When Midnight Falls

Season 1 Chapter 1: She Can't Sleep

“How to fall asleep fast in 10, 20, or 120 seconds.”

Makakatulong siguro ito. I just clicked it and read the informations about it.

“Relax your body. Clear your mind and think of a scene.” I just visualized my favorite place in midnight, the forest. Where stars and the moon sees each other. It makes me really relax.

I still can't sleep.

“Try saying 'don't think' to yourself over and over again.”

Don't think.

Don't think.

Don't think.

Don't think.

Don't think.

How can I don't think if Mommy is still mad at me? I can't stand just sleeping when my mom is still in her room, angry about me questioning Daddy's life.

Dahan-dahan kong ipinikit ang mata ko. I will apologize to her tomorrow. I just feel occupied tonight to the point that I can't sleep.

Why does I feel like something important will gonna happen tomorrow?

Kaagad kong tinignan ang date sa cellphone ko. Today was May 4th. Ah. I know.

“It's my birthday.”

IT'S QUARTER to twelve. And I still can't sleep. What's wrong with me? Ilang beses ko nang ginawa ng paulit ulit ang military method na nakita ko sa internet.

Pero hindi talaga gumagana sa akin. Kaya napagdesisyunan kong lumabas muna ng bahay, in the middle of the night.

The night and darkness was my friend. Alam kong maraming tao ang natatakot sa dilim. But, for me, the darkness and the night was as pretty as an angel's smile.

Napansin kong may sumusunod sa akin kaya madali akong lumingon para tignan ito. It turns out that it's just Dobi. Sinundan niya siguro ako nang lumabas ako.

“Dobi. Go home.” pabulong kong sabi.

Alam kong hindi niya ako susundin kaya pinasama ko nalang siya sa akin. Dobi was one of my friends. Actually, dalawa lang talaga sila.

I don't like people. I mean, I'm an introvert so I guess I know why.

Parang nakikisabay sa amin ang malamig na hangin. Pati ang mga puno, mga bituin at ang buwan. They're all cooperating just to make the scene fabulous.

Malapit lang ang bahay namin sa gubat kaya madali lang akong nakakapunta dito. In fact, it was just right in our backyard.

Hinayaan kong dumampi ang malamig na hangin sa mukha ko. I'm just wearing a gray hoodie matching with my pink pyjama. Don't judge me, I like pink and girly colors as well as the dark ones.

“What do you think, Dobi? Is the night sky beautiful?” nakaupo ako sa may damuhan habang nakahiga naman si Dobi.

Hanggang ngayon ay hindi ako makatulog. Something's really bothering me and I don't know what is that.

“Moerani.”

Napadilat naman ako mula sa pagkakapikit ko nang makarinig ng isang boses na nanggagaling mula sa kung saan. Hindi ko alam kung sino iyon pero ang sigurado ko ay ako lang mag-isa ang nandidito.

His voice is just like Dovi's, but is much more deeper than him. I feel like he's just around me.

Alam kong hindi ako dapat matakot pero hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili na tumaas ang balahibo ko. Everytime I roam here, there was nobody. Ako lang naman ang naggagala tuwing gabi.

Just like a vampire.

Binaliwala ko nalang iyon at nagpatuloy sa pagtingin sa paligid. I'm sure it was just somebody pranking me.

“This was your curse. For your ancestors sinned.”

I can sense that he's just in front of me. I can feel his breathing.

Madali kong idinilat ang mga mata ko. I'm just startled, no one was around. It's just Dobi.

“What the flute is that?”

I still can't sleep and relax my mind. Kaya, sigurado akong mag-i-stay ako dito hanggang makamit ko ang antok na gusto ko.

But, actually. It's okay. It's okay that I cannot sleep. There's a saying that sleep is just a practice of death. Sleep is just a temporary death. I can't sleep.

Now, that I think of it. Hindi na talaga ako makakatulog.

“Witches are real. And you're lucky that you've encountered one.”

I don't open my eyes. I just listen to everything.

“No. You're not real. Everything is not real.”

Kaagad na napakunot ang noo ko. Something's familiar. That voice.

“You're the sacrifice. You will die for your ancestors sinned.”

The wind blows hard. As if it's saying something.

“Matagal na akong nahirapan. Matagal ko nang tinitiis ang pesteng sumpa na ito. Please, wala akong ginawa sa inyo.”

That voice again.

Sandaling tumahimik ang paligid. Sandaling tumigil ang pag-ihip ng hangin. As if time stops too.

“They say the same thing, too.”

Nakarinig ako nang mga mabibigat na yabag mula sa malayo. Hindi ko alam kung anong mararamdaman ko.

There are a lot of them. They're going in my direction and I can feel that they're just steps away at me.

“Dobi.”

I feel goosebumps as they are facing my direction.

“You'll die.”

“No. Spare me.”

Narinig ko ulit ang boses na iyon.

That voice.

That voice.

I'm really familiar with it.

I open the lids of my eyes as I feel like seeing them. But, it appears that it's just me. No one is around.

Napahawak ako sa dibdib ko sa sobrang kaba ko. That voice.

That voice is from me.

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