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Town of Drifts

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IF SOMEONE would ask me what I hate the most in the world, I would simply not reply and make that person wait for my response; because that's how infuriating it is to wait.

I remember it as clear as day: the smell of wet, worn socks, and rotten meat that engulfed the neighborhood of Lola Rosalina. Her wooden home was wedged between an old shack and an abandoned building that creaked the most during thunderstorms.

Pag tumingin ka sa labas, makikitang nakasampay ang mga damit ng kapit-bahay sa bubong nila, making it seem like it was a fiesta of poverty. Maybe it was.

Sitting by the window sill that overlooked the neighborhood was something I would never forget. Sa pwestong iyon, doon ko araw-araw na hinihintay ang pagdating ni Lola Rosalina na may dalang kaunting pagkain — minsan dilis, minsan tinapay.

She would constantly hug me when she arrives home from work, gently placing her calloused palms onto the blades of my shoulders. Titignan niya ako sa mata at saka tatanungin, "Eloise, may naaalala ka na ba?"

I would stare back at her gray orbs that are full of hope, only to see that flicker of light be washed away with sadness pagka sinasabi ko na wala pa rin akong maalala.

Eversince she claimed to have found me unconscious near the train tracks that bordered the regions of Therron and Castell, Lola Rosalina had become my mother figure; always asking me about that day — always trying to make me remember what was left of who I am. Kung sino nga ba ako bago maiwan sa lugar na yun.

So I did. 

When she'd leave in the mornings to attend to her job as a train conductor in one of Therron's railway stations, I'd sit by the window in her bedroom and wait. Buong araw kong hihintayin ang pagdating ng isang memorya, pilit na inaalala ang rason kung bakit ako natagpuan sa pagitan ng mga riles.

I try to find something familiar amongst the people in Lola Rosalina's neighborhood, but they seem just as confused and hazy as I am, always in a spectacle of trying to survive the day by not dying of starvation.

Everyday it was the same, always waiting for a memory to return; always waiting for the answers to arrive and come knocking at my door. 

And everyday, I had been waiting for nothing.

Eventually though, I grew tired of trying to remember and focused on other important things. Si Lola Rosalina nalang ang rason ko para mabuhay, so I always tried to help her in many ways I can. Sa pag-linis, sa pag-laba; sa pag-hanap ng makakain maliban nalang sa isda at tinapay na binibili niya.

May isang araw na naaalala ko pa, nag-iikot ako sa wet market para makahanap ng ibang pagkain. I caught eye of a woman who was buying a large, grilled fish with fresh lemons and parsley. "Anong klaseng pagkain 'yon Kuya Tadong, mukhang masarap eh," Bulong ko kay Kuya Tadong, isang kapit-bahay ni Lola Rosalina na nagbebenta ng tuyo sa wet market. Madalas ko siyang sinasamahan mag-benta lalo na pag walang magawa sa bahay.

Natawa ito. "Aba, limang-daan ang isang ganyan, El," Sabi niya sakin, calling me by the shorter version of my name. "'Di tayo pwede mag-ulam ng ganyan."

I frowned in disdain. "Ha, eh bakit?"

"Dahil mahirap tayo, Eloise. Drifts ang tawag nila sa atin. Wala tayong pera kagaya ng mga mayayamang 'yan. Ang mayroon tayo ay isang tuldok lang ng bigas para sa kanila." Mahinang sabi ni Kuya Tadong, natatakot na marinig ng matipunong lalaki na kasama ng babaeng namimili ng isda. Nakatingin na ito samin.

"Mind your own business!" The large, muscled man bellowed at us. "Tsk, drifts!"

 I am nothing more but a drift.

"Hey drift!" I snapped out of my reverie, my eyes shifting to focus at the man who was holding me custody. Kasalukuyan kaming nag-hihintay sa Therron Park, ang gitna at centralisadong lugar ng region of Therron. 

Kanina pa kami nakaupo sa isang wooden bench na matatagpuan sa loob ng parke, hinihintay ang isang kasamahan ng lalaking ito na mag-hahatid samin papunta sa impyerno — or wherever the fuck this man is bringing me.

May sugat parin ang pisngi ng lalaking ito, at kinakapos parin ako ng hininga dulot ng muntikan ko nang kamatayan kanina sa wet market.

"Hoy!" Sigaw niya pa ulit, pilit na kinukuwha ang atensyon ng isang batang madungis na nakahiga sa katapat naming bench. Napaupo sa takot yung bata, looking at him.

"Bawal humiga diyan, humanap ka ng ibang lugar." Sabi ng katabi ko sabay inom sa softdrinks na kanina pa niya tinatangay. 

Hindi nalang umimik pa ang bata at saka nag-lakad palayo sa amin.

"As if naman may mahahanap pa siyang ibang tulugan, tsk." Bulong ko sa sarili at nagpalumbaba ulit. 

"Anong sabi mo?" Inis niyang tanong at mas lalo lang akong sumimangot. 

"Wala," I said, gazing off the far distance. "Anong oras ba dadating 'yang sinasabi mo, nababagot na 'ko dito kakahintay."

"Ano ka, prinsesa?" He asked sarcastically, and yet again I am reminded of who I truly am. Nothing more than a low-class drift.

Hindi na ako nag-salita pa at iilang minuto ang lumipas. Mas lalong dumidilim ang paligid sa bawat segundong nasasayang, nothing more but the full moon to gaze upon us with its existence.

Tumatahimik na rin ang parke at unti-unti nang bumubukas ang mga street lights. Rich people were strolling around, comfortably enjoying the peacefulness of the night; while I'm sure many drifts such as the little kid he shooed away, is desperately looking for a safe place to spend the night.

Before I was once again engulfed by my own thoughts, a glimmer of light momentarily sparked, making me blink twice.

A man had appeared before us.

Wearing a long, midnight blue cape with silver linings; the man looked almost as identical to the man who held me captive. Matingkad rin tumayo ito, at may unting balbas. 

I gazed at the man in front of me, quite surprised with his sudden appearance, nang bigla kong napansin ang isang bagay na nakalagay sa collar ng cape niya. It was a familiar-looking silver enamel pin badge that had the embossed design of a blue moon. 

"Not wearing your pin eh, Royce?" The newly-arrived man asked the guy next to me who he called Royce. Ang baho nung pangalan. "Kaya pala inatake ka ng isang drift. She thought you were a commoner!" Agad itong natawa, placing a hand on his belly as he laughed.

"Needless to say I am in awe of your existence," He then said to me with a smile, reaching out a hand for me to shake. Hindi ko pinansin ito.

"That's enough, Rome." Royce said as he stood up. "The real bullshit here is why you took so fucking long! Ikaw na nga 'tong may teleportation ability, ikaw pa 'tong mabagal kumilos."

Teleportation Ability, huh.

"Relaaax my brother! Nagkaroon lang ng emergency meeting sa palace kaya 'di kita agad sinundo." The one who I assume is Rome, said with a chuckle. No wonder they look alike, magkapatid pala sila. Parehong siraulo.

"Just take us home." Royce said seriously, making me stand up by grabbing me forcefully by the arm. Fuck this guy. 

"Where are we going, exactly? To hell?" I hissed at him, thrusting my arm out of his grasp. 

"Castillo de Luna. Now shut up." He simply stated in a bored tone and I quickly held onto the moon pendant of my necklace that oddly looked similar to the newly-arrived man's enamel pin. 

Rome placed one hand onto my shoulder, and his other hand on his brother's. Naalala ko bigla si Lola Rosalina, the way she would place her comforting hands on my shoulder whenever she would ask me if I remembered anything. Mas lalong humigpit ang hawak ko sa aking necklace. 

At sa isang iglap, we were gone as quickly as the speed of light.

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note: What do you think about Royce & Rome? :>