Dream Slaughters

How could I just forget the man that I love? Paano ko ba isasawalang bahala ang pagmamahal na mayroon ako para sa kanya? So, this is just it? I"ll wake up and forget everything and then he will just eat it? Ano, siya lang ang magdurusa? Siya lang iiyak habang sinasabi sa sarili na dapat hindi na lang siya nagmahal? I want to be fair!

"The only think that we need to do now is to wait for the prince to find you," sabi niya na umupo sa isa sa mga ugat ng puno.

"Wait for the prince? What do you mean?" Kunot noo kong tanong.

"He"s almost close, princess. The prince is already in combat with the queen. If we will just wait until the prince finds you and gives his kiss you"ll wake up. That"s the end," he said.

Magtatapos na ang lahat. Makakalimutan ko na ang mundong inakala ko na totoo. Makakalimutan ko ang mga masasayang pangyayari na kasama ko siya. Susuko na lang ako at iiyak. Maghihintay na lang na iligtas ako ng isang prinsipe na hindi ko naman kilala. Sino ba kasi ang may sabi na dapat dito na lang magtatapos ang lahat.

"No," I disagree. "I won"t allow this."

Tinalikuran ko sila. I know what"s should happen next. This is my dream. I can do everything in my dream. Hindi ako magpapatalo dahil sa isang sumpa o dahil sa iyon dapat ang mangyari. Gagawin ko ito dahil ito ang isinisigaw ng sarili kong puso. Walang gustong mang-iwan ng mahal nila. I will prove to them that I don"t need any princes to save me. Yes, West is right. I can only save my own self.

"Princess, where are you going?" The wise man asked.

"I"m coming back," I told them without facing back.

"It"s dangerous! Dream slaughters are not meant for combat activities," he added.

"I don"t care what kind of s.h.i.t you have," I really did snapped. "I promised that I won"t forget him but it seems that It"s already broken before the promise. But I also promised that I"ll come back to save him. At least, I can do my part on that."

"But princess..."

"WHO CARES ABOUT A PRINCE KISSING A PRINCESS? ANYBODY CAN KISS WHOEVER THEY WANT. I DON"T CARE IF IT"S THE TRUE LOVES KISS OR A FROG"S ONE. BUT I"M NOT GIVING UP!"

Biglang may humawak sa balikat ko. Paglingon ko nakita ko si North at East. They"re smiling as if they won the jockpot at the lottery.

"I guess that"s the reason why West fell in love with you," he said laughingly.

"Yep, he likes clumsy girls. Especially types like her," East agreed.

"Wh-what are you talking about," I blushed in embarra.s.sment.

"Hey," South came behind them. "I"m not really sure what acting you guys wanted me to do but this sucks. And you, better do your promise. I still blame you to what happened."

"What? Acting?"

Napatingin ako sa magkapatid. So all of those are stage acting? They all grinned.

"We only need the motivation to keep going, princess. Besides, West is somebody who is fool enough to trust his foolish brothers," North laughed his heart out.

"We can"t let him die in a miserable way. Besides, he still have lots of work to do," East nodded.

Naglakad papunta sa amin ang pilosopo. He gave me a smile.

"The wisest decision is usually made by the heart," he said. "Now, let"s save him."

I nodded. Pinunasan ko ang basa kong pisngi. Nagsimula na kaming maglakad pabalik. Dahil nga sa nasa panaginip kami, biglang nagbago ang paligid. Ang paliwanag nila ay dahil sa may sumasakop na mga di dapat sa isip ko. They said that it is normal for somebody who dreams.

"By the way... why did West gave me the compa.s.s?" Tanong ko kay South na hawak hawak ang compa.s.s ng kapatid.

"It"s like a tracking device. And also because of its main purpose," North answered.

"Meaning...?" Ako.

"Meaning that we might get lost in the middle of the night. You see all of us has compa.s.ses," Ipinakita nila ang mga compa.s.s nila. At bawat isa may blangko sa kada lugar. Walang north sa compa.s.s ni North. Walang east sa compa.s.s ni East. Gayun rin kay South.

"Each of us are reponsible in those fields. I am responsible for the North," North said.

"He looks like boasting but it"s only Santa Claus who"s keeping him company," tawa ni East. "Unlike me... Man, Asia is huge! I have lots of work everyday!"

"It"s a tracking device," South ignored his older brothers. "We use that to track our brother. He might give that to you so that if he need something we will come straight to you."

Nagpatuloy kami sa paglalakad. Napansin ko na medyo dumidilim na ang paligid. Umaga pa naman kanina. Hindi lang dumidilim, nagiiba na rin ang imahe ng mga puno. Nagiging mga kamay ito na may matutulis na mga kuko. Nagtaka rin ang mga kasama ko sa nakikita.

"Teka, anong nangyayari? Hindi ba dapat hindi ito makikita rito?" Tanong ni East.

"Father, what is this?" Tanong ni North sa ama.

"Isn"t this the forest of nightmare?" Tanong ni South sa kanila.

Isa isang gumalaw ang mga puno. Para silang k.u.makaway sa hangin. Lumamig bigla ang hangin. Tinignan nila ang paligid na para bang hindi nila inaasahan na dito ito mangyayari. Nagsalita si North gamit ang sariling linggwahe. Nagsalita rin si East. Mukhang hindi nila gusto na malaman ko kung ano man ito. Nanatili sa tabi ko si South.

"Hey princess," he suddenly called out.

"Yes?" I replied.

"If ever my brother met you in the real world... is there a possibility that you"ll fell in love with him? I mean, if the circ.u.mstances are more favorable," he asked.

"Your brother is fool enough to be loved," I chuckled.

"Ha ha, I guess it"s okay," he smiled.

Mukhang natapos na sa pag-uusap ang dalaw.a.n.g nakatatandang magkapatid. Halata sa mukha nila ang pagtataka sa mga nangyayari.

"Mukhang kailangan parin nating magpatuloy. Malapit na rin namang-"

Hindi na nakapagsalita pa si North nang may isang malaking ugat ang biglang lumabas sa gilid at itinulak sila palayo. Para itong malaking latigo na inihagis sa kanila. Natilapon sina East at North palayo samantalang nakailag naman ang pilosopo. Hinawakan agad ako ni South nang may parating na isa para tamaan kami.

"Who the h.e.l.l did this?" Tanong niya.

"Somebody interferred with the dream world," The wise man replied.

"Alam nila kung anong mangyayari kapag nasira ang mundong ito. Those guys will be punished. Dad, what are you going to do with it?" South asked.

"I"ll be excusing myself. I"ll go to Father Time to report this..." Nawala na lang ang pilosopo sa isang iglap.

Tatakbo na sana kami ng makaramdam ako ng panghihina. Nangatog bigla ang tuhod ko sa hanggang natumba.

"Hey, what happened?" Tanong ni South.

Tinignan ko ang mga paa ko. Nagulat ako ng makitang medyo nawawala ang paa ko. It looks like fading, a light bulb blinking the light. Naglalaho ito, pagkatapos b.u.mabalik uli.

"You"re starting to wake up," South confirmed.

"What? But I haven"t save..."

"Magigising ka na. Iyan lang ang tanging paraan para mailigtas mo ang kapatid ko."

"But..."

Isang ugat ang pumulupot sa paa ni South. Bigla siyang hinila nito paitaas. Inikot-ikot siya nito sa hanggang binitawan siya at natilapon sa malayo. Sa bilis ng pangyayari wala na akong nagawa. Nandoon lang ako, nakatingin sa ugat na humagis sa kanya. Ngayon, parating na ang ugat para ako naman ang isunod niya.

"Anybody... sa...ve...me..."

Parating na ang ugat. Isang tusok lang siguradong tatagos ito sa puso ko. Ikamamatay ko ito. Kung hindi ako magigising mamamatay si West. Pareho kaming mawawala sa mundong ito. The root is almost close in stabbing me when a shadow came in front of me to make his body as the shield. I looked up at his face and saw a smiling one.

"Hey, you dying isn"t part of my plan..."