Drop of the Stars (Cold City Series #2)

Kabanata 19

Mabilis akong nakatulog nang sumandal ang ulo ko sa kanyang balikat. Hindi ko alam kung ilang oras o minuto ako nakatulog, nagising na lang ako nang marahan akong yugyugin ni Evry.

With disoriented eyes, I saw that it's still dark outside the van. Puno na rin kami sa loob and there's an unfamiliar woman that they introduced as Ismael's girlfriend. Alea ang pangalan niya at mukha namang mabait.

Lumabas na kami ng van dahil nandoon na raw kami sa Itogon. Sa lakas ng hangin doon ay nawala na lahat ng antok ko. Gusto ko sanang kumuha ng extra jacket sa bag ko pero maiinitan din ako kapag nagsimula na kaming mag hike. Yung Columbia cap ko na lang ang nilabas ko.

We geared up for the hike. They strapped their bags and Evry gave me a collapsible trail cane.

May dalawang lalaki silang kinausap. I learned that they will be our guide for this hike.

Past four na nang magsimula kaming umakyat. Naka flash light pa kami noon dahil wala naman kaming night vision 'no.

Sa una ay pa chill-chill lang ako sa paglalakad pero nang maging matarik na ang daan paakyat ay doon ako tinamaan ng pagod. My legs began to feel tired and my back was now aching. I began to perspire and breathing became rapid. Tumigil pa muna ako para uminom ng tubig dahil hindi ko na kaya.

"Tired?" Evry asked me and held my back, I wasted no time and leaned my back to that support. Mahina siyang tumawa at kinuha ang tumbler ko para ibalik sa bag ko. "Nabibigatan ka na ba?" He said, pertaining to my bag.

Kanina ko pa iyon gustong tanggalin pero tinitiis ko na lang.

"Medyo," sagot ko. Baka kasi mag volunteer siyang bitbitin iyon para sa akin gayong mas malaki at mabigat pa ang camping bag sa likod niya. Siya kasi ang may hawak ng sleeping bag, tent at iba pang gagamitin namin. "Kaya ko pa naman."

Tumango siya. "Okay, just tell me if you can't handle it anymore."

"Yup!" When I thought that it couldn't get worse, I was mistaken when the exhaustion doubled. Mahapdi na ang lalamunan ko, my sweat has dried and I feel so hot and sticky. I'm badly craving water and bath right now.

Nang tiningnan ko ang dalawang babaeng kasama namin ay mukhang ako lang yata ang naghihirap dito. They were enjoying jumping on rocks like it was just nothing to them.

For a moment, I suddenly felt that regret of ever joining this retreat. But it was too late to feel such a thing. I'm already in the middle of this mountain with no or little amount of trees. The only thing that relieved me was the cold windy air.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag nang sabihin nilang magpahinga raw muna kami. Kahit alas singko na ay nananatili ang dilim sa paligid. I let my body collapsed on one of the rocks while panting.

Shit! This is harder than what I'm expecting. I thought hiking was fun, but this one is far from called fun.

Ipinikit ko ang mga mata, hindi dahil sa inaantok ako kun'di ay dahil sa gusto kong ipahinga ang nananakit kong mga paa at balakang.

Napamulat ako nang maramdaman ang isang malamig na dampi ng kung ano sa aking sintido.

I opened my lids to meet the eyes of the most handsome man in my eyes right now. He was hovering over me and was smiling as he stared at me.

He was sitting beside me, with his one hand propped to the rock in our middle and the other one was on my other side, encasing me between the rock and his body.

"You fine?"

Marahan akong umiling. "No, I'm tired as hell."

"Your first time?"