enigmatic

chapter two ;; miracle

"kulang na ba ang mga ulap sa langit at bwan.." kinanta ko sa sarili ko habang naglalakad sa parke. it's Kahit Di Mo Na Alam, by December Avenue. well, I really like the song. dahil sa tune and lyrics. Lalong lalo na sa lyrics. suddenly, I felt the rain dropping.

well, okay lang. nakahoodie naman aki e, plus, 'di ako papasok bukas. i'd love to not go, nakakakirita 'yung mga clout. linagay ko ang hood ko and sang again, " 'di ka na babalik sa lilim ng ulan,"

suddenly, I felt like rain stopped dropping. A much more creepy thing is someone sang along, "Sa bawat saglit, handang masaktan.." I turned around, it was Zack? "kahit 'di mo na alam.."

biglaang ngumiti si Zack, "Oh ano, Ate? okay ka lang? nagpapaulan ka e." I pouted, "Hindi 'yon pagpapaulan kung may hoodie ako." ngiti ko sakaniya habang tinuturo ko ang hood ng aking hoodie. He suddenly gestured that we should take a walk so, I followed him.

Zack broke the silence by asking, "What if you saw something.. logically impossible? like magic, realms and sorts." I chuckled a little bit, "Well, matatanga ako. scientifically impossible lahat ng 'yan."

"You'll be amazed.." he said, full of happiness in his eyes. "You'll see what I'm telling you." tiningnan niya ako, "I had to drink a potion, just to see the entrance." napairap ako, "anong pinagsasabi mo d'yan? nonsense."

"it was addicting, ate. nakakaadik mapunta don, lalo na if you weren't meant to be there." sabi ni Zack. "I'd hope to see you there, but sadly, I can't see you there. You'd have to drink some green shxt or drug yourself."

natawa si Leanna, "Pinagsasabi mo? HAHAHA." napairap siya at sinabi, "C'mon, ayus-ayusin mo 'yang utak mo! Let's loosen up!" habang sinasabi niya ito, dinerekta ni Leanna si Zack sa isang tindahan. Well, sa isang 7-Eleven, honestly.

Linagay ni Zack ang payong niya sa lalagyanan at pumasok na din. Kanina pa nakapasok si Leanna, tumitingin kung ano ang gusto niyang kainin. Tumabi si Zack kay Leanna, who was sitting. "Ano bang masarap?" tanong ni Leanna kay Zack.

"Ako masarap." sabi ni Zack habang kumindat. Biglaang napansin ni Leanna na may parang apoy sa mata ni Zack. 'weird.'

Leanna sarcastically laughed, and then answered, "Pakain kita sa aso e."

They stayed there for a while, having a nonsense topic. But then, the sun was no longer present, and so was the rain. Nung nakita ni Leanna 'to, she said, "Hey, I'll bail out na. Kita-kita nalang sa lunch! Pakabagsak ka sana kay Sir Daniel, lalo na at Advisor niyo 'yun."

LEANNA

umirap ako. "Well, paki ko ba?" sabi ko sa sarili ko, parang tanga. well obviously, I was walking. Too immersed from my thoughts, I didn't mind where my feet were taking me. Until I heard a loud "beep", from what it looks like a car.

I widend my eyes, hindi ako makareact. Until, in the blink of an eye, I was already in my apartment.

Tumingin tingin ako sa kaliwa't kanan, titingnan ko if theres something weird around here. Then, I saw this weird looking guy, with dark hair, with a red highlight in his bangs. his eyes were as bright as gold—it looked chocolate too.

Mala korean naman 'yung mukha, may highlights nga lang, tas chocolate/gold eyes, na may hint ng red? Sana all. Pero what the frick? Impossible 'yun.

"tama? tama ata e. kamukha niya mismo." sabi nung lalaki. "okay, okay." sabi niya ulit sa sarili niya. "The name's Atlas Flames, you?" sabi ni Atlas. "Leanna. Leanna W. Fontanelle." lumaki mata niya, "nice." he smirked, for some reason.

his stomach started to grumble, "Uhm, pwede bang bigyan mo ng pagkain itong saviour mo." he smiled, showing off his teeth. Cute, parang aso. "I don't want to be rude, but, what the hell? Saan ka nangaling?" I replied, may halong attittude na boses ko. Halatang nairita siya, at rineplyan niya ako, "Attittude ka sis?"

"peste ka? ako na nga magpapakain sa'yo e." sabi ko. after that annoying remark, I lead him to my kitchen. Tinuro ko ang aking red na upuan, "oh ayan, d'yan ka umupo." tumingin siya saakin, taunting me by saying, "Pa'no kung ayoko?"

"Edi lumabas ka sa pamamahay ko," pinag-taray ko. "Take a chill pill, hunnie. I have a few questions, sagutin mo nalang while nagluluto ka." he replied. I nodded, maybe magseseryoso na siya dahil sa tono ng boses niya. He seemed serious, weird.

"Tell me about yourself." he said. Oddly enough, I don't know myself that well? I don't know. "I'm Leanna Fontanelle, I'm a female, obviously, I'm eighteen, kaka-eighteen ko lang nung september twelve. I have friends, bestfriend ko si Vanessa— kapit bahay ko lang siya—" Atlas was startled, "Full name ni Vanessa?"

Napa-squint ako ng mata. "Vanessa Kipte? Kapitbahay ko—" sabi ko, habang may weirded-out tone. "Tawagin mo nga." utos niya. I rolled my eyes, siyempre gagawin ko, sinave 'yung buhay ko e. Umalis ako sa aking parte ng apartment, nadaanan ko si Ate Valkrie at ibinigay niya sa akin 'yung inorder ko kanina. Nagpasalamat ako, of course.

Kinatok ko ang pintuan ni Vanessa. Binuksan niya ito, may pagka-hint ng blue na ang mata niya. What the hell? "Nag-dala ka ng pagkain? Nice, tara nood tayo ng School 2017! May kekwento ako—" sabi niya, kinuha 'yung drink sa kamay ko at mas binuksan ang pintuan. I cut her off, "Hey Vanessa, chill. Pinapapunta ka nung bisita ko. May itatanong ata."

She tilted her head, "Okay," sinarado niya ang pintuan at pumunta sa parte ko. "Pag ako pinatay dahil dito, I'll blame you." Umirap ako, "Chill, 'di ka mamamatay."

Binuksan ni Atlas ang pintuan ko, and for some reason, nagfull na magtint ng light blue ang mata ni Vanessa. Nag-glow din ang mata ni Atlas. Ilinagay ko na ang pagkain sa table ko, and I returned to cooking.

THIRD PERSON

"Was that the right girl? Tama ako, hindi ba?" tanong ni Atlas kay Vanessa. "Oo, tama ka. But, go back, mahahalata tayo, 'wag mo muna iconfront, mabigla pa e. Pakisamahan mo, jowain mo din pag-trip mo." sabi ni Vanessa, but it wasn't Vanessa as well. Nag-iba boses niya, her eyes have this bluish tint sa mata niya. Nag-tsk si Atlas, "Nathalia lang 'to, tanga."

On the other side, tinatapos na ni Leanna 'yung fried rice niya, habang nagluluto ng calamares. Na-we-weirdan siya sa pangyayari, but she'll go with it. She has to.

'I have a bad feeling, haha.. ang weird ng araw na 'to. I swear, muntikan na ako mamatay, malapit na sa mukha ko. But, why? Bakit ganon? Ang bilis niya akong saluhin, ang bilis 'din ng pagkauwi niya sakin. Alam kong mga six palang nung muntikan na akong mamatay.. nung nagising ako, six seventeen na. Malayo-layo 'yung pinuntahan ko, ah. Twenty minutes ang takbo, thirty-minutes pag-lakad. Then magkakilaka sila nitong Atlas? How? Ang hirap naman ipasok sa utak ko. Then ang weird ng pinagsasabi ni Zack...'

She was suddenly startled nung hinawakan ni Atlas 'yung pangpatay ng apoy sa pinaglulutuan niya nung fried rice. "Hey, 'wag kang matakot, Atlas lang 'to. By the way, naka-alis na si Vanessa. Sabi niya manuod daw kayo bukas ng k-drama, catch up daw." he said, and then whispered, "weird things girls do."

"Ano ba?" Leanna said, laughing a bit. "Matatagalan 'yung calamares, kainin mo na muna 'yung ibang donuts ko, since two dozen naman ang nasa box. Kainin mo na 'yung kalahati, tirahan mo lang ako." Leanna added. Nag-nod nalang si Atlas, habang pumunta sa living room, at umupo sa couch. "Puro pink naman dito!"

Nairita si Leanna, "So? paki mo?" reply niya. After a while, na-luto na 'yung calamares, at tinawag na ni Leanna si Atlas. Nang makarating na si Atlas, binuksan ni Leanna ang kaniyang bibig at sinabi, "Pa'no mo ginawa 'yung kanina?"

"Anong kanina?" tanong ni Atlas. "Pa'no ko ba maeexplain, 'yung nangyari kanina. 'yung sinave mo ako. Impossible 'yun, ang bilis masyado."

"Well, let me explain." Atlas said, "I'm all ears." she replied.