Withering Reality

Chapter 2

Tori came home exhausted. People kept on looking at her, wondering why anyone would cry just by looking at the Spolarium or the retablo from the Church of San Nicholas Tolentino, and feel fear just by looking at Gregorio Del Pilar's portrait. And even though she visited all the sights, the void in her heart wasn't filled up to the brim.

After taking a short bath and wearing Matt's shirt (which looks like a dress for her), Tori lies down on her bed to take a deep sleep. Hopefully, her thoughts will be filled not of the boy general but of Tandang Sora, a brave woman who fought in her own way.

Tori closes her eyes once again, trying to fill her thoughts with happy-happy memories.

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She woke up to the sound of a gunshot.

Abruptly sitting up straight in her bed after the sound barreled its way into her consciousness, she zoned out for a moment while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Another gunshot. Another. Another. The continuous exchange of gunshots was not left unnoticed by Tori, however she failed to comprehend her surroundings.

There was a louder gunshot--or more like a bomb exploding near her house. Something's not quite right.

Turning towards the only direction from whence the gunshot may have likely come from, her eyes fell upon a window. Subsequently, her face contorted in an expression of utter bewilderment as the gears in her head slowly turned in an attempt to comprehend her situation.

Wait. Tori's eyes casted upon her supposed to be window. Where are my curtains? She frantically searched beneath her bed, in hopes to see her hard-earned rug. Where is the rug? She looks up again and notices that the walls are made from woven coconut leaves. Heck, where are the concrete walls?! And for fuck's sake, why am I hearing gunshots?!

Overcome by a wave of anxiety brought about by a truly baffling morning she found herself in, she stumbled out of the bed (while also realizing the bed isn't hers as well) in a frenzy, trying desperately (but failing miserably) to make as much sense as she can from her predicament.

What the..? Looking down at herself, she realizes she's dressed in an oversized tunic that reached just past her knees. And just for the sake of it, she checks herself beneath the tunic. Shit! I'm naked!

Not only did she lost Matt's shirt, she also apparently lost her mind (and most probably, her ear.) She was sure she's hallucinating things again, especially after the break up. The bed beneath her feels real, and even the cold dry wind touching her face, when she knows that she never left her windows open. The gunshots sounds more real than her throbbing heart even. She is sure that the dream, this dream, is beyond the concept of a dream.

She was about to make way for the window, to exit stealthily, when the door bursts open in a hurry. "Ture?" The person says, his voice perplexed and eyes wide open.

Tori can't wrap her head around the idea. She is sure she had seen him somewhere--or worse, talked to him before. There was a sign of familiarity on his voice.

Finally, after minutes of contemplation and a swallow, Tori beckons fearfully, "Heneral."

He smiles. "Nalaman ko mula kay Tecson na sinabi mo raw na bibisitahin ang aming kampo ng Señor Presidente at mamamatay si Heneral Luna."

Tori backs away until her back hits the wall, and she hides herself using the blanket. "Tapos?" She manages.

"Marahil dahil sa pagkabigla sa iyong nasaksihan kaya ka nahimatay. Nagalala ng husto si Tecson. Ayon sa doktor, magigising ka pagkatapos ng maiging pagpapahinga." He answers, getting himself a glass of water from the table opposite the bed, and he sits on the chair. Del Pilar starts to unbutton his Rayadillo, revealing a white shirt beneath the khaki clothing.