2 Prologue

I immediately woke up as I was excited to go to school even it's still early in the morning at hindi pa tumutunog ang alarm na naka-set para gisingin ako tuwing umaga.

As I opened my eyes, I regained my consciousness and felt the stinging caused by the injected needle on the back of my right hand connected to the tube of IV fluid, which replaces water, sugar and salt that I needed cause I cannot eat or drink.

I curiously checked if I am still dreaming but I am conscious now. What am I doing here?!

Pero kung ito na nga ang realidad, ibalik niyo na lang ako sa panaginip ko na sa sobrang ganda ay ayoko nang magising pa.

"Oh! Finally, gising na siya!" a familiar girl shouted. I knew who owned that voice. Dahan-dahan akong lumingon sa gawi niya, napakunot ang noo ko, she's in mid-20s now. Di mo makikitaan ng panghihinayang o ka-plastikan ang mukha niya. It feels like there's nothing wrong between us. She looks like an innocent girl, bakas ang pag-aalala sa mukha niya.

"Thank God at gumising ka na! Pinag-alala mo kami" malumanay niyang sambit. I remembered her, I will never forget her, even those painful memories she caused in the past, isa siya sa mga taong nasa panaginip ko, hindi, hindi lang iyon panaginip, if I am right, those were my memories at kilalang-kilala ko ang taong ito. Pero bakit ganito ang turing niya sa akin? Naguguluhan ako.

Nakaramdam ako ng unti-unting paggalaw at paglapit ng isang matipunong lalaki galing sa labas ng kwarto. Napakunot muli ang noo ko dahil hindi ko siya kilala. Tahimik lang akong inoobserbahan ang bawat kilos niya, at gayun din siya sa akin. Pilit kong inaalala kung sino man siya pero, wala talaga. Who is this man? Are we related? I can see in his eyes the joy and excitement even he shows no emotion in his face. Well, on my 16 years of existence, wala siya, so I'm definitely clueless about his identity.

I averted my eyes first and looked around the room, I know that I am at a hospital, I am not stupid to ask them where we are but I don't know why I am here. I dreamed to be here, but not as a patient.

What I remember is I am at Bulacan with my friends and grandparents, at magkikita pa kami ni-

"Aleia, are you okay?" Mula sa malalim na pag-iisip, inis na napatingin ako sa lalaking nasa gilid ko, samu't saring emosyon ang nararamdaman ko sa oras na ito, how dare he?

"Don't call me by that name" inis kong sambit sa kaniya kaya napatahimik siya. Isa lang ang kilala kong tumatawag sa akin sa pangalang iyon. He was taken aback, I balled my fist, I don't know but I am not comfortable to be with them. May inis paring nananatili sa akin para kay Dessa, the girl I am talking about.

"P-pero..." he wanted to reason out but Dessa called him.

"Reyo, call the doctor. Now" Dessa commanded panically the man beside her. Kung hindi pa tapikin sa balikat ay hindi pa ito kikilos. Walang anu-ano ay tumakbo na ito papalabas, ngunit huminto rin agad nang nasa pinto na saka lumingon sa gawi namin.

"Just don't do anything stupid Dessa. Wait for me before telling her what happened, understand?" Mahinahong paalala niya kaya nalipat sa tumatangong si Dessa ang tingin ko. Sinenyasan niya pa itong umalis na. Sino ba talaga ang lalaking iyon? He's acting as if he knew all about me, how did he knew that name of mine.

"Sino siya?" I irritatedly asked her. Nagulat pa siya sa tanong ko.

"Huh? Di mo siya kilala? Eh sabi niya- oww shit" she asked in disbelief and then she realized something. I curiously looked at every inch of her face, she aged, so that means-

"What is the current year?" I absent-mindedly asked.

"H-huh?" wala din sa sariling tanong niya. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. "Ugh, 2027 n-na, March 25, 2027" What?! P-paanong? A-anong nangyari sa loob ng 11 years? Jusq, what I remember is I am still 16 years old. Bigla akong nakaramdam ng pananakit ng ulo kaya napahawak ako dito. I heard the sound of footsteps entering the room.

I continued asking her until I can endure the pain. "Sila lola't lolo? Nasaan sila Mama at Papa, ang mga kaibigan ko, nasaan si kuya, nasaan sila?" naguguluhang tanong ko habang hawak parin ang nananakit na ulo. I look at her, she's on the verge of crying, mababasa sa mga mata niya ang lungkot, teka bakit paiyak na siya? Hindi siya ang tipo ng taong madaling umiyak, dahil ba sa sinabi ko? "Bakit ka umiiyak? Bakit ganiyan ka? Bakit parang wala kang ginawang masama sa akin? Ha?! Sagutin mo ako!" Ang pinipigilang luha ay tuluyan nang bumagsak sa kaniyang mga mata.

Kung inaakala niya ay maaawa ako sa kaniya, hindi ko alam. I am impatiently waiting for her answer but someone yelled.

"Dessa!" a baritone voice of my father made me look at their side. I felt relieved, he's with mama and kuya together with some doctors and nurses. Dessa remained in her place while the others surround my hospital bed, checking my condition.

"Dania, I missed you, anak" mama sweetly whispered and tightly embraced me, I hugged her in return. I seriously missed her warmth, minsan ko lang siya makasama dati pero close talaga kaming dalawa. Papa stared at us so I invited him and kuya for our first group hug but mama pulled Dessa to join us. For me, it's our first cause I don't remember that we did this in the past.

The day after, it's my birthday. It's just a normal day for me. I insist to not celebrate but they still hold a simple party in my room at the hospital , just the six of us: Mama, Papa, Kuya, Dessa, Reyo and me. Kuya was cooperative but something's change about him, he became silent and I am not used to it. Bakit sa lahat ng tao ay kasama pa namin ang lalaking iyon? Nagtataka na talaga ako, naghihintay sa oras na ipakikilala nila kung sino talaga si Reyo pero hindi kailanman nangyari iyon. I just 'go with the flow' and pretended that he was not with us. Simple as that.

No one dares to share to me what is my real condition and the reason why I loss some of my memories. They wanted me to acquire the memories in a natural way even I am still confused at the present.

Days passed, nothing improves. Several questions were still unanswered, such as where are my friends? Why am I not wearing my tiara ring? Why am I living with Dessa? Where is the man in my dreams? What happened in Bulacan in the past 11 years?

Umaasa ako na sana ay nandito sila, ang mga kaibigan ko, miss na miss ko na sila, ano na kayang nangyari sa kanila? Naabot na ba nila ang mga pangarap nila? May kinasal na ba sa kanila? Nagka-anak? Masaya ba sila ngayon? Wala, wala akong balita.

I am still looking for the answers but how can I get those if no one can help me but myself? Hangga't hindi pa kusang bumabalik ang mga alaala ko, mananatili na lang ba ako dito nang walang ginagawa? Hindi ako ito. Hindi ganito ang Dania Aleiandra Siat na naaalala ko. Sino nga ba ako bago umabot sa ganito?

I only knew...

I am one of the keepers and the huntress of truth but why am I imprisoned by the unknown?

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