Page 25

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Window

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AS SOON as we arrived in San Sebastian, I dropped off our luggage. Malamig ang hangin at halos napapalibutan ang lugar ng matatayog na puno.

It was like our house was standing in the middle of the jungle, lalo na't rinig ko ang ingay ng mga kuliglig at huni ng ibon sa likod bahay. It's like autumn, since the dry leaves are scattered all over the cement and the mahogany trees here are almost bald.

"An, put your luggage inside. Then help your brother move our things."

I just nodded at what mom ordered and started lifting the things into the back of the truck.

When I finished, I stepped out of the house again, and the house on the other side caught my attention.

Halatang wala ng nakatira sa bahay na nasa harap ko. Lalo na't marupok na ang mga kahoy at inaalikabok na rin ang kabuoan ng nito. May mga agiw pa sa ilalim ng bubong at marami-rami na rin ang butas na nakikita ko.

The house is abandoned, but it looks like someone is still living there.

I was about to leave when I noticed a strange figure that caught my attention.

I squinted my eyes and noticed a beautiful girl at the window. She was wearing a pink dress, and it waved non-stop.

I was overcome with fear when I saw she smiled at me. I noticed her white skin and the black color of her eyes.

I was frozen in place because I knew I was not facing a person but a ghost.

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"AN!"

I opened my eyes when I heard a loud voice. The first thing that appeared in my sight was my worried brother.

I rubbed my eyes and was even more surprised to notice that mom was about to cry. Halata sa kanyang hitsura ang takot at tensyonado rin kaya mas lalo akong nagulat sa kanyang inasta.

"Gosh, An! Are you okay? How are you?" Mom touched my cheek, and I was surprised by how cold it was.

"A-Anong nangyari, ma? Bakit po parang takot na takot kayo?"

"You really don't remember?" I shook my head in response. "You suddenly passed out in front of the house. I called the doctor, and he said you were tired. Do you need water?"

I shook my head again in response.

"I'm okay, mom."

"You really didn't remember anything, An?" We looked at my brother when he asked.

Napaisip naman ako sa kanyang tanong. Ang huling naalala ko lamang ay nakatayo ako sa harap ng bahay at nakita ang batang babae bago ako tuluyang nawalan ng malay.

I looked up and looked into their eyes.

"Did you see a child in the other house?"

"C-Child?" they both asked, and they shook their heads. "May bata sa kabilang bahay! She was wearing a pink dress, and she waved at me too."

"An, don't joke like that. No one lives in the other house. So I'm sure there's no one there."

Weird! So who is that girl I saw in the window? Posible kayang multo ang isang 'yon. I sound ridiculous in front of my family. Trying to convince them na may batang babae sa kabilang bahay.

Hindi ko na alam kung paniniwalaan ko ba ang nakita ko kanina. Posible rin namamalikmata lang ako.

After resting again, I headed to my room upstairs and cleaned my body. I still can't forget what happened earlier.

I'm sure I saw a child waving earlier, but there was no one in the other house!

I looked at my window when I felt cold air coming in. Lumapit ako rito at akmang isasara ito. But my hand stopped when I noticed something again in the other house.

Una kong napansin ay ang ilaw sa kanilang kusina na siyang lalo nagpakunot ng noo ko. Ginapangan ako muli ng takot nang mapansin na may kakaiba sa kabilang bahay.

Parang hindi inabandona ang bahay at nakikita ko pa ang nangyayari sa loob lalo na sa kusina. Ilang beses ko pang pinunasan ang aking mga mata para lang masiguro na tama ang nakikita ko.

Everyone was in the kitchen waiting for their dinner to be cooked.

Am I missing something? Why are the people on the other side of the house so lively?

There was a mother cooking while their father sat at the dining table, a boy, and a girl—wait! She's the girl who waved at me earlier!

She looked very different from earlier. Nakakagulat na para siyang nag-ibang anyo dahil hindi na siya gaya ng dati.

She has a look of real joy on her face, and I can tell that she is happy.

I looked away when I couldn't handle the confusion in my mind.

What's happening?

Which one is true?

What happened earlier?

Or what do I see right now?

Would it be possible for me to live in a different world?

Dahil gusto ko ng kasagutan sa aking mga tanong ay agad akong bumaba ng hagdan. Mom and kuya weren't there, so I rushed straight to the door and walked out.

Pero hindi pa man ako tuluyang nakakalapit sa bahay nang bumungad sa akin ang tinutupok ng apoy ang bahay. The fire consumed its entirety, as if no one could escape if anyone was left inside.

Why is it like this? I see things around me differently.

Napasabunot na lang ako sa aking buhok lalo na't mas lalo akong naguluhan sa mga nangyayari.

Not a single person from here was here to respond.

"Help! May nasusunog na bahay!" I shouted and repeated what I said without stopping.

And in an inexplicable situation, I looked up at the window, and my eyes widened when I saw the figure of a girl. It was still waving, but the only difference was that his body was burning.

She smiled burningly and was surprised when I read on his lips the words I did not expect.

"I love you, bunso!"

Nagising akong muli, at una kong nabungaran ay ang mukha ng aking inang nag-aalala.

I slowly opened my eyes while rubbing them.

Napatingin ako sa aking paligid at napansin na nandito pa rin ako sa daan nakahiga.

"Mom, what happened? Bakit nasa daan tayo?"

My mother's emotions poured out even more at my question. She picked me up, and we both faced the abandoned house where I always saw the girl in my dreams.

"'Di ba sabi mo na gusto mong bumalik sa dating tinitirhan mo? Here we are, in front of your old house."

It was here that my world finally collapsed as memories registered in my mind, causing my chest to ache.

The family in my vision is my real family.

My mom cooks while my dad, my sister, and I wait for dinner.

I remember!

My sister ordered me to go out first to buy soy sauce. However, when I came back, our house was already on fire, and right where I was standing, I passed out right here.

I relived memories of the past that I wanted to bury in oblivion. However, this is the only memory I have of my family.

I wiped my tears.

"Lalasunin na sana tayo ni mama dahil baon na tayo sa utang pero naunahan ko siyang patayin tayong lahat."

I froze when I heard a whisper from behind me. My sister's face appeared behind me, and her whole body was burnt.

"Waaaaahhhhh!" I screamed out of fear.

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