss. The trees are both fruit-bearing and not. I looked up and saw the tree above me standing in all its glory. It is so tall—one I have never seen before. In fact, the trees are as big and as wide as the tree I am sitting under at, or not as tall but even bigger! I do not know what kind of trees they are exactly but a few kinds I know; local Palm trees and Barrigona tree to name a few.

I was bewildered that I am barely aware that I am now walking in wonder and awe. My eyes gaze around--tree after tree, flower after flower and to the numerous plants growing on tree trunks. An epiphyte, or the air plant, grew big and large, larger than my hand; almost covering the part of the tree where it is attached to for physical support.

I was not speaking for a while and was just jaw-dropped. I gasp out air whenever I discover more and more things as I delve deeper. I could feel my heart pumping so fast in excitement and astonishment--it ache in so much happiness!

My busy and heart-shaped eyes stopped its splendor of a stroll when I felt drizzles of rain. It is not that strong yet but rather pelting and hasty. The place smelled of wood and dirt almost immediately after the rain started. It feels humid now rather than cold like what most of us feel whenever it rains. It is something different—the place is something different. I still do not know where I am exactly.

I looked for a tree with bigger branches that could protect me from the rain when the rain started getting heavy and almost continual. The raindrops are now bigger that I could feel myself being drenched every passing second. When I found the perfect tree, I ran towards it and took shelter.

The rain does not look like it is stopping any minute now, I thought when I noticed the rain getting heavier and does not look like it will stop for a bit. It rained continuously that I saw the water level rising. It is now above the heel of my feet, and it did not take a few seconds for the water to rise to a good inch. The alarming speed of the rising water level made me realize what state I am in.

Wait a minute… the fast rising of the water level. The different and extraordinary kinds of trees and that familiar murky marsh. I know and I am a hundred percent sure that I already saw this somewhere. I just could not pinpoint where I saw it exactly!

I scratch the back of my head. It is in the tip of my tongue—the answer! I am really sure I saw this somewhere. I stopped thinking when my eyes landed on something hanging tree after tree. It is not fast and it has something on its belly. It has sharp claws and long arms and legs. Its fur is white and a bit dirty. Also, this! This ape is familiar!

I heard a high-pitched whistling note from afar. The sound continued until I saw a large bird coming from the direction of the sound. Its wingspan is as large as my arms and shoulders combined. I adjusted my vision to clearly see the large bird flying in agility.