Chapter 2
“Are you okay now?” Aurora asked me after a while.
“Yes. I’m okay now. Pero Au, bakit ako nananaginip? We are not supposed to have dreams. Only humans are supposed to have dreams. Bakit pati ako?” Hinilot ko ang sintido dahil naguguluhan ako.
“I don’t know Crystal. Yes, we are not supposed to have dreams. But we could have visions. Visions of the past or of the future.” Napatango ako sa sinabi ni Aurora. Maybe I am having visions and not dreams. Pero hindi ko maintindihan. Bakit ako nagkakaroon ng visions? At bakit paulit ulit? Lalong sumasakit ang ulo ko sa kakaisip.
“It’s almost time Crys. We should get going.” Dagdag ni Aurora habang nakatingin sa labas.Towards a place where the light and the dark collides.
Tumayo ako mula sa kinahihigaan ko and followed Aurora who is now walking towards the valley. I followed her and I am still amazed as I looked at every grass that comes to life whenever Au’s presence is felt. The dew is like floating crystals that sorrounds us and settled on those grass, flowers and plants when we passed by.
Nung makarating nakami sa pakay namin, I looked at the two worlds. One is ours and the other is of the humans. Our world is like a paradise. Sorrounded by green grass, flowers, plants, rivers and all that mother nature has to offer. The other world is dark but once we get in the portal, light will slowly creeped in illuminating everything in its path. Creating different hues in the horizon. It is the most wonderful thing in the world. And humans often neglect such occurrence.
Nung nasa tapat na kami ng portal, Aurora smiled and wave at me and I did the same. She’ll be heading to the city and I’ll be heading to the mountains. And every path that we will passed will be illuminated by gentle lights, plants will be covered with dew, and the sky will reflect our beauty of different shades. Our entrance to the humanworld signifies the start of dawn, and soon daylight will come.
Napangiti ako sa unang liwanag na lumabas, as I walked down the valley. I inhaled deeply and smelled the cold fresh air that is gently blowing on my hair and looked at the horizon. Napakagandang tanawin at kahit siguro ilang ulit kong makita, hindi ako mag sasawa. Every dawn is different from the other one. Because every nymph of dawn is different. No one is the same.
Katulad ngayon, the horizon is a mixture of pink, purple and blue. The faint light coming from the sun which is about to come out make the whole scene seems magical, alluring and ethereal. Napangiti ako and somehow I felt proud of myself. Look, I did all that.
Mas lalo akong napangiti nung marating ko ang paborito kong lugar. It’s a stream with a falls beside it. Napatingin ako sa mga namumukadkad na bulaklak sa paligid. Inalagaan ko ang lugar na to. The first time I saw it, I instantly fell in love with it and I make suire that I came here everyday.
But today is different. Dahil nung papalapit na ako sa ilog, may napansin akong kakaiba. I felt an aura. Not an aura of a nymph or of any other creature but an aura of a human. Tumingin ako sa paligid and there is saw him. Standing on a big rock and looking at the place as if he owns it. He is holding a huge camera and taking shots everywhere.
I choose to ignore him. Alam ko naman na paminsan minsan may mga taong nakakrating sa lugar na ito and this man is not an exception. Maybe he is one of the hikers. Tatalon na sana ako sa ilog para maligo when he spoke.
“Hi!” Napatingin ako sa kanya. Tapos sa paligid. Nung makita kong walang tao, tumingin ulit ako sa kanya. And this time he is smiling. Nangunot ang noo ko.
“I am talking to you.” Sa akin siya nakatingin. Tumingin ako sa likuran ko pero walang ibang tao. Pero impossible. How come that he could see me?
“To me?” Nagtatakang tanong ko.
“Whoelse. Tayong dalawa lang naman ang andito.” Paanong nakikita niya ako. I am supposed to be invisible. Am I losing my touch? My power?
Hindi ako nagsalita.
“Hiker ka din ba? Ohhh I guess not.” Tapos tiningnan niya ang damit ko. Napatingin din ako sa damit ko. I am wearing my usual white dress. Hindi pa din ako nagsalita. Hindi naman masama na makipag usap kami sa mga tao. We could socialize with them using a disguise at will pero hindi ganitong ako pa ang nabibigla na nakikita ako ng mga tao.
“Are you staying here? What are you?” Nakakagulantang ang mga tanong niya. Anong ibig niyang sabihin na what am I?
“I’m a ghost.” Wala sa loob na sabi ko.
“So that explains it.” What! Anong ibig niyang sabihin? He is not even mortified that I told him that I am a ghost. Masashock kaya siya pag sinabi kong I am a nymph? This guy unnerves me.
“I have a third eye. I saw things that normal humans don’t usually see. I’m James. You are too young to be a ghost.” He extended his hand. Napatingin ako sa kamay niya. And now, this human wanted to shake hand with a supposed to be ghost. Walang bang naiwang takot sa katawan niya? He is supposed to be running away from me.
At ano ang ibig sabihin niya nung sinabi niyang I am too young to be a ghost? I am 150 years old for God’s sake. Pero kunsabagay, nymphs never grow old. We maintain our youth. We are immortal. Unless… and I didn’t want to think about it.
Hindi ko tinanggap ang kamay niya. If I am a ghost I shouldn’t be able to touch him. He should have realized that.
But not only that, my heart is thumping wildly na parang kinakabahan ako. Siya dapat ang kabahan at hindi ako. Ako ang supernatural, he’s just human. What is happening to me?
“It seems that I have disturbed your peacefulness. Aalis na lang ako. See you again.”
He wants to see me again? Kung tusukin ko kaya ang third eye niya!!
