Whelve | Ricci Rivero

Whelve • 22

~ Rafaela ~

Everything is black.

Pitch black.

Bakit ang dilim dito?

Hindi ko alam kung asan ako at natatakot ako, hindi ko makita yung paligid ko at wala akong mahawakan tapos ang lamig pa dito and all i can hear the dropping sound of water and every drop palapit ng palapit ang tunog nito. I feel cold and alone, i feel empty and light, i feel dead.

Sinubukan kong mag salita pero walang lumabas na kahit anong tunog, wala akong boses. I started to panic so i screamed until i got tired, napaupo ako sa sahig and i started crying but the weird thing is walang lumalabas na luha sa mga mata ko. Natatakot na ako dahil una sa lahat hindi ko alam kung asan ako at pangalawa bakit ako andito?

Then memories started hitting me like a tsunami, napahawak ako sa ulo dahil sobrang sumakit ang ulo at habang sumasakit ng sobra ang ulo ko lahat ng memories ko simula nung bata ako bumalik at hanggang sa huling memorya ko and that was when i was with Tyler Tio, random talks, sunset, the picture and boomerang, the kid, frisbee and lastly me drowning to death.

wait.

am i dead?

After i asked that to myself bigpang lumiwanag ang buong paligid, yung liwanag na nakakabulag. I screw my eyes shut and after a few seconds i slowly open my eyes and let it adjust to the light and once na okay na yung vision ko napahawak ako bigla sa dibdib ko at agad kumunot ang noo ko dahil hindi tumitibok ang puso ko.

I look at my attire and im wearing a white flowy gown and my feet is bare, my hair is down and my skin is whiter than usual. I look around and all i can see is clouds and water, saka ko lang na-realize na im standing in the middle of the ocean. Agad akong kinabahan and in one snap lumubog ako sa kinatatayuan ko.

I screamed and tried my best to reach the surface pero hindi ko magawa dahil may humahatak sakin pababa, i didn't dare to look down and just stare up as i go further down, naging madilim na ulit and im surrounded by water and im also holding my breath. Hindi ko alam gagawin ko so instead of panicking i close my eyes and call the one person that i know na hindi ako papabayaan.

Mama.

Then all of a sudden i drop to the ground and pag bukas ko ng mata ko bumungad sakin ang sand, i look around and im no longer near the ocean. The sky is bright and the water is sparkling and the air is fresh, hinawakan ko yung sarili ko and im dry, parang kanina lang asa pinaka ilalim ako ng tubig.

Huminga ako ng malalim at umupo ako ng maayos and i hug my knees as i started crying and this time my luha na ako and i can hear myself cry, iyak ako ng iyak dahil bakit ako andito at asan ba ako? I hate the ocean and i hate being here. Hinawakan ko ulit yung dibdib ko pero wala parin tumitibok, i cried because im scared.

"Faela"

I quickly look behind my shoulder and i saw no one, agad akong tumayo and i wipe my cheeks. Isang tao lang ang tumatawag sakin non at siya ang taong mahal na mahal ko, parang ginising ako ng pag tawag niya sa pangalan ko pero bakit ganun? Bakit wala siya dito?

"RC"

My eyes landed on the person na i never thought na makikita ko ulit, we stared at each other for the longest time until she smiled and open her arms for my, hindi na ako nag sayang pa ng oras at agad akong tumakbo palapit sakanya and once i reach her i wrap my arms around her and so as she, we hugged and i cried. It feels so surreal.