Chapter I
"Hey, wake up!"
Siul interrupted my nap. Only a few days had passed after I met my new friend Siul. I saw him on TV, he seemed to need help, the set engulfed me and aaaahhhhhhhhhhh, I was inside it! I helped him fight the enemies- men covered with bonnets and armed with guns, we finished the fight with just a blow of a hand! I slowly went out of the set when I felt someone pushing me, it was my mother, I was only dreaming! It seemed true, sweats were pouring down my forehead and I felt so tired from the fight. I really wanted to go back to sleep but I am almost late for school. I took a bath and ate breakfast. While on the table, I badly wanted to close my eyes and go back to the comfort of my bed, but pipppippp....the school bus had arrived. I hurriedly took some of the sandwiches, sipped the last drop of chocolate, bade goodbye and ran outside carrying my heavy bag full of books and other school materials. We arrived on time, but we were wondering why our teacher was late, she was never late ever since. A few moments later, principal Salem and our teacher were walking briskly toward our classroom, following them was a fat lady, with face like a ripe tomato because of the over application of cosmetics, next to her was a boy with white complexion, tall, wearing a pair of eyeglasses. I looked at him very carefully, he seemed familiar. I recalled events where I may have met him, yes, I remembered, in my dream! "I have helped him fight the bad guys!", I shouted. But I had a second thought, it was only in my dream, it was not true! When they have entered the classroom, our teacher apologized and explained why she was late. Principal Salem introduced the new kid. I was surprised when he called my name, he knew me after all.
"Hey, he knows you", they exclaimed.
"Ahh", was my only response.
I was also astonished by such fact. He sat beside me, had a short conversation and then listened attentively to the discussion.
He is from Manila, he is here because of a sad and painful reason, which should be confidential (between me and you). I will tell you but listen first.
His principal, the fat lady who accompanied him. She personally took her to our school because our principal is a good friend. According to her, she will be assured that Siul will be safe and in good hands. Our principal showed sympathy and accepted Siul even if he is a late enrollee. While his principal was having a last minute conversation with our adviser, I interrupted Siul's solitude by opening him to conversation with our seatmates.
I am sorry to suspend your excitement, the reason that Siul told me about why he is here was .......
Tragic and full of grief. A group of men crashed into their house and murdered his family including the servants and the guards. They had taken all the jewelries, antiques and other valuables inside the house. He was lying next to his father while they bathed with their own blood, he closed his eyes as he held his father's hand. One day he woke up with clouds above his head, he was in a hospital, he survived the incident. The principal of his school, a family friend, took him to our school, for reasons I do not know, except for as repeatedly said, Siul's safety. The culprits were still looking for him. She asked our teacher for help in finding a house for Siul to stay, but Siul told her he has found one, at our house, so I agreed. Siul told her that we were friends for a long time and felt secured to stay there. I just nodded, confused if I should believe him or argue.
He is back with deep pacification, after a while he looked at the entire structure of the classroom then to everyone as if familiarizing them. He seemed different from the rest of us.
The classes ended.
I introduced him to my parents. They understood the situation, but wondered why the two of us know each other. We told them that we have met from one of the symposia and trainings that we have attended and they believed it, though it never happened. Who would believe that we met inside a TV set while fighting the bad guys in a dream?
We fell asleep immediately. We lied on the soft cushion and the comfortable pillows and cold breeze brought us to deep slumber. In the middle of the night, I heard a loud scream.
"Please, please, help, help! Don't kill us please!"
Siul had a nightmare. I woke him up, my parents also came to check. I gave him a glass of water. He calmed down as he wiped his heavy sweats. He cried and cried, my mother gave him a hug and that solaced him.
He considered it a problem for while, he cannot forget the incident and he cannot sleep well at night because he was afraid to dream of it again. My parents told us happy stories and brought us to promenades. We enjoyed, laughed and had fun! He is fine now, no nightmares but he is here disturbing my nap.
"What?", I asked.
"Someone is looking for you.", he said.
to be continued....
Adsum
June 7, 2011
9:33 pm
(originally written: year 2000, 1st year high school)
