Chapter 2: O’Brien Exequiel

CHAPTER 2: O'BRIEN EXEQUIEL

I woke up with a startle, like I came from a nightmare. I stared at the ceiling, a little disoriented, trying to recognize the place I was in. Until everything that happened suddenly flowed through my mind. 

"I-I died?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong ko sa sarili.

Halos manghina ako nang maalala ang lahat ng nangyari; simula nang magising ako dahil sa isang masamang panaginip, hanggang sa bigla na lang kaming makarinig ng pagsabog sa bahay, at tumigil ang oras sa hindi ko maipaliwanag kung paano at bakit nangyari iyon. Pagkatapos niyon ay nahulog ako sa bangin, at namatay. Yes, I was a hundred percent sure that I died. And I didn't think anyone could survive falling into that abyss. 

"W-What happened to me? I fell in a clip and died. H-How did this happen? H-How am I still alive now? "I asked myself as I tried to move my body, and even pinched my skin, but I just groaned in pain. 

I felt pain, and this just means one thing . . . I didn't die. But how did that happen? I accidentally fell off a cliff. My body slammed on the cold and rough ground. But before that, I saw a luminous light rushing towards me, which hit me first before I could finally close my eyes, and stopped my heart from breathing. That was why I was still alive at this moment?

But don't get me wrong, huh? I don’t want or wish for me to die. It was just that . . . what was happening to me right now was really confusing the hell out of me. It was so impossible that I was still alive.

"Technically, yes, you really died earlier."

Natigilan ako nang may marinig na malamig na tinig ng lalaki sa kanang bahagi ko, kaya mabilis akong napatingin sa gawing iyon. And I saw a man wearing a grey robe decorated by some gold badges and jewel stones, probably some magic stones, I guess?

His skin was a bit tanned. His firm jaws compliment his well-defined face and ash-blonde hair.

He was leaning against the door, and he was seriously staring at me with his arms clasped. But what did I just say? Magic stones? Huh? That was weird.

"H-Hi." That was the first word that automatically came out of my mouth, probably because of the mixed feelings I have now.

I was so confused how and why I am still alive right now. I was scared as well because what if I'm really dead and my soul and brain are just traveling to different places now? Furthermore . . . this man's presence was quite strange. There was no expression on his face, but his aura was saying something else that I couldn't figure out. Though I couldn't sense danger from him. His presence screamed authority and it became so alarming that even my knees were trembling in fear and nervousness.

I tried to sit up on the bed, a little fazed with a headache like someone just smashed something against my head.

I scanned the room where I was. The whole place shouts silver mixed with emerald green — the curtains, the walls, even the soft, canopy bed I'm on.

"Where am I?" I voiced out in confusion, mouth dry and scratchy.

The man in the doorway with a grey blonde-hair and grey eyes didn't bother to answer me. I noticed that he was just staring at me seriously as if studying me. He seemed to be thinking deeply while just staring at me.

“Wait, mukha ba akong basahan ngayon?” I whispered in curiosity. I immediately fixed myself before looking at him again.

But his forehead was still in a furrow, and his eyebrows almost met. Until I suddenly remember the man I saw earlier when I first woke up after I lost my consciousness due to falling into the abyss. 

Hindi ako maaaring magkamali. Siya ang lalaking iyon. Was he the one who saved me?

Wala sa sariling inabot ko ang likod ko gamit ang kanan kong kamay upang kapain kung may sugat ako o wala dahil bago ulit ako mawalan ng malay kanina ay parang may matulis na bagay na bumaon sa likod ko dahilan upang mawalan ulit ako ng malay. Pero wala akong makapa na sugat o kahit makaramdam man lang sakit na nagmumula ro’n.

Napakunot ang noo ko nang wala talaga akong makapang sugat. Wala rin akong maramdamang sakit sa likod ko. But how did that happen? I was one hundred percent sure that something hit me in the back. Something sharp and hot, the reason for me to lose my breath and consciousness earlier.

"You're already healed. So, don't be stupid at such things you are even aware of. Don't act like you don't know what happened just to get my attention!"

I glanced at him after I heard all what he said, but he just raised his grey thick eyebrows at me.

Hindi ko alam kung ma-a-amaze ba ako na ang buhok, kilay, at mga mata niya ay iisa lang ang kulay — grey. Hindi kaya may sakit siya kaya ganiyan ang kulay ng mga ito? This was the first time I have ever encountered someone like him. But he did not look sick. His skin wasn't pale at all, unlike the sick person that just through their skin you will know immediately that they have a serious illness. 

"W-What did you say?" I arched my brows at him. 

Nagpapapansin ako sa kaniya? What? Hindi ko nga kilala kung sino ang hinayupak na ito. Kaloka!

"I don't even know who you are, stranger!" I said with a dragging sigh as I sat back on the bed.

From a corner, the curtains swayed with a sudden breeze coming from the open window causing me to see outside. I suddenly rose from the bed, staring at the view of a familiar town below.

I felt like my heart was pounding inside my heart. So, I stepped away, confused and lost.

"W-Where was I?" I voiced out nervously.

My head was whirling, but there was no coherent thought in there.

"I don't know if you're just acting like a fool to make a scene or you just don't really remember anything because of what happened to you!" he harshly said. His voice was deep, and his hazel-grey eyes inquisitively looked at me.

But what was wrong with him? Was he really direct to the point when he was saying something? Doesn’t he know how to wander around before getting to his right point? And I was not playing dumb, hello? Mas lalo naman na hindi ako gumagawa ng eksena. I'm not that kind of person — attention seeker. But he was right with the latter. I don’t know how I got here, but I remember all what happened to me right from when I woke up in my bed, until I lost my consciousness due to something I didn't know that hit me in my back. 

"The latter," I said with utter defiance. "And by the way, who are you? Kanina ka pa ba rito?" mataray kong tanong.

He lowly chuckled with amusement, but it was a hollow laugh. "You don't know who you are talking about?" he asked airily. 

Kusang tumaas ang kanan kong kilay. "No? I mean, does it need to know who you are?" I asked stupendously.

"That's considered as an insult to a nobles like me, but it was understandable since as you said, you don't remember anything. And I guess, you're lucky enough that I'm the first one you insulted because I'm still kind in this situation," he said. His tone was quite sarcastic.

Nagkasalubong ang mga kilay ko sa narinig mula sa kaniya. "W-What noble? What are you talking about? Are you kidding me? We aren't in the United Kingdom where there are kings, queens, princes, princesses and nobles. Don't fool me. I am not that stupid. Also, we're not close, dzuh?" I rolled my eyes as I sarcastically laughed.

I saw how he smirked, probably because of what I said. "Do I look like I am joking at a stranger like you? I don't even know you as well, so don't assume that I was making such things just like what you are thinking or assuming! I am just here because I am waiting for the Healer to come back. She asked me to stay here for a while to check on you, and watch over you because I was the one who helped you to get here even if I don’t want to. If I just knew how ungrateful you are, I would have just left you to die in the place where I saw you!" he seriously said with utter defiance as he walked away with a dragging sigh.

Natulala ako sa sinabi niya. It took time for me before my mind could finally digested all what he said to me. Pero bigla akong nakaramdam ng kirot sa akin. Nasaktan ako sa sinabi niya. But he was right, I was so ungrateful because of what I did and said to him, that instead of being thankful I became even more harsh with him.

"Oh . . . Ano'ng nangyari sa lalaking iyon? Bakit parang masama ang loob niya?"

Bigla akong nakarinig ng boses at mga yapak papalapit sa silid na kinaroroonan ko. Tatakbo pa sana ako papunta sa kama, pero huli na ang lahat.

"A-Ah, you're already awake," voice of a girl.

I gazed at the girl who spoke, and I forced a smile at her.

"H-Hello . . . " The girl with mid-length dark wavy hair and large expressive eyes said excitedly as she smiled at me.

She was wearing a dress — no, more likely a cloak with a blouse, and a long green skirt underneath. It was like a school uniform, and there was a school's logo and name in its green necktie, but I couldn't read what was written on there. 

"Good thing you're awake now. We've been waiting for you to wake up for almost a week now. By the way, I'm Celeste, your roommate," the second girl said, and smiled at me as well. She was slightly taller than the first girl, with longer blonde hair.

"I am Scarlet, your roommate also. Nice meeting you . . . " the girl with dark wavy hair uttered.

I smiled at them, a sincere one. But I was a little confused by what they said.

"R-Roommate? I mean, what are you talking about that I am your roommate? I don't get it. Why do I need a roommate? Where was I?" I asked them in confusion.

They looked at each other for a moment before they gazed back at me.

"Maybe — " the blonde-haired girl, Celeste, wasn't able to continue what he was going to say when a man suddenly entered the room where we were.

"Finally, you're awake now, O'Brien," the boy with the same type of uniform as the two girls, said as he gave me a tight hug, causing me to stiffen in my stance because of the shock of what he did. 

His hug just lasted for a minute before he moved away a bit from me. He was smiling broadly, but I noticed a drop of tears flowing to his cheeks.

"I missed you so much, O'Brien. I missed your laughs, and corny jokes," he sarcastically laughed, but he stopped immediately when he noticed that I had no reaction.

"W-Wait . . . Are you really okay now? You can lie down on the bed and rest if you are still not feeling well. But I will just get something for you to eat. You are definitely starving now because you have been sleeping for almost a week now. You are really making me nervous. And that's not funny already," he sarcastically said, but you could feel the worry and sincerity in his voice. And he was about to leave, but I held his arm to stop him from going out because I wanted to clear something.

"Yes?" he sweetly smiled at me. I could feel something in his moves and how he cared for me. There's something in it. He loves me, but how? It was the first time I saw him, but it seems like he already knew me for a very long time the way he talked to me and hugged me earlier. 

"Did I hear that you called me O'Brien? B-But I am not O'Brien."

Napansin kong nagkatinginan ang dalawang babae dahil sa sinabi ko. Habang ang lalaki naman na tumawag sa akin sa pangalan na iyon ay hinawakan nito ang magkabilang braso ko, pero agad ko itong tinanggal dahil hindi ako kumportable.

"H-Hindi kita maintindihan. What do you mean? Is this part of your plans — your pranks on me?" he lightly laughed, "you're O'Brien Exequiel, my childhood friend. You knew that I had a crush on you since we were still young, and I tried to court you before we planned to go here, but you said that it's still not yet the right for us to go that far. You said that we are still young, and I promised to you that I would wait for you no matter what happened until you are already ready for that kind of set-up, and you gave me an assurance that that would happen when the time came. Do you remember that?" he asked me as he sarcastically laughed.

You could feel the frustration in the tone of his voice, probably because of nervousness and fear that the person he loves didn't remember who he was. And that really hurt, but I was not really the O'Brien he was pertaining to.

"S-Sorry, but I am not the one you are calling with the name O'Brein. I don't even remember who you are. And where I am? I need to go home now. Mom and Dad might looking at me already. Siguradong nag-aaalala na iyon kasi may kakaibang nilalang na sumugod sa bahay namin bago ako nagising sa kamang iyan. P-Pero . . . " I suddenly stopped.

"Is it true that I slept for almost a week?" I curiously asked.

Tinitigan ko ang lalaking nasa harap ko na nakatulala lang. Kaya bumaling ako kina Celeste at Scarlet.

"Y-Yes," Scarlet replied.

"Then I really need to go home now. Alam niyo ba kung saan ang sakayan ng bus? P-Pero nasa'n pala ako? May taxi naman siguro dito, am I right?"

Napansin kong napaawang ang mga labi ng dalawang babae.

"B-Bus? K-Kotse?" naguguluhan na tanong ni Celeste. At muli silang nagkatinginan ni Scarlet. "Ano ang ibig niyang sabihin?" bulong niya sa kasama.

I lowly chuckled. "B-Bakit? Is there any problem?" nagtatakang tanong ko sa kanilang dalawa, but they just shook both of their heads as they smiled at me little.

"O'Brien . . . " the man caught my attention. "Your Mom and Dad died already. Matagal na silang namatay. We were still young back then. Until my parents adopted you because our parents are friends. We are childhood best friends, and I fell in love with you," he said with confidence, trying to convince me that he was really telling the truth, which made me more confused. 

"H-Ha?" That was the only word that came out of my mouth out of confusion.

"Hindi. N-Nagkakamali ka. Buhay pa silang dalawa. Buhay pa ang mga magulang ko, pero bago ako magising sa kama na iyan . . . ” I pointing out the bed behind me, “may nangyari sa bahay namin na hindi ko alam kung maniniwala ka o hindi. There's a creature I don't know if it's a human or a monster, but that creature has red eyes, wearing black cloak that almost covers its face. He has power, and I don’t know what happened after I ran away from our house, but Mom and Dad faced that creature." 

"And I know that you don't really believe in what I am going to say, but my parents also had power — just like the red-eyed creature. They are the one who faced and fought the creature. At nang mabigyan ako ng pagkakataon upang makaalis sa bahay namin, pero hindi sila kasama ay tumakbo ako nang tumakbo, hanggang sa mahulog ako sa bangin. Then I woke up in an unfamiliar place where I saw the guy who's here earlier — the guy with an ash-blonde hair, paired of grey eyes, and brows. He said that he was the one who saved me, and brought me here," mahaba kong kuwento sa kaniya, pero sa reaksyon ng mukha niya ay parang hindi siya naniniwala sa mga sinabi ko.

Habang ang dalawang babae naman ay halos magyakapan na sa isa't isa. Makikita sa kanilang mukha na nasasaktan sila sa sitwasyong mayro'n ako ngayon, pero wala silang ibang magawa kun'di ang tumayo lamang doon at kaawaan ako.

"O'Brien . . . I guess you are not yet fully recovered from what happened to us while we are in our way to get here. You can now rest, and I understand what you are feeling. I know that what happened to your parents leaves a big impact on you, but it's been ten years since they died. You need to move on now, and focus on your goals in life. Walang mangyayari kung hahayaan mong ibaon ang sarili mo sa mga pangyayari na matagal nang nangyari," he muttered as he held my hands and massaged it, trying to make me calm down.

"B-But I am not O'Brien . . . My parents are still alive, and I need to look for them if they are just okay," I insisted and tried to let go of his hands.

I noticed that he looked at Celeste, who immediately nodded upon their eyes met. Nakuha agad ni Celeste ang gustong sabihin ng lalaki na nakahawak pa rin sa dalawang kong kamay upang pigilan ako sa binabalak kong gawin.

Then later on, Celeste approached us, and put her right hand in my head. Until I gradually began to feel weak, and completely lost consciousness for reasons I didn't know. But before that happened I saw again the guy with ash-blonde hair just standing outside the room while his face was still seriously staring at me.