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Foresee
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WE DON'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO STAY. 

All of the students are already settled in their seats. I thought we were ready to go, but a man, the same age as our teacher, entered the bus and introduced himself as our tour guide.

His name is Leo. 

Apparently, Nature's Haven is a camp site located on  Mt. Delphoria in Trazom Town. If we go there without a guide who knows that place well, we might get lost. That's why the school sent Mr. Leo to guide us. 

After his introduction, Mang Celso started the car engine. Pero bago pan man tumulak ang bus ay may naramdaman akong parang nakamasid sa akin mula sa labas ng bintana.

I looked outside, and I was right. Someone is staring at me. He was standing on the other side of the road. 

The man is wearing all black clothes, which helps him blend in with the shadows of the trees. He's wearing a mask, and only his eyes are all I can see. His pair of azure eyes were staring directly at me. 

They feel so familiar and look so familiar. Like I have seen those shades of eyes before.
 
Sino ang lalakeng ito? Bakit siya nakatingin sa akin na mayroong pangungulila sa kanyang mga mata? 

Unting-unting nawala sa paningin ko ang lalake habang papalayo ang bus namin. Pero kahit hindi ko na ito nakikita ay hindi maalis sa isip ko ang pamilyar na pares ng kulay asul nitong mga mata. 

༺ ❖ ༻ 

Habang bumabyahe patungo ng Trazom ay napansin kong parang hindi mapakali si Patricia. She keeps looking outside the window every minute. Si kuya naman ay tahimik lang, pero ramdam ko rin ang pagiging alerto nito.

Ano bang nangyayare?

Unlike the chill ambience before we took a stop at Grimace, now the ambience has changed. It became darker and heavier. I am not sure kung ako lang ba ang nakakapansin nito.

Something's wrong. 

Napatingin ako sa driver namin na si Mang Celso. The heavy aura is from him. I felt uneasy when I caught a glimpse of his eyes. It's dead.

There was no trace of any emotion. It's like I am staring into a void. His aura changed from welcoming to something wicked. Or maybe it's all in my head. And I am thinking too much again.

༺ ❖ ༻ 

“Malayo pa ba tayo?” Pang-ilang tanong ko na iyon sa aking katabi.

Wala pa, pero pakiramdam ko ay pagod na pagod na ako dahil sa mga nangyare. In just one day, a lot of strange and unexpected things happened. There are so many familiar strangers I meet. 

“Malapit na raw tayo.” Sagot nito. 

Kanina pa siya sabi ng sabi na malapit na kami, pero hanggang ngayon ay hindi pa rin kami nakarating ng Trazom. Wala akong maalalang kahit anong detalye tungkol sa Trazom kahit alam kong doon kami dati nakatira. 

From what I gather from my research, the bridge where the tragedy happened is the entrance to the town. We have been traveling for hours, but wala pa naman kaming nadadaanang tulay. Hindi ko alam kung nasaang parte na kami ngayon ng Easter Valley. Puro mga puno lamang ang nakikita ko sa paligid namin.

Napahikab ako at napansin iyon ng katabi ko.

“May binigay kaninang juice sa amin si Ma'am Terry. Energy drink daw. Sayang at huli ka ng dumating kanina. Hindi ka tuloy nabigyan.”

It's okay. Wala naman akong balak na manatiling gising buong byahe. 

Isinara ko ang bintana nang umihip ang malamig na hangin. 

“Alam mo ba,” Panimula ng katabi ko. “kanina ko pa napapansin na parang paikot-ikot lang tayo sa lugar na ito.”

Napakunot ang aking noo. “What do you mean?”

“Minsan na akong nakapunta ng Trazom pero hindi ko naalalang dinaanan namin ang lugar na ito. At nakikita mo ba iyong malaking puno ng Acacia?” 

Tumango ako.

“Panagtlong beses na nating nadaanan iyan ngayon.”

“Sa tingin mo ba naliligaw tayo?” 

Umiling ito. “Mukhang sadyang inililigaw tayo.”

Magtatanong pa sana ako kung anong ibig niyang sabihin, pero ang boses ko ay nalunod sa panibagong boses na umugong sa loob ng bus. 

“ITIGIL NIYO PO ANG BUS!” 

Ang kaninang maingay na bus ay biglang tumahimik. The only thing I could hear clearly were Mitch's heavy breaths and her sobs. 

She looks like she just woke up from a nightmare. Her hair is disheveled, and her eyes are red and swollen. 

“What’s the problem, Ms. Ramos?” Tanong ni Ma’am Terry at nilapitan ito.

“I-Itigil niyo po ang bus! Please po! B-Bumalik na po tayo ng La Ezpera. H-Huwag po tayong tumuloy sa Trazom!” 

“No, we can’t. Malapit na tayo ng Trazom.” 

“Please po… We need to go back! M-may masamang mangyayare ‘pag tumuloy tayo!” 

“That was ridiculous! Walang masamang mangyayare. We’re not going back. End of discussion.” 

“K-Kailangan po nating bumalik. D-Dahil kung hindi...” Nahihirapan niyang sambit sa pagitan ng kanyang pag-iyak. 

“…mamamatay tayong lahat.” Dugtong nito na ikinatigil ng lahat. 

©Quinnxixityy