Chapter II

Chapter II

Dahan-dahang naimulat ni Tayce ang mga mata. Napadaing siya dahil umiikot pa rin ang paningin niya.

"N-nasan ako?" Unang salitang lumabas sa bibig niya at umupo sa kama. Naramdaman niya ang pagkirot ng ulo at napangiwi.

Napatingin siya sa paligid. Ang nakasinding lampara sa night table ay nagbibigay ng yellow-orange na liwanag sa buong silid. Ang mga gamit naman ay kung pagbabasehan ang teksto at desenyo ay mukha antique, mamahalin. Nasaan ba siya? Sa pagkakatanda niya ay may humahabol sa kaniya at. . .

Bago pa man siya makapanic ay nagulat siya nang may magsalit.

"Uminom ka muna ng tubig. Worry not. Wecre not a foe."

Halos mahulog siya sa kama nang marinig 'yun. Hindi niya napigilang mapahawak sa dibdib dahil sa gulat and seeing this person in front of her, nagbalik ang lahat ng nangyari kamakailan.

She cleared her throat at tinanggap ang tubig. "Salamat?"

"Huwag ka na lang magpasalamat kung wala ka talagang plano," malamig na sagot nito. She almost rolled her eyes dahil dun.

"May cosplay ba kayo? You look like Kaito Kid." She can't avoid to mention it because he really looks like him, the only difference is that he's wearing black while Kaito is wearing white.

"Sino naman 'yun?" Kumunot ang noo nito.

Napangiti na lang siya at umiling. Ininom niya ang tubig na binigay nito at ilang beses na bumuntong hinga. "S-salamat nga pala."

"No worries. It's our job."

Nagpapasalamat siya sa pagligtas nito sa kaniya subalit hindi niya alam kung ligtas ba talaga siya. Alam niyang mahirap pagkatiwalaan ang mga 'to. Pero hindi niya mapigilan ang sarili na magtiwala. Ito ang malaking balakid sa buhay niya. Madali lang siyang magtiwala, at ito ang kailangan niyang pigilan ngayon. Dahip kung hindi. . . baka maging huling pagtitiwala na niya 'yun.

"Nasan ako?" She know it's hard to trust people whom you do not know. That's why she's trying her best right now to confirm whether he is an ally or one of those weirdos na humahabol sa kaniya. But then, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Mas mahigpit. Mas nakakatakot. Mas nakakasuffocate. At isa lang ang dahilan kung bakit.

It was because of him. His aura. . .changed every single thing.

He crossed his arms. "You are in a different place between the living and the dead."

Hindi siya makapagsalita sa narinig. Hindi maproseso ng utak niya ang sinabi ng kaharap. Para siyang nabobo sa narinig. Hindi niya alam pero bigla na lang siyang kinain ng takot. Nagsimula na siyang mabalisa. May gusto siyang itanong. May nais siyang sabihin. Subalit ni isang letra ay wala siyang kayang bigkasin.

Sa pagkabalisa ay bigla na lang siyang tumigil at nilingon ang kaharap. She doesn't know. . . She couldn't explain. It just felt like he's the only light in her darkest fight.

"You were driven to this place, that's for sure. Can you remember what happened before you arrived here?" Nilingon niya ito. Halos walang emosyon ang mga mata nito, ang hirap basahin.

Kahit naguguluhan, sinubukan niyang mag-isip. She tried her best to remember. Ano ba dapat ang kailangan niyang maalala? Ano? Mariin siyang pumikit. Walang pumapasok sa isip niya. Wala siyang maalala.

"Isa lang ang alam ko at 'yun ay quiz bee dapat namin ngayon." She honestly answered.

"Aren't you wondering why your destination became a hotel instead of a school? Aren't you wondering why you're not wearing your uniform?"

She tilted her head upon hearing his question pero wala talaga. Wala siyang maalala. She opened her eyes and she smiled mischievously at him. "I never mentioned about that. So, si Sinichi Kudo ka naman ngayon at hindi na si Kaito Kid?"

"Whoever they are, I don't care. I am giving you hints, stupidiot," sambit nito at umiwas ng tingin.

"STUPIDIOT?!!! How dare you call me by that? Hindi ka nagpapakain sa akin and hindi mo rin ako kilala so you have no right!"

"Should I left then?" Tanong nito napakunot naman ang noo ko. "Aish. Stupidiot really suits you."

"Hoy! Isa ka na lang ha! I'm trying to be nice here, kahit na hindi ko pa alam kung mapagkakatiwalaan ko ba kayo." It just came out from her mouth. Although that was the thruth, na-gi-guilty siya sa sinabi niya. She should'nt have said that. Should she apologize?—Of course, I should!

"I-"

"I know I did not give you food but I gave you water." She pursed her lips when he cut her off. Napatingin pa ito sa hawak niyang baso at sinundan niya naman ito. "I know I am not the one who raised you but I am saving you." Naalala niya ang pagligtas nito sa kaniya. "So, from those that I've stated, I can call you whatever I want."

She rolled her eyes and placed the glass on the night table. Ang akala pa naman niya ay sasabihin na nito sa kaniya kung dapat ba siyang pagkatiwalaan. She was expecting him to win her trust but instead, he teased her.

"May sarili akong pangalan. I am Tayce. Thrid Tayce Covarubias ang real name ko".

"So?"

"Suplado." Pagtataray niya pero napanganga lang siya when she saw him rolled his eyes too. Daig pa siya nito. This is crazy!

"Gising ka na pala."

Tayce diverted her gaze to the man who just spoke at nakita niya ang lalaking tinawag siyang Misty kanina. He's aura is so warm and light. Mukhang approachable ito. Hindi kagaya nga kaharap niya sa super cold.

"Hi. I am Thrid Tayce. Ikaw? Ano'ng pangalan mo?"

"I'm Help. Nice to meet you Tayce," aniya at ngumiti. "That man is Secret. Captain ko."

"So, he have a name, huh?" She looked at him like she was mocking him. "Even dirty little secret has a name, huh?"

"Stop me, Help. Ipapadala ko na lang talaga 'to kina Doom at sa Nightmare Govern." He stood up and was ready to pull her and strangle her neck. Tayce felt the danger and she moved back hanggang sa nakasandal na lang siya sa headboard. She felt relieved when Help stood up to stop Secret.

"Nightmare Govern?" Because of her question, he made the two to stop from arguing.

"Before we give you informations, recall what happened first." She stared at Secret who just spoke and sat on the her bed while Help sat on the couch. "You said pupunta sana kayo sa lugar kungsaan i-he-held ang quiz bee niyo. Isipin mo ang mga tinanong ko sa 'yo kanina. Kung wala pa rin, think harder," dagdag niya.

Once again, she close her eyes, trying to remember everything. Ano ba? Ano ba talaga ang totoong nangyari? Alalahanin mo, Tayce. Alalahanin mo!

Nakapikit siyang suminghap nang sunod-sunod na pumasok sa isipan niya ang nangyari. Pinauwi sila ng maaga para makapagpahinga. Pagkatapos pinapirma niya ang mga magulang niya sa parent consent. Kinaumagahan ay dinaan siya ng bus ng school. Sumakay na siya matapos magpaalam sa mga magulang niya. Habang nasa byahe ay tahimik lang siya at ang mga seniors niya. Ang isa niyang senior ay nagbabasa ng libro. Ito ang senior niya na tumulong sa kaniya Tinawag pa siya nito matapos nitong lumapit sa kaniya at sinabihan na baka need niya raw ang binabasa nito at ipinabasa iyun sa kaniya. Until, sa isang malakas na scratch ang narinig mula sa bus. Everything turned upside down. And when she regain her consciousness, everything was covered with blood of her own schoolmates, teacher, and hers.

She opened her eyes with fear running all over her system. "Sh...Sh-it. No. . .way." Nagsisimula na siyang magbreak down. Paulit-ulit na pumapasok sa isip niya ang mga nakita. Tanging. . . "M. . .maraming d. . .dugo a-and bodies. H-hindi ko alam kung b-buhay pa sila. . ."

"Damn it." Secret cursed. "That's the reason why the 360° suddenly creates distance from the train station."

She can't understand what is actually happening. Nahihirapan siyang i-digest ang nangyari but she also want to know what happened and what will happen. So, she asked him. "What?"

"Probably, you're body is in comma right now. I told you. You are in a different place between the living and the dead," Secret said at lumuhod ang isang tuhod niya sa kama. He's looking at her straight to her eyes but she couldn't do anything but to tear up. "This is the World of Nightmare."

Upon hearing it from Secret, hindi na niya maipaliwanang ang nararamdam na tila ba isa lang itong panaginip at kailangan niyang kombinsihin ang sarili na isa lamang itong bangungot.

"You are in a critical condition, stupidiot." Secret added.

"The distance from the train station, which is the departure vehicle from this world, adjusts voluntarily from our location because it depends on the state of the dreamer," paliwanag ni Help. "Mostly, kapag binabangungot ka lang sa pagtulog mo ay malapit lang ang train station. But if you're in comma. . ." Napatingin ito sa kaniya. "It is miles away and would take a month. Sometimes, it also depends on the situation because of thos dumb Governs."

"So you mean. . .this. . .is. . .my nightmare?"

"Precisely, stupidiot," Secret added.

"Th-then. Why are you here? Who are you people?! What the heck?! Nababaliw na ata ako." Akmang pipigilan siya ni Secret pero sinamaan niya ito ng tingin. "Don't you dare touch me!"

Napabuntong hininga na lang si Secret at bored siya tinitigan. But she doesn't care about his reaction. Not at all!

"We know na natatakot ka ngayon but it won't help. Don't let yourself be swallowed by your own fear." Help said and heaved a sigh. "Harapin mo at labanan mo ang sarili mong bangungot."

"Sagutin niyo ko! Sino ba kayo?! Ano ba kayo?!"

"We're no human nor god," Secret answered and went closer to her. "But our job is to save people like you." His face turned soft in a sudden na nakapagpahigit ng paghinga ni Tayce. "We are the Nightmare Breakers. The enemy of the Nightmare Govern. And you are now one of the collateral damage between the conflict of the two parties."

Nilingon niya si Help. Nagkatinginan silang dalawa habang siya naman ay pinipigilan ang sariling magalit, sumigaw, o di naman kaya ay mahimatay. Hinihintay niya ang susunod nilang sa sasabihin nang sabay silang napatingin sa kaniya.

"Welcome to your Nightmare."

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@EcrivainFurtif