章節 45: Chapter 42
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Chapter 42: The Last Rest
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Hushy's P.O.V
Umuwi na kami, it was about 6:28 pm nang umuwi kami. It was a very long day and pagtingin ko sa kanila ay nandun sila nakapwesto lahat sa sala.
Si Arcane, nandun may pipino sa mata, Si Chloe, Chippy, Sergio, Leo at Emerald ay nanonood. Si Hakun at Bluve ay may pinag uusapan, si Chummy at Alpha naman ay nasa kabilang sofa at nag rin uusap ang dalawa.
Nang pumasok ako sa sala ay hindi man nila ako binigyan ng pansin kaya dumiretso nalang ako sa aking kwarto.
Sa kwarto ko, nakita ko ang pamilyar na mga litrato na nakadikit sa pader. Pinuntahan ko ito at tinignan ng maigi. Dito ko makikita ang mukha ng tatlong mga animalia. Nakangiti nang parang wala namang problema. Napatingin ako sa aking sarili, nakangiti ako na tila bang walang mali na nangyari sa buhay ko, parang mga nasa 6 na taon ako dito sa litratong ito.
Ibinalin ko naman ang tingin ko sa naka-frame na litrato at kinuha ito. Dati hindi ko tinitingnan ang litrato na ito, palaging natatakot ako na baka ay mabasa, masunog o masira kung hawakan ko lang man ito ngunit nagkamali ako.
Ang mga larawang ito ay angkop lamang sa aking pinakamagandang alaala, ang mga hindi sapat na sapat o traumatiko upang mag-iwan ng isang permanenteng marka sa kanilang sarili.
Ang aking mga alaala ay lubos na kabaligtaran ng mga celluloid stills na ito, maliban kung bisitahin ko ang mga ito nang madalas ay mawala sila, at kasama nila ang pinakamainam sa lahat na nagpalain sa aking buhay ay mawala din sa aking isipan na parang wala pang nangyari.
Sa mga mas tahimik na sandali ng kagalakan nakita ko ang mga tao sa ilalim ng kanilang mga problema. Nakita ko ang pagmamahal ng aking ina at ang aking mga ama.
Kailangan ko ang mga alaalang iyon upang manatili sa akin, kailangan ko silang aliwin kapag nagbanta ang mga masasamang burahin ang lahat ng mga bakas ng mga taong mahal ko pa rin. Ang mga ito ay katibayan ng magagandang kaluluwa na nabibilang kahit sa mga nakagawa ng pinakamasamang pagkakamali.
Nandoon ang litrato na nakangiti ako, at nakangiti sila Mom at Dad, ngunit pamilyar itong ngiti na ito. May kabaitan sa kanilang ngiti. Ito ay ang ngiti ng isang Animalia na tumawa nang madali at nakita ang iba sa ilalim ng pag-uugali, isang konektor ng kaluluwa.
Sila ang uri ng Animalia na nabuhay kung paano nila pinaniniwalaan ang mga iba na dapat, na parang sikat ng araw na sinasalamin lamang mula sa mga pinakamahusay na aspeto ng mga nakilala nila, ang kanilang mga bahid na hindi nakikita sa kanilang tingin.
Sila ay isang mahinahon na dagat, sumasayaw ng birdong at ang mga bagong bukol ng tagsibol. Gayunpaman, nakita ko na ang mga ngiti na ito sa aking mga kaibigan.
Ni walang iba na tumingin sa akin ng ganyan gaya ng aking mga kaibigan. Hindi nagtagal bago ko narinig na may sumigaw mula sa ibaba.
"Hapunan na! Magsinglabas na kayo mga bata!" Sinusumpa ko na ang tinig ay nabibilang sa head maid ng pamilya.
Umungol ako habang naantala ang Aking mga saloobin, bago ibalik ang frame ng sa aking istante.
Inunat ko ang aking buong katawan bago tumungo sa labas ng pintuan at bumaba sa silong. Nang makarating ako sa silid-kainan, nakita ko na ang iba na nakaupo sa kanilang mga upuan at matiyagang naghihintay ng pagkain na ihahain.
Tiningnan ko ang walang laman na upuan papunta sa kanan ng aking ama kung saan ako karaniwang nakaupo upang kumain.
Walang naka-upo dito, at nanunumpa ako na naramdaman kong naghihintay sila sa akin. Nakita ko ang mga mata ni Chloe na sumalubong sa akin at ngumiti lang siya.
Napangiti ako pabalik habang Gumagawa ng daan patungo sa dati kong upuan. Pagkatapos ng pag-upo, ang mga tray ay pumasok tulad ng mga ibon na nangangalong mula sa gubat.
Ang mga server ay magalang na pinapanatili ang isang mabagal na tulin ng lakad na nagiging propesyonal kung makikita sa kanila. Doon sila naglingkod ng mga butter, scallops, karne na malalambot, patatas---ugh nagsawa na ako sa mga patatas at iba pang mga bungkos ng pagkain na marahil bang pang vegan.
Gosh. Hindi pa naman ako pabor sa mga gulay.
Gayunpaman nagsimula akong kumain ng aking hapunan. Ito ay mula sa isang mabagal na tulin ngunit talagang naramdaman ko ang pagsipa ng aking gutom.
Yung nag pananghalian kasi kami kanina ay kahit na ang mga presyo ng pagkain ay mahal ay maliit ito tulad ng mga maliit na espasyo ng alikabok, like seriously.
Anong bang kinakain namin? Magarbong pagkain o Alikabok? Mas mainam kung ginugol ni Mom ang pera sa pagrenta ng isang buong Eat all you can na restaurant. At kanina rin, parang nasusuka ako sa mesa marahil ang dahilan ay yung kapaligiran ay hindi talaga ang aking istilo.
Ito ay matikas, pang-high class at tahimik. At hindi rin sila gumawa ng ingay sa kanilang mga plato kahit na nagkakabanggaan ang kanilang mga mga kutsara't tinidor. At hindi yun normal, like who does that?!
Puro katahimikan ito. Kaya't nadagdagan ang aking apetite ngayong hapunan at nagsimulang kumain ako hangga't maaari. Anuman ang lasa, hindi ko na talaga pinansin. Ang plano talaga ay dapat makakain.
"Oh my, mag dahan-dahan ka naman Hush sa pagkain. Baka mabulunan ka." Ani ni Mom.
"Oo nga Hushy." Pag-aagree ni Sergio.
"Huwag kayong mag-alala kaya ko naman----Kwhaak Ahee Ahaaa--"
"Bigyan mo siya ng tubig! Tubig!"
"Hushy, Tubig O!" Inalok ni Chloe ang tubig at dahan-dahang uminom ako.
"Salamat."
"Ikaw kasi, magdahan-dahan ka kasi."
"Oo nga, wala namang nakikipagkumpetensya sayo kumain." Dad said.
Oo, sisihin mo sa akin kung bakit hindi ako kumakain ng madaming pagkain kaninang tanghalian kaya nabulunan ako ngayon.
"Yes, Dad." I replied at nagsimula ulit kumain.
Ito ay tulad ng oras ay mabilis na tumatakbo at ang susunod na senaryo na nakikita ko ay na pinunasan ko na ang aking bibig ng isang tisyu.
Natapos na ako sa pagkain at naramdaman kong parang sasabog ako kahit anong sandali ngayon dahil sa sobrang busog.
Like everyone else, I excused myself and was about to head upstairs to my bedroom And see the others off tommorow but when I passed by the living room I see them sitting in peace while talking in a soft tender voice.
They look, peaceful and welcoming.
It was only in the stillness of the late evening that I could hear. I would walk imfront of the door and gaze out at the
others. They moved and they laughed, but to me everything had stopped.
I no longer heard the laughs or noticed the other servants and maids making sounds in the kitchen. To me they were as if in a photograph--two dimensional and static. In that extended moment my mind became at peace. They wouldn't be gone---just out of reach for now.
I headed to their direction and stopped midway into the door.
"Knock knock?" I joked.
I saw all of their faces lit up when they saw me.
"Come in." I heard Emerald commented which made me laugh.
Some were sitting in the sofa and others on the ground, I walked in sat beside Arcane who was looking over his phone.
"So, anong oras kayo aalis bukas?" I asked.
"About 3 am. I know pretty much of a crazy time." Alpha replied.
I didn't want to admit it but, I'll miss them. And this ugly dude as well.
"I see."
There was an awkward silence just there, and none of us knew what we are supposed to say. I looked away and thought that it this moment needs much more conversation and laugher.
I didn't want our conversation to end. Slowly I remebered that I wanted to show the view I saw this morning.
I took my phone out of my pocket and slowly looked for the picture I looked in my gallery, and Then finally finding the picture.
I turned over and looked at them.
"Hey guys---"
I stopped midway of what I was about to say as I can feel the fear in my chest waiting to take over. Perhaps it only wants to protect me but there really isn't any danger. It sits there like an angry ball propelling me towards an anxiety I just don't need.
I switch my phone off slowly and put in back inside of my pocket. The air is calm, and they are quiet. There are no such sound except and I can hear the air conditioner cooling us in this living room.
I should be savoring each and every last moments right now with these guys, but today I just want to see them looking fine before their glass like hands becomes stained with other's blood.
There's something about this moment that evaporates my fear, maybe the fresh air scent right now that reminds me of the fresh scent in Bluve's car, I'm not sure--but my body has already begun to relax. As I see them looking at the view outside the huge glass window.
The starry night above was better than any software imitation--much better than this photo I'm supposed to show them. There were lighter patches, clusters of faint and bold light, sequin-silver stars like the scattered embers of a dying fire winked down at me, illuminating the atramentous curtain of sky.
The constellations altered according to the time of year. These were the same stars that greeted the ancients, the same ones that would be there in millions of years. I sat back against the cool sofa. What was a few minutes in untold reams of time?
"Don't mind me, guys. I'm just getting my beauty rest." I heard Alpha.
The rest of us understood what he meant by that. As we saw him closed his eyes while still on the sofa.
I placed my head over my the sofa to support my shoulders. Then I began drifting to sleep as well.
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I wake suddenly, every thought in high definition. Though my eyes are open I can't think of why; my heart is pounding, mind empty. It's as if a hypodermic of adrenaline has been emptied into my carotid. I strain into the utter darkness, breathing rate beginning to steady.
I looked at the whole room and I didn't saw them. They weren't here. I looked at my phone and checked the time. It was 2:47 am.
I quickly headed upstairs and there I saw the others packing their bags.
I went back to my room to grab something and after that, I went in to each and every room. Seeing the others politely pack their bags.
Over the room filled with lights, I saw a guestroom's door opened but there wasn't any light coming from there.
I headed to the room to check it out only to find Sergio laying in his bed, eyes plastered on the ceiling.
"Why aren't you packing?"
Then Sergio quickly glanced at me and sat down in his bed.
"You aren't even going, so why would I pack?" He answered, his eyes lingering at the clock in in his side desk.
"Then, I order you to go with them."
He gave me a stupefied face but he didn't exactly moved in his spot.
"Right now, I'll follow you. Not your orders."
I looked at him as if he was serious, but he looked like he really is. I heaved a small sigh and smiled.
This moment, realization hit me. I don't really want to leave this guys---in fact, I never really wanted to.
"Here, take this." I threw something at him, which I grabbed from my room.
He catched it and checked to see what it was only to find my bag.
"Y-you're going?"
"Yes. Wait for me outside, I'll just do something real quick."
Without a single word, I headed downstairs in my parent's bedroom. There I saw them both sleeping tightly.
Both of them were in peace, dad was right. Happiness is with someone you love and completes you. And I have my friends filling that up for me.
I inched closer and played with my mother's hair before kissing her in the forehead. I did the same at dad.
I looked at the walls, filled with pictures of me when I was young. And there is also one of their favorite pictures---Me with my grandparents. I took at to inspect it more clearly. This was probably taken a long time ago, where we used to visit them in their barnyard in Orioch.
And we would always enjoy having a nice horse backriding session. Where Mom would love to taste grandma's amazing banana cake and Dad would love to go fishing with grandpa near the lake.
I clasp the photo of the last time I saw my grandparents, tears gathering behind my eyes. We were smiling. Why not? We got free dinner that time, it was the day ever.
The only day I've ever actually seen them have fun. After passing away suddenly. I briskly wipe the tears from my eyes, the memory still fresh in my mind. I wish they were here so that he could comfort me.
Minutes later I felt someone touched my shoulders, I froze up and look to who it was.
There I saw them--my grandparents. They looked at me with those kind eyes of theirs again. It was sad and happy at the same time.
"We'll take care of them, for you. Hushy." Grandma assured.
I looked at her, ther I saw a faint glow. Right. I can talk to the dead.
I turned again to see both of my parents sleeping.
"Bye, Mom. Dad."
I have said goodbye with a downward look. I have said goodbye with a simple turn around, and walk away--walk away away from their room only to be heading downstairs.
Sometimes I said goodbye out loud, and sometimes I wrote it in a note or letter. I have said goodbye with a lie, when I left and knew I would never be back.
I have been forced to say goodbye when I had to be somewhere else. I have said goodbye with anger words pouring out my mouth that I wished I had chewed up, and swallowed instead.
I have said goodbye with so many tears, I could not see. I tried to hide the tears; however, sometimes there was such a flood of them that I could not control them.
But then, I have said goodbye with a party celebrating in my mind. For the most part, I don't like goodbyes. I have said a thousand goodbyes, so I wish "goodbye" would say goodbye to me.
I opened the front door only meeting the other's back turning away from me and clearly they were waiting for me.
That's right.
I chose to be wherever I wanted to be now, and I wanted to be with them.
I closed the front door and headed to their direction, their turned backs then turned around to see me.
"I thought you wouldn't come with us." Sergio commented.
"Yeah, you are like 30 seconds late, stupid!" Alpha added.
I turned to see Chloe looking at me with a smile on her face.
"Let's go?"
I nodded and we headed back to the carpet, only for it to float even in the earliest in the morning.
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