Shorts

XVIII. The Island (2)

Dei watched Alden devour the food she served him.

"Ang sarap naman nito! Ilang araw na kaya akong hindi kumakain?" He wondered. "Thank you dito."

"Walang anuman. O, tubig baka mabulunan ka, huy!"

Alden gazed around. "Ang laki ng bahay na 'to. At semento. Paano mo naitayo ito kung mag-isa ka dito?"

"Nandito na ito nung pumunta ako sa isla na 'to," she replied, evasively.

"Ah ganun ba? Paano itong mga pagkain mo? Saan mo kinukuha?"

"Natuto na rin akong mangisda, mamitas nung mga prutas na alam kong pwedeng kainin, at saka... basta. Hindi ako nagugutom, yun ang importante."

He looked at her and it seemed like he was trying to figure her out. "Alam mo pamilyar ka eh."

"Ako?! Baka marami lang akong kamukha."

"Hindi," he said, shaking his head. "Hindi eh. Parang kilala kita."

"Hindi mo nga maalala yung pangalan mo eh, ako pa."

He nodded and rubbed his nape. "Oo nga. Sorry. Pero..."

"Ano?"

"Sigurado ka bang hindi kita girlfriend?"

"ANO?!" Dei said, shocked at what he asked.

"Wala naman. Baka lang kasi girlfriend kita... or asawa."

"Ay wow! Huy, hinay-hinay ha? Kumain ka muna, tapos papalitan na natin yang bandage mo sa ulo. Tapos, magpahinga ka."

"Okay." He looked at her intently. "Pero hindi nga? Hindi kita asawa?"

"Alam mo, kung wala kang sugat, babatukan kita."

*

Dei watched him sleep.

She found him some old short pants and shirts she found in storage, so after a bath and dressing his wound, she asked him to rest and allow his body to recover further. This would also allow her to go into the woods surrounding the house to retrieve some more food for the coming days.

Yet, she stood by the threshold, watching him sleep.

He looked less troubled while he was resting, which was good. He had been trying far too hard to recall those gaps and Dei was sure it wasn't doing Alden any good. "Babalik din yun, just give it time." She assured, but they were unsure if there was any truth to that statement.

But it had only been a few days.

They had developed a routine of him helping around the house when she was sure that he didn't have dizzy spells and his color seemed to have returned to a healthy tan, while she went out to fish and gather food. When she returned, Dei would find Alden waiting for her at the porch and they would go about preparing lunch or dinner.

"Hindi ko lang kasi mainitindihan kung bakit ang dami ko namang naaalala, gaya nitong pagluluto, paglilinis... pero yung mga bagay sa buhay ko... pangalan ko, pamilya ko, paano ako napunta dito... wala akong maalala," he told her, a hint of frustration in his voice.

Dei would assure him that it would come back and they would have answers. "Sana lang hindi ka pala masamang tao. Baka mamaya killer ka."

"Ay wow. Salamat. Yan pala tingin mo sa akin ha."

"Nag-i-ingat lang. For your information, kaya ko ang sarili ko. Baka iniisip mo palang saktan ako, naputol ko na yang nasa gitna ng legs mo."

He would laugh and then fall silent. "Sana nga hindi ako masamang tao. O kriminal. Sana mabuti ako. Eh ikaw? Pwede mo na ba akong kwentuhan bakit ka nandito?"

"Soon, okay? Wag muna ngayon. Marami ka munang gawaing bahay ha? Tapos, tuturuan na kita sa labas. Kapag nagawa mo na yung mga yun, siguro ike-kwento ko na. Magpagaling ka muna."

So, Alden agreed and took a rest.

Sino ka ba? Bakit ka nandito? Dei thought. She reminded herself to keep her walls up, because he was still a stranger.

Yet, she couldn't help but be thankful that he was here.

Ang tagal ko na ding mag-isa dito. Hindi ko inakalang tatagal ako ng ganito. Nakakamiss din pala yung may kasama.

She approached Alden and soothed the frown that was forming on his forehead. "Aalis lang ako saglit ha? Nandito na ako paggising mo."

*

They were feasting on a small chicken which Dei grilled. Alden couldn't help but ask, "Saan mo nakuha yung manok? Wala naman akong nakita dito sa isla?"

Dei averted her eyes and shrugged it off. "Diyan lang. Basta, meron diyan."

He frowned, but didn't push. "Dito ka ba lumaki? O dumayo ka lang din dito?"

"Dayo lang."

"Gaano katagal ka na dito?"

"Mag-i-isang taon na din."

"Ha?! Tapos mag-isa ka?"

Dei continued to avert her gaze. "Hindi... hindi nung simula. Uhm, pero oo, mas matagal na akong mag-isa dito."

"Bakit? Bakit mo gustong mag-isa?"

She sighed. "May mga bagay lang na... hindi ko kayang harapin. Kaya umalis ako."

Alden suddenly had a feeling of deja vu. He saw her in his mind. But, she looked glamorous in his  vision. She wore a simple black dress, which had no back, her hair down and in big, soft waves, and her lips, made even more prominent by her bright red lipstick.  "Minsan nagtataka din ako kung kaya ko pa ba lahat nito." She was saying into a... microphone? And he felt like he stood close by, because he looked at her up close.

"Alden? Alden, okay ka lang ba? Masakit ba yung ulo mo?"

He looked at her. His mind was back at the present time. Looking at Dei, she had her hair down, but she was in her khaki pants and black shirt, and her face bare.

"Gusto mo na magpahinga?"

"Ha? Uh... hindi. Okay lang ako." He reached for the glass of water she offered.

Dei gave him a worried look. "Kailangan mo yata ng doktor, Alden. Kailangan makabalik ka sa city."

"Okay lang ako. Tsaka na natin isipin yan."

She wasn't reassured and continued to worry about him over dinner. They stayed on safe topics, such as the weather, upkeep of the house and what chore Alden would help Dei with in the morning. As soon as he was done eating, she ordered him to bed.

"Ako na ang magliligpit dito. Sige na pahinga ka na."

"Tutulungan na kita."

"Alden, wag makulit. Sige na."

He saw that she wouldn't budge on this so he agreed and went to his room in the cottage.

While Dei continued to worry about him, Alden fell into a restless sleep - his dreams filled with visions of Dei under bright, flashing lights and a sense of anxiety, that didn't leave him even in his slumber.