The Ravages of Time

Kabanata 24

Kabanata 24

Simpleng Tao

I smiled as I roamed my eyes around where the car stopped. The car stopped at a place that was out of nowhere. The car stopped at a place where I haven't been to. A place that is unknown and unusual to me.

I heavily sighed as I tried to find Tariq around. I can say life here is very poor and very sad. I don't see any cemented houses; it was all wooden. The weather today made the atmosphere a little gloomy.

"Sonnet, ga'no ka katagal dito. Katakot naman mga tao dito, parang kukulamin tayo," singit ni Reighn nang makababa sa sasakyan.

Napalunok ako nang makita ang mga taong nagsilabsan sa kanilang bahay. Ang iba nama'y nakasilip sa kanilang bintana na halos tuklawin kami ng kanilang mga tingin.

Napaiwas ako ng tingin sa kanilang lahat at napakamot na lang sa aking batok.

"Girl, hanggang kailan ka rito?" Reighn asked.

"I don't know, makita ko lang si Tariq, okay na 'ko," I replied.

I suddenly got nervous when an old woman in her 60s approached us. She was smiling at us, but I can say she was kind... based on her looks.

"Sino ho sila?" she began.

I swallowed before I answered.

"Hinahanap po sana namin si Tariq, lola. Mga... kaklase niya po kami."

If I would say that I'm his girlfriend, baka magwala ang mga marites nila dito. I remembered when he said na chismosa ang kapitbahay niya.

"Tariq?"

"Tariq Gueverra po," I repeated. She nodded giving me an 'oh-I-know-him' look.

"Si Tariq pala, kilala ko 'yon. Kaibigan ko ang nanay niya. Kakauwi lang nila rito ah," she added.

"Oo nga po, mayro'n po kasi kaming project, oo, tapos—"

"Pwede po bang ituro niyo nalang sa 'min ang bahay nina Tariq?" biglang pampuputol sa 'kin ni Reighn.

I secretly pinched her because she was acting rude!

"Sige, sundan niyo ako, ituturo ko sa inyo ang bahay ni Tariq." We were about to walk when Reighn interrupted us.

"Wait, Sonnet, I think I need to go home. Hinahanap ako ni Dad, just call me kung ready ka nang umuwi," sabi niya.

Akmang pipigilan ko pa sana siya nang bigla itong nagmadaling pumasok sa sasakyan.

I just sighed and shrugged my shoulders.

Her dad is very strict as well as her bodyguards. Sa tingin ko nga tinakasan niya lang ang mga 'yon.

"Tara na po," I uttered to the old woman.

Habang naglalakad, binuksan ko ang backpack ko at sinubukang hinanap ang phone ko. Napangiti ako nang makita ito.

Kuya really knows what I need the most.

We've walked for a several minutes. The ground wasn't cemented, and it was kind of muddy with my shoes being covered with brown mud now. I roamed my eyes and nanibago ako sa paligid ko dahil wala akong nakikitang mga matatayog na gusali.

Ganito pala ang pakiramdam sa probinsya.

My forehead creased when I realized we had walked for almost 10 minutes.

"Lola, malayo pa po ba?" I curiously asked the old woman.

"Nandito na tayo."

I followed where her forefinger pointed then my lips parted. It is just a small hut that is relatively a little large compared to traditional huts that are small. I noticed that it was the same as the houses in front.