Deja Vu [Escaping Hara]

Chapter 20: HARA'S BRIDGE

CHAPTER 20: HARA’S BRIDGE

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AIVAN

My vision was cloudy due to my unstoppable tears. My head still feels dizzy and my heart sinking. Pero muntik na kong mapatalon nang biglang may sumigaw ng pangalan ko.

‘Yoshi?’ was the first name that popped inside my head when I heard the voice. As if it were programmed, my body immediately turned to find the owner of the voice. But what made my heart stop for a second was when I found myself standing on a different place. A place very far from where I was crying before.

Parang panaginip na nakatayo ulit ako ngayon dito sa gitna ng tulay at napapaligiran ng napakaraming tao.

“Aivan!” I heard Yoshi’s voice once more and there I caught him pushing his way through the crowd just to come to me. Nakasunod din si Jihoon sa likuran nya na mukhang takot na takot mahawakan ng kahit na sinong tao.

Pero… p-pano?

“Uh…” Napalingon ako nang may narinig akong isa pang boses. Nagtama ang mga paningin namin at bigla akong nakaramdam ng kirot sa puso ko. Di ko napigilan ang panibagong luhang pumatak galing sa mata ko.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to startle you.” Natatarantang sabi ni Haruto na nakatayo ngayon sa harapan ko. Yes, he is alive. And…

“What do you mean, you didn’t mean to—" Natigil ang pagsasalita ko nang bigla akong may naalala. Wait. We were on this bridge before. Nagpalutang kami ng fire lantern tapos, teka…

“Did you just k—” I was caught off guard when Haruto grabbed my wrist and began dragging me away.

“Teka lang!” Sigaw ko sabay kawala sa kapit nya. “This isn’t happening again!” I shrieked trying to choke back my tears.  I haven’t moved on yet. Let me process everything!

What I’ve seen earlier was definitely more than a vision. Napaka-detailed na parang totoo yung mismong nangyari. Nararamdaman ko parin yung sakit hanggang ngayon kahit nasa harapan ko na mismo si Haruto. Pero ang mas kinagugulo ng isip ko ay yung parang meron akong nakalimutan.

When I was drowning. I was sure my mind had flashbacks. Pero bakit hindi ko maalala kung anong naalala ko dun sa ilog na yon? Bakit sobrang guilty ko nung nakita ko si Haruto na para bang napakalaki ng atraso ko sa kanya?

“Ano bang kasalanan ko sayo?!” Napalakas ang sigaw ko kaya naka-attract kami ng konting atensyon sa mga tao. Mukhang nalito si Haruto sa tanong ko. Napakamot sya sa ulo nya na parang isang inosenteng batang pinapagalitan ng magulang nya.

Huminga ako nang malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili ko. Syet. Di parin humuhupa ang sama ng loob ko. “Okay... Bakit tayo tumatakas? Eh si Yoshi lang yung tumatawag satin. Di naman yata tayo hinahabol ng mga sangganong taga-Hara diba?” I asked as calm as possible.

Hindi naman siguro yon mangyayari diba? Marami na kong vision na nabago namin. Hindi na mamamatay si Haruto, diba?

Hindi umimik si Haruto sa sinabi ko. Sa halip ay para syang wala sa sariling nakatingin sa kawalan sa bandang kanan nya. Huh? I followed his gaze and found out he wasn’t staring at nothing.

He was actually drawn to a tiny fairy-like glowing creature floating a few feet away from him.

Wait. Thailax?

Napatingin ako sa paligid at napansing napaka-dami na pala nilang lumulutang kahit saan. Rinig ko ang tunog ng pagkamangha ng bawat tao sa paligid.

I watched Haruto’s face lit up as one Thailax slowly floated towards him. Without any warning it flew closer and touched his nose making him giggle.