That Nerd Is A Vampire (New Version)

23.

Binaba ko ang tingin ko sa kitchen counter at ginawa ang sinabi ni Tyler. It's hard to close your mind when you don't even know if it worked well.

After an hour of trying, Tyler clicked his tongue and that made me stop from concentrating.

"This one's hard since you have to do two things; close your mind and act like a spy when you're inside someone's head. Hindi mo lang 'to gagawin para sa kapakanan mo kundi para makita mo ang point of views ng iba nang hindi napapansin ang presensya mo."

Tumango-tango ako at muling sinubukan pero pinitik ni Tyler ang kamay niya sa harap ko.

"Remember when I told you that you have three special abilities?"

Yes, I remember it too well. "I can see the past, present and the future. Pero... paano?"

"Past. Makikita mo ang nakaraan pero hindi ang nakaraan mo kundi sa iba. You can see it in your dreams but you can also see it in their eyes. Now try to see my past and tell me what you see."

Nagtitigan kami ni Tyler. For a half an hour, we were just staring each other and didn't move—only our eyes that's blinking is moving. Hanggang sa pakiramdam ko para akong hinihigop papasok sa mga mata niya.

I saw a kid playing outside the huge house—no, a palace—with another kid. I can see them both in a perfect angle and view.

"Ty, parating na si Ama!" the other kid squealed as he grabbed their plastic toys and threw it at the pot of roses. "Tara na!"

The kid version of Tyler was thin and pale skinned, his black hair's thick and bouncy, may bangs rin siya dahil sa kahabaan nito. Ang isa pang batang lalaki ay may katangkaran kay Tyler, pale skinned at ang buhok ay hanggang leeg.

"Teka lang Luk—" Tyler's voice was cut off when the view changed and I'm inside a familiar house.

"Ma Luisa!"

Napatingin ako sa likod. I saw a little kid wearing a worn out floral dress, holding an old barbie doll and waving it.

"Maglalaro ako sa labas!"

Mula dito ay narinig ko ang pamilyar na boses na nasa kusina. "Basta bumalik ka agad sa hapunan!"

"Opo, Ma!"

The six-year old me ran outside. Tumatalon pa siya pababa ng porch at lumapit sa grupo ng mga batang naglalaro rin ng kani-kanilang mga laruan. Tumingin lang sa kaniya—sa 'kin, ang batang si Lucy—ang mga bata at lumipat sa ibang lugar na mapaglalaruan.

When I looked at the child version of myself, I saw her sad face as she followed her gaze with the other kids. Do'n na lamang siya naglaro sa porch mag-isa. Habang mag-isang naglalaro, tumigil ang batang si Lucy at nang mapatingin siya sa gawi ko, I saw her eyes turned into red with a shade of purple around the circle.

Tumayo siya at parang may inaamoy. Sinundan ko siya hanggang sa playground at nakita ang itsura niya na parang sabik na sabik na malasahan ang naaamoy niya. I watch her walk towards the little girl who fell from the swing, crying from the pain she felt with her wound.

Palapit na palapit ang batang si Lucy. She didn't care if she hit somebody, all she just wanted was to have a taste of that delicious sweet blood.

I wanted to stop her. I want to stop this... Why am I seeing this?

Ilang hakbang na lamang ang layo ng batang Lucy hanggang sa—

Pakiramdam ko bigla akong umahon mula sa tubig at hinihingal. Taas-baba ang dibdib ko dahil sa malalalim kong hininga habang mahigpit ang pagkakahawak sa dulo ng kitchen counter.