Grieving Soul [#Wattys2019 Winner]

Chapter 31

#GrievingSoulWP

Chapter 31
Convenience

The silence stretched when we were inside the car. I squeezed myself on one side and leaned my head on the window while watching the houses, trees and other establishments passed by. I could feel myself almost falling asleep because I felt so worn out physically, mentally and emotionally. But I couldn't get myself to fall asleep when I saw us taking on a different road.

Kaysa lumiko patungo sa aming mansyon ay dumiretso kami ng daan. Kung sa kanila man ang tungo ay dapat kumaliwa na kami pero hindi. Dire-diretso lamang ang pagtakbo ng sasakyan kaya hindi ko na napigilan ang sarili ko't nilingon ko na siya.

"Saan tayo pupunta?" tanong ko sa kanya.

Saktong pagkatanong ko no'n ay lumiko ang sasakyan mula sa main road. Bumungad sa akin ang matayog na lumang mansyon na madalas naming nadadaanan dati tuwing pupunta ng Dahlia o Tanawan. Naalala ko tuloy noong mga bata pa lang kami. I always found this mansion's architectural structure very pleasing to the eye. It was ancient and modern at the same time. Hindi rin naman ganoon kalakihan ang mansyon na ito. Tamang-tama lamang at may kaliitan kumpara sa aming mansyon kaya gustong-gusto ko ito.

Th family of the mansion already left the country to migrate in the US. As far as I know, the mansion's not for sale. Kahit matagal na panahon nang hindi umuuwi ang pamilyang nakatira rito ay hindi pa rin nila binebenta. Hindi ko nga lang alam kung bakit nandito kami ngayon.

"Why are we here?" sunod kong tanong kay Gio.

Gio stopped the car in front of the staircase to the mansion's doorway. He got the key from the ignition before turning to me.

"This is our home," he simply said with a smile on his face.

My lips parted in disbelief. I didn't know how he managed to buy this mansion, when it wasn't even for sale in the first place.

Bumaba siya ng sasakyan at agad naman akong sumunod sa kanya bago pa niya ako mapagbuksan ng pintuan dahil hindi naman na kailangan pa 'yon. Tiningala ko ang mansyon at nakita kong mayroon itong kaunting pagbabago. Sa tagal kong tinitingnan nito simula pa noong mga bata kami ay halos makabisado ko na ang bawat sulok ng exterior nito.

Walang imik niyang hinawakan ang aking kamay at agad akong hinila papaakyat na aking ikinabigla. Hindi na ako nakapiglas at nakapagreklamo dahil nang makarating sa harap ng pintuan ay agad niya rin itong binitawan.

He slid the key onto the knob's keyhole and turned it going to right. After it clicked, he slowly twisted the knob and opened the door. The big dark living room of the mansion terrified me a little because I couldn't see anything. Hindi ko man lang magawang humakbang papasok dahil sa takot. Wala akong makita at hindi ko alam kung ano ang naghihintay sa akin sa loob nito.

Gio bravely took a step forward and went inside the mansion living me outside. Napaatras tuloy ako at handa nang tumakbo kung sakaling mayroong magpapakita sa aking hindi kaaya-ayang presensya ngunit nang biglang bumukas ang ilaw ay natulala lamang ako.

The big golden chandelier immediately caught my attention. I was in awe as I scanned the whole place while unconsciously going inside the grand living room. I couldn't believe that even if the mansion's exterior façade seemed so small, its interior was completely the opposite. It was very spacious or maybe, the minimal deisgn of the living room was only giving an illusion that made it look wider than I expected.

Sobrang bata ko pa noong nakapasok ako sa mansyon na ito para sa birthday party ng anak ng may-ari nito. Hindi ko na matandaan kung paano ang ayos ng mansyon noon.