“20:49” when I checked the time on my military wrist watch.
“Ginabi nanaman tayo bro” I scoffed. Palabas palang kami ng studio at halos limang oras kami sa practice.
“Sorry bro, talagang nahirapan si Eugene sa bagong percussion kanina kaya nakailang ulit tayo. Hayaan mo bukas mauuna nalang kaming sa drums at bass guitar sa practice.” Marco answered and tapped my back as a sign of leaving.
“Marco-- sumabay ka nalang sakin. I’ll drive you home.”
“Huh? How come bro? mas mauuna ang bahay nyo sa amin-”
“What I mean is sumama ka muna sakin. Dumaan ka muna sa bahay. Dun ka na mag dinner.” I insisted desperately.
Marco chaffed. “I can sense a crying baby behind your words bro. Pero sige, ako ang magpapaliwanag kay tita kung bakit tayo ginabi.” He grabbed the door of my car while shaking his head.
Marco is like a brother to me. Bukod sa childhood friend ko sya, close din ang pamilya namin sa isa’t isa.
My mom is a neurologist while his mom is a pediatrician, they studied together at the same University in college. Minsan nga naiisip ko na kaya lang ako pinayagan nila mommy na sumali sa banda ay dahil kay Marco.
Dad never likes the idea of me joining a band, pero dahil na rin kay mommy at Tita Bianca –Marcos’ mom, napapayag na rin sya. But that doesn’t mean na gusto na nya ang ginagawa kong ito. He wants me to be like mom. ‘Be the better version of your mother’ sabi pa nya everytime na napag uusapan namin ang pag aaral. This is one of the reason kaya ayokong nagkakaroon ng problema sa pag aaral ko dahil ang laging sinisisi nila ay ang banda.
“I can sense that something's bothering you, bro. Care to share?” Marco broke the silence while I’m driving.
I smirked. “Alam mo bro, minsan parang mas bagay pa sayo ang kurso kong BA Psychology. Dami mong alam.”
Marco was about to answer when we heard a loud siren of an ambulance. Kahit tinted ang salamin ng kotse ko ay maliwanag ang pagrehistro ng mga ilaw na mula sa ambulance na nakasalubong namin.
“That was literally aloud.” He murmured.
For some reason, bigla akong kinabahan. A strange feeling enveloped me and gives me an intense shivery sensation. Dala lang siguro ng matinding pagod sa school at practice kanina, nalipasan na ng gutom at dumagdag pa ang ganitong eksena. I felt pity for the casualties, sana walang critical sa kanila.
“You alright bro?” He asked.
I nodded. Kahit si Marco ay napansin ang pagbabago ng mood ko.
Hindi ko na namalayan ang mga lumipas na minuto bago kami makarating sa bahay at gaya nga ng napag usapan, pinaliwanag ni Marco kay mommy ang nangyari sa practice namin kaya kami ginabi. Pinahatid nalang ni mommy sa driver namin si Marco para makapagpahinga na daw ako. Sa mga ganitong pagkakataon, hindi ko masisisi si Marco kung bakit lagi nya akong tinatawag na crying baby kapag kasama sa usapan si mommy. She’s an overprotective mother, mula sa pinakamaliit na detalye ng gagawin ko ay inaalam nya. Pero kahit ganun si mom, sya ang pinakamatapang at mapagmahal na babaeng kilala ko.
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I didn’t notice the time I fell asleep when I suddenly jolted and woke up, I felt pressure on my chest and a presence of someone in my room.
I tried to get up in bed but I cannot move my muscles, yet I still feel someone’s presence.
Slowly, I look around despite of difficulty breathing. The room is dim but I can still recognize everything around.
My attention hooked to an open window, someone is staring at me, a silhouette of a woman. A veiled woman!
My heartbeat raised when the veiled woman slowly comes toward me.
“Does she float?” I asked myself.
I was stunned when all of a sudden she reaches me and with just a blink of an eye, we are face to face close. I was horrified.
The woman is staring still at me with her glaring eyes, bend her neck and slowly open her mouth widely. I can even hear the tearing flesh of her mouth near my ear. I was choked and the feeling is getting worse.
I cannot do anything but to close my eyes and pray. Hoping for someone to come and save me from this monster.
A few seconds later, the presence turns back to normal. I open my eyes and look around, by that moment I was able to move my body. I hushed myself and went to our kitchen to grab some drinks.
“Midnight snack?” mom startled me.
“No ma. Sleep paralysis I think.” I gulped.
“Hindi mo na yata hinahanap yung babae sa panaginip mo kaya ikaw ang hinanap nya dito.” She answered, trying to make a clever jest.
“Magpahinga ka na uli after fifteen minutes, ok? Goodnight son.” She tapped my back and left me airheaded.
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