Stuck in the Illusion Called Us [Siegfrid & Eleanour]

Kabanata 14

Siegfrid’s slender fingers, long and delicate, tenderly caressed my hair, guiding me gently into the realm of my dreams.

Ngunit hindi pa man nagtatagal ‘yong pagpikit ko ay bigla na lang akong napamulat ng mga mata habang pinagpapawisan nang sobra at labis ang paghahabol ng hininga.

Siegfrid was not in the bed anymore when I opened my eyes again. I roamed around and checked all the clinic beds to look for him but I could not find him anywhere.

Napalunok ako. Kanina lang ay yakap ko siya. Kanina lang ay hawak-hawak pa niya ako sa mga bisig niya.

Nasaan na siya?

I began to panic. Bababa na sana ako sa kama para hanapin siya nang bigla akong matigilan. Sa likod ng mga kurtina ay biglang may narinig akong dalawang boses at ‘yong isa ay sigurado akong tinig ni Siegfrid.

I swallowed hardly again when I heard my name in the conversation.

“Eleanour? My girlfriend? What about her?” I heard Siegfrid asked.

“Stop fooling yourself, Siegfrid! It is obvious that you are merely using her as a rebound!”

“What do you mean?”

“She is nothing more than a plaything to you! Because I left, you used her to erase my memory, did not you? That is how it is, isn’t it? But you can’t, for I am still the one you love!”

Nanginig ako sa mga narinig. I brought my knees up to my chest and curled into a ball. If this was a dream, please, somebody wake me up!

I waited for Siegfrid to say something, but I heard nothing.

“You no longer need to use her. I am here. I have returned for good, Siegfrid. We can begin anew. Hindi na ako aalis. Hindi na kita iiwanan ulit.”

Gusto kong hawiin ang kurtina at harapin sila pero natatakot ako sa maaaring matagpuan.

Please, please, wake me up!

What was really happening?

Who was that girl?

“Stop this nonsense—”

“Siegfrid!” I cried out.

My body twisted as I flailed my arms and wrestled with a sheet.

Sheet?

Marahang pag-alog sa mga balikat ko at mahihinang pagtawag sa pangalan ko ang gumising sa akin. Nagmulat ako ng mga mata at natagpuan si Siegfrid na nakaupo sa tabi ko rito sa kama, his entire demeanor looking worried at me.